London Bass Show Olympia and Albert Lee 70th Concert.

[Spudmurphy]

Looking forward to a trip to London tomorrow. First off, I'll be going to the London Bass show and meeting up with the guys from Strings n Things. Then in the night I'll be going to Alberts 70th Birthday gig in the Cadogan Hall. Well, sometimes ya just have to do these things .

I hope to post some pics on Monday (when I've recovered!!)

 

[threeminutesboy]

almost Monday Spud where are the pics ?

 

[edhalen]

pics pics pics!!!!

 

[Spudmurphy]

placeholder for full report and pics - come back in 6 hours time - a few little stories to tell - what an AWESOME day/evening!!!!!

OK , so here we go. Sit down, I want to tell you all a story....


Left the house at 04:50 and got the redeye bus to London - watched a nice sunrise just as I was passing from Wales over the River Severn Bridge to England.




Arrived at the bass show and met the lads from String and Things. Ming and his cohort (Little) Mark was on the Strings and Things stand handing out goodie bags.

Not the best shot of Ming. One hell of a nice guy (Gonna have a pint with him tomorrow as I'll be in Strings & Things territory)





They had some great demonstrators. The young lady (don't know her name) gave a great demo as did this guy who plays bass left handed but strung right handed!!!








I later met up with (Big) Mark, one of Strings n Things directors and he told me about NAM and the new MM amps. Also met up with Alberts son - Wayne who told me all about the gig the night before.

Had a look around the main show at the basses and here's some photos of some of the great MM basses on display. There was a stand there with some old examples which were all up for sale. (May have some photos of them later)

I attended two of the clinics there, the first one being Mo Foster who has played on over 350 albums/singles


and then went in to see another great man Leland Sklar. Both awesome players and their CV's are impressive to say the least.



Leland told a great story about Luke who he had met when Luke was in his teens. He extolled Luke's virtues as a great guy to know and to play with. One of his backing tracks was from Luke's album and he explained that Luke had composed a piece that "left him a great "pocket" to play in." He went on so once again say how nice a guy he is and in his words was still an "eight year old at heart - in a nice way!"

I'd like to tell you two great little stories that Lee told.
The first was his experience with studio producers. They were always badgering him to try a different sound, so he had was he called a "producers toggle switch" fitted to his guitars. They did nothing!! - Weren't wired up at all! When the producer asked him for an an adjustment to his sound , Lee would hold up the bass and make a great show of flicking the toggle, and then play the same passage again, but this time just changing the position of his "plucking" hand. The response from behind the glass was "Yeah, yeah, that's it much better. Lee would smile and play on. Some thing got out on the net about the Lee Sklar toggle switch and many people enquired as to where they could get one - priceless.
The second was a big studio session he played, and all the musos were sat behind tall acoustic baffles, akin to shoulder high closets. The guitarist he was working with (sorry his name escapes me) when asked by the director to try something a different guitar, the guitarist would reach down - his shoulders disappearing below the "closet". He would re appear and play a passage. When asked to play another guitar, he once again reached down, he would re appear and would play another passage. When asked yet again to try another guitar again, he would reach down, re appear and play the passage again. Lee said that he could hardly control his laughter because the guy would be playing the same guitar each time - again, priceless!!

Albert gig details to follow ....

 

[Spudmurphy]

It was then time to leave the loud (and very bassey) guitar show, and make my way to the Cadogan Hall near Sloane Square. I shared the taxi with (Big) Mark and left him and his missus to get a meal (at Sloane prices I stayed with my trusty chicken and ham sandwich) and made my way to the Hall.



The guy from Strings n Things who is "Artist Relations" is Andy Cocklin, and after getting my ticket he saw me and had a quick chat, but I was aware that he was a very busy man and stayed out of his way. He managed to get me into meeting Albert at the pre gig meet up and I managed to get my picture taken with him!!



Andy should be very proud of what he achieved on the night - the arranging must have been immense and to be honest the whole event seemed to run seamlessly. Andy deserves a slap on the back for the work he put into this.

Here's 2 pictures from the programme the cover and the page showing Andy and Wayne - nice one lads!!





There was a great article in the programme on the Albert Lee guitar and Dudley Gimple (including a picture of a VERY young Dudley!!) He doesn't look old enough to be one of the great guitar designers at the time.


He did explain that he had recently got a White Badge MM amp (from my neck of the woods!!) and Albert was using it for the two gigs. (Saturday and Sunday).
As I said, I'd already spoken with his son Wayne earlier in the day and he was in there with the rest of Albert Family - his wife - four daughters and Alberts grand kids. (Alberts Daughters and wayne all got up on stage with him. Wayne had earlier told me that he played the Saturday night (on the hoof) with Bill Wyman. He did the same on the Sunday and is one hell of a keyboard player.

