Cat Burrito

I have so many stories but the one that raises the most eyebrows is that we gigged with Boris Johnson's sister. Obviously we try to keep Basschat politics free but just putting that out there. It was at the Troubadour in London around 10yrs ago or longer. I don't recall her set but she wasn't a big fan of her brother.

Debut London show for my humble little duo that seems to be growing nicely. Fiddler's Elbow in Camden.

I got mine last year and love it. I bought a Burns Bass VI (SSJ model) and liked it enough to upgrade to the Squier Bass VI. I agree the stock strings are rubbish but the build / finish is excellent. A great neck, well finished frets and the nut is good. I restrung mine with Labella flats and I don't have any issues. Originally, the plan was to record some Glen Campbell type lines on a recording project but I got into the idea of bands like The Cure using them. I play mine more like a bass, whereas my guitarist friend has a more guitar approach to it. We're doing a synthy darkwave EP together and the plan is for me to do all the bass parts on mine. Pictured here with my feline friend and matching shoes!

Thank you. We don't do *much* outside our local area live wise as it has to not run at a loss but we have been as far as Lancaster and played Southampton, Bristol and are in Camden for the Goth festival All that is Devine. I think the genre is very broad and our angle has always been take the music seriously but not take ourselves too seriously. We have some fun videos on YouTube that are worth searching out - fighting zombies, burning witches and destroying the planet. Worth searching out Deadlight Dance on YouTube to see our collaboration with the film maker Haunting The Atom. I'm amazed at how many goth acts are around at the moment, many of which are really good.

Two for the price of one. Bar a brief feeling of normality on a couple of occasions, I spent three weeks nursing the worst bug I have had in years so yesterday was going to be my Pheonix rising from the flames moment. We started at Vinyl Realm Music Shop, initially to 1 person but within a couple of songs, the shop was full! No amps and mainly mandocello for me. The owner described me as "highly ADHD" afterwards! We then went on to the The Southgate Inn in Devizes (same town) and did two sets. I was bass for the second set but the aforementioned mandocello, mandolin, one song on guitar and some lead vocals too! The place was jumping at the end. Who'd have thought an originals / covers 50/50 split of gothic music would get the bar staff bopping along and fill out three bar areas of people dancing?! I appreciate that people are on here for basschat but we did pick up a nice little local review. If I learned one thing reading it, going goth was a great way to get off with the posh girls... I never knew! Goth boys in Devizes

This Saturday in Devizes, Wiltshire - our 50th show!

A sure fire contender for my favourite venue, Bath's Chapter 22 Roots and Records was host to my humble duo of darkness, Deadlight Dance, last night. Dean and Nic always looks after us. The setting is a record shop in the city centre that also trades in plants. Playing mainly mandocello and mandolin (with a second time on guitar for a song), my basses took a break. We were a little light on audience at first but it didn't take much to fill up the shop. The performance was one of our stronger ones. Honourable mention to co-headliner Steve Mercy. I think it's our 40th show. We walk the line between taking our music very seriously whilst not taking ourselves too seriously at all! People like our onstage chat. Gothic, but more Carry on Screaming meets Hammer Horror rather than anything too po-faced and serious. And if Boss are looking at this post, yes, you should endorse us!

I have three wide Couch straps. They are not the cheapest as they are handmade but I don't use leather so I've managed to get three as gifts over the last couple of years. Being over 50, my shoulder is fairly knackered these days so I find them to be essential.

My rock 3 piece regrouped with a new drummer to play Salford on Friday. A small show at The Eagle to a crowd I mostly knew. It marked the debut of my Blackstar cab with a drummer and it sounded great. The drummer hadn't even rehearsed with us and he nailed it. Saturday was Rockmantic festival in Carlisle. A massive crowd and an Ampeg 8x10 that I didn't think sounded as good as the Blackstar cab the night before (I suspect the room helped). A decent performance but I felt Salford was the best. A massive drive back to Wiltshire today and I can resume to giging my goth duo locally.

I never change the basses with flats but the ones with rounds are very much, one at a time, thickest string first. Back in Sixth Form I remember a guitarist friend taking all his strings off, only to get a buzz on the E when he restrung, so I guess I am scarred by that. Cleaning the fretboard? Like Prince Andrew, I never sweat!

I could name and shame too many studios over the years but in the last 10 years I have used a fair few studios with decent kit. Studio 91 in Newbury deserves an honourable mention for consistently having quality rigs.

Having owned everything from two flying V basses to a uke bass, there's a lot to be said for the "Probably shouldn't" camp. Invariably they get sold on for a small loss. If you can take the hit, no dramas but I do feel my bass buying days have been replaced with buying other things. My mainstay basses are now varied, decent and I've had them for a long time.

