Grassie

OK, here's the "finished" image: [attachment=232667:Finished tube map.jpg] I say "finished" because this is kind of a prototype. The initial blank tube map that I used I found online and appears to have been a doctored version rather than an official image, hence there were various "smudges" and other indistinct marks on the blank map. I used Photoshop to remove the offending smudges, and to add the "stations" but also to lengthen or shorten lines as I saw fit in order to create what you see above. As I said, I'm sure some of you will have suggestions for who goes on which line and who I may have missed out (I've actually thought of two more players that maybe should be on there) so I might take these into consideration and add them later. It was inspired by a picture I bought for my son to put on his bedroom wall, which was of the London tube map, but the stations are all football players, with each line representing different "positions" (midfielders, goalkeepers, defenders etc.). I though something like that would work really well with musicians, and starting with bassists was the obvious choice. I have a plan to do a series of them (guitarists, drummers) hence the "title" of the map "Going Underground", and I was going to make them commercially available, but that's on hold at the moment as I need to get permission from Transport for London to use not only the map but the roundel, as both images are protected or copyrighted or whatever. If I get permission then TfL are entitled to a royalty from each sale. I might add that I don't do this sort of thing for a living, but I've always had a love for graphic art and poster art etc.Keeps my non-musical (but equally artistic) chops up. Feel free to ask questions/comment/make suggestions/criticise/take the p*ss. Cheers!

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1480025144' post='3181191'] Carole Kaye might be a bit miffed she's not at the epicentre of absolutely everything though. [/quote] You'll find her on the "Session Greats" line.

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1479999868' post='3180912'] Thats great , can we get a bigger pic ? [/quote] Will put something up tomorrow. I'm sure there will be some debates as to who belongs on which "line", and no doubt there will be some discussion about omissions too. Thanks for the positive vibes you lot, much appreciated.

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1480011860' post='3181058'] I hope you haven't missed the Andy McCluskey station, that's the one nearest my house! [/quote] He's on the "Pop" line.

[attachment=232629:Tube Map.jpg]

The Mike Lull Jeff Ament T-birds have them, and IMO they are very cool indeed. 😊

Love their early stuff. Space Cowboy is my favourite, Mr Zender is so inventive on that record. New album imminent apparently. 😊

He's lifted that band no end. They were getting a bit tired while Gary Husband was drumming for them (witness the Live At Reading DVD for proof of that) it all seemed a bit staid, enter PRB and he's brought a new energy to L42. Haven't seen any shows on this tour but caught them at Bestival last year and the addition of the brass section has moved them up another notch. Mark King comes in for a lot of stick but that is one phenomenal band. 😊

Bobby Vega. He's a badass and if I knew about him 20 years ago, my playing style would be a lot different to how it is now.

This month's issue is a bit of a dog. The Sting interview ain't bad, but the mag still suffers from poor proofreading (apparently, Sting's 57 P bass has a "roundwound" pickup in it...), there's another interview with Tim Commerford, yet he was the cover star less than a year ago, and the rather excellent "bass albums" feature which used to appear at the back and was written by the superb Mike Brooks has been replaced by articles about vintage basses, which, really, is just a glorified ad for Andy Baxter's bass shop. My missus pays for my subscription, I've asked her to cancel it.

First GAS? Musicman Stingray. Still not owned one. One day.... Current GAS is for a Rickenbacker 4003. Jetglo or Fireglo, not fussed. 😀

Not many people get to see my face and live to tell the tale. You lot are the privileged few... [attachment=228844:20160929_102402.jpg] Sire Marcus Miller V7.

I've just seen the KOL bit - that Thunderbird that Jared was playing made me go "ohhh"...

Yep, great tune. 😊 Bassist had a habit of putting some great players on the cover and transcribing their lines (Guy Pratt, Stuart Zender) then go and put the bloke from Wet Wet Wet on the front and the tab for Love Is All Around inside. For a song that spent 26 years at number 1, I don't know anyone who likes it or bought it, let alone would want to learn it. 😉 Edit: I'm sure someone will be along in a minute to prove me wrong... 😁

I used to buy Bassist magazine back in the day, when it ceased publication I tore out all the transcriptions and put them in a folder. Still have that folder and Waterfalls is in there. 😊

[quote name='AustinArto' timestamp='1473976906' post='3134734'] I hate them. I am also a bass player from Leeds and was living and gigging in NYC at the same time in the mid '90s. Todd Rundgren even hung out with us, *and* I'm taller than Langdon but I never bumped into Liv Tyler. :/ Hate that ****in band! [/quote] Oh dear... 😂

Royston Langdon now works as Artist Relations for Spotify. 😶

Headswim! Blimey, haven't seen that name for ages. Great band.

Just recently rediscovering the joy of Spacehog's debut "Resident Alien" - great tunes throughout (although they wore their Bowie influences on all of their sleeves...). Royston Langdon's great basslines, "In The Meantime" in particular. How he managed to play that line and sing at the same time... wow. Hugely underrated and should've been massive. Who's with me? [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDkhl-CgETg[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4_qLSrIAdc[/media]

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1473376716' post='3129717'] 2 german shepherds travel daily in my gigmobile. Never mind the carpeting on the cabinet, you should see the state the carpeted interior gets in even after vacuuming once a week. I have pretty much given up. House is damn near completely enveloped in dog fur during their 4 times a year major moult.... However my Oreck vacuum does help [/quote] I feel your pain. I used to have a Hartke cab which my German Shepherd took to sleeping in front of. I had to de-fur it before I took it out gigging (the cab, not the dog). 😊 GSD's seem to practice moulting all year round in preparation for their main moult of the year.

[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1473458528' post='3130509'] It'll be fine. If you hear bad sounds turn down the gain but I always use the passive input unless I'm seriously overloading the amp input [/quote] Sweet, thanks mate. She sounds like a beast through the passive input. The band love it too.

Evening all, Just come back from rehearsal where I played my new Sire MM V7 at decent volume for the first time. But I have a question: is it OK to use the bass in active mode while plugged into the passive input? The reason I ask is this: when plugged into the active input, the signal is a lot quieter, to the point where I have to boost the master volume somewhat to get a decent amount of output. When played passively through the passive input, the sound is immense. Switching over to active while plugged into the passive input means I have to roll the volume off on the bass itself, but the signal is nice and punchy and not distorted at all, which is what I'm after. I'm just a bit concerned that I might damage the amp in some way if I continue to use the bass as active while plugged into passive, although I would imagine those of you with one input on your amps don't have to worry about this kind of thing. Confused.com.

If you want variation (from a "rock bass" perspective) may I suggest some Stone Temple Pilots. Or Faith No More. 😊

At 16 I was moving out of my Def Leppard / Extreme phase, and discovering Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains. 1991/1992 was the start of grunge, and all my mates were listening to $hit like early Prodigy, 2-Unlimited and loads of chart friendly, ear-unfriendly rubbish like that. I was the square peg in their round hole. 😊

I like him. Has his own style and sound. I like his first book (haven't got around to reading the second one yet). He's more successful than you.