gjones

I've been in a band, with a couple in it, for the last 22 years and that works fine (an occasional domestic on stage between them both in the early days but not so much now). The wife is the singer the husband is the guitarist and the band is named after the wife. The arrangement is, the singer makes all decisions on what songs we play, and everybody else does as they're told. This arrangement works fine, as I don't think I should pressurise the singer in any band I'm in, to sing a song they don't want to sing.

Successful bands are never democracies. If a charismatic and talented singer/front person is good at what they do, then the band revolves around them. All the successful bands I've ever been in have revolved around the singer/frontperson. Play what they want you to play and things will go smoothly, think you or any other band member has a say in the set and suddenly you no longer have a singer/front person.

Drummers don't have the right to be opinionated, they're just drummers after all. Stewart Copeland never figured that out.

Their first cab was a 1x15 called The Compact. I still have mine and it is very loud and definitely capable of keeping up with loud drummers. They are about £350 used if you can find one.

All the celebrity musicians are lining up to appear in it, which worries me. I'm pretty sure most of them couldn't act their way out of a wet paper bag.

I owned a 2015 Fender Deluxe Jazz. It was lovely bass with a great neck and build quality.The pre amp wasn't as versatile as a John East J Retro but it wasn't bad. I'd buy one again if it was black with a maple neck.

I had a random guy (a bassist obviously) come up to me after I'd played a very badly paid gig and accuse me of taking a Pino Pallidino custom shop Precision to play in a shithole. He was quite upset. I had to explain to him it was secondhand Squier, not a £3000 custom shop, that just so happened to be red.

I've owned Musicman and Fender basses which don't play as good as much cheaper instruments I own/have owned. A Jazz I have plays superbly, it's body is from a Squier 70s Classic Vibe and the neck is from an old Korean Squier from the 90s. The trick is to play the bass before you buy, especially if it's an expensive purchase, as not all expensive basses play great right out of the box. Of course this is easier said than done, as physical music shops, that carry decent stock, are difficult to find these days.

I was in an originals band, back in the 80s, and in 2019 I got a message on Facebook that the rest of the band wanted a reunion. My initial thoughts were that we weren't that good back then, so why get back together? Who would bother to turn up to see four, 50 something guys, make a fool of ourselves? Was I supposed to put money up front to book a venue? The others hadn't being playing continuously since the 80s, like I had, would they be able to hack it musically? The drummer lives in the North of Scotland, when would he get time to rehearse? I was sure it would be a total pointless exercise but, due to the boundless enthusiasm of the others, I felt I would be a party pooper if I didn't say yes. ......and then along came COVID Phew!!!!

High Fade come from Edinburgh and have been playing pubs here for a year or two. They also used to busk in the middle of the town during the Summer. Recently they've been touring around the UK and also the USA. They are incredibly proficient musicians and tight as a ducks arse. I hope they get the success they deserve. I think the bassist plays a Sire.

Of course, if you see Hannibal Lecter in the audience it's probably best to just make your excuses and go home. Maybe hide under the bed. Get a flight to Brazil. Get a sex change. Maybe all 3.

I played a whole song once in the key of C. It should have been played in the key of B. Nobody noticed (not even me). Although the drummer did give me a funny look.

Last day I'll own this lovely MIJ Precision. Thirty years young and going to new owner today.

I'm hoping to grab a black, sparkly, Sire Z3 when some random Basschatter, who grabbed one when they first came out, gets bored with it and decides to flog it.

I owned it's big brother, the TV15, and it sounded great and I loved the look but was very large, heavy and awkward (I lived in a flat 3 floors up). Guitarists used to hover around it salivating, as it looked very like an original 4x10 Bassman. I always wondered if I should have bought the TV 12 instead?