The Sweet - Blockbuster

[Hobbayne]

Been asked to do this as a request for the landlord at our local pub. Its funny, although I have never played it, I always imagined the bass line was the same as Jean Genie and was quite busy.
Having listened to it for the first time in 20 odd years it is a very sparse line.
Funny how your mind remembers things int it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNXFtVWB47E

Edited April 11, 2017 by Hobbayne

[TrevorR]

Trying to remember how to play the bass line.

Does anyone know the way? There's got to be a way!


I'll get me coat...

[SpondonBassed]

I know that one in my sleep! When I was ten we lived in a hotel suite for a few months around the time that song was popular. The function room of the hotel had a good sound system and my bedroom window was overlooking it. Blockbuster played over and over again but I never got sick of it.

Come to think of it, the filtered sounds from the weekend discos heard in my sleep were probably what made me the [s]awsome[/s] awful player I am today.

[MisterT]

Cannot listen to this tune without the Macc Lads' words entering my head.

[bazzbass]

the bass player's makeup is creepy.was he a cross dresser in later life?

I see the guitarist and Suzi Quatro have formed a band.....playing covers ! lol

yes I literally laughed out loud

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='MisterT' timestamp='1491946342' post='3276750']
Cannot listen to this tune without the Macc Lads' words entering my head.
[/quote]

Can you give us an example please? I am barely aware of the Macc Lads. Were they in Viz?

[Maude]

I used to do it in a previous band, I had the American siren looped so it would play for about five minutes on my phone, the phone was plugged into my Line6 pedal which in turn went through the PA, I would start the second set with that siren wailing and fade it in and out at the appropriate place with the volume pedal on the Line6.
At one gig someone rang me during the song and I'd forgotten to put my phone in aeroplane mode, a phone ringing full pelt through a 2K watt PA is quite a piercing noise

[kodiakblair]

Macc Lads version was called " Fat Bastard". Think reprinting the lyrics here would be frowned upon. So here's a link :-)

http://www.metrolyrics.com/fat-bastard-lyrics-macc-lads.html

They made the papers when their "business start-up" loan got withdrawn amid claims of racist,sexist songs, well all the "ists" really.

[Paul S]

I love their 'alter-ego' heavy rock side. Some great stuff recently surfaced recorded live in 1974. Here's one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rGYtfC0R_U

[Tonteee]

I wonder which side of the ego 'Action' sits...

https://youtu.be/zM0IWyQ5zcg

It has the rum-te-tum drum line of something like Blockbuster, the layered poppy harmonies, but a hard rock feel.


Either way, probably my fave Sweet song.

[dmccombe7]

Used to do Blockbuster and Jean Genie and sometimes as a medoly because they are very similar.
Have to admit Trevor Bolder bass lines always have a slightly more difficult fast bit with far more bass runs in the song rather than straight 8's

Both great songs.
Was a big fan of Sweet.

Probably the first real band i ever got into.

Dave

[Lozz196]

The Sweet played at The Rebellion punk festival in Blackpool a couple of years ago. Went down a treat, and sounded really really good. Ok, it`s only one original member now, but hearing those songs through a quality PA was great.

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1491978936' post='3276831']
I used to do it in a previous band, I had the American siren looped so it would play for about five minutes on my phone[/quote]

It was an effects pedal from what Andy told me years ago. An early 70's budget one - possibly Rose Morris but multi branded. It had a white-noise/surf effect and a siren.

[Maude]

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1492004730' post='3277094']




It was an effects pedal from what Andy told me years ago. An early 70's budget one - possibly Rose Morris but multi branded. It had a white-noise/surf effect and a siren.
[/quote]

A 70's effect pedal with a siren? Cool!

I just loved the cheesiness of doing it. We had two old skool rotating police lights, one red one blue, on top of the PA speakers either side, we'd fill the stage with smoke and then fire up the lights and siren to start the second set. We'd leave it going for twenty seconds or so before starting the riff, silly but great fun

[Donnyboy]

https://youtu.be/11FxoDMKa2k





I do like this version ...Take me to the Jungle Room, honey.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1491983734' post='3276873']
I love their 'alter-ego' heavy rock side. Some great stuff recently surfaced recorded live in 1974. Here's one:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rGYtfC0R_U[/media]
[/quote]

Wonder where Motley Crue got their influences from then.................

[fleabag]

B side to Hell Raiser anyone ?

Cracking !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0hG3Gib-Is

Edited April 12, 2017 by fleabag

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1492013789' post='3277214']
A 70's effect pedal with a siren? Cool!
[/quote]

IIRC it wasn't so much an effects pedal as some circuitry designed to produce a siren sound housed in an effect pedal shaped case. There was a foot switch to activate it, a volume control and an output jack socket. It didn't actually process anything so there wasn't an audio input.

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1492013789' post='3277214']
A 70's effect pedal with a siren? Cool!

I just loved the cheesiness of doing it. We had two old skool rotating police lights, one red one blue, on top of the PA speakers either side, we'd fill the stage with smoke and then fire up the lights and siren to start the second set. We'd leave it going for twenty seconds or so before starting the riff, silly but great fun
[/quote]

Stagecraft mate. I like your style.

[arthurhenry]

More fun if you get to do the high B backing vocals "Ah-aaaah".

[Rich]

[quote name='TrevorR' timestamp='1491942926' post='3276724']
Does anyone know the way? There's got to be a way!
[/quote]
Nope, sorry. We just haven't got a clue what to do.

[KevB]

[quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1492015873' post='3277244']
B side to Hell Raiser anyone ?

Cracking !

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0hG3Gib-Is[/media]
[/quote]

Don't suppose they had been listening to Immigrant Song before they came up with that one?

[fleabag]

Its close isn't it ?

[ahpook]

They don't call it the glam stomp for nothing.

[Bassmonkey]

As a result of this I have been on a You Tube trip remembering all those great Sweet songs. Happy days