12stringbassist

How it should be. Lucky man.

SATURDAY Up at around 10am. Had a coffee and then filled the car with all of the gear for the day's exertions. I wasn't looking forward to Saturday very much. Two gigs in one day, both with a full rig and PA set-up to do. I've had radiotherapy recently and that, as well as a Covid booster on Monday, are flattening me. I arrived at Atherton Collieries AFC at 11.30am, as the fun day started at 12 noon. The weather did not look promising. There were lots of clouds and it looked like it might rain. I wasn't feeling too good about all this, but got on with the job, instead of moaning about it.. Our guitarist Ian arrived next. He unloaded his gear and was then made to take his car out of the grounds. There was really no need for that. There was masses of space and a row of cars parked not far away. He could have parked there with the others. I butted my car up to my side of the pagoda that we were hiding from the weather under. It didn't have any side panels and the wind would have blown us all over the place. Someone looked at me to move it and I pointed out that it was a windbreak and to protect us from the rain. Graham arrived and stuck his car on the other side of the stage area. We moved some large bins so his car could fit in the gap. The PA had to sit outside the pagoda. Ian put an overcoat over one of the PA speakers. Eventually a side panel was found for the pagoda and we tied it on and I trapped it in my car windows to try to keep it firm. It still blew around like crazy, but at least the little burst of rain that inevitably happened didn't get onto the gear. I covered the PA speaker on my side and I wasn't at all happy with the wind. There was now a rear panel attached too. This all hadn't been thought out. A single extension cable came to us from inside the clubhouse. I put my circuit breaker plug first in line. Our first spot was largely ignored by the punters, as they were around the corner from us, outside the main clubhouse, or just inside it. We played well enough on the whole, though Graham was on the CBD and wasn't feeling at his best, and we also made a couple of changes from the normal set. A quick video call to Chris in the break regarding the book. Everything appears to be approved. Our 'rather abridged' (shortened) second spot was pretty much the same, though we did have some people watching, as the weather had brightened up a bit. We interestingly seamlessly missed a whole section out of Tell Him (the 'Ever since the world began' bit and the last verse) and nobody noticed. The wind had really got itself together and the PA speaker on my side started to go over. Luckily a couple of our mates, Kenny and John, managed to avert a gear disaster. I have to thank them for that. We broke the gear down quickly enough. The next band were on at 5pm and we learned that they would be playing indoors. Typical. They are keen to have us next year. IF WE CAN PLAY INSIDE, PLEASE. The other afternoon events we are doing this year are all organised with the PA and drum kit provided, so I won't have to put the PA together at those. They will be nice to do. I will just be able to put my bass rig in place and play. Heaven. I was back home at about 4.30pm and settled on the sofa. At 7.30pm, I pulled myself together and went off to Lowton for the evening's gig. I was there just before 8 and Graham was already loading in. I just felt shattered. But I had a job to do. We set up. Graham had managed to have a sleep inbetween, so was feeling a lot fresher than I was. Graham and I had a brief discussion about which way the band should be angled on stage. One option would have left me with practically no room and the stage is a bit of a bass trap, amplifying the low end ridiculously, so I had suggested we didn't use the bass bins. That helped a lot. I kept my amp rig right back in a corner and it didn't really rumble too much. I have had to get it on a chair before now to stop it taking over the whole soundscape. The evening gig was an entirely different affair to the earlier gig. We had a packed pub, did a slightly altered set and played with a lot more enthusiasm. The crowd loved it. I was bushed, but the only real mistakes were forgetting to sing the last line on a chorus on the Boys Are Back In Town and a pink torpedo-up of sorts in Do wah diddy, where I missed a final section of the song out and just extended the next to last chorus. I put that down to being really really tired, as well as us not playing the song often enough. We came away with a very large tip and I was home before 1am. Bed immediately. A quick read and then off to sleep. SUNDAY I first woke up with my alarm at 10am and snoozed it. 10 minutes later I got up and went to the bathroom and perfomed my ablutions... and then I went back to bed. I woke up a few times, eventually rising at 12.20. I went upstairs and did this blog for the last couple of days. Last night's venue messaged me to reclaim 'the large tip'. It was a staff error. I responded positively, saying I had said it was more than I was expecting when being paid, but, as I had said to the lady who paid us, I didn't have my diary on me at the time. We have the jam night later on, so one last heroic heave and my weekend's work will be over. An afternoon of walking dogs on the park, TV and resting. I got to the jam night at 6.15pm, despite road works and set about beavering away straightaway at doing the setup. I chased cables to the far side of the room for stage left and stage right power. I got my gear in and the PA cabs and stands and the mixing desk and monitor. Also 3 instruments and a large Stanley 3 level tool box full of cables etc. I had finished doing my bit, setting the PA up and my gear, so we were ready to start at 7.10pm. The stage wasn't lit properly as I forgot the lights. I was too rushed and forgot to get some of them out. I have too many jobs. As I rushed round frantically, setting up, I listened to the other guys warming up on their instruments, while my stuff was still in cases and i was still putting things together. The jam night was what it was. Some new blood again, and really promising stuff. https://fb.watch/lz7MbGP1OV/ At the end of the night I broke the PA and my gear down and got it to the door. It took me 40 minutes of non stop running around to do it on my own. Me and Graham had our gear down and ready to go at the same time. Thanks to Nigel and Ryan for their kind help with Graham's gear. I was utterly shattered after breaking the gear down and loading it out. I'm going to have to make a decision on our jam nights. They are a lot of work and I'm just not sure I'm up to the effort it takes at the moment.

