the World of Verbal Warning 23.06.08

We've done a couple of gigs since my last post, the Sitwell Tavern proved a worthwhile, we went down rather well with some metal heads in the crowd, who, in spite of not getting us to play a Discharge song despite repeated requests, we don't know any, were highly delighted with our version of Ace of Spades, and the evening was finished off by us being booked to play the legendry Rock and Blues festival at Pentwich, 15000 hairy arsed bikers expected so it should be our biggest crowd to date by a long way. Last Saturday we were back at the Greyhound, the first set was possible out most acomplished to date, we were rocking, used my Stingray bass in the first half and my Fender in the second, which was best? no one was saying except Lee of Weston who prefered the stingray. Some Lads were up from Essex for the Donington bike GP and couldn't believe there luck that they had stumbled across such a "great band", there words not mine, maybe we should be playing more gigs down south. At the break someone said we weren't loud enough, red rag to a bull, so we turned everything up to 11 and everybody went home with tinnitus, result.
Our new release, A Ploy Named Sue is very nearly ready and being the generous people we are it will be available for free download, the reasoning behind this? who the hell would pay for it?

the world of Verbal Warning 05.06.08

Well I won my stingray bass on ebay, but was I ripped off? mine was the only bid at £749 until 6 seconds from the end when someone bid £811.50, 50p below my maximum bid, so I finished up paying £812, suspicious or wot? Now I have to wait for a gig to see if it cuts through as well as it does at practice, which is the sitwell tavern a week on Saturday.We had a practice last night without singer boy who's on holiday, so dummer boy, err sorry drummer boy, had the pleasure of me and guitar boy sharing lead vocals, I won't call it singing cause it certainly ain't, I think we've established that singer boy's job is safe.We've just landed a big gig at a biker festival at August Bank holiday, 700 hairy arsed bikers there and singer boy's told the organiser we know Jilted John, so we'd better get learning it.

the World of Verbal Warning 22.05.08

had a couple of gigs since the last post, travelled to the Jolly Tar at Nantwich which was an ok gig, the landlord told us we'd soon find out if the crowd liked us cause the pub would empty after the break if they didn't, well there wasn't many in to start with but they stayed till the end. Got a request for the Dead Kennedys so we launched into Holiday in Cambodia just as some gypies were having a punch up outside, so the pub emptied while we were doing this rarely played cover, typical VW luck. Talking of VW luck, we were at Junktion 7 yesterday and when was our slot? yep while the Euro Cup penalty shoot out was on downstairs, so we had a small but enthusiastic crowd.Got the buy a better bass bug again, but this time it's serious, a very rare left handed Musicman Stingray has appeared on ebay with a starting bid of £749, told you it was serious, well anyway I've put a bid in, hopefully there won't be another, I mean who's stupid enough to pay that amount out for a bass you've never seen or played? finishes on Sunday, if I win it I'll just have to buy a cheaper car, yes I'm still looking

the world of Verbal Warning 08.05.08

still not got round to doing the vocals for the new song, but next monday is arranged for vocals and mixing, if it's any good no doubt drummer boy will put it on my space.
Missed out on a Zoom b2 fx pedal on ebay the other day by 1p yes 1p, my maximum bid was £25 and it went for £24.01, now I know I've got a reputation for being a bit of a tight arse, me, I just think I'm a bit careful but I think even I'd have stretched to another penny if I'd have known.
Singer boy's been in his loft and found some old cassettes of an old Verbal Warning gig and some stuff by his old band, Potential Difference, and has asked me to put them on CD for him, now as you we all no doubt know this involves having to listen to at least some bits of them, god they're bad, bravery beyond the call of duty I call it, and I hope none of them get on to my space.
Had a gig at the Harrington last Friday that went well, eventually, there were only about 8 people in at 9 o Clock when we usually start so we delayed for 30 minutes and it was reasonable full by the end, no banjo smasher at this one though or band fall outs.

the World of Verbal Warning 28.04.08

I've just got over the shock of someone actually reading my blog so I'd better do another, after reading the basstalk forum, it's always a bad idea, I finish up spending money, I decided to try some Elixir Nano strings, they're supposed to last 5 or 6 times longer than normal ones, the bad news is the cheapest price is and eye watering £28 a set. Anyway I ordered some not realising the were coming from the USA, so I'm thinking VAT and Royal Mail handling fee going on here, they'll be the best part of £40, but fortunatly they wrote the cost was £15 on the export sticker so I got away with that one, and the strings? they sound pretty good so far, just got to see how long they last.Had a gig at the George Inn at Ripley which resulted in 3 encores and 3 very unhappy dogs, the canaine ears seem a bit sensitive to good old punk rock. The evening started off with only drummer boy being able to find the place in spite of the fact we'd all been there 2 or 3 times and halfway through the first set I was informed I'd forgot to put my sunglasses on, I wondered why I could see what I was doing, and don't even mention OCD, how the hell do we cock up a song we've done hundreds of times so badly we abandoned it and went on to Jet Plane, then it was the midsession break so everybody could calm down a bit.The second half was littered with mistakes as well but as I said earlier we got 3 encores and 2 more gigs, so there you go you never can tell.We are again having a go at recording tracks ourselves at the moment and early signs are good using home computers and free, what else? software. Got to add the vocals and do a mix them we''l be able to tell whether we can do the long awaited 2nd CD the same way.

13.04.08

3 weeks since my last blog, I'm suffering from writers block, or there's been bugger all to say. Had a couple of gigs since the last post, the Langley Mill gig was a bit of a wash out in more ways than one, the weather was awful, again, so not many there, we took about 10 cause it was guitar boys birthday and there were about 6 locals in, but the bar was so small another 6 and it would have been packed, still we did ok and the people that were there enjoyed it. So, on to the Malt Shovel, after the last time we were a bit worried because everybody left at the interval, but it was a decent turn out this time and it was still pretty full by the end. The real story of the night was this guy who walked in with a banjo, apparently he'd just been thrown off the bus for playing it and was definatly the worse for wear, now I thought we've got a bit of trouble here, thinking he'd ask us if we knew dueling banjos and could he join in, but no, half way through the second set, much to everyones astonishment, he proceeded to smash it to bits on the floor, Pete Townsend style, and we had to keep playing on while he was doing it, a great side show and it certainly kept everybody's interest, but I think he's probably regretting it now.Got new pick ups for my bass, ordered them from America because there're half the price and even with the robbing bastards from the Post Office adding on an £8 admin fee it still saved me £30, trouble was it required a bit of carpentry work to get them fitted, so now there's a bit of paint missing from around the pick up area. Still they are an improvement, but I would say that wouldn't I?

20.03.08

Guitar Boy turned up with yet another effects pedal at practice last night, he must have an effects pedal scrapyard in his back garden by now, I don't know what the word is for e bay addiction is but I think he's got it, how about e bayoholic, any other suggestions? if he ever gets round to putting them all in an effects pedal box it'll be so big we'll be able to turn it over and use it as a table tennis table. We were on at the Belle Vue at Mapperley on saturday, lousy night weather wise and a poor turnout, we got a decent sound though using a monitor for the first time with our PA, now we've decided we need another one, yet more gear to cart around, we'll need a roadie at this rate, any offers? must have his own transit and expect no money whatsoever. but talking of money the landlord paid us, which, seeing as how we didn't really have a confirmed amount was good of him. We won't be going back anyway cause he's leaving in a fortnight,looks like another live venue has been strangled by red tape.The gig front is looking quiet healthy now, until September, we've got about 2 a month which we think is about right, gives us time to work on material for our new CD, which won't ready till about 2012 unless we pull our fingers out.