Punk is Dead

So I jammed with an old college friend and her bandmates this past week. They needed a bass player for their newly formed band. I don't know how to decribe this band.... I'd say it's kinda rock-punkish stuff. Kind of this genre they have now with the likes of AFI and whatnot. Heck, is there really any really such thing as real punk anymore? As far as I'm concerned the punk movement died out in the early 80s and what we're all playing today is punk-ISH.

I was kind of nervous....I hadn't played above volume 1 on my amp for quite some time, not to mention have I regularly played the thing in over 2 years since "life" took over my own band and we just stopped getting together.

It was pretty fun I must say...although I felt like I came full circle. I went from punk >> hardcore >> alternative >> ska/funk >> pop rock >> hawaiian >> and now back to punk again. A lot of straight power chords, pauses in the middle of song parts, & drawn out endings in the key of A. I guess I'll play with these guys for a while until my own band figures out what we want to do and gets back into playing again.

I brought my 2 basses down for a cleaning this past week... reminded me I never really took good photos of my 2 little babies.


I love this bass. Had it custom made about 8 years with just about everything I wanted. 5-string fretless with a drop-key switch, active pickups, and neck-through-body build. Carvin makes awesome instruments. This even literally SMELLS nice....even after all these years there's this sweet woodsy scent that's either the finish or the wood on it. No it ain't ball sweat either...it's the wood I promise.

I pulled this bass out the other night and I got the comment that this bass was "tatadan". Do you get it? I wonder if this is a Hawaiian slang thing again. Basically that's in reference to the sound that magicians make when they reveal a big trick "TA TA DA" So basically I had to play good that night or risk looking like a poser.


As nice as my other bass is, this is her ugly twin sister. This sucker is pretty hideous but I still love her. My first bass close to 20 years old now. It's got signatures from all the current members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on the backside...mementos from opening up for them in the early 90's. I wonder how much a die-hard fan would pay for this now I'm curious. On the other hand I'm doubtful I'd ever sell this thing.... I'm too sentimental.