12stringbassist

We've got 98 bookings in for this year (including our jam night. That's what I intend to do this year, not looking to fill the diary up to the 120 or so we usually do. I have no plans to work next year, but I reserve the right to change my mind.

The second one is the 'Blue Boy' finish (BB) - it was a limited edition in 2002 when this bass was made. Funny story - I took the Fireglo and the Blue Boy to a gig in Manchester. It didn't occur to me that the BB was Manchester City FC colours and we were playing at Old Trafford. It stayed on a stand behind my bass rig.

So did I.

I find the best way to deal with a moody bast*** is simply not to speak to him and to count the remaining gigs.

I always take two. If I don't take two, something will go wrong. Generally one for the first half and a fresh one for the second half. If I take the 12 string bass out ,then I will take 2 regular active basses.

Some of the money was made back through ticket sales at £20 per head.

Reading through this topic, I note the comments about them being uncomfortable because of the sharp front edge. I just don't lean my arm on that sharp edge and the problem is solved. These are my Rics. I've had a few decent replicas and have sold them all because I decided why bother with replicas when the real thing is sat looking accusingly from a corner muttering 'take me out'. The BB gets less use as the value has gone through the roof. The MID still has the bleed in the binding, but plays like a dream. The FG and W get the most use,, though.

I'll play... Excalibur.

Government spu*ks away a shedload of money when NHS or various other far more important things need money spending on them. The stupid irony is that the display in some way commemorated the 75th anniversary of the NHS. Previous displays have cost £2m and this was their biggest yet. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/new-years-eve-london-2024-b2471603.html

I have had periods (early on) where I was approaching 'stage fright' and I stressed out terribly for a few days before gigs. What saved me from stopping playing altogether was someone turning around and pointing out the reality that we always did well at gigs, that audiences often don't care, often don't listen too closely, that I was only a fraction of the band and that after a couple of hours it would be over and I'd come away with money. After a few words with myself, I got on with it. It got easier and easier. Not everyone is the same of course, but maybe reflecting on the fact that your gigs always go well enough may ease the anxiety a little. All these years later, I still worry very slightly about the occasional gig, but not in anything like the same way.

Our NYE evening gig in Southport: Facebook post: " You just couldn't make it up. #365 The blind guy who wanted to video us at tonight's gig. He was somehow able to sneak behind Ian on guitar and make his way over to the side of Graham's drum kit where he lurched around rather uncertainly, threatening to fall into Graham's kit. I was having nightmares about insurance. We didn't stop playing, but Jan came up and did her best nightclub bouncer impression and gently moved him to safety. I breathed a very small sigh of relief, which was rather stupid of me because a minute later he was blundering round right in front of us, threatening to knock Ian's mic stand for six and to go a.o.t over my floor monitor. I must have looked slightly more ridiculous singing with one leg stretched out to reach my monitor, but I guess it's a lot better than him going over it and landing face first. I'd love to see the video he got from his phone. his camera seemed to miss us most of the time. That's the first set done. Two more to go. Graham has just been to tell him not to do it again." The rest of the gig went without incident. We had a rather small audience, but they were into it. The bar staff loved us. My voice survived. We played from 9.30 - 10.25, then 10.45 - 11.15, then 11.30 - 11.55 (stopping to let the TV bring in the new year and to gasp in awe at the hideous waste of money that was the new year firework display in London, a total slap in the face to the NHS) and finally from 12.15 - 12.35. I got home at around 2.15am and was in bed at 2.30am and asleep moments later.

I'm revising this earlier reply. Just politely ask her what you're supposed to do while she's playing bass. A Bez impression? I'd just tell her she can do it at a rehearsal to get it out of her system, but you are not going to be made into a spare part onstage. EVER. This idea needs to be nipped in the bud straight away. I completely agree with those who won't play in a band with a couple in it - you know EXACTLY how voting will go.

Just politely ask her what you're supposed to do while she's playing bass. A Bez impression? I'd just say let her do it at a rehearsal to get it out of her system.

The covers band I am in has been together for going on for 8 years now and we can be quite busy. We play fairly telepathically, but our guitarist sometimes has issues with the idea of new stuff (especially if I suggest them) and sometimes with some of our existing songs. Things fall out of the set occasionally and sometimes it's a job to get them played again. It's normally a comfortable enough rut for all of us, even with some occasional personality clashes in there. We know what not to do and say to each other. The thought of starting or joining something else at this point in the game horrifies me, though if I had to I would. I've got a couple of years of playing to go.

I use the Tascam DP24 24 track. It's superb. You do need to get all of your EQ in place when getting the individual tracks down. I find that concentrating on that makes for better recordings.

Del Amitri at Abbey Road. 1998.

MeatLoaf. He sued a local tribute act in order to get a domain name from him. The thought of listening to him now makes me itch.

Bands should stop when they want to. Usually that is either because they lose members or people stop coming to see them. If a band has an audience then they are able to carry on.

Give Us A Goal Slade

Blackstar looked after me very well, couriering them back to them free of charge when they broke down at gigs. I got so I couldn't trust them.

If that's a Unity 500 and the extension cab, that's what I had for a few months. Sounded great when it worked.

I've been using my Hartke rig since 2004. A 350w HA3500 amp, plus a Transporter 4x10 and 2x10 cabs. Or a pair of Transporter 2x10 cabs. I doubled the rig up to 2x HA3500 amps, plus two lots of Transporter 4x10 and 2x10. I sold the duplicate rig because I was in a band with two wimps. Mistake. Prior to that I was using a pair of Trace Elliot 715 combos, which I still have and am happy to take out occasionally. I did defect to a Blackstar Unity rig, but that only lasted a short time before i returned it as it failed on me 3 times in about 4 months. The Hartke rig has never ever let me down.

Gett off Prince