I think you're only as good as the last performance you gave. You can have a massive history, but if you do a duff gig, you disappoint people on the night.

Matlock also revealed how their collaboration came about “just over a year ago”, when he received a phone call from drummer Clem Burke while in the middle of cooking his dinner. “I was in the middle of doing my risotto, it was nearly ready, then the phone rang, I had a mate round so stirred it for me,” said Matlock. “I told Clem, ‘My risotto is nearly ready and you’re spoiling it, so get on with it’. “He said, ‘We need a bass player’, I said, ‘I thought you got one’, he said, ‘It’s not working out, can you come over?’ I thought he meant in a couple of months but he said, ‘No, next week’. I said, ‘Ah, let me think’. I did overnight and I knew I should. I’ve worked with Clem on loads of things over the years – some alright, some a bit hair-brained – but we play well together and I love Blondie’s material. They’ve got a great body of work and they always seem to push the envelope somehow, slightly. They also have good basslines.” Glen Matlock on playing Glastonbury with Blondie, solo work and Lil Nas X (nme.com)

Ouch, good luck with its return.

I parted with my Wal Pro 1e in the 90's. It was the nicest bass I've played, feel-wise, but it didn't have the guts I wanted onstage and so I sold it on when I got another one that did the trick. Obviously it would have been a good idea to keep it (knowing what we know now), but I didn't 'collect' basses then.

Usually A, but sometimes expanded to B. A B

Some people like to look at what people bring along. I always like to give those people something to look at, but my stand with the 2/3 basses on is not visible unless someone is actually looking for it. Sometimes it's behind my rig if there's room. or to the side behind the PA and mixer.

I NEVER ever go without a spare. Sh*t would happen if I hadn't got a spare. So it's usually 2, either active or passive. If I take the 12-string bass, that's an extra over 2 active basses.

EXCALIBUR

I'll take any bass that I own out to any gig that I do. I will play whichever one is easiest to get a grip of at home. The exception is the 12-string bass. I use that a bit more sparingly these days.

When slowing a song down and using strings and brass causes offence. A song consists of melody line and chords, then you take it from there. Just use your imagination. A punk rock version of Mull Of Kintyre would probably set some people kicking their laptop screens in...

