The Story So Far...

[martthebass]

Martthebass:
Aging 40 something know-nothing who occassionally dabbles with the bass guitar. More money than talent when it comes to buying gear. In a trio playing 60's & 70's instead of punk which helps fund the habbit. Will happily shoot dead the next hacker at a jam night who plays 'All along the Watchtower'

[urb]

Mike Flynn a.k.a Munkus Flynnius / Munkio - originally posted on TB as Urb_Munki (Urban Monkey) - shorted it to Urb - 'monkey' moniker dubbed through sister likening me to monkey (features) and a propensity for cheekiness.. not always a good thing. Now 34, has played bass for 22 years, always liked fast noodly stuff, but also loves to groove, started off listening to the Beatles, Floyd and Bob Dylan aged 7, moved on to pop, then metal, then funk, then jazz - not forgetting electro, thrash, Brazilian, ambient, electronica, post-punk and Norwegian nu-jazz, Chilis, Living Colour, Fishbone and Jaco.

Fast tracked to art college after school, did well but decided against a life of solitary creativity. Worked in HMV for 2 years, joined the dot.com boom and bust, three years later made redundant (2003) and went freelance - works now as webmaster for big jazz labels and top jazz mag (fnarr), website consultant/art director, freelance journalist for Bass Guitar Mag and Time Out, talks too much, owns a video camera -started www.munkio.com to publish muso interviews and share some bass stuff - wants to be a much better musician than he is - only owns two basses (1990 Thumb original plus a lovely fretless 5 custom job), finally getting a Sei bass made - uses SWR and EBS amps - loves to goove, loves to solo - hope to make a bass-orientated album soon - owns a flat in Brixton, loves it there.

M

[BigRedX]

BigRedX is now in his mid 40s and no longer as elegantly wasted as he used to be. He's been playing in bands for over 30 years now and although he prefers playing bass and is reasonably competent, he's also a very average guitarist and can, when required, manage a two-finger synth line. Despite having done lots of recording in his musical "career" the only currently available recordings are a retrospective CD of his original band (once and underground cult band - now seemingly a collectable underground cult band!) from the late 70's/early 80s - see sig for detail if you dare.

Other momerable music highlights include:
Being in a band that was passed over by the record company in favour of signing George Michael and Andrew Ridgley.
Turning down the chance to work with William Orbit, because BigRedX thought his band of the time (Torch Song) were cr@p and there was no way he was going to be associated with someone who produced rubbish like that. (isn't hindsight such a wonderful thing?)
Getting his last serious band to a situation where there was management, production and record company interest, only for the whole thing to fall apart twice (firstly due to the drummer and guitarist leaving and secondly to an irreconsilable falling out with the singer which finally split the band for good)

These days BigRedX is happy to play bass for fun (and a bit of beer money) in the Nottingham-based band Gosh! and spend way too much time and money looking for and purchasing instruments and equipment he doesn't really need, but as we all know here there's no real cure for GAS is there?

[s_u_y_*]

s_u_y_*, a bass guitarist who moonlights as a student. Currently battling a GAS addiction.

[Funkmaster]

Funkmaster will be 50 in a couple of weeks and has, scarily, been playing bass for 35 years now.

Has a severe GAS problem, now having three Warwick NT Thumbs - 4-fretted, JB Spesh fretless, 5-fretted, a Warwick Triumph - EUB, and a, now retired, Rickenbacker 4001. Add to those 10 mainly Gibson and Fender gu*tars and mandolins, a Hammond L122 organ/147 Leslie, a Fender Rhodes piano and 4K's worth of PA.

Funkmaster 'gets by' playing with The Welsh T Band, The Roosters, Dogsbody Ceilidh Band and the odd jazz & church gig and ought to be able to read better than he can!

[MacDaddy]

MacDaddy:

- double first at Cambridge
- fluent in 7 languages
- taught Victor Wooton and Steve Lawson
- played on several patinum selling albums
- pathological liar

[Kiwi]

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='2342' date='May 19 2007, 06:29 PM']- pathological liar[/quote]


I don't believe you!!

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='2353' date='May 19 2007, 06:37 PM']I don't believe you!! [/quote]

[EntropicLqd]

EntropicLqd is rapidly approaching his 37th year although you wouldn't know it from his behaviour.

He started playing bass (a Westone Spectrum) at the beginning of his second year of A-levels. This had disasterous consequences for both his technique (the bass was dreadul) and his A-level grades (playing was more fun than studying). At this point in his life he played solidly for two years before getting a job and moving away.

