flyfisher

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1396012768' post='2409012'] I thought this was a 'proof of identity' thing to stop touting? how do they match you up with whoever originally bought the tickets and it ID-linked to the ticket you bought? Would you really want to sit next to some smug bastard who you know has just made a fortune off your desperation to see the gig? (OK its always your own choice at the end of the day but you know what I mean). [/quote] Yes, that's what I don't really understand. Surely the promoters/ticket agencies must be colluding in this profiteering if a standard price ticket can end up being sold for £800+ with the buyer's ID on the ticket.

+1 What amazes me is how Gove has allegedly managed to single-handedly ruin the British education system in less than four years. He must be a pretty powerful chap and far more decisive than those in charge during the last 30 years of chopping and changing our education system.

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1395998273' post='2408727'] Jeff Healey. [/quote] Perhaps no one told him . . . .

Did you actually watch that clip? He didn't claim to DO rap, indeed he specifically said he couldn't sing, he only said he LIKED rap and was at least able to back up this assertion when put on the spot. Inconvenient truths eh?

So how can tickets be re-sold for £400 then, unless the promoters are colluding in such things?

[quote name='Bassnut62' timestamp='1396004730' post='2408852'] Surely not? Is somebody messing with our [s]universe[/s] dogma today?...... [/quote] Fixed.

[quote name='timmo' timestamp='1396002164' post='2408800'] I tried. What i am pissed off with is a site called Get Me In. They are affiliated to Ticketmaster and sellin tickets already for £800 plus a ticket. It is shameful as there are things in place to try to stop touiting, and they are the biggest culprits. [url="http://www.getmein.com/rock-and-pop/kate-bush-tickets.html"]http://www.getmein.c...sh-tickets.html[/url] [/quote] Always the same isn't it? Promoters clearly don't care enough to about touting to do anything about it, desptie all the fine words over the years. How difficult would it be to limit ticket sales to, say, half a dozen for each credit card number, print the number on the actual ticket and then require everyone attending to have the physical credit card available as proof of ID?

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1395916984' post='2407864'] Sounds a bit dickish to me. [/quote] My thought as well. Strange question to ask someone on being introduced - probably more interested in gear than music. Still, it takes all sorts.

I buy the double-sided stuff by the reel and use it as reusable cable ties: http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/productdetail.jsp?sku=SA01487

But the Hammersmith Apollo is not really a big venue is it? Unless it has changed since I was last there to see Suzanne Vega. But yes, stadiums no longer hold any appeal for me and festivals are a complete nightmare. But getting old isn't all bad as many of my teenage heroes are now playing tiny venues. Seeing Focus in St Albans arena was pretty good but not as good as Hertford Corn Exchange, where I've played many times, and Wishbone Ash, Bill Wyman, Strawbs, Rick Wakeman et al (you get the time frame ) have all been much better in small provincial theatres than places like Wembly Arena. These days, I've ventured down to 'the smoke' for the Royal Albert Hall, but nothing bigger.

[quote name='CHW' timestamp='1395693804' post='2405255'] As a 1st bass, I'd never encourage anyone to go out and spend more than £250 at the max. However. That 1st bass will have limitations that anything 400and up will not have. When anyone starts out. They are trying to get to grips with the mechanics of playing. Coordination, techniques, picks, fingers, thumbs. There's no point in spending a lot of cash on a higher end model at this point. However, at some later point, the fledgling bass player starts to seek tones, sounds, better playability, better weight distribution. This is when the original bass is outgrown. We may keep old faithful, mod it a bit, experiment on it, but in essence. It's been dumped! [/quote] Hmm. I don't really get that philosophy. Why not just buy the best instrument you can afford?

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1395312242' post='2400918'] Went to see George Ezra in Hebden Bridge the other week, I'd have said he definitely had what it takes: he has the looks, presence and charisma, his voice stands him out from his direct competition, and he's got some good tunes. I had a great evening. [/quote] Thanks for that - I'll pass it on (was rehearsing with his dad earlier today). He'll be releasing a full album soon and apparently has 21 songs already recorded that they are trying to compile an album from. This'll be a big year for him as his contract is for one album with an option for three more (not [u]his [/u]option of course).

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1395495841' post='2403045'] Blimey, I have an audition! For an experimental jazz project - the music is beautiful! But we'll see if I am capable of keeping up with this guy, he's a sh*t-hot composer and guitarist and I'm not a reader. I told him all this and he still wants me to try out after hearing some of my music. Totally new territory for me, I'm going to have to put some serious f***ing work in over the next week or so. But I'm very excited [/quote] That's brilliant news! It might seem daunting but you know what everyone here says about playing with people who can stretch our abilities - and music is supposed to be exciting isn't it? All the best with it.