This is in some ways similar to the Postmodern Jukebox treatment of some classic songs, which can either be amazing or hit and miss. It is meant to be different and a bit thought provoking. I don't ever believe there is only ONE way to play any song, even if I massively prefer the original when I hear a cover. That is a frankly daft notion. I do find this a little clunky and a wee bit laboured-sounding in parts like the break part in the middle (compared to the original), but it's a very familiar song taken at a slightly slower place and it's a live performance with almost a dozen people playing, so I can cut them some slack. I think if I had been in the room, I would feel it a bit more than I do by watching from YT. It may wind some people up when they hear it, but when a group covers another artist's work (to whatever degree of success) at least they are keeping it alive.

The photos of my 3 Player basses have expired, so here they are again.

I had this one for a good while, then got fed up of trying to shoe-horn the case into the car. I hardly ever touched the guitar neck and eventually sold it. The problem I found was the difference between the guitar and bass parts when switching through a bass amp. I'd probably find it quite useful now. The bass was lovely to play.

I've sold a few things, including a WAL. I sold them because they had gone to the back of the class and I don't regret selling any of them really.

I always take a spare bass. Quite a few spare PA connecting cables, batteries. I don't take backup amplification since I got rid of my Blackstar Unity garbage.

The Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous box - finishing off their 21.10.77 Philadelphia show.

I had to think about this... I have only been asked to scrawl on something a couple of times. Usually something I've played on. With an old band, we used to play the RAFA Club in Wrexham, Wales. They had a lad there who came to watch all of the entertainment and he always got all of the signatures, every time we played. Not just us - everyone. He obviously had some disability issues and it was nice to please him.

Holiday in the sun Sex Pistols

You could get it restored to its original finish. Well worth doing if you love it.

In past years I have spent around the £2k mark each for two Warwicks. I also got a Ric 4003W (the walnut bass) from France for about £1400, a few hundred quid cheaper than in the UK, where they couldn't be found anyway. Would I ever spend that money again (even for the same basses)? No.

Correct. I've had my 12er truss rod tweaked once since 1994. An 8-er is certainly easier to record and amplify, but doesn't have the same big sound. Easier than a Rickenbacker 12 string guitar with a slotted headstock. As for the cost of 12er bass string sets, yep, they are expensive, but there are 12 strings in there. I haven't changed mine that much over the years, surprisingly, but I only change the strings when they start to die.

Do you have to be a fan of the original artist, or maybe you become one? I think to do it as well as possible, it helps to be an enthusiast about the act concerned. How important is it to be visually/musically identical? How much latitude are you allowed? I personally think that it is interesting to put your own stamp on other people's work in a tribute, but I also see the appeal of being a carbon copy. Do you ‘get into character’ or is it just a gig? I dressed in a style that very vaguely approximated Jim Lea of Slade, when doing a tribute gig at a Slade convention once, years ago. I don't think I would ever personally dress up as someone from a band, except on stage. It's rather sad to do that. I know a couple of people who walk round dressed up in some form of imitation of their heroes. It's creepy. Does it feel musically limiting, or is it fulfilling your needs? (Maybe you have a side band?) I've only done the odd tribute gig. My band does a cross section of covers and we dress as ourselves. Do you have any qualms about tributes ‘stifling original music’? Not in the slightest. It has its market and its place. it keeps a lot of people happy. If people don't like it they can avoid it. There's room for everybody. Have you ever met or been seen by a member of the ‘originals’? What did they say? I've met Jim Lea a number of times. I have never mentioned doing the tribute gig. When my guitarist and I met Francis Rossi, we mentioned doing a few of their songs and he was curious as to whether we were a tribute. We aren't. We just do a few of theirs. What is the overriding thing being in a tribute act has taught you? Learning the songs properly is key. You can't really muck about and wing it. It just makes you look stupid. I have seen a couple of Slade tributes that rely on one person doing all of the main singer-lookalike thing and those bands, tbh, totally fail for me. Having done it once, would you do it again? If so, would the musical angle be very different? I couldn't be arsed doing it again. I was offered the bass job in a Slade tribute a few years ago. Too much trouble with other players. The Slade guitarists all thought they were Dave Hill. The players were all geographically remote and they never seemed to make a profit on gigs...