Re the VU

Posted at LO:

It is of the VU said that while they didn’t sell many records, everyone who heard them wanted to – in many cases did – form a band.

IMO, they are as important to independent (non-sales driven) music, particularly in the 80’s and 90’s but with lasting effect, as anyone stateside.

Reed was by most accounts a petty tyrant, often with a drug problem, certainly with arguably deviant sexual taste and a fairly nihilistic outlook – but he was a true poet, as he set out to be.

Cale is a hella multi-instrumental musician, and a decent writer and arranger.

Mo Tucker remains a true eccentric who is totally overlooked as an influential drummer; kinda a Charlie Watts of the underground, totally supportive and never leading, she eschewed cymbals and fills and relied on shuffles and tribal beats.

The other members that came in and out were all worthy, if only sidemen, altho’ Sterling Morrison in particular appears to have had some influence through his guitar skills.

But Reed was an enfant terrible up until his death as an old man, married else he might have died an old queen.

Vlayman: *Dead Man’s Clothes (a e.p.)*

1. Dead Man’s Clothes 03:50
2. Everything Is Falling 04:32
3. Into My Head (with Silvie) 04:46
4. She’s a Weapon 03:59
5. Just Some Love 03:47

It’s been *hot* in Chi and Kabul has fallen, as has N’awlins.

released August 31, 2021

Writ, recorded, mixt, masturd, and sequenced at FetaCentralRecording DDL in Aug, 2021.

Music and all instruments on “Into My Head” by Commanda, CAN’s Silversmith
All other noises by yo except drums as credited (see lyrics).

Fartwerk by Jose Jones

bandcamp;
blog.
I mix with olive juice.

Kicked out

Posted at talkbass:

So, many years ago I co-wrote a song and then got kicked out of the band. A year or so later I go to see the band and they are doing that song, having changed the lyric to disparage me.

I thought about threatening to sue, and then just decided to threaten.

We hadda good laugh and they went back to the original (co-written) lyrics.

I hope that helps, even if just for the humor.Vlayman

Try to tell you, baby – What you tryin’ to do?
Tryin’ to love me, baby – Love my basses too

Whya bass amp?

Posted at talkbass:

Step back, all y’all, I’ll handle this. 

“Why use an amp for recording?”

1. volume;
2. tone;
3. interaction between amp, bass and player; and,
4. sound.

I get what I think are great results goin’ DI, through pre’s (The Brick, Meeks, Summit, etc.) and FX pedals and modelers (Tech 21, Vox, Zoom, etc.) and other gear (example – record DI thru a dbx 163x and tell me that ain’t way usable – it totally is!), and I do it often. And now I’ve a PF50t and I can go DI post-tranny and it sounds great.

But a amp, a amp, a amp – my kingdumb for a amp – I’d almost always rather play thru a mic’d amp because … I play rock and roll bass.

YMMVWFVVlayman

Try to tell you, baby – What you tryin’ to do?
Tryin’ to love me, baby – Love my basses too

“Fat” bass

At talkbass: “So my question is now: what other choices do I have for a fat sound (not distorted/fuzz)?”

Seems to me you wanna look for a boost or an overdrive, most likely an overdrive. (Or you could use a distortion or fuzz with the gain turned down – EHX nano Green Russian Muff, Digitech Boneshaker, etc.)

Excellent, inexpensive and numerous alternatives come from EHX – most of the nanos are useable even if they are not designated for bass (ex., Hot tubes, Crayon, Glove, etc.) I really like the Bass Soul Food, me. Even old standbys like the MXR Distortion Plus, or the similar DOD 250 pedal can work; DOD and MXR make various overdrives, and MXR bass overdrives are standards. Don’t be afraid to try a Rat, either – there are also variations made specifically for bass, but if you keep the gain down to stay in OD territory you might well love ’em.

After that there are many alternatives as most pedal manufacturers seem to have realized that we (bassists) like pedals as much as (us) guitarists.

Some not-necessarily bass pedals are awesome for many approaches – I dig the EQD Plumes and others, the afore-mentioned nano Green Russian Muff (and the Triangle), Zvex stuff, – the EBS Multi-drive is awesome. Any dirt pedal with a blend will be pretty much always useful, not that a blend is always necessary.

I use the Meek Floor Q and the Toadworks Mr. Squishy as OD a lot, if they are on the board (I have a few boards).

