Rich

Mike Stern -- either 'Tipatinas', 'Chromazone' or 'Slow Change'. Just as long as I don't have to take a solo.

I can just imagine it. A stare that said "Just try doing that again. Please." ...along with Rollins.

The full rule is "basses should only ever have 4 strings, apart from the ones that don't".

I'm usually the one doing the printing off, as I work in a large office with an already colossal print/paper budget and my manager doesn't mind me using a few dozen sheets of A4 every so often.

It's generally a collaborative effort with both my bands. The vocalists have some input so we try to keep big lungbusters separate, and obvs the horns are delicate little flowers so we keep the biggest blows a} apart from each other and b} away from the very end of the set. We've given up asking the drummer for input; every time we gave him the set list to look at, it came back with drool and shreds of raw meat on it.

What are the amp models based on?

That would be a hanging offence.

True, but normal people manage to be happy without behaving like utter knobs. Hold on, this is a forum for bassists. Why am I talking about 'normal people'?

I will never understand why this awesome band were not total megastars.

If Rich was the band he had just signed with, Rich would can his arrse immediately.

Make that 2 someones

I'd also recommend checking out your friendly neighbourhood army surplus store. For many years I carried my various bits and pieces in an old ammunition box. Quite literally bulletproof.

I'm a J man too, and that's what I did for a P bass... gradually built one up from bits. It turned out pretty good too, and saw some use until the Thunder 1-A came along, which does the P-bass-on-steroids thing even better. I definitely recommend the bitsa route though. It's good fun, apart from anything else.

It's some weird boxy thing with six cheese-cutters on it. Blowed if I know.

..?

Yes, I'm a very very very very lucky man. I'm with two sets of great musicians playing splendid songs and not a single ego in sight. And yes, Si was a prince. I still miss the silly sod terribly.

If you can find one for sensible money, Pearl OC-07.

Except of course when they're not, which is absolutely all time. Tort is boak. [/debate] Lovely bass btw, esp the neck.

I agree with TTL3... 'Newfoundfreedom' is ideal. My favourite local band names are Goldfish Don't Bounce and Gandhi's Flipflop. God only knows how much alcohol/substances was involved in coming up with those.

Fixed.

I am in total awe of anyone who can get a tune out of a Stick. Nick Beggs makes my jaw hit the floor. He's one of those people who is so talented, you really want to be able to say something negative just to make you feel less crap -- "yeah he's good, but have you met him? bloke's a complete tosser" -- but the trouble is you can't, because he's a really lovely guy too. Huge talent and nice with it. I hate him

Soul Destroyers I answered an ad in a Swindon music shop. Three of us turned up for the audition rehearsal; another bassist and I, plus our dear friend and brother OldGit who was after the baritone sax chair. Thankfully, my bass rival was woefully underprepared and had obviously not listened to the songs. I knew I was in with a good chance when I watched him crash his way through Signed Sealed Delivered. I got the gig and so did Simon. That was the tail end of 1993 and I'm still there. How I wish he was too. Train to Skaville Gil the Destroyers keys man is also the Skaville ivory tinkler; he knew I love ska and that I was itching for a chance to play it. When their old bassist started becoming miserable and unreliable, Gil gave me the heads up that they'd be looking for a new one soon. I made sure I was well-prepared, and that helped me get it.