Cat Burrito

Witton Albion Football Club

Not my favourite show… at all. A gig at a festival in Northwich. I rented possibly the worst hotel en route (didn’t spot the shared bathroom bit and there wasn’t even a curtain over the window of my room!). I contemplated sleeping in the car but pressed on to the show after a mixed night’s sleep. Just a line check, which was fine, but when we came on, someone had knocked my bass and the A string was significantly out. I tried tuning it but it was difficult to do discreetly. Sorted it out and then it sounded like the house cab had blown. The sound engineer just kinda left me hanging. Upon reflection, I think my wireless was the issue letting me down. Annoyed at myself for not overcoming the issue. I tried to put on a good show (& the audience said it sounded fine out front) but I think if you knew, you knew. I’ll be more on it in future but yeah, not my favourite set. I got sent a couple of nice pictures which I am sure would look nice on my mother in law’s mantelpiece!?!

I had the AD200B running through an OBC410 and it was hands down the best sound I ever had. However, the weight was quite something so I sold it on after a few years. I had the OBC115 too which didn't sound quite as good. I was pairing the 115 with the 410 but invariably the 410 sounded punchier on its own. I may have a few YouTube clips but as they tend to be shaky live footage from phones at gigs, you are probably better looking up some of the demos on YouTube that are recorded properly.

I've just checked it and it's fine for me with both pages displaying different content.

I don't believe we have had many refinishers on here, over the years. It's a slow task so it is expensive. A few years ago, on the advice of my local guitar repair shop, I did two of my old Fender basses. I had good results but there were one or two people on here who said there were better ways to do it. He advised I get some Nitro Mors and remove the finish that way. I spent a couple of days in the garden doing it but it got it back to the wood and then I used wax to make the wood look nice - so a natural wood finish. Upon reflection, I wish I had used a wood dye but the Nitro Mors did the job, in a very chemically kind of way. Obviously, I removed the body and sanded it down once the Nitro Mors had done the job.

It depends on the band and the people involved. I used to run all my bands when I was younger and it got to be a pain. Bandmates got ahead in life with better jobs, on the housing ladder earlier and generally getting on with life. All the while, I was mailing out tapes and spending my life on the phone. I also found my band time was admin, not practicing my craft. In recent years, I have mainly played in other people's bands. I don't get final say but I have time to practice and do other things. I currently run a duo and because we are very old mates, we've yet to disagree on anything. I don't think I could run a 4 piece or more as there are too many schedules to juggle. I think the old adage is, if it's not fun, don't do it. Having been playing since the 80s, I have found a way of better managing my time so I am not *just* doing the business side of the band. I have noticed that when I run things, I am very keen to consult and communicate. I have worked with a handful of dictators and it definitely sets up a band vs the player manager atmosphere.

I definitely sympathise with the original post. Musicians are a notoriously flaky bunch but it's also give and take. When I was on tour recently, it was my drummer who had a speakon to jack adapter for me to link my head to house cabs. Generally, it it keeps happening, you need to take some ownership for the gear you bring out. I came off the tour and bought one. The hands down worst experience I ever had was playing in Camden about 10yrs back and the bassist from the other band's bass died mid set. I didn't know the guy but lent him my bass so they could finish the gig. Afterwards, he gave me a running criticism of everything that was wrong with my bass! He was "normally a guitarist, you see"... He did start to backtrack massively when I said that next time I would leave them hanging as I wouldn't want to put them through the ordeal again. Typical indie poser! Thankfully, my current main project, we have loads of fun swapping instruments and are very fair with each other. I am far too along to be wasting my time with idiots in the band.

I was never happy with my nails but in recent years I started using a pick with bass. I was getting some pains in there (age related) and a lot of the music I like suits that style. I know a few people get sniffy about bass with a pick but locally I have quite a good reputation so I don't mind what a few online trolls think. Otherwise, you are forever balancing the need for different nail lengths for different instruments. There seemed to be about one day in every cutting cycle where they were about right for bass and other instruments. Normally it was too long or short for something all the time.

I went there 33 years ago (gulp!) back when it was more like Scumbag college. I didn't do music (didn't really do anything, I say with no pride) but I lived with a couple of music students. It's really upped it's game in recent years and I know Julianne from All About Eve was lecturing music there for years. Certainly a headphones amp for practice, as a minimum but I'd ask them.

I literally had a conversation yesterday with my bandmate about how neither of us want or need anything right now 🙈

I am finally down to one again (Blackstar U700 with matching cab) and the practice combo equivalent for home usage. The rest is either sold on it on here for sale.