At the tender age of 21, even though EntropicLqd wasn't playing regularly (or at all), he purchased the bass he still plays today (a Hohner 5-String) along with a Peavy TK80 (long since deceased) and a 4-track of some sort (also deceased) and a 12-string semi-acoustic. Shortly after a Westone Thunder 1A fretless followed. Even these lovely toys didn't encourage him to play more often (shameful to be honest).

After moving to Yorkshire as part of a job change EntropicLqd joined a (fairly awful) covers band. This ran for 2/3 years before he quit due to the [url="http://wiki.beyondunreal.com/wiki/EntropicLqd/EntropicOnFatherhood"]arrival of his darling children[/url]. Around 3-4 years ago he took advantage of the fact that his kids were "a bit older now" and started playing in a covers band called [url="http://www.guiseleybaptistchurch.co.uk/LikeSheep/"]Like Sheep[/url] and regularly in church. After becoming somewhat frustrated with the lack of gigs and a plateau in his playing he joined a second covers band, [url="http://www.jwc.ltd.uk/BackIssue/"]Back Issue[/url].

So far the extra practice has started to see him improve somewhat (still average) although he still isn't playing that many gigs.

In the near future (2-4 weeks) EntropicLqd will start getting some ad-hoc singing lessons in the hope that it might inspire him to "write some stuff man". He's also hoping that the custom Shuker bass he ordered in November 2006 will be finished "real soon now".

EntropicLqd would be a much better bass player if he played fewer games on his PC. TrackMania (the original) is his current poison although he is hoping to ressurect [url="http://www.snout-clan.co.uk/"]SNOUT[/url], the world's worst UT clan, when UT3 gets released.

In the far distant future EntropicLqd would like to go "on-tour" just to see if it's true that you never get to see anything.

Being left-handed he plays a right-handed bass upside down (no-one mentioned that you could get left handed basses when he started). He enjoys lending his bass to right handed players simply to enjoy the look of confusion on their faces when they realise it's a normal right handed bass.

[Steve Lawson]

Hey MacDaddy,

nice to see you here - I think I need another lesson, I've done all that stuff you showed me last time.

Steve
www.stevelawson.net

[Steve Lawson]

PS Vic says hi, and thanks for the double thumbing ideas - he's getting quite good at it now...

Sx

[guitarnbass]

I'm 22. I recondition laptops and desktops, and other electrical crap, but I don't know what I'm doing, I play the guitar and bass, and am supposed to be studying.

[Crikey!]

Crikey! - Been playing since age 11, now 16. Just finishing off GCSE exams and then im going on tour with 2 of my bands and doing various other gigs all around the place in another 2 bands as well as my electro project. Going in to the studio with 5 bands over the summer doing my own stuff and some session work. Likes listening to ska, lots.

heres my "official" bio:

Ben "Batman" Robinson: Bass
Band Duties: Being Mature, funky bassage, bassface trainer
Background: A deeply philosophical and political mind makes ben the only sensible one in the band. His family are the shaolin monks. Ben developed a strange split personality at the age of 11. It seems that he suddenly becomes EXTREMELY silly when on stage.

ah yes, i like to jump around a bit.

Looking for a job at the moment to finance yonder tours.

[tombboy]

Tombboy - has been attempting to play bass to some sort of acceptable standard for 24 years now... a lack of dogged determination has enabled him to fail miserabley!!!
Has owned more guitars than Eric Clapton (completely untrue) and goes through rigs quicker than north sea oil!
Currently playing EBMM Stingrays through Markbass in a band called The Loop who compensate for Tombboy's morose, boring style of play by actually having some half decent tunes!!!
Patient, understanding Wife & children who allow Tombboy infinite time to partake in his self indulgent w***-fest and actually make him feel that he is far superior than his current level of skill,, somewhat akin to a tone deaf aomeba!

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='Steve Lawson' post='2673' date='May 20 2007, 04:16 AM']PS Vic says hi, and thanks for the double thumbing ideas - he's getting quite good at it now...

Sx[/quote]

[Linz]

Linz spent 46 blissful years totally ignorant of the Bass scene, her only link was to admire Phil Lynott's playing in the 70s! Then she met [b]Simon73[/b] on the internet :wub: and was plummeted headlong into the crazy world of Bass. Since then she has endured countless questions such as "Am I getting better?" (thankfully, the answer is 'YES'!) and "What do you think of this amp?" (search me, they all sound the same...!) but apparently her Bass "Ear" is improving... there is hope yet..

