Skull burner fill in gig...

AverageWhiteBassist · #1 07-14-2010, 06:23 AM

No rehearsals, never played with anyone in the band, no charts.... oh, and we play a lot of Tower of Power, you interested? I like TOP, but never played a lick. Get the call at noon yesterday, while at work. The comforting part, no money, they play for a beer and apps on Tues. 8-1030, no pressure, how bad could it be? 10 piece band, I figured I can hide in the horns.

Wrong, first tune "Give it to me baby" by Rick James, which I've heard but never played before. Then, "Let it Roll" by Little Feat, never even heard this one though I'm familiar with Little Feat. And the set list went on...

The good news was how killin' the Roscoe was. I've played in other bands with it, never a R&B funk band with horns and so many places to hide, but it poked all night, even with the famous AGUILAR (see my inferior comphrension of my bass' components in the Bartolini Preamp Adjustment thread" preamp's treble roll off for a passive tone. It really sounded good in a very terrible environment, a very tall-hard wood floored, shallow dance area with concrete walls. I took Jerry's advice and didn't mess with the tone controls, using mainly the pickup pan and it worked perfectly. Little more neck pickup really helped out in this venue. In my very humid basement, I pan towards the neck a bit more but it was very thin out in the field last night. It blew me away all over again. Never adjusted a tone from the first note on. Of course I was also very shy on volume hoping to not poke out too much, making mistakes even mroe noticable.

I started feeling pretty tight with the drummer and the singer called "Moondance" and I was like, I played that 8 years ago at a wedding, no problem. What a mistake, I could only remember one lick and wandered aimlessly for the rest. After the gig, I told the band leader, "I have a confession, I don't know Moondance" he said "So you thought you knew the rest of them?" and laughed. He said it was totally fine and the whole gig was a success and thanked me for having the kiwis to jump in like that. It was a bunch of fun, playing with horns is a blast. My head was toast at the end though.

LilRay · #2 07-14-2010, 07:25 AM

Sounds like a heckuva gig Dave.

I applaud you for playing such a show. Stepping out of bounds is tough and you've made it through.

Playing with a horn section would be awesome.

God Bless, Ray

JOME77 · #3 07-14-2010, 07:28 AM

lol

You've got some courage dude! I'm not sure if I'd have had the guts to get up there not knowing any of the songs. It sounds like you pulled it off though and it sounds like you had some fun.

Darkstrike · #4 07-14-2010, 07:30 AM

Sounds wild!

bkirk · #5 07-14-2010, 08:11 AM

Way to step up, Dave! I would love to play in a soul/funk band with horns. Guess they could have sent you a set list so you could listen to a few songs before the gig.

Or maybe you were better off just walking into it cold.
We do "Let It Roll" sometimes in one of the bands. Fun tune.

Gard · #6 07-14-2010, 08:35 AM

STONES!!!

And no, not the rolling variety!

Just the BIG ones!

Nice stuff man, I used to play in a band that was heavy into that 70's horn section funk (TOP, OLD Chicago, AWB, Ohio Players, Kool & The Gang, etc), and it's a BLAST, isn't it!

...OK, now I'm gettin' all nostalgic over that stuff...

I'm feelin' a side-project band comin' on!

Big Mother · #7 07-14-2010, 08:40 AM

Dude, balls the size of coconuts.
Way to be tough!!

I have only done that one time, lucky for me, the drummer and guitar player were also in the same boat. I like to remember it as being much better than it was.

Gard · #8 07-14-2010, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Mother

Dude, balls the size of coconuts.
Way to be tough!!

No doubt, going in cold on a gig like that, that's approaching Sean Payton calling "Ambush" (onside kick to start the 2nd half) in the Super Bowl...big hairy brass ones...

AverageWhiteBassist · #9 07-14-2010, 06:33 PM

It was a lot of fun. I called the band leader today and thanked him for having me and he said he wants me to come back so it couldn't have been too bad. He told me be he'll get me a song list and a cd. That wouldn't be a bad thing.

VroomVroom · #10 07-14-2010, 08:39 PM

Awesome read, Dave...well done!

"Give it to me Watcha Say....Give it to me Watcha Say...Give it to me!"

Let's hear about the ToP tunes, my man. Were the sixteenth notes flying?

bassWR · #11 07-14-2010, 09:29 PM

Wow Little Feat and TOP!

What great music but a tough gig.
I'd want to practice...oh I don't know... 3 months.

I was listening to TOP today while driving. It's amazing how consistent and clean Rocco is on those 1/16th notes.

Way to go Dave! You are the man for taking that one on.

AverageWhiteBassist · #12 07-15-2010, 05:18 AM

I had to get the Steve Harris 3 finger thing going, my first 2 were worn out... I'm not in the best of bass playing shape these days having a 5 month old son. It was something so far out of my comfort zone, but so much fun. I will have to work on "What is hip" and essentially everything off the '98 "Soul Vacination" TOP live disc. My wife even stopped by, her favorite was "All night long", thankfully only 2 notes. The rest of the players were more seasoned and a great group of gents. It's funny, they are literally there every Tues for the last 3+ years, and this was the first time I went by. I work across the street... man was I missing out. They do so many great R&B tunes and their singer Bruce can SING! He's got the pipes, Al Green, MJ, name it... I even brought my M Audio recorder and had it set up but forgot to turn it on. What a putz.

T-MOST · #13 07-23-2010, 12:53 PM

I've a few gigs like that and I don't like them. These days I would probably refuse any offer like that. But, I'm glad you and the Roscoe had a blast!

BTW I used to own a Roscoe.

JOME77 · #14 07-23-2010, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-MOST

I've a few gigs like that and I don't like them. These days I would probably refuse any offer like that. But, I'm glad you and the Roscoe had a blast!

BTW I used to own a Roscoe.

What's up T-Most? We've been missing you on the Roscoe forum!

BTW I used to own a Smith!

AverageWhiteBassist · #15 07-23-2010, 08:54 PM

I'll tell you, getting a call back was a great relief of at least a moderately decent job done. I had a friend over who has many interesting basses, Laklands, F Clef, Zon, Fenders, etc but I kept coming back to the Roscoe. Playability, it was no match but even all the tones that are there... I'm still hankering for a true J bass, and I think the new Fender deluxe is the one, but all in all, there isn't much left behind on this bass. It nailed the TOP, the funk, the grooves, all of it. Just killed it. The EQ is so powerful and it looks like I'm getting in the perfect band for me! No doubt I have the wandering eye for a J, the Roscoe will always be the other woman.

AverageWhiteBassist · #16 07-28-2010, 05:31 AM

I am now their #1 sub! Great end to the story and man, I've been working the tunes and the Roscoe nails them all. I know there are alot of Bart/Bart guys out here, but the vintage style roll off on the treble control on an Bart/Aggie OBP-3 really works wonders for the old school stuff.

JOME77 · #17 07-28-2010, 06:51 AM

Congrats Dave! Sounds like your fearless attitude really paid off!

VroomVroom · #18 07-28-2010, 08:51 AM

Outstanding, Dave....congrats to you! It's great to hear the Roscoe is keeping the smiles nice and fresh too.

Darkstrike · #19 07-28-2010, 09:47 AM

Yup! Congrats dude!

AverageWhiteBassist · #20 08-01-2010, 08:01 AM

My fear is I now have to branch out and get a J bass type thing for some of their stuff, the Roscoe's a bit too strong (as if that's a real bad thing). Just in time for Roscoe's new love for j pickups... for interested folks, here is the link to the band's website http://www.manchuka.com/ There are some tracks of them as well.