Earbrass

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1337956366' post='1668037'] I had an epiphany about two months ago when I bought some Warwick EMP 40-100s. They are incredible strings. [/quote] So that would be an Incredible String Brand? ...sorry it's Friday afternoon

[quote name='Stacker' timestamp='1337929611' post='1667457'] I've often fancied getting Cajun box; remember looking at 'em on ebay a few years back. Any tips, Oggiesnr? [/quote] Sorry to but in, but I'd recommend visiting [url="http://forum.melodeon.net"]http://forum.melodeon.net[/url] and picking the brains of the very experienced folk over there (as well as browsing the "for sale" section). [url="http://www.melodeons.com/"]Rees Wesson[/url] (username Rees) on that site builds one-row boxes to order, though there are cheaper mass-produced options available. Also check out [url="http://www.themusicroom-online.co.uk/"]The Music Room[/url] - great shop! [url="http://www.hobgoblin.com/local/melo-Melodeons-online-sales-page.htm"]Hobgoblin[/url] are highly recommended too, though I've not dealt with them myself. Conventional wisdom is that starting on a one-row is harder than starting on a two-row, but never having tried a one-row myself, I can't confirm or deny this. Boxes can vary a lot from individual instrument to instrument, rather more so than basses, so it's always best to try before you buy if at all possible. Hope this helps!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1337950315' post='1667903'] They're Solicitors? [/quote] No, that's Dewey, Cheatem and Howe. Or Boots, Boots, Boots, Boots, Marchinup and Downagain.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1337771682' post='1665115'] If I didn't play gigs with a band I probably wouldn't have an amp and speakers at all - I'd just use the Pod into my studio set up. [/quote] +1 Now I'm no longer playing bass in a band, I've sold my amps - don't need them for solo noodling or recording.

A Flying SG?

[quote name='andyonbass' timestamp='1337604256' post='1662547'] Pick up the pieces - Average White Band. Be a good one to do if you get one of the keys to do the brass [/quote] +1

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1337516054' post='1661144'] Just got hold of this as a download (itunes, £4.49). Great stuff. Perversely feel good! [/quote] As an author yourself, I'm sure you would also appreciate Edward Gorey's wonderful first book: [i][url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Unstrung-Harp-Earbrass-Writes/dp/0747550344/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337589667&sr=1-1"]The Unstrung Harp: or Mr Earbrass writes a novel[/url]. [/i]Not yet set to music.

Dunno about the Chinese version, but there's a great album showcasing hammered dulcimer and (huge) melodeon by Maclaine Colston & Saul Rose: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WohzbfXgkg Album's called 'Sand and Soil'

If you don't fancy it, don't do it. You're not getting paid, and one of the other band members has already ducked out - I don't see why you should feel bad about not going.

[quote name='pietruszka' timestamp='1337159717' post='1656276'] For starters ALL cars should pay a road tax, regardless of emissions, they still use the roads and cause as much damage as any other similarly sized car. [/quote] well, no they don't - the more emissions, the more damage they are causing. The great advantage of fuel tax is that it makes the biggest polluters pay the most.

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1336470935' post='1645947'] You're all so bloody extravagant! My 4 string cost me £50, the 5 was £100, and the 6 was a whopping £250! [/quote] My 4 string cost me £50 (including gigbag). That's the only bass I have. The rest of my bass-related kit consists of a Behringer BDI21 and a Korg Pitchblack tuner, making the tuner the most expensive item in my "rig".

[quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1335852392' post='1636837'] Actually it was this morning, 5.15 am to be precise. So the morris team I play with (Rackaback) went and greeted the May Day dawn at the Black Mill on Beverley Westwood. Considering the hour I reckon 60 or so punters wasn't a bad turnout. First time they've had a double bass there so photos were taken (including the local paper). We actually managed to see the dawn before the clouds rolled in and we were finished before the rain came. A fun time was had by all. Steve [/quote] Nice one Steve. Our side couldn't muster enough dancers to do Mayday Dawn at Box Hill - poor show I think. Glad you didn't get soaked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpBdjRe7tSA

Thing about Zappa is, his output was so huge and diverse that for any two Zappa fans there's a fair chance that they like totally different bits of the oeuvre, and may each dislike the bits that the other raves about. I'm a Hot Rats / Live at the Filmore East afficianado myself.

[quote name='jonsmith' timestamp='1335466603' post='1631753'] To answer the OP, the show (a performance from November 1974 at the Empire Pool, Wembley - 16th Nov I think) on the new DSOTM issue was broadcast on the Tommy Vance show. However on the disc it has been 'spruced up' a bit compared to the BBC broadcast. I had that broadcast on cassette for years (think I wore it out in the end). [/quote] I might have been there (not sure about which night I went - I think they did several in a row(?)). Great concert, but for me the highlight was Echoes rather than DSOTM. They also played a couple of tracks nobody had heard before off the forthcoming album - including Shine On You Crazy Diamond.

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1335435329' post='1630934'] the ultimate power trio [/quote] Yeah, but they were never very tight; God, being omnipresent, was all over the place.

I used to play piano in a duo - just me and a female singer doing a few jazz and blues standards. I was never very comfortable in that situation, to be honest - I was once asked "where does all the blood from your face go when you're on stage" . There was nowhere to hide if I screwed up, and if I did I'd probably take the singer with me. Fine if you're a really solid reliable player, not so much fun if you tend to have your "off" moments now and again. Most of the time it went well, and I got a fair few compliments on my playing, but I was never free of The Fear. Mind you I was much younger then - these days I'm less worried about making an arse of myself (as regular readers will know) .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4XXx0ljBAI

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1335350157' post='1629572'] all-instruments-should-be-miced [/quote] [attachment=106033:Mouseorgan.jpg]

What?? No Behringer BDI21???

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1335267291' post='1628242'] [url="http://soundcloud.com/steffe"]http://soundcloud.com/steffe[/url] [/quote] Thanks!

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1335251842' post='1627823'] Have you heard Mr Sharpstrings' new music? Pretty damn nice! [/quote] I'll have to check that out. I rather lost touch with Here and Now. I must have seen them at least half a dozen times in their Floating Anarchy period, around 1977/8, with and without Daevid Allen.

[quote name='thunderbird13' timestamp='1335264776' post='1628147'] Seems like your playing near to where I live - I should really check your group out [/quote] We're based in Croydon, but we do get about a bit! Check out our diary of events here: http://www.wildhunt.org.uk/events.php (though I notice it's got one or two dates missing!)

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1335193453' post='1626978'] Trouble was, when I was growing up, if you wanted to hear anything out of the ordinary, you had to listen to the radio or buy it. Gong were certainly never on the radio and my meagre income would never stretch far enough to allow me to invest in too many 'maybes'. [/quote] That was true for me too - but I discovered Gong thanks to Virgin Records selling the Camembert Electrique album for 50p - the price of a 7" single at the time. They did the same for the Faust Tapes. Last yule I received the Live In Sherwood Forest 1975 CD as a prezzie - great version of Isle of Everywhere. I love how that track cycles between 4/4, 7/8 and 6/8, moving from rocky to angular to more laid-back jazzy and back.