I posted about this week’s gig earlier but didn’t have a picture at the time. Purely because I was so into my Blackstar head going through a beat up Fender Bassman 2x15, I was pleased to see this picture online.

Playing in part of a power trio, we had a show up in Newcastle. Making the trek from mine is 5hrs but as my Mum's family were all from up that way, it's one of my favourite parts of the UK. I stopped off in York the day before for a day of sightseeing, which was fun. I met the drummer in Hartlepool and he showed me the old parts of Hartlepool (I love history and travel). We had an emergency rehearsal where we snapped the pic below for the last ditch social media plug and went on to Trillians. I was using my 2014 Gibson Thunderbird with my Blackstar U700 head into the oldest looking Fender Bassman cab I have seen. I had to borrow a speakon to jack cable from the sound guy who was very insistent that I return it. I explained that I was not drinking and experienced so returning it would not be an option. He replied to say I looked young but (for the win) it turns out that I was actually a year older than him! Apparently, it must be something in the water down here! The show was fun. I felt I played well to a small but enthusiastic crowd. The band was on form and the sound / lights were amazing. My last show until a little flurry in September. Sadly, nobody seems to have taken any pics of the show but who doesn't love a three guys stood up against an old van cliché band shot, right?! I'm on the right.

It felt like a contractual obligation but the other half of my goth duo wanted us to play his street party. All the questions that one might have from that sentence ran around my head, and the bar was set low in my mind. I made the online promo very self mocking and tongue-in-cheek BUT as is often the way with these things, it was actually much better than anyone could have anticipated. I played bass, mandolin, mandocello, sang and played guitar. Having taken a back step from live work to write / record, it was nice just to be out in public again. And the weather was lovely... not at all phased when we burst into our rendition of The Cult's "Rain" towards the end.

It looks like a booking nightmare but I am bringing some acoustic goth to the family friendly street party this afternoon…

To be fair, my "stage gear" is pretty similar to how I look when nipping out to pick up groceries. I only ever dial it back a bit when at work.

I appreciate it's probably not as clever as Jazz, but I have an 80s style gothic duo that do a lot of acoustic shows. We use mandocellos, with my mandocello played like a bass. So I have the low C, rather than an E. It gets a lot of interest.

Co-produced, played bass, bass vi, some drums and co-wrote. File under gothic 🙀

I think a mistake a lot of musicians make is to view music as a competition, who is best. When I was a younger player I would have been upset at any rejection but now I am much more pragmatic. I know I do me "me" better than any other player. if anyone wants that, great, but if they don't, get the player you want. It's also about what is right for the session. Duff McKagan isn't going to be first call for a Miles Davis album and you probably wouldn't want Jaco playing with The Pixies. Having co-produced a few releases, there's no shame on cutting and pasting a line. We do it for speed, knowing the player *could* do it on a different day and also knowing that EMI aren't bank rolling the session. A different way of looking at the original post is that they went with your suggestion of the session guy, having tried you first as a mark of respect. Oh and as a PS, I was fired from my Sixth Form band in the 80s. Fast forward to 2020 and of course we're all mates now. I've been in a duo with the most musical one for the last few years and the others have all guested with me, at my request - one flying over from Atlanta, GA to do so. It's a marathon, not a sprint!

Great advice. I think sometimes people try to copy roles on a recording when the reality is the non-lead singer in the band will be the one who needs the easiest part. I was in a CCR tribute for 6yrs and I am pretty sure we did the same.

Email is a really low ball way of communicating feedback on aspects of your performance. Vocal rehearsals are essential and the fact he's sidestepped these would annoy me too. I struggle with singing (& doing so whilst playing) and I have had some really helpful band mates who have helped me raise my game and confidence. I'm with Doctor J in the above post 100%. I'm reading this too and wondering what other issues he causes. Good luck with it.

I had one for years and it was fantastic. I paired mine with the OBC410 but I am of an age now where nothing in this sentence is a weight I would describe as reasonable! Hands down one of the best sounds I ever had though.

I had two 70s Fender Precisions for a while. My 1978 Mocha Brown one was immaculate. Aside failing to convince the "all 70s Fenders are heavy" theorists on here that they were actually both pretty lightweight, I played them regularly. Times got tight and I sold them both on. I think I must be a bit of a page turner because I enjoyed them whilst I had them but I have never missed them and I wouldn't rush to buy anything vintage again. In fact having been a serious contender for the highest rotator of kit for almost a decade I calmed down massively around 10yrs back and have settled on the same core group of basses now since 2016. Never say never, but I think I am done.