Jackroadkill

We're bass players - nobody in their right minds would let us into their posh hotel! We'd have the lagging off the pipes inside five minutes, and soupy footprints on the wallpaper.

The funniest ones are when people buy a ticket clearly advertised as a 70's Glam Rock covers band and then asks us to play some funk, AC/DC or even U2. Don't forget the shouts of "Play something we know!"....

I first picked up a bass when I was in fifth form. I was sixteen and wanted to form a band with my mates. Unfortunately I had no musical theory, experience or talent, and although I (thought I) could write songs, this wasn't enough. There were five of us, and as the other lads got their instruments first, I realised that I was going to have to suck it up and be the bass player. Anyway, we sucked, I sucked and the band sucked. We only had a few rehearsals and none of us hand any idea what the hell we were doing. By the time university came around I sacked the bass off and spent the next goodness-knows-how-long (20 years or so, probably) kidding myself that I could play guitar. I played in bands and played lots of gigs but, had I been honest with myself, I'd have said that I was an incredibly mediocre rhythm guitarist at best. I could do the power and attitude bit fine, but not the playing ability bit. Anyway, about eighteen months ago my then-band folded, and I was faced with the grim reality of my situation. I was never going to make it as a guitarist or songwriter. For a laugh I suggested to some friends that we form a covers band, and for some reason decided I'd give bass another try. We did, I did and I bloody love it. There's something I get from bass that I never ever had from playing the guitar - I just love it. The band is good, I'm gigging again and those four strings are far more rewarding that six ever were. I still suck, but I JDGAS.

I really don't like that version. It seems that whoever produced and arranged it completely failed to understand just about everything about what that song means.

Heroin. It might sound crass, but it's been the muse for lots of great records.

Agreed; when I fall on the field of battle, it will be Dolly who swoops down to take to to Valhalla.

The Dropkick Murphys' version of Fields of Athenry makes me come over all funny; It's pretty much just a straight ahead punk cover but the rage at the helplessness of the protagonist's situation is sublime.

We're in a similar situation. Five gigs in and no drummer, but auditioning a few over the next couple of weeks.

I did the same. Listened to Infernal Love loads while at uni and then didn't listen to them again until about five years ago. That record and Troublegum are now favourites of mine.

The free speech lot make me laugh; they don't want free speech, they want speech without consequence (but only for them).

Easy; rounds.

Yeah, that's a bugger, too.

As much as I love the music he made with Pantera, Superjoint Ritual and Down, I can't listen to anything by Phil Anselmo any more. It breaks my heart, but the White Power stain can't be rinsed out.

I would have one if I could get away with it. The problem is the different tunings we use in the band. I use one for standard and drop D and a second for a half-step down and drop C#. I hate drop tunings but some of the songs we play demand them. I then have my backup bass should there be a problem. I could keep detuning and re-tuning, but that doesn't sit particularly well with me form a set-up point of view, and it's one less thing to remember to do between songs when onstage. As it is I have to tune to my drop tunings between songs and getting that right can be harder than it sounds, for some reason. It seems that two stage basses plus a spear is about where it's at for me.

I've not been here long and even I know that wouldn't happen in a month of Sundays. @TheGreek, you are the keeper of the flame!

Precisions suck. *I'd like to point out that this, obviously, is total verbal bumwee.

I'd say do what you all feel is right for your band. Years ago when I was in an originals band (you know, the one that made me hugely famous, stinking rich and dripping with laydeez) we had a rule that we'd play anywhere, for anyone and for any reason. We did some fabulous gigs and some real shockers. I learned a lot, drove a lot, fought a lot and acted like a complete knob a lot. However, as a proper grown-up in a covers band I like to think I'm a bit more discerning. We've done freebies (for the right reasons, of course) and turned down a couple of gigs which we felt wouldn't do us too many favours. The one thing I would say is that if you don't stand to gain what you want from a gig, be that payment, fun, exposure or whatever, then don't play it.

I did a related boo-boo once, when I'd just gone to uni. I was deep in my Goth phase (well, I still am, a bit...) and was walking through the town centre one night when I walked slap bang into someone I hadn't seen because I was wearing my sunglasses. Hastily I apologised, but got no response. I apologised again and removed my sunglasses, only to find out that I was apologising to a lamp-post.

When I was born we lived in High Wycombe, so if that's a Wal, it and I happened at the same time in the same place.

I hear that. We're so lucky to get that feeling from these four strings.

I'm a '79er, so I don't want a YOB bass, really.

You don't buy a Thunderbird to not hold it aloft like an offering to the gods, do you?! There's no right or wrong, so just let it rip and have fun. Or stand still and have fun. I like the former, because let's face it, this: ..is cool.

I'm not buying any more.

Well, I put my big boy pants on and said that I really didn't want to play Rain When I Die. Following some discussion, during which the drummer and one guitarist were apathetic about it at best we decided to sack it in. I don't think we're all particularly happy with it, but I said that we can replace it with something all of us like. We've got a big list of songs that are more or less agreed on, so we'll take one off that. Songs we will be working on, however, are: Worker's Song - Dropkick Murphys' version Rebel Yell - Billy Idol Orange Crush - REM Word Up - Gun version Poison - Alice

That version's better, but I still find it a turgind yawn-fest, I'm afraid.