Rich

Emotional Feedback - first band at school, name stolen from a Rush lyric. Rock covers. One gig. I wanted to call the band 'Max Headroom and the 13-Foot Three' but was outvoted. This was in 1982, three years before Max Headroom appeared on TV, so I have first dibs on the name. Thursday's Child - came from the ashes of the above. Original songs, vaguely Barclay James Harvest-ish. Never gigged. Splat! - funk outfit put together with a mate from tech college and his friend, never gigged but we were poached by... Closer Apart - my first really good band, played in London a lot. Superb catchy pop songs. Virgin and Island were quite keen at one point apparently. This is one I really miss. Ça Fait Mal - dreadful name, good band. Original 80s rock songs Rhythm Method - my first foray into jazz, played updated be-bop standards. Desperate Head - rock & blues covers, lead guitarist spent more time smoking dope than practicing but it was a lot of fun. Soul Destroyers - huuuge and very silly party band. Started off as Commitments-ish mainly soul, hence the name. Left them but later rejoined. Roadhouse 69 - blues-rock trio. All covers, Hendrix, Moore, Hamsters etc. Absolutely amazing guitarist. Made a bit of a name for ourselves in Swindon area. I'd love to do it again. Thud - fusion trio, songs by Mike Stern, John Scofield, Brand X, etc. Absolute heaven. V3 (short for Va Va Voom, yes I know) - function-ish band. Did two gigs but left due to a mutual understanding with the twátty keyboard player... I didn't like him and he didn't like me Retox - backing band for Sally from the Soul Destroyers, went out as 'Mercia Clayton'. Superb originals. Lots of indie album sales and got some radio play but the thing I really really hoped for (a slot on Later With Jools) never materialised. Tamba - pop and rock covers. Monicker based on front-lady's name. She was our USP, incredible voice. Train to Skaville - pretty obvious..!

Braggin' and Tryin' Not to Lie - Roddy Radiation & The Specials

The one bit of my gear that annoys me but that I have to tolerate because I can't work out how to fix, is the lids on my Gator 4U rack case, or more specifically the catches that hold them on. The catches have gone really loose, to the extent that they come undone whilst in transit in the boot and sometimes when I'm carrying them. I've looked at them and cannot for the life of me work out how to tighten them up, or indeed if that's even possible. They are driving me potty.

Oh good god no, I'm positively anal about such things -- I have to fix them immediately or they bug the hell out of me.

Due to arthritis, I haven't been able to use my left pinky for many years -- it's still there but impossible to hold down a string. You'd be surprised just how quickly you adapt to it not being available for use. Stay right-handed. Far easier.

Abracadabra.

After Bassist mag was amalgamated into/swallowed up by Guitarist, it used to be quite amusing to flick through it at WH Smith each month and try to find any meaningful bass content whatsoever. I bet Roger Newell was really good at solitaire on his PC, because I don't think he had much else to do.

Holding Out for a Hairo - Bonnie Tyler

(Somebody) Help Meowt - Beggar & Co.

The Storm - Big Country

Boris the Spider - The 'Oo

You Take Me Up - Thompson Twins

This is a good article https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2013/04/03/bass-ramps-the-how-and-why/ It also features a pic of our @Dood's Shuker 7-string 'Doodle'.

At The Very Least - Certain214

Isn’t there a tiny maths fail there?

My two bands are in such different genres that no single bass (not one that I currently own anyway…) is ideal for both. Currently it’s the Sire V7 (5 string J) for the souly band and the Ska bass (beefy sounding 4 string) for the ska/reggae outfit. If I was to have a bass made to serve both, it’d be a 32/33” headless 5 string with P+MM pickups.

I Wanna Bee Adored - Stone Roses

Yes, you’re right, it was a deliberate and thoroughly arrogant misuse of my mod status, rather than a mistake made whilst trying to share something people might find amusing. 🙄

I Need a Dollar - Aloe Blacc

The Bread's Too Big Without You - The Police

Set the Controls for the Heart of the Bun - Pink Floyd

Uncle Charles (Friend Of The Stars) - Orange Deluxe

Sounds almost like a bit of a click track?

Very capable band, their gender is irrelevant. I wish my fingers were still that nimble.

Looks like they have hamfisted 'renovators' in the States too. The sad thing is this could be quite cool if it wasn't, errm, fairly awful.