We’re here at the Dallas FairPark, for our show tonight in the Music Hall.
I’ve shown my yellow bass before, as it’s become a dear instrument for me, but also it’s lore keeps growing. Living here in Dallas is my friend and bass tech from the 70’s and 80’s, Andy Moore (who helped develop the Funk Fingers.) I thought I remembered this bass being white with black hexagon (the theme of a Peter Gabriel tour) before it was the yellow Crimson 3ofaPP theme, but not trusting my memory, I asked him today. Indeed it was, but also he reminded me that he’d spray painted the bass yellow while we were staying at Hollywood’s Sunset Marquis (the infamous hotel of rock bands back in the day) and that he’d done the job in the closet - papering off the walls to keep the paint off them, but forgetting to cover the closet floor. So that carpet probably had a yellow tinge to it for… who knows how long. (The hotel now is more up market and has long since re-done the rooms.)
As for the ‘manikin’ bit… Google tells me a ‘manikin’ is indeed different than a ‘mannequin’. Trusting it’s not a small man somebody was putting into the dryer(!) I’m guessing it’s the word for a wig stand. I should know more about wigs, I wore one for a short time on a Peter Gabriel tour. That wasn’t fun, it was itchy. Perhaps a dryer would have helped?
The show went very well. We had our moments of course. Might I share one of mine; I had broken my belt after the last show - not a problem as I carry a spare. And in tonight’s show, when I put on the Stick for our newly revamped version of Discipline, I realized I hadn’t buckled it tight enough. Stick players are very aware that because the instrument fits into your belt for support, you need to have the belt fairly tight. So, as I played the part, I couldn’t stop these words running through my head, matching the bassline:
Lower and lower and lower
my belt’s too loose
and with the Stick on
it’s pulling
and now my Pants Are
Lower and lower and lower
my belt’s too loose …
and so on.
Another excellent show for us. The tour is off to a great start.
On to Atlanta tomorrow, where we’ll enjoy a night off and then two shows at the Center Stage.