back in the Goodle Days

For the last year and a half, I've had a brand-new set of strings for my electric guitar (Epiphone strat copy - cheap, plays like a dream) sitting on my nightstand. I've not had the inclination to put them on the guitar, since I had no amplifier ... without an amp, an electric guitar is just no fun.

This weekend I was in the music store, buying some rosin and fine tuners for my violin, and I went back to the guitar room. Thought I might pick up some of those black, flatwound nylon-covered strings for my acoustic Ovation bass. Bear in mind, at this point I've got about $10 worth of stuff to pay for, strings probably run about $25-$40 depending on what they have. Before even looking at the strings, I looked at all the guitars and basses; not interested in any of them, I moved on to the amps. They had some nice-looking ones, even real wood cabinets on some. I found a little Roland practice amp. Had to have it.

Bass is my primary instrument. Back in the Goodle Days, I had dreams of professional playing; I think when I told my folks that I was reconsidering that Chemistry major and wanted to change to Music, that was when they decided that the wacky tobacky had gone to my head. They said they wouldn't pay for my college education if that was my decision.

The bass I have now is an Ovation four-string acoustic with a cracked top. It plays nice, though, and I only play for my own enjoyment. It cost me $100 because the guy needed to make his car insurance payment, and because the electronics are f***ed. Best purchase I ever made.

I was just trying to decide what CD to pop in for writing this, and I looked around my room, noticing what I've listened to in the last few days:
Ray Charles - Anthology
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Leo Kottke - Peculiaroso
Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
The Ultimate Bach Album (crank up that Toccata in D Minor for Organ: 400W surround sound, you'd swear you were in a cathedral)
Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator)
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Best of
Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hot
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - Outbound
Renaissance - Live at Carnegie Hall
They Might Be Giants - Flood

A bit of variety, don't you think?

Plus, at work I've been listening to Neil Young and Crazy Horse's Live Rust (I just got the DVD movie, too) and The Pretenders' first two albums. I can't find their first EP on CD, though - it has a better version of "Precious" and the tune "Porcelain," which I haven't found on any of their compilation CD's yet.

Yeah, back in the Goodle Days I thought I'd make my mark ... another Jaco Pastorius. Victor Wooten kind of steals that thunder, now. That man can kick some serious ass with his bad axe.