I was debating whether to post this on the recent “I never knew that” thread or the older “Lockdown Licks” thread but in the end decided it deserved its own…..
Guy Pratt is back with a new episode of his Lockdown Licks, this time looking at Kirsty MacColls “Walking Down Madison” and “Days”. Very entertaining as ever.
What I learnt (at about 12.30 in the video) is how the album title “Kite” came about – its stemmed from a discussion with David Gilmour on compensation for his session work and his request was to just “send a Kite to Bosnia” – him stating that “Kite” was rhyming slang for a cheque…..
Best thing I’ve learnt all week.
Dplumbley says
That is wonderful. Kite is one of my favourite albums.
I hadn’t seen the Guy Pratt videos before, so that should brighten up my evening.
The thing I learnt this week was that Madonna and Belinda Carlisle, were born one day apart in 1958.
Twang says
They’re great. The Murder on the Dance Floor one just shows how important the bass player is.
Jaygee says
Kite originally meant a dud cheque – as said payment was likely to bounce as high as one.
While the term may now apply to any payment, don’t see how it can be the rhyming slang for cheque as it doesn’t, er, rhyme.
I’ve always heard the term “Gregory” (as in Peck); or, more rarely, “Jeff” (as in Beck) or “Goose” (as in goose’s neck).
Anyone know different?
Mike_H says
I’m familiar with Kite as a substitute word for cheque, but always in a dodgy sense, i.e. “Kiting” being slang for the practice of writing dud or stolen cheques to acquire goods dishonestly.
Archaic slang now, of course. When was the last time anyone here wrote a personal cheque? Has anyone still got their chequebook, or if they have, know where it is right now?
Freddy Steady says
My mum still uses hers.
duco01 says
Cheques haven’t been used at all in Sweden for at least 25 years. Maybe 30.
Billybob Dylan says
It’s not rhyming slang at all. It stemmed from the practice of issuing IOUs with no collateral. That practice became known as “flying a kite,” as there was nothing to support the loan besides air. Apparently any cheque (or check) is now known as a “kite.”
dai says
I learnt today that my daughter shares a birthday with Joe Strummer.
Mrbellows says
I’ve been following him too along with Leland Sklar.
Mike_H says
Something I learnt today.
5-string basses are illegal!
Guy Pratt says, so it’s official and troo!
Better tell all those young jazz guys on today’s Jazz:Refreshed streamed whatsit. Wouldn’t want them all banged up together for their transgressive ways. Imagine the thunder!
paulwright says
What about those with 6 strings? Aren’t they just low strung guitars?
Mike_H says
6-string basses are most definitely a serious transgression.
5 strings, where the topmost string is a B, allows you to go lower than low and thereby have a purpose (but Mr. Pratt reckons most of them lack fidelity and sound like shit on the really low notes). Use 6 strings and you are going to be trespassing on the guitarist’s turf and you fully deserve it if he gives you a slap. Ditto if you take the piss with a 5-string and go for EADGC.
Twang says
It is a fairly reliable rule that bass player with more than 4 strings = shit sound at gig. It just is.
retropath2 says
Hmm, uncertain. Dave Pegg seems to like an extra string or two to his bass, and can both sound good on it and at it. (OK, if playing bass like a lower tuned melody instrument rather than a rhythmic lynchpin.)
retropath2 says
Or this fella, once of Funkadelic….
Twang says
This…
Freddy Steady says
5-string basses are indeed the work of Beezlebub. Isn’t 4 big strings enough for anyone?
Arthur Cowslip says
That guy from U2 seems to manage perfectly well only ever using two…
Peanuts Molloy says
So did Mark Sandman.
Sniffity says
Isn’t it a bit like having an amp that goes up to eleven?
Twang says
A fairly niche thing but I do like Scott’s Bass Lessons on YT. Here’s why you should have a Precision bass.
slotbadger says
I really like this bloke
Mike_H says
Carol Kaye is on record as saying she never much liked playing Fender basses, despite using them a lot. She said the balance of them was all wrong.
Steerpike says
I learned today that Grant Shapps’ cousin is Mick Jones of The Clash and his brother played keyboards in Big Audio Dynamite
pencilsqueezer says
I am learning right at this moment that laying strings of glass beads across the strings of a piano before it’s then played makes it sound very interesting indeed.
Also discovering stuff about the colour green.
fentonsteve says
Similarly… Drummers: to give a cheap cymbal a bit of extra metallic fizz, lay one of those bath plug chains on it.
dwightstrut says
Sounds like the brown acid wasn’t specifically too good.