Clarky72

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1325100054' post='1479892'] We're struggling to get venues to commit..............maybe cos our drummer now says we don't play anywhere for less than £250 [/quote] We've found that most venues will pay you decent cash for turning up and entertaining the locals. We decided a few years ago that we won't go out for less than £250 and since then the let down of rubbish gigs and empty rooms seem to have dried up. If you make the effort to go these places, do a great job and be polite to them they'll generally be happy, will re-book you and you find its a win-win situation. I used to get the arse all the time having to be the ones booking all of our gigs, but it gets easier each year. In the last few years I've taken our diary with us to every gig and then towards the end of a year the venues will be asking me when they can have us for the next year so we haven't actually had to do any calling around. By October just gone we already had 38 gigs booked for 2012, plus a handful of weddings, all of which are off the back of the pub gigs. A band I know phoned one of the pubs we play at and actually moaned at the booker for not giving them as many gigs as us. Funnily enough the booker told them to sling their hook and they now have none at the pub. I think people sometimes need to realise its us who need the pubs, not the other way round. Manners cost nothing, and its surprising how many bands seem to think they're owed gigs, which I find astonishing. One annoying thing I have found though recently is a certain pub chains' discrepancy with how much they'll pay you, seems to depend on which pub you visit, it can range from £250 up to £400 which seems crazy in my opinion. Some of them have taken bands like us at a cheap rate for first gig and then upped it once they realised we werent a bunch of monkeys, but generally its a really varied rate of pay depending on which pub you turn up at.

Sorely tempted to get rid of the Ampeg for one of these...

[quote name='steve-soar' timestamp='1325610119' post='1485145'] I wish it was. Sadly, the person who bought it from me died a while ago. [/quote] Oh no, that's tragic, what a shame..

Sounds like you might need to accidentally wander into her house when she's out to reclaim the beauty! ;-)

The Hand and Flowers just down by the bridge!

I went last year and within minutes wanted to kill every single one of the slappers there.. TM Stevemns was awesome, and the pub down the road made a fantastic roast for approximately the same price as one cup of lukewarm freeze dried coffee at the show. None the less the group of five of us will be heading up this year again, this time on the train to make the pub session more worthwhile....

I thinking maybe a Barefaced cab, everyone seems to love them here!

I have pretty bad GAS at the moment... Aria SB1000 Aria SB700 Kubicki Ex Factor Plus I really need a good light rig for the pub gigs. Carting around the Ampeg BA500 is killing my back, its only a 2x10 combo but weighs more than my car!

First bass: Marlin Sidewinder Go-To Bass: Musicman Stingray 4H Your Bass: Musicman Stingray 4H* * This will change once I get another Aria SB1000 back in the collection....

[quote name='jackduran' timestamp='1325190941' post='1480832'] The synth player in my band has a selection of early-Rhodes gear, the main piece being an original (with display mod, however) Roland Jupiter 8. For full authenticity he'd need a Krumar etc., but stick a blonde wig on him and he'd do the business. He works full time and lives near Manchester so he'd be hard pressed to do it, but I personally would love to join a DD tribute band. As you say, it's a shame we're both bassists! Part of me is tempted to dig my 6-string out of the cupboard, buy a new amp and some guitar effects, and hot foot it down south just to get in on the act as Andy! [/quote] Jack that sounds awesome... I think its going to be really hard to find people that 1, want to do it, 2, who can do it, and 3, who look the part too... I've had a few people mail me over the last few months about this (I've put ads in other places too), and so far no-one has had all three... It'd be great to do it with the 81-83 era image but still play some of the newer material too. Saying newer I mean 7&RT onwards, hardly new really.... haha

i know mate.... shame we're both bassists!!

Thanks, I have. I know a lot of other musos check in at this website too though when looking for projects

Anyone interested? I'd need a guitarist, singer, drummer and keys. If we're going to do it we need to look the part as well as just playing the songs, also you'll need the right equipment for the era, Prophet synth, Yamaha SG90 guitar etc. Looking to do early Duran image with music possibly from their whole career. I'm based in Bucks, South England. Clearly everyone isn't going to be based within 20 miles of me, so location isn't important as getting the right people is key.

[quote name='Doctor J' timestamp='1325018009' post='1479205'] Quite frequently, actually, over the past few years when I've been gigging on guitar but had a few comments on my bass tone, too - most memorably when a fella told me he was on a different floor and couldn't hear the band, but he could [i]feel[/i] my bass [/quote] Awesome.

Nice one, there's nothing better than that feeling when you nail a song you've been trying for a while...

my knob? it gets worse when you twang my g-string...

[quote name='Randy_Marsh' timestamp='1325011909' post='1479122'] I bought a Stingray. Job done [/quote] haha, almost worked for me too. the best rounded 'every tone i'll need' bass I've ever owned. still searching for more, i'll never be satisfied i reckon...

i'm looking forward to seeing level 42 in watford next year.....

Ours used to stand proud in the house when I shared with Sibob (apart from some bits that just had to go in the garage through lack of space), now the missus lives with me the basses are cased upstairs, all the cabs are in the garage, only the heads remain tucked away in the house. At least it made room for some more essential cushions and candles!!

The eternal tone search has found me buying and trading basses, amps, strings and pedals for years... that elusive tone is out there somewhere.

I was hoping someone out there had a Texan bar they'd offer up, been looking for another one of them since 1979....