misrule

[quote name='BassBunny' post='375241' date='Jan 9 2009, 03:04 PM']The 70DB figure came from the original study conducted in France. The details of this were published in one of the Sunday Papers last November.[/quote] Headline: Pub music noise ban to curb binge drinking Source: Mail on Sunday Issue Date: Sunday November 16, 2008 Byline: Tom Harper Page: 35 Word Count: 570 Edition: 1ST Story Text: THE Government's latest proposal to combat Britain's binge-drinking epidemic is to turn down the volume of music in pubs and bars. Landlords could be forced to outlaw all entertainment louder than 70 decibels - roughly the same as a hairdryer - to curb alcohol-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour. A Labour taskforce has been persuaded by research which showed that loud music in pubs made customers buy more alcohol and drink it faster. At present, there is no set noise level for licensed premises, the only stipulation being that if pubs want to host live bands, they must make a formal application to the local council. But researchers found that deafening music speeds up drinking patterns by drowning out conversation and arousing the brain. When sound levels were louder, the average number of drinks ordered by customers rose from 2.6 to 3.4. The time taken to drink a small beer also fell from 14 to 11 minutes, according to the study by France's University of South Brittany. But pubs claim a limit on noise would put an end to televised sports events and comedy nights and leave jukeboxes barely audible. Mark Hastings, of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: 'There is absolutely no evidence to suggest a link between music and binge-drinking. 'This move is akin to a sledgehammer cracking a nut - the Government already has the power to put whatever conditions it chooses on any individual licence. That would target the problem venues rather than banning music, dancing, comedy and entertainment for everyone.' The news follows a warning to a Commons select committee last week by Feargal Sharkey, frontman of Eighties band The Undertones and now chief executive of British Music Rights. He said stricter licensing laws are making it increasingly difficult for smaller venues to obtain live music licences. The taskforce also proposes meetings twice a year between licensees and the police. But the industry estimates this would run to 400,000 meetings a year and take up 33,000 police working days. The measures could either be enshrined in new legislation or used to amend the 2003 Licensing Act. The annual cost of hospital treatment for alcohol-related problems has now reached £2.7 billion and more than 40 per cent of all crime is linked to drink. Since the extension of drinking hours, the number of youngsters treated for alcohol abuse has soared by 40 per cent. Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve said: 'This is a desperate attempt - the Government should concentrate on getting the basics right. Putting police on the street and enforcing the laws already in place would do more to combat alcohol-fuelled disorder.' The document makes no mention of minimum pricing for drink, despite Government-backed research showing that cheap supermarket deals are linked to binge-drinking. Last year, The Mail on Sunday revealed that some stores were selling beer more cheaply than water. Other moves being considered are a ban on pub promotions, such as free drinks for women, happy hours and the sale of cocktails with suggestive names such as Sex On The Beach. The draft code also proposes cigarette-style health warnings about the dangers of alcohol to be displayed in shops, bars and restaurants. The Home Office said: 'This document is a draft and should not be taken as an indication of Government policy. Ministers have yet to take any final decisions.' Cheers Mark

Chris McIntyre in Peckham does a good job. He set up my Thunderbird which now plays like a dream. [url="http://www.mcintyreguitars.com/contact.htm"]His address[/url] Cheers Mark

[quote name='~tl' post='370193' date='Jan 4 2009, 06:33 PM'][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circuit_bending"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circuit_bending[/url][/quote] Blimey. I feel old ... Thanks for that link, ~tl Cheers Mark

What's "circuit bending"? Do people use these things for some strange activity? Cheers Mark

I played a Vintage Jaco relic-ed Jazz copy in 2007 which wasn't bad for the money. It was at a 'play with the stars' bash where JHS provided guitars, bass, amps and a laughably s**t PA. There were old pros and session men there who all loyally said how good the Vintage stuff was -- but quickly shifted to their own gear as soon as possible. The bassist was Colin Farley, from Cutting Crew, who was a great bloke. In fact, here he is with the bass Cheers Mark

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='365034' date='Dec 28 2008, 06:46 PM']Any recommendations where to shop (pref. online) for good quality Speakon-speakon cables for bass amps - cabs without paying daft money? Cheers! Al[/quote] Our very own obbm does a mean Speakon to Speakon. [url="http://www.bassic.co.uk/"]Bassic bits[/url] Nice work delivered super-quick Damn -- ~tl beat me to it. Cheers Mark

[quote name='bremen' post='360801' date='Dec 22 2008, 11:16 AM']If a 21-year-old strolled over to me and showed me his bank statement I'd think he was such a w@nker that I wouldn't want to have to do business with him anyway.[/quote] Whatever they think of rich w@nkers personally, retailers have to remember that these people pay their bills -- more so than ever these days. I've had loads of run-ins due to my scruffy appearance and skinhead haircut. Staff at a posh Regent Street shoe shop once refused to serve me -- though you'd have thought badly-dressed people might be most in need of decent shoes. I also had trouble with an arrogant, rude deputy manager at the climbing/trekking store Snow & Rock. He apparently had form and was sacked after I complained about him. I felt no guilt whatsoever -- he deserved to be out on his a**e. People like him -- and many music shop staff -- deserve the Ab Fab line: "You only work in a shop, you know. You can drop the attitude." Cheers Mark

