RhysP

I think Jaco's very best playing was on the Joni stuff. The Joni albums to get are "Hejira", "Mingus" "Shadows & Light" (a live album also available as a DVD) & "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" Pat Metheny's "Bright Size Life" album is also essential Jaco listening.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1330859115' post='1563763'] How does your age make a difference to the time you spend practising? [/quote] I think it makes a huge difference actually. If you grew up learning to play in 70's there wasn't the astonishing amount of tutorial material available like there is today. You had two options: 1. The schooled approach, which was impossible if you're family had no spare cash (and also there were no electric bass teachers around then, and a hell of a lot fewer guitar teachers who would have been pretty much all classical). Schools didn't teach guitar when I was there - it was piano, violin or nothing, and that was all extra curricular. 2. The learn by ear, noodling around approach, which is what, in my experience, the majority of players my age (47) did. You never developed a disciplined practice regime, as there was nowhere to get the lessons from (no internet, no "Guitar Techniques" type magazines). If I was starting to play now I would probably be as good in a couple of years as I am now after 33 years of playing.

What about a "Used to play live but don't anymore, never practice, play at home for own pleasure & occasionally get thrown a bit of session work" option? That would be the one I'd choose. (I'm assuming by "Practice" you mean actively trying to improve your playing by working on stuff like scales, learning new songs etc & not just picking the bass up & noodling aimlessly about).

[quote name='thunderbird13' timestamp='1330763385' post='1562577'] I'm guessiing that the people on this list are either American or dead.... [/quote] No on both counts with regard to Dave Holland.

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1330801091' post='1563260'] I always think it's a shame no-one rates Animals. [/quote] Animals is far & away my favourite Floyd album.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1330696931' post='1561778'] [url="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rush+virtuality"]Fill yer boot(legs)....[/url] Virtuality is a terrible song, IMO... [/quote] Not compared to "Dog Years" it isn't. "Dog Years" has to be the worst song ever written by anybody in the entire history of song writing. IMO......

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1330614235' post='1560405'] I'm sure that the majority of people that will turn up (which I'm guessing will be mostly teenagers)will instantly recognise it and be inspired. [/quote] That made me laugh while simultaneously making me feel very old as it was one of the first things I ever played in a band with school friends.

[quote name='essexbasscat' timestamp='1330609741' post='1560296'] How would you recognise stainless steel frets ? [/quote] They won't have any stains on them.

I voted for Dave Holland.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1330511016' post='1558454'] Take Jaco off the Heavy Weather cd and its a different album. Take Kasim Sulton off 'Bat Out Of Hell' and its the same album with a different bass player. [/quote] I think it's a bit unfair to use the example of Jaco as he was so exceptional. Take Jaco off ANYTHING he played on & it would change completely. There are plenty of excellent electric jazz players I listen too - Matthew Garrison, Hadrien Feraud, Kai Eckhart, Etienne M'bappe etc. - that I personally would say are just as interchangeble as Kasim Sulton is in your "Bat out of Hell" example. I would also argue that Sieglers playing is so unusual that if Kasim Sulton had been on the first two Utopia albums they too, like your Jaco-less "Heavy Weather", would have been completely different albums.

John Siegler (with Todd Rundgrens Utopia before Kasim Sulton).

[quote name='LemonCello' timestamp='1330361908' post='1556239'] Fagin's in Taffs Well [/quote] Fagin's Chop House? Haven't been there for years - always used to go to the place that did the Mongolian food (The Anchor?) when I was on the piss in Taffs Well.

That was awesome - how the hell did this pass me by? Been listening to Percy's "Cape Catastrophe" album a lot lately - absolutely brilliant!

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1330371944' post='1556442'] I appreciate the answers everyone has given but its just I feel I am taking advice from those most inclined to err on the 5 side. [/quote] That's easily remedied - ignore them & just listen to me.

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1330357947' post='1556139'] Not these rubbish Kinder eggs you get these days... [/quote] Has the quality declined then? That's a shame. I haven't bought a Kinder Egg for years.

Horrible headstock & looks cheap IMO Looks like something you'd get out of a Kinder Egg.

I've owned two in the last 18 months but just don't really like them, mainly because I think the notes below low E sound pretty crap. I've thought this about pretty much every five string bass I've heard, regardless of how expensive it is. If I need to go below low E I'd rather use a synth - I'd buy another Chapman Stick before I'd consider buying a five string bass again as I think they sound much better than a bass for the low notes.

Burgundy Mist with a single ply black scratchplate.

Drink a couple of bottles of red wine. Vomit copiously onto chrome plated thing you want to "age" Leave overnight. Rinse off remaining sick. Job done. Believe me, I speak from experience.

Bloody hell, are they still going? After all this time they should just be called "Model Army".

I'm guessing "Anal ****" never did the covers band thing.

So, do you want this f***ing Muse CD or what?

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1330002231' post='1551126'] Tell that to any of the thousands of guys who have made a good long term living from music without being a songwriter.In those cases,technical ability and general musical knowledge is far more important. Likewise,there are thousands of people who write songs of varying quality and have never been able to make a living from it. [/quote] Doddy's back! Quick, everyone pretend to be studying their theory again! Hope you had a great time when you were away. Welcome back.

[quote name='blackmn90' timestamp='1330003114' post='1551153'] Most guys who do a lot of top sessions such as laurence cottle, know lots of theory. And to be at his level of expertise when I'm 50 is something i aspire to. [/quote] Well, I wish you all the best with that. Cottle is a phenomenal player. I'm nothing special, and certainly have never had the discipline with the instrument that you appear to have. I've just been playing a long time & know some people in studios. It's never going to make me rich or a household name.