NJE

Watched a couple of sets last night and still need to check out some of the headliners. TLC had a slick band but there was something weird going on with the vocals that was distracting me, maybe a vocal effect or something on the backing track? Skunk Anansie are always worth a look, there’s a few songs of theirs I will always love as they drag out memories of being a teenager. Pretty good, wasn’t blown away. Watched a few other bits I can’t recall but highlight for me so far was Sigrid. Her band were superb, her bass player was great, some nice lines and flicking back and forth between synth and great vocalist on top. Guitarist held it down nicely and let rip on a couple of occasions in a classy way. I just love Sigrid, she writes some great catchy song, great singer, and huge energy. I will check some more out today and this evening. Really want to check out Olivia Rodrigo and Jessie Ware.

I played one of these in Andertons a few years back as I was drawn to the amazing colour, as you say there’s almost a burnt orange tint in there, lovely colour. I played a lot of fenders that day, including a very expensive Adam Clayton signature, and this was the star of the day. Great build, lovely neck, light and just a joy to play as it was set up well out of the box. I still need to buy one at some point.

I think I am more critical of the people with all the expensive kit these days. That’s no better though because I shouldn’t judge people on how much they spend on something they love. I felt my most liberated as a player when I had a Squier 5 sting Precision. Didn’t give a monkeys if it fell over or got a ding, got compliments about its looks and sound and I just enjoyed it.

Thinking about it now I am smiling so definitely got more than 10 seconds. He deserved it (he was not a pleasant fellow) but I hate being the ‘my kit costs this much’ Guy.

I had exactly that with an Overwater Jazz 5 string. “What’s that then? Fenders a bit expensive for you”. I could not be the bigger man at that point sadly and subtlety told the guitarist that it was custom built in the uk and how much it was….he went quiet very quickly and I felt good for about 10 seconds.

I always put mine on the household insurance for home and away cover as well as accidental damage. They were specific named items and I made sure they knew it was going to be used for gigging and out in public and was still covered. None of the companies we have used over the past 10 years have had an issue and it was a tiny amount added.

I never got performance anxiety when I was younger and gigging, but in the past 10 years or so it has crept up on me a little. Mine is anxiety caused by lack of rehearsal and other peoples lack of ability or rehearsal. I had one gig with folks I have played with a fair bit over the years and it was a 40+ song set list that we weren’t going to rehearse together. Not only that, they weren’t all in original keys and most of them I didn’t know and there was only a couple of weeks to learn them. This caused me so much stress and it was a huge relief when it was cancelled because of Covid. Another band I played with and fronted regularly was good fun and with good guys (for the most part) but they weren’t good players. Over time I used to get so worried about everyone else and what they were going to play wrong, my enjoyment and stress levels went through the roof. It got the point where I just dreaded playing and didn’t want to gig. On the flip side, at a similar time I was also playing with a 12 piece soul band and they were all great reliable seasoned players. I just did backing vocals and was at the back with the drummer and it was amazing. I just had to focus on my playing and enjoying the music and I loved every gig with no stress whatsoever.

I used 3m dual lock and literally had tiny strips of squares in each corner and it’s holds amazingly well but I can get pedals off and on fairly easily if needed. It’s not cheap but so much tidier than Velcro.

I was in a really fun band that managed to avoid almost all of the usual stuff for a cover band. We played a lot of 90s dance music and some garage and found that the audiences knew it all (it was the kind of stuff you’d hear on Heart a lot) and found it refreshing. I was listening to rock and grunge in the 90s, so it all passed me by and I was hesitant at first but it was so much fun to play. Sadly that band folded and ever since I have struggled to get away from the usual dirge like Mustang Sally, Get Lucky, sex on fire, Dakota etc. I know people love those tunes especially after a few beverages, but I have just got to a point where I would rather not play than have to play those songs at low paid gigs. I have two kids and time is precious.

Making a decent living must be pretty tough, but I have met a couple of people over the years who make it work. Finding decent paid gigs must be the big challenge unless you are part of a touring act. I used to pick up around £200-£300 for wedding gigs but I’d need to be doing at least 8 of those a month to come close. My oldest friend has been full time for over ten years now and he makes a very good living from recording library music for tv/radio and doing scoring and sessions, so it is possible. He does absolutely no live stuff.