[quote name='AM1' post='360545' date='Dec 21 2008, 10:35 PM']... my first 911.[/quote] You've owned more than one 911? Nice. Cheers Mark

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='360391' date='Dec 21 2008, 06:40 PM']When did you last go into a car dealership and find the sales reps too busy driving the cars round the lot because they all want to be Lewis Hamilton?[/quote] I agree totally with your points -- but I used to hang around in Audi forums, and car fans moan about dealerships in exactly the same way we do about music shops. One 21-year-old son of a millionaire told me how a salesman shouted at him across the floor: "Get away from the car, you can't afford it." He strolled over, showed the bloke his bank statement then replied: "I was going to buy a car today but I'm not now." Cheers Mark

Either -- keep it in the car boot, then play it when she goes out. I spoke to a guitar dealer recently who has a client with three or four acoustics hidden like that. Or -- tell her it belongs to a friend, who lent it to you. It will soon become a fixture and she won't ask again Anyway, hope you enjoy it. Cheers Mark

We do the theme from The Simpsons -- and Babylon's Burning by The Ruts. Cheers Mark

Super-fast service -- I ordered a Speakon to Speakon cable on December 10, it arrived December 12. And it's a beast! Dave is a great bloke to deal with. Cheers Mark

Super-fast service -- I ordered a Speakon to Speakon cable on December 10, it arrived December 12. And it's a beast! Dave is a great bloke to deal with. Cheers Mark

[quote name='Waldo' post='347577' date='Dec 6 2008, 10:59 PM']You what? You think we should set up a basschat bailout fund?[/quote] No, a private fund moderators can draw on, at their discretion, if this were to happen again. So Jake's refund (once you've eaten your lizardskin fedora) solves any future problems instead of going to charity. Cheers Mark

Perhaps if/when Jake repays the money, we should set up a fund to pay the costs of any similar situation in future. The next wrongdoer can then reimburse the fund what he owes. Cheers Mark

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='345317' date='Dec 4 2008, 12:57 PM']No you can't you have to pay the court bailiffs to go round and they are useless.[/quote] A mate of mine recovered the money he was owed plus costs through the bailiffs when he sued a garage -- it worked very well. I hope things work out for you, Beedster. Cheers Mark

[quote name='Beedster' post='345269' date='Dec 4 2008, 12:32 PM']Thanks for the above guys. Allen's been on this site this morning (in fact he was on this thread a few minutes back), so is clearly aware but choosing not to respond. As several of you are pretty good private eyes, I now have 1. a photo of him (he wouldn't be difficult to identify in a crowd trust me) 2. his address 3. his place of work 4. a list of his upcoming gigs What am I going to do? Well I'm tempted to phone my mate Rich who's local and is a bit handy, and ask him to go round to have a chat. Am I going to? No, because I'm going to give Allen the chance to do the right thing. If he doesn't I - and BC 's generally - just learn another lesson along the lines of the Jake thing. If this is the case then I've lost £116 but he's lost the goodwill of a significant proportion of the UK bass playing population. I know what I'd rather have Chris[/quote] You could also try the small claims court now you have an address -- it costs around £30, I think, and you don't need a lawyer. If the case goes in your favour but he still refuses to pay, the court can send round a debt collection agent at his expense. You have PM. Cheers Mark

Is this your man? [url="http://www.faceparty.com/allen1uk"]http://www.faceparty.com/allen1uk[/url] Cheers Mark

[quote name='chris_b' post='342755' date='Dec 2 2008, 10:44 AM']It really is a problem. At the gig last night I was pestered rotten by Kate Moss. Couldn't shake her off!![/quote] You must stop selling drugs Cheers Mark

[quote name='tombboy' post='339063' date='Nov 27 2008, 11:23 PM']Christ... is there one for everything?[/quote] OffHob Cheers Mark

[quote name='BassManKev' post='339315' date='Nov 28 2008, 10:16 AM']nothing to do with it. The amount of views a thread has is only refreshed every hour or so, so it will read no views until an hour has passed.[/quote] I meant that the counter only registers once ten or so people have posted. Or so it seems to me. Cheers Mark

The counter doesn't start working until it hits around ten or so. Cheers Mark

[quote name='Shaggy' post='311272' date='Oct 21 2008, 01:17 PM']Rather like Hendrix’s flambéed Strat, it would probably be worth ten times as much with the bloodstains.[/quote] Hendrix's Strat was refinished and is or was owned by Frank Zappa's son, IIRC. Is that right? Cheers Mark Edit -- Er, nearly [url="http://petersenmuseum.com/default.cfm?DocID=502&ArticleID=12"]see here[/url] It was restored.

Hi, Crag -- and welcome. I keep my Thunderbird on a Hercules stand. It holds the neck, which rules out the shape problem. They're about £25. [url="http://www.herculesstands.co.uk/dyn_prod.php?p=GS414B&k=85317"]Hercules Stands[/url] Cheers Mark

Bud LeCompte in Texas could probably build you something similar, to your spec, for less money. That was $2,500 (£1,475) plus delivery. [url="http://www.lecomptebass.com/"]lecomptebass.com[/url] Sorry to be the bearer of GAS Cheers Mark