We used to have Lover Of The Bayou by Mudcrutch in our set. It wasn't as good as Petty's version though . . . www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln7F-a05aQI

[quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1395489666' post='2402962'] I've given up or passed on so much over the years because of gigging. I like time off from it. I have my boat , I like to walk across France or over the Pennine hills , I can get on with bits of recording for my own amusement , I can go to the ballet , I can paint up my tiny tanks and model a battleground for them etc etc. [b]Gigging's a part of life - but life is bigger. [/b] I have a gig tonight but I'm heading for the 3 peaks tomorrow. Funnily enough the last time I was on top of Penyghent some hombre I don't know wandered straight up to me and said 'Dr f***ing Blue - great gig mate ' !! [/quote] Now there's a man with a great outlook! And one for the quotes thread I'd venture. Cap duly doffed Doc.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1395404306' post='2402068'] not exactly a tour though, more a residency. [/quote] Yes, exactly my first thoughts when I heard the news today . . . . and it has been all over the news hasn't it?!

[quote name='Cat' timestamp='1395338298' post='2401375'] ^ This is the star quote of the thread so far. Dripping with truth! [/quote] 'Idiots' or just bad drivers? I'd doubt a true 'idiot' could afford such an expensive car in the first place.

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1395303839' post='2400787'] He might be rubbish but does it matter? He has the time, he has the money and presumably he is enjoying. I've been playing since 1973 and as I've said on here before my enthusiasm is still greater than my talent and that's hopefully how it will continue to be. I'm by no means a virtuso player and my technical knowledge is limited but that has not stopped me from being a popular choice within the local music scene. Actually I suspect that's the very reason that I have stayed reasonably busy on the band front, Hopefully that does not sound big headed, it's really not meant to be, I was just trying to illustrate the point that it's not necessary to be able to replicate the bass lines of Jaco (for example) to be able to get on and play and enjoy playing. We are all different of course, it's just a case of finding that elusive happiness [/quote] Great post!

"It could be argued . . . . "

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1395249797' post='2400239'] You could look for inspiration but if you need that at this point..as opposed to being a lttle jaded after 30 yrs, then maybe the bass isn't for you... [/quote] My thoughts as well. You don't HAVE to play bass and you don't HAVE to be really good after one year. The only rules are the ones you impose on yourself. If you're not happy playing bass - for whatever reason - then just stop playing and find something else to do. It's a big wide world out there and it could be argued that dedicating your entire life to playing a single instrument is a hell of a waste. I've never really understood asking for advice about how to enjoy something you don't actually enjoy. Why bother?

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1395248700' post='2400218'] My last gig with Kit tomorrow night. The band's been dissolved due to lack of any real commercial progress or interest, it's expensive, and Kit's going to reinvent herself and probably do some solo electro. [/quote] Sorry to hear that - I thought the stuff I'd heard really had something about it and I'd have thought that it was different enough to catch the ear of someone with a bit of influence. Just goes to show that talent simply isn't enough for a successful music career. I think I've mentioned before that our singer's lad got signed to Columbia during his first year of a music performance course at Bristol Uni and they've been pushing him everywhere. Now, he's a really nice guy and can write a catchy tune but enough 'star quality' to attract a major label? I wouldn't have said so - just goes to show what I know. http://www.thenationalstudent.com/Music/2014-02-26/George_Ezra_Cassy_O.html The music business works in mysterious ways.

Exactly. The maximum current a French socket can supply is 16A and the IEC mains lead is rated for this and so needs no other protection. However, in the UK, most mains outlets are protected by 30A fuses in the consumer unit, which means that an unfused IEC lead COULD be overloaded, but the 13A fuse in the UK mains plug ensures this cannot happen.

. . . but, if you're in (say) France then the 'kettle' lead won't have a fuse at all, so it's clearly not an integral requirement for the safe operation of the amp itself, so I don't get the 'ideally should be 10A' thing and would suggest it's potentially confusing. Basically, any appliance with an IEC mains connector is a self-contained device and looks after its own fusing and other protection arrangements. An IEC mains lead is a completely separate electrical 'device' (so separate in fact, that it is PAT tested for safety) and in the UK the mains plug contain a fuse to protect that mains lead because it would be possible to draw 30A from most UK mains sockets before the consumer unit MCB trips out, and this would overload the IEC mains cable. Thus, in the UK, the IEC mains cable is protected by the plug fuse, which is why a 13A fuse is perfectly safe. In short, the fuse in a UK 'kettle' lead is not there to protect the piece of equipment that the 'kettle' lead is plugged into.

Is the amp fuse really internal and inaccessible? I'm pretty sure most gear that uses IEC (ok, kettle leads ) have accessible fuses, which would make sense considering that most of the world uses unfused mains IEC leads. The UK (and some of its old empire) is an exception in this respect.

Kettle leads are interchangeable things and can therefore reasonable be expected to be used with all manner of devices. Furthermore, it is only UK plugs that are fused and the whole point of kettle leads is to allow devices to be used anywhere in the world, including countries where the mains lead will be unfused. Therefore, the device designers provide the appropriate fuse protection within their device and don't rely on uninformed users (no offence) to know what fuse to use. All of which is a long winded way of saying that 13A is fine. It will also mean the lead can be used for any other device as well.