what was your first band or two like?

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Tue May 04, 2004 10:50 am

Jon, you look like one of the Young Rascals, haha!
What's that, a Vox Teardrop?

bassman · Post by **bassman** » Tue May 04, 2004 4:43 pm

It's a Vox clone Bob. TeleStar to be exact. I covered the TeleStar logo on the headstock with a printed Vox logo just after I got it.
It was a phase that lasted about a year. I removed the Vox logo from it many moons ago.

But I do have a Vox Constellation IV teardrop bass in my collection as well.

And to Jerry, no the the jacket is long gone. If something had it go, better that it be the jacket rather than my hair or my bass.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Thu May 13, 2004 9:26 am

My second band, mid-late '70's was a total power pop, Beatle-y affair. But we called ourselves "The Murder Brothers". The Whiskey booked us (this, the punk era) on our name alone, but backed out and ridiculed us upon hearing our poppiness. The Troubador booked us many times, but not until (at Doug Weston's urging) we changed our name to the oft used and highly un-original "The Most".

beatcomber · Post by **beatcomber** » Mon May 17, 2004 9:54 am

My first band was in 1978-79, when I was in 9th grade. We were called Nightflight. Our one and only performance was at the Jr. High talent show in May '79, performing Jumpin' Jack Flash, Stairway to Heaven, and Freebird. I have a tape of the performance, and it's pretty terrible. For the gig I used a '73 Hagstrom Scandia (similar to a Viking or Epiphone Casino) and a little solid state Kustom 1x12 or 1x10 combo amp. The other guitarist played an Aria Les Paul copy through a blackface Fender Super Reverb (which started making weird noises when it got too hot), and the bassist used a Rick 4001 through an Ampeg 1x12 combo amp. Oh yeah, the drummer had a big set of Ludwig Vistalites (his family was rich).

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon May 17, 2004 3:10 pm

I have a very faded picture from some gig at home in Mass. from when I was 15 in 1968, it's actually another band I was in that I had forgotten about, can't remember the name either. The guitar player had a Gretsch Tennesean and a black faced Fender Bandmaster with the big cab, the other guitar player had an identical Bandmaster, I didn't have an amp yet, and blew a speaker in each one, they sounded nice for bass though with those big cabs. I'll try to post it when I get there in a few days, actually Wednesday, but gotta get a phone line first.
Jon looked much cooler than I did.

bassman · Post by **bassman** » Tue May 18, 2004 2:21 pm

Well Bob, here's a pic of me 18 months later in 1969 with my second band. As you can see, I had lost the jacket and had bought a Hofner 500/1 to use as my main bass by this time.

I had also upgraded my amp. Pictured behind me is my first Traynor YBA-3 (135 watts RMS tube head) and YC-810 cab. Most Canadians know these two as a Custom Special and Big "B" cabinet with eight tens.
I used this particular amp for a couple of years then bought a brand new Custom Special and YC-810.
At the sametime, I bought my first 4001. This was the best bass and amp combination that i've ever owned in all of my years of playing. I've never had so many other musicans comment on how great of sound the Rickenbacker and Traynor produced.
If it weren't for the size of the amp and cabinet, I would still be using this set up today.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Wed May 19, 2004 8:54 am

Better hair, better stage presence, cooler bass.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed May 19, 2004 9:53 am

My first band ... hmmm ... my brother came to me and said he was starting a band and he needed a bass player ... I said I would play but I didn't know what a bass was ...

my first bass was a guitar that I played bass lines on ... then I got a Hofner copy ... then a real hofner then a '68 Ric ... yep that's the one I still have ...

check out this link ...

http://www.m2midnight.com/Jeff_bio_frames.htm

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Sun May 23, 2004 6:48 pm

my third band, around '85

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon May 24, 2004 4:52 pm

Well, I'm home, back in Ma. but won't be online for two more weeks because of the extremely quick phone company, I'm using my sister's internet cafe right now. I like The Young Rascals photo better John, haha!

spaceman · Post by **spaceman** » Mon May 24, 2004 5:24 pm

Here's my first band. We were called The Shapes. We were into The Small Faces, Beatles, Who, Jam, Creation, 60's Freakbeat and Garage. This photo is from '83 or 84'. I still have the Rickenbacker, it's the best guitar I have ever owned.

adam_swapp · Post by **adam_swapp** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 8:59 pm

It was 25 years ago. We played bad originals and worse covers with a Lynyrd Skynyrd line up: 3 guitars, bass, and drums. Try this: "Nights in White Satin" with the flute solo played by the other guitar player blowing into his cupped hands. The bass player (youngest brother of the drummer and one guitar player) quit, we lumbered one guy with the bass, and off we went. The truly sad part is that recordings exist of some of this: Pedestal and Beck and Call. Don't listen on a full stomach.

This was recorded in the back room of a software development company, straight to 2-track. One of the guys worked there, but they were having trouble meeting payroll. So, he negotiated a deal where we could record in the office on weekends. We had no mic stands, so we suspended the mics from ropes thrown over the ceiling supports. We have the police visit on tape, too.

On the bright side, I still play with the drummer. I also own the both guitars on the recording (my SG and I bought the other guy's Tele), and the bass amp (an old Traynor) is on permanent loan to the guy who gave me my '62 625.