So into the gig I went, and was proud to be sitting in the vicinity Albert's Daughter, Daughter in Law and Waynes children (Alberts Grand children).
I was sat with "Royalty" -!!!

Here's the set list from the gig and some photos. Of all the numbers Albert played, he said that he was most nervous when playing the Shadows numbers.


Andy Fairweather Low
I'm Ready .
(Fats Domino .)
Puttin' on the Style .
(Lonnie Donegan .)
(Unknown)
(Lyrics: He was tall and … handsome... It's sad but it's true...When your heart ought'a breaking you do)
Dona Oxford
Something You Got .
(Chris Kenner .)
Gary U.S. Bonds
Murder in the First Degree .
(Gary U.S. Bonds Song)
Dreams to Remember .
(Otis Redding .)
New Orleans .
(Gary U.S. Bonds Song)
Shakin Stevens
It's My Own Business .
(Chuck Berry .)
One Way Out .
(Sonny Boy Williamson .)
Chris Farlowe
Stormy Monday
(T-Bone Walker .)
Watch Your Step .
(Bobby Parker .)
The Shadows
Apache .
Wonderful Land .
Marty Wilde
Milk Cow Blues .
(Kokomo Arnold .)
The Price of Love .
(The Everly Brothers .)
Joe Brown
The Ballad of John Hurt .
(Sam Bush .)
Darlin' Cory .
Robert Wells
Piano Concerto No. 21 / Happy Birthday .
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart tune excerpt)
Come on If You're Coming .
(Tampa Red .)
Bumble Bee Boogie .
Nutrocker .
(B. Bumble & The Stingers .) (based on Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky "Nutcracker Suite")
Ralph McTell & Jane Clark
I Don't Think About You .
Somewhere Down The Road .
Chas & Dave
Rabbit .
(Unknown)
There Ain't No Pleasing You .
Bill Wyman
Jitterbug Boogie .
Race With the Devil .
Albert Lee
Crying in the Rain .
(The Everly Brothers .)
Spellbound .
No One Can Make My Sunshine Smile .
(The Everly Brothers .)
Leave My Woman Alone .
(Ray Charles .)
(Unknown)
When Will I Be Loved .
(The Everly Brothers .)
(Unknown)
Country Boy .
Happy Birthday .
A Better Place .











Another thing is that Sterling donated 2 X Albert Lee guitars to two lucky people. The one played by Albert and the one played by Dave Edmunds. Two very lucky people!!!!!

Got home around 3:30 am - tired - but what a hell of a day!!

Now one hell of a footnote ...
On the monday afternoon I visited a dear old friend ... Chris Rees. I had played with him for many a year in a well known Cardiff band called Snatch it Back. He looked like and sounded like Kim Wilson from the Thunderbirds.
Chris is now 65, and in permanent care. He suffers from chronic form of Dysphasia, and doesn't recognise his wife or me when I visit him. Well that afternoon he was just walking about and it was difficult to get him to sit. I walked with him arm in arm and talked about the old times, playing gigs etc. Then I talked to him about the Albert Lee gig. He stopped and listened, stroked my goatee stubble, gave me a hug and then said the first two words he had spoken in two years, simply "Thank you".
His wife and I left the room and shed some tears both sadness and tears of joy that for one fleeting moment Chris had peered out from his darkness.We bade our farewell. How did my conversation with him get through? I don't know, but Albert Lee is more powerful than he thinks. Cheers Albert.

 

[mtrejo]

Nice Spud! Can't wait to hear all about it.

 

[Spudmurphy]

There ya go, going out for a "Ruby Murray" now in Southend!!!
I do have a couple of bass photos, but this hotel wi fi is soooooooooo slooooooooooooow!!!
.. and will post them again.

 

[GoKart_MoZart]

Great report, Spud. Thanks!

 

[jzeijen]

Looks like you enjoyed every moment of it. Excellent thanks for sharing!

 

[banjoplayer]

Thanks Kevin for this wonderful report. You´re a lucky man! Great pictures and stories, especially about your buddy Chris.
I will see Albert Lee in Germany here on March 23rd

 

[DrKev]

Kev fantastic posts! Thanks so much!

 

[edhalen]

Spud you are the MAN!!! Great times I'm sure. Thanks so much for sharing.

 

[Pluck_Rogers]

Dave sang the Bruce Springsteen Chuck-Berry-alike rocker "From Small Things Big Things Grow

 

[threeminutesboy]

that's was great report, thanks for sharing!