I came across him last year after going down some random YouTube rabbit hole. He’s great, obviously a really tidy player and he’s doing to comedy element so well that at times you really can’t tell if he is deadly serious or taking the mick. I saw some live footage and he’s got a great band although the bit I saw his vocals were hard to hear.

It’s not really an official colour, but I would love a bass in faded Lake Placid Blue. It can go a weird green colour and I love it. Tal Wilkenfeld and Nick Campbell have Precisions in a similar colour.

Yeah it’s a job she’s really passionate about and despite the general gripes associated with working for the NHS she wouldn’t want to do anything else. It’s actually worked out reasonably well so far. I was naturally losing enthusiasm when we had our son, as I felt like my gigging life was a cross between the office and Phoenix Nights! I work from home so I am around a lot for the kids which is hard at times but equally brilliant. It just means there is very little free time for anything at the moment. Luckily I do have a few guys who are equally committed for other reasons so we can just play when we can and enjoy it without any pressure.

My wife does 11 hour shifts in the NHS and has no pattern to her shifts from week to month. It wasn’t an issue initially but we now have two children who aren’t old enough to be left alone. I now only have one night a week I am guaranteed to be free (Tuesday) and am very rarely free on weekends, so I basically gave up on bands because I didn’t want to be the guy that had to keep turning down gigs and dodging rehearsals. I got asked to join a band at the end of last year, all guys I have played with before and we all get on well, so right from the off I explained what I could and couldn’t commit to. All but one member got it, he still keeps suggesting we have day long rehearsals on a Sunday with a few beers, and wants to get out and gig loads, but the rest are fine. We just practice when we can and if it lasts I guess we will just do whatever gigs we can all make.

I agree with the above, ask for a reason and don’t assume it’s how many or few notes you are playing. I have stuck around in bands with people who aren’t the best players but are really easy going and decent human beings. Likewise I have wanted to leave bands because I just couldn’t quite get someone’s general personality or sense of humour.

That’s a phenomenal collection, I didn’t think any mortals actually owned Stenbacks! I don’t really like having ‘stuff’ anymore, and that has slowly extended to music equipment. I used to want to collect basses but now I get a weird anxiety if I have too many instruments around at any one time. It’s like I feel they deserve a better home because I am neglecting them. I have pretty much just had one main bass for 10 years and a much cheaper back up for gigs.

Cory is a wicked bass player, I believe that was his first instrument before he took up guitar

I have had a few sets of NYXL strings, I think I got the first set as a trial through here? I thought they were great strings, much nicer under the fingers than other D’Addario strings I had used until that point. They weren’t marketed as long life strings but mine lasted ages, way longer than any other uncoated string I have used although obviously not as long as Elixirs. Nice top end and good low end fundamental, and they seemed to keep the tone well during their life with minimal drop off from memory.

Looking at a few social media posts, a few people seem to think it’s their version of the Aria Pro Detroit bass. Not sure why or how Harley Benton would be copying a bass that is currently available but from the small screen shot it does seem to match up.

When I got my first fretless I spend an evening messing around with tuning and intonation until I realised you had to play on the lines not in-between them.

I use the free fender tuner, for my acoustic and my bass when I don’t have my Korg.

For me it would be: 1. petrol costs for however many vehicles you need to take 2. cost of your time to drive that far 3. normal gig fee 4. food and drink costs if they aren’t being provided The trick is working out what your time is worth, I would probably be looking at a decent hourly rate for each person in the band for the travelling time but you may think that’s a bit high. I would personally provide a breakdown for the customer as well, just so they can get an understanding how what it actually entails for you all.

That was more gripping than most of the films I have seen recently 🤣

If you use the YouTube app you can slow down songs at the same pitch and learn them much easier. I do this all the time, as I hate tab and it’s always wrong.

Apparently it’s from Blackadder according to a good friend of mine, but despite watching all of them many times I have never come across the quote. Regardless I think it’s a brilliant name for a Pub.