The Tech21 character pedals, from the bass-intended VTB’s to stuff like the Orange and the Vox variations, make great DI’s (I don’t use ’em into amps – call me a bourgeoisie purist).

After that you can get into paralleling pedals such that guitar pedals that lose low end can be blended with your dry signal (some pedals do this themselves, like the EHX Bass Muffs) – search here for posts re the Boss LS-2, also.

The Zoom MS-60(b) and similar bass multi-FX are cool to try stuff out, altho’ I tire of of the 60(b) – and most Zoom, Vox and other digi-multi-FX’s – pretty fast, they give good approximations.

Outboard Meek rack and 1/2 rack stuff is phenomenal; get the afore-mentioned FloorQ for a (huge) pedal variation.

Let us know when you wanna talk no-pedals, tube-amp approaches … 

Vlayman: *The Basket Weaver’s Hotel (a e.p.)*

1. See More 03:38
2. I’m Silly 02:49
3. Basket Weaver’s Hotel 03:03
4. Punched by an Angel 03:59
5. The Memory Hole 04:10

RIP, Dusty Hill and Charlie Watts.

released August 24, 2021

Writ, recorded, mixt, masturd, and sequenced at FetaCentralRecordin g DDL in Aug, 2021.

All noises by yo except drums as credited (see lyrics).

Fartwerk by Jose Jones
Title from sompin’ Lemmy said.

carpal diem!

THD
vlayman
blog
vlayman.bandcamp.co m
thehungrydrunx.band camp.com

Of C/L muso ads and vax-denying nutjobs

My C/L ad:

Looking for drums, guitar, bass, keys …

Older bassist/guitarist/vocalist (61 and vax’d) looking to jam, co-write, record; forming a new band would be great.

Looking for drums, guitar, bass, keys, vocals but probably not a vocalist …

Basically rock: Stones to Dylan to DinoJr. to Cowboy Junkies to Young to Cave to Lanegan to Cash to The Clash to The Church to The Cure to Sly as references, but I can be flexible.

Have a sense of humor.

And to be clear, I am looking to do mostly original material, yours and mine and ours.

I go by “mick”, I got some projects going, but would like a little more …

==============================================

The response:

That’s cool Mick. I’m sure you’re a nice guy and a sense of humor is the number one priority when hanging with someone but man having to state whether you use corporate pharmaceutical companies to inject a bunch of harsh adjuvants into your body to trick your immune system into producing antibodies for a flu virus that only effects people with co-morbidities, is a weird thing to put on a Craigslist posting. Why don’t you just say (I get the appropriate vitamin D exposure to insure my immune system is working at an optimal copacity so I don’t have to play into a corrupt narrative of enriching big Pharma.)

Don’t play into “The Man’s” corrupt narrative of division and control. These corporations in media, Pharma, and government don’t care about your heath and safety they only care about power and control and will use money to maintain that power and control. Remember “Fight the Power” “Fuck the Man” isn’t that what we artists followed back in the day. These corporations don’t care about you. Stop supporting them and their narrative. We artists should know better.

Anyways, much love to you. This nation and world are going through the biggest change in generations. This world is at war right now. Now is the time to discern who the good and bad guys are. How do you tell? That is what we all need to figure out right now.

Pro-tip, I figured out that our constitution is paramount. It took me decades to really see it. If someone is trying to justify the suppression of the constitution’s liberties they are the bad guys. Seriously think about it. I have for many years. It’s the only way out of this. Follow the constitution and if the big corporations and big government are pushing the same rhetoric over and over again you know something is horribly wrong and you should sand in opposition to it.

Okokokok ……….peace.

Vlayman: *AuditionDemo1 (a e.p.)*

1. Handkerchief 03:33
2. She’s Dangerous 03:37
3. The Absent Hour 03:46
4. The Mumble Tank 03:34
5. Under the Gun 02:32

So these is tracks built with a drum machine to what I played bass and guitar and sanged.
Most tracks (esp. all the raw guitar ) are first takes.
These was done following jams with J and T with the intent of having them add guitars and
mebbe M add bass and alla them ain’ been here in 2 weeks and I got impatient so I DI’d
every thing and used some cheap amp sims on the guitars and herbalized for the vox.

released August 6, 2021

Writ, recorded, mixt, masturd, and not sequenced at FetaCentralRecording DDL in the last week of July and 1st week of Aug, 2021.

Fartwerk: Jose Jonesbandcamp; vlayman;
THD; Geronimo Cowboys;
blog.
I mix with olive juice.