Small gigs / pubs, we don't bother but for the bigger shows we use 2 minute extracts from either one of these; or

I don't know. I posted this in 2009 and I haven't spoken with the aforementioned "missus" who owned the nail polish remover in almost 14yrs! It always used to work with bog standard nail polish remover but if you are not sure, best leave it.

Not exactly my gig but I wandered into my local and was treated like a minor celebrity. At the end the band's set, the promoter insisted all the regular musicians get up for one song. Of course they picked a song I didn't know, so I recreated Bob Dylan's performance on the "We Are the World" video". They are all amazing musicians but I think I added nothing! 😸

Evri are shocking. They usually get there in the end but I had them fail to find a shop on the High Street a couple of weeks ago! They also claim stuff is delivered and then try and deliver it two days later. I have had that twice.

I've used it in the studio and for a video but never live. We're planning an EP this Spring which will be exclusively Bass VI and synth. This is my customised Squier Bass VI. Matching shoes and cat with disapproving look optional.

I II think the paranoia set in - I edited mine too (although it was small font with spaces). I never know the etiquette with such things. 😸

First one of 2024 for me and it was at my local boozer, The Blue Boar (of Dr. Who Pertwee era "The Daemons" fame). Two hours of acoustic 80s alternative / goth from my duo. I started off on the mandocello before moving onto mandolin for our first set. I actually started the second set on my partner's acoustic guitar, for a new cover of Bronski Beat's Smalltown Boy (slowed down and vocally dropped a few octaves!) before finishing up on my Squier Bass VI. The last instrument got a lot of comments and it's certainly something I want to explore more in 2024. We also found an old smoke machine so made use of that to great effect! It's only been three weeks but it's great to be back!

I think on the originals circuit, it is pretty standard to ask about favourite bands when joining / auditioning. Occasionally, this is dressed up as "influences" but really they just want to check you will fit and not pull the band in a different direction. As said, in covers bands, it matters less as you are usually aiming to play like the recording. I don't think I have ever asked any musician friends about influences but I am always interested in what friends are listening to. For years I have answered that question across webzines, radio and old school fanzines. Mainly it gets asked by disinterested interviewers who are only asking because it is a fairly typical question that you can ask band members. For me, it's whether I like a band mates playing. I'm not massively interested in a list of approved players.

First show of 2024 and it's where the '71 Dr Who episode "The Daemons" was filmed. Two hours of goth covers on folk instruments.

I guess he's not big on palm muting? I'm definitely from the old school Paul Simonon / Peter Hook era but there comes a point where it just gets silly. And this is beyond that!

I had loads of problems with my first wedding ring. They just weren't bass related! 😸

I think Beedster nailed it with the first comment. It sounds like a clash of styles rather than a personal thing, and this demonstrates that a great folk voice doesn't necessarily mean it'll work in a rock band (& vice versa). Any feedback that isn't glowing always risks offending. At work we used to use the "feedback sandwich" also known as the "stinky poo sandwich" where you say something positive, tell them the bit they don't like and then end on a positive. For example, you have a fantastic voice / presence but you are not right for this project but we're sure you'd be a great addition to a more folk based act. That kind of thing. I've recently heard that this technique can mean they only listen to the good bit but I generally find it effective enough to use it in all aspects of my life. Back in the 90s, I had to fire a manager who had the thickest skin. It took three visits with me starting out tactfully, before ending with me having to be quite rude as he wasn't getting blunt comments like "You're fired, we don't need your services", only for him to reply and him saying "so see you at rehearsal on Monday" I've never been fired in 35yrs of playing but my first band technically fired me by splitting the band and reforming without me. A long time ago and we're all friends now but it was a pretty mean thing to do. We were just kids and I had committed the cardinal sin of spending too much time with my then girlfriend. Looking back now, I would have binned me too but maybe with a bit more tact and class. Thankfully we're all older and wiser now. Best of luck with it.

I too feel that the OP sets the scene but I couldn't see anything about the feelings / suggested resolution for his role in this scenario - so it is harder to give a definitive answer. If you are unhappy about it and it isn't clear what you are supposed to do while the keyboard player plays bass, it's a potential problem. If you can play something else and / or it's part led by your encouragement, then great. In my current duo I have actually suggested that my partner plays bass on a recording next year. We've also had one of my students get up and play bass at a gig (actively encouraged by me). No dramas. However, I did an album session for a singer songwriter recently who spent half the session saying "I play bass too". When I calmly said "what do you need me for then?" and "play on your own album", I got a look of shock and panic. I wasn't offended, I just didn't see why he kept feeling the need to say it and use me for the session. As a multi-instrumentalist who plays with one of my oldest and best friends, it comes down to good communications and being respectful to one another. None of us here are making our millions so it has to be fun and I feel anyone in a band should be made to feel valued if they are to stay. Best of luck in getting it resolved to a satisfactory conclusion.