matski

I generally take 2 basses to gigs, a 5 and a 4 string. Guess what happened the last time I only took one bass? The input jack wiring decided to start disintegrating mid-set. Fun (not).

Shitting your pants and then blaming everyone else - was your singer called Donald Trump?

This is my Aria Black&Gold I bass that I bought brand new from Rockbottom in Croydon in 1983. I played my first ever gig with this bass. I had the Bartolini and active circuitry installed by the Bass Centre in Wapping around 1991ish. As a bonus I included my old effects pedals (apart from the tuner) that I bought second-hand from my local music shop in Tonbridge, also in 1983 - I have no idea how old they are

I played a gig with Larry Steinbachek of Bronski Beat fame in the early 2000s: we were friends when I used to live in Amsterdam and did a one hour set of improvised weirdness at the Cannabis Cup with our drummer friend Al Treney and a Norwegian jazz guitarist under the moniker 'The Puffadelics'. After our set we had a load of stoners complimenting us and asking where they could buy our CDs, they were most disappoionted to learn that The Puffadelics only existed for that one hour The obligatory Lemmy sighting: after we played a gig at the Covent Garden Rock Garden in '86, Mr Kilminster gave us a thumbs up and croaked "Good gig, lads!" at us. This summer my band is booked to play at a festival and we go on stage just before The Mission - I was a big fan of the original Sisters of Mercy back in the day so that could be good!

Les Claypool - his style just doesn't do anything for me at all. I once bought a Primus album to see what all the fuss was about, gave it a couple of listens and then gave it away. Awful. I don't even like the look of the basses he plays

For reference, here is the Babicz saddle unit dropped in on the stock bridge on my Rickenbacker, the nice thing is that you get to keep the use of the original mutes. You might notice the 2 extra screws holding the tailpiece down, which was typical for mid-80s Ricks like mine to avoid tail lift. Good luck with the work, you have a nice bass.

According to the Gallery's website that one is the Wal used by Nick Beggs for 'Too Shy'. I'm not convinced that that claim to fame is worth the extortionate markup.

I once had a recording session in a studio under a railway somewhere in London. We had no issues with electrical hum, just the rumble of the trains passing over our heads every now and then. Ironically, we had the bright idea of trying to record the train rumble, but sod's law decreed that whenever we had a mike ready no trains would pass. So we recorded the Space Invaders machine in the hallway instead

I'm English, but left the UK for work 20 odd years ago and am still living in the EU. Before Brexit I bought and sold quite a few items through the BC marketplace, but these days I merely peruse the for sale forums wistfully. Import costs are the killer for me, so now if I actually want to buy something it's from EU sellers only.

That documentary gave me traumatic flashbacks of when I was watching a similar type of band and got my fingers trodden on and crushed by a platform-shoed wearing guitarist when I was a nipper, at the community club my grandparents used to run. Amersham Cross was the band - their name is indelibly etched in my memory forever.

Sweaty Balding Lurkers

"Welcome to the DDC - Deck Chair City!"

I guess you could say he Cort them red-handed

It's amazing how useful pockets are for keeping things in, isn't it? And before BigRedX comes back saying his stage wear doesn't feature common or garden accoutrements like pockets, I usually keep a spare plectrum in my mouth.

I'm using an Ibanez Big Mini and it is perfectly adequate and has a small footprint. Tracks well on all strings, including low B. Costs around £50 new.