I’m loving my new tattoo. I can’t wait to get it finished now. Under my arm is going to have a few Sheikah words.
It looks great with the leather. I just need to get the zip mended on these trousers as it no longer locks up.
I’ve used all sorts of recording methods over the years, each of them having various complicated cabling paths.
Now it turns out there’s a really good one shot gizmo to do it all.
Its a Focusrite Scarlett solo. Perfect for me! I don’t need any fancy stereo for my setup.
I’ll be doing some work on Ostalgia this weekend!
R J Forster on Flickr took this. I absolutely love it. Judging by the positions of my hands I think I’m playing the start of “It Could be Me”.
It has to be said that Saturday’s gig was probably one of the best we’ve ever played! The crowd were brilliant and really up for it. The venue was a nice place and we played so well. Tight and sounding great. We’ve since had a few posts go online and a review which always makes it feel worthwhile. We’re still on 100% verified 5* ratings.
It was the hottest gig in ages. The suit in the first set was dripping by the end. I’m glad I remembered to take a second suit though – I always remember at weddings (strictly it was a vow renewal) that there will be at least 3 cobalt blue suits in the audience. You don’t want to look like the guests do you?
It was a 10:30 finish for us, although Jake couldn’t finish DJing until half past 11 so we broke down the stage whilst he finished off and got all the cases ready to go, and then whilst the guys loaded the van I packed down the PA and wrapped all the speaker cables.
I thought it was time I did a decent progress update on the Strangefish stuff, after all, it’s now about a month since our first rehearsal.
New year’s eve this year was a gig in Gainsborough. The last gig arranged by our current agent before we go freelance and head to pastures new.
Sadly, because of the timing of everything it’s left us with a rather large 4 month hole in our schedule now, but that works great for me as it lets me give my Strangefish material a lot more time. I suspect stuff will come in though, it’s just the air has to clear first.
We’re now freelance but we have two agents booking gigs for us already and May onwards is looking pretty cool now. I think we’re going to sort our own new year’s eve though.
The gig, however, was superb. I really liked the club. It was a private member’s club which always means you’re going to get an element of filtering. They had booked “an evening with” type of thing and got us and a DJ.
£20 a ticket with a buffet! Can’t be sniffed at.
So we arrived. Loaded in (a nice flat load) and set up. The onstage sound wasn’t good though, mostly due to the corner stage, but it’s something you learn to deal with.
The place filled up. Really filled up.
So the first set arrived at 9pm. I suited up in my blue suit, which I thought would be tight and actually wasn’t – that 3kg on the scales is all lies! And we played our hearts out.
The new song (Lady Gaga’s “Shallow”) was rather epic! The audience really went mad at that one. I suspect being brave and doing such an out there and new song earns respect.
The second set at 10:50 took us up to about 15 minutes off midnight. Great for the DJ to take us through the bells.
This set I was a little more conservative in my looks than I’ve been at previous gigs. Absolutely no shiny trousers this time, just skinny blue jeans and a blue shirt. It’s a very slimming look and I have to say I look rather good in it!
Once midnight was out of the way we packed down and headed home. It was just before 2am hometime. Not bad for new years eve.
It’s at a rather nice spa this time. Ye Olde Bell. It’s very popular around here especially as the facilities are supposed to be top notch.
We loaded in… Set up on the rather bijou stage, and waited for the crowd too appear.
It was a very private function with rather fancy food. Unfortunately none for us 😞 although we do always expect that… After all we’re being paid, so I always take my own.
Sitting outside at the outside bar was very lush though. It was quite warm until late so we could.
Backstage consisted of a room especially reserved for us. It’s amazing how valued you feel when a hotel does that for you 😃
Two sets played in front of a nice crowd too! I have to say the new suit is looking very nice too.
Belinda invited a customer up on stage for Proud Mary… The customer was a little drunk…
But she had loads of fun!
So finally, we took our bow, packed down, and headed off after a very good and successful night.
Something rather unusual happened recently…
I tried Band Hero for the first time ever at a friends house. As you know, I’m a bass guitarist and so I chose bass as my instrument, naturally, of course.
How did I fare though?
I was shite… but why?
Well as a bassist I can tell you that the guitar firstly is too short thus meaning you’re playing everything at around the 12th fret if it was a real bass. At which point the rocking “string” switch is dreadful… you can’t play it finger style properly as it centres too slowly thus forcing you to rock it with your thumb. Awful.
Finally… FIVE BLOODY NOTES?!! – Sorry but that does not accurately represent a real bass. Mine has that many strings, and each string has 26 frets. Do the sums – that’s over 125 individual frettable positions (although B and E above fret 15ish are a bit pointless)… counting it as notes that’s almost three octaves of range from low B to high A – or almost 36 individual notes.
Yes, 5 frets does not accurately represent a bass guitar.
Finally… why do people who are really “good” at Guitar hero then think they are good musicians? It’s a bit like air guitarists saying they are good at real guitar. It’s not right. I’ll stick to my real Warwick Thumb thanks…
Now how do I play House on the Hill? Orange Blue Blue Blue Green Blue Red…
Finally, as I write this – Raeioul Moat is currently holed up in Rothbury and is perched on the river bank… what will his end be? – Shot? Suicide? Taser? I don’t know, but I bet it’ll be on Liveleak before too long.