What am I saying, I must be mad but I married him anyway...!

[Tinman]

Tinman

Real name - Pete Tinsley

Age - 43

Occupation - Aircraft Avionics Technician in the RAF

History - Started playing bass in late 2004 after 30 odd years in the tinny 6 string wilderness and now wondering why I didn't move sooner. Played regularly in bands since 1988.

Gear - Ibanez BTB550 and 555, Aria SB505 4 string, Patrick Eggle Vienna (gu*tar), Trace Elliot 1210 combo and 1518 cab, H&K Zentera (gu*itar combo), about to go and see Jon Shuker to have a custom bass built.

Family - Married to the complete loon that is Mrs Tinman, she's great, she allows me to fulfil my GAS on a regular basis in fact, she actively encourages me to go and buy stuff. Two crazy dogs.

General info - Knows next to nowt about playing bass, asks lots of daft questions, learning loads from being on this forum - Thanks Dood, OldGit, Rich, Eude, (mmmmmmm see's a thread forming here - Shuker anyone?)

[simon73]

Simon73-RealName:Simon

I Stated playing bass when I was about 14 or 15, I used to pick up my brother in laws bass. I ended up buying my 1st bass when I was 16 (It was an aria sb 1000). Played it for a few years and did the odd gig and jam session in a pub. Stopped playing in my early 20s. Decided to pick it up again last year. Getting back to it again now, and im enjoying it. I work as a Mental Health Support Worker for a crisis team. My work want to send me to college next year to get my qualifications. Mariied to linz who is an oracle and she keeps my feet on the ground. I still have a long way to go with my bass and Linz thinks I am better than I rate myself...

[stingrayfan]

stingrayfan, real name Matt. A journalist who sometimes thinks "what if I'd have skipped journalism college, got in a band and toured the world instead...?"

One two three, and you're back in the room...

In reality, a busy job took over from playing bass and I spent a decade or so noodling on an acoustic g**tar. A few years ago, stumbled on a really cracking little covers band playing in a pub and had a sort of epiphany. A year later, despite being a new Dad, I'd bought about three basses more than I needed and was gigging again.

Now play in a 3-piece punk/mod/rock/indie covers band which is great fun.

Operating a "1 out, 1 in" and "only spend gig money" policy on gear to limit GAS and convince myself I'm not taking food from the mouth of my young daughter!

Currently have 4 basses, 2 electric guitars, 1 acoustic and 3 amps. So it's all under control.

[mr pablo]

Pablo, Mr (formerly pablocien)

28 years old Scotsman

Been playing bass for 4 years after a 6 year break, incurable GAS but fortunately (or not) no funds to cure it, once regular gigger now reduced to travelling back and forth to London to record with fellow like minded individual. Most likely to be spotted frequenting many bars off different class in the search of the perfect pint. . . . . .

[Waldo]

Waldo, real name Chris. Aged 20 going on 21.

Been playing for about 5 years now, don't play as much as I used to/ would like to Currently persuing a masters in chemistry at Liverpool Uni.

[Hamster]

Hamster - real name Colin

Currently working through the 2007 real ale guide.

Sometimes wears no hat.


Hamster

[Golchen]

Dillsfretless - real name Dillsfretless White (parents can be so cruel)

Multi-instrumentalist, but not really very good at any of them. Got some decent kit over the years but it's pretty wasted on me! Wannabee bass player. Member of GAS anonymous.

I Lurkest here to try and glean the dark secret of ye low register instrumente, for with that cometh ultimate power and I shall RULE THE WORLD!!!!!!!! MWOAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH ............................. Failing that I'll just stick with the day job.

[alexclaber]

Bassist/songwriter/vocalist/bandleader/producer with delusions of grandeur and self-importance. Chief Groove Guru and VP i/c Funk for many moons. Smugly using the same gear for a long time (though a huge pedalboard developed and then vanished) but recently succumbed and bought a new preamp, ordered a RIM Custom bass and planning a DIY cab. Doesn't look good in hats.

Alex

[Beedster]

The only man to have owned more basses than Homer, and in less time .
After many, many, many bass detours now back and happy where I started with a Fender Precision (or two). Modulus Flea on standby for moments of bass madness.
Motown/Funk junkie, will marry Kylie one day