Rob Karloff

A month ago I'd have said to give Dr Drakes Bar a shout, but that ship has sailed now...

I have a DSL50 which has eaten three output transformers for no apparent reason. At least Marshall replaced them all for no charge even though this was out of warranty due to my troubles when R&B did the first one and I was unhappy with their service. But, I lost faith and bought a 1986 JCM800 2203 Series II head, and since then the DSL has been relegated to "In case of emergency, break glass" status. I find that the 800 kicks it's ass in terms of volume, delivery and sheer tone. I used to have to use a pedal to drive it, but I did a few simple resistor changes and now play through it straight up. It's the be(a)st.

powerful.

How the fuck did I make it in here?

I can be found most weekends looking rough and greasy and messing with cars. Very attractive to the female race, obviously.

P.S. Whatcha think o the CD?

I think that I hate MP3s that have been burned to CD.... Grrr! Just hate how they sound. The band themselves are ok I guess, don't hate them, but have only listened to it the once which says a lot. Thanks though !!

It's about daylight hours per year, not weather quality! I think we'd definately score hideously there.

He could have at least mentioned the 'Loff' date=' but maybe he saved it for next time he sees you?

Nevertheless, good to see the Gin Goblins mentioned.[/quote']

Uhhh... That might be because we didn't play with them this tour, Marsh?!! Were you sleeping at that gig?? Duh!

Damn, I thought this was going to be about a porno..

Up on the news page at http://www.officialdamned.com/

Some acts you've maybe heard of, some you maybe haven't. I hope to have the Gin Goblins up here again to play a gig sometime soon with us, for those of you who missed them when they played at Dr Drakes.

Well that is quite obviously not anywhere near 450. But we all know how much a garage will charge for their so-called "labour"...

"Umm' date=' yeah. That'll be a few pence for the part and umm 70 hours labour fitting it, bud!" [/quote']

You're correct that the vast majority of that will be labour. That stuff will take a good few hours to do, some of it like the top suspension mounts and rear wheel bearings take a fair bit of time. They aren't tricky to do, but you spend a lot of time taking everything off to get to them. I'd agree that Westhill Service Station are a great place to go. Their MOTs are fair and their charges for doing any work are very good.

Hows the JCM800 - I was looking into them and was maybe thinking of getting a couple' date=' Swaying between the reissue plexi's!!

Would you recommend the 800 and are they pretty versatile?

I use 2 of the dsl 50's through a custom built splitter so i blend the sounds and can use either for leads. They are modified by a guy from glasgow and i like them but i still want something with a bit more kick in the teeth!!!!

I got the dual rec but its just basically one sound out of the thing!

I do like to take it out for show now and again though[/quote']

The 800 is the single best piece of gear I ever bought! I got it for 300 on ebay, and it's a mint 1986 model. I bought it because my DSL50 had chewed through 3 output transformers, and Marshall were just replacing them and said they could find no reason why. It's insanely loud, much louder than the DSL... So I pulled 2 power valves and run it as a 50W, which helps a little. It's STILL insanely louder than the DSL though!! As standard, it's very flexible, you can get a great clean sound on the low sensitivity input, and on the high sensitivity input you get that little bit more right up to a subtle crunch. If you want a full on rock n roll sound you need to use a pedal to push it some, but I hate the kinda buzzy sound most pedals give, so I made some mods myself so that it's all from the valves in the amp. I now have a great beefy r'n'r distortion and tone from it, I love it to bits! It's whupping the DSL's ass in every way, so I haven't even used that in over a year. I keep it as a spare, but so far the 800 has been like a rock. I've never used a plexi, so I can't really comment on them. Have used a 900 before, and didn't really like it much. It was too close to the Mesa kind of overdriven sound I felt.

ESP Viper-301 in black, stock as a rock.

Jackson Randy Rhoads RR1, originally red but I re-sprayed it black. Also fitted my own pre-amp to it's output.

Eko flamenco acoustic, circa 1960s, bought by my Mum in Gibralter during her hippy chick phase.

Marshall JCM2000 DSL 50 head

Marshall JCM800 Series II 2203 head, somewhat hotrodded by me

Fender 50th Anniversary 4x12 cab

Marshall JCM800 Bass 4x12 cab

TC Electronics G-Major processor

Boss OD-2 pedal

That's it I think. Only really use the Viper and JCM800 these days. Full on rock action!

Have a top notch day :)

Yeah, but to be honest, if it's like any of the other Fudge stuff, it's gonna be late on it's expected date. So although he sez March 11th, I'm saying April sometime!

Personally, I thought I'd over-dressed when I'd worn my 5 mouldy charity shop suite, shirt and blood.... How come only Shelly would embrace me?!

A sadder day there never has been... :(

So many people have put both their own personal time and, in some cases money, into the place.... It's a truly sad day for local music!! Every local band and many bands from far flung places owe the place and it's friendly, accomodating and understanding staff such a lot for their development and opportunity to play there. Biggest thanks have to go to Sharon, for working tirelessly to make sure the place always had a varied and interesting musical diversity most every night of every week!! Some will not remember back to the early days in the Castlegate, where Shaz could be found casually pulling a pint behind the bar while Cormak Dangerfield lay across it singing the words to "Wasted Again"!!!

Many, many fond memories over the past few years, so glad I've annoyed/helped all the staff and people involved with the initial opening a couple of years back. Never will I forget being off work due to being badly beaten up in the legs department by a large tool chest falling on me at a race meeting, only to find myself teetering on a ladder somewhat in pain, trying to finish the wiring off!!! I think I even fell head first down the small steps from the balcony at one point when my legs decided they'd had enough, to be picked up by then-barmaid Lynn. In fact, I was up a ladder fixing the emergency exit light above the main entrace as the bands were loading in their gear for soundcheck on the opening night!!!

So long Dr Drake and your minions, fangs for the memories...

All I knows is at the time I had a girlfriend, and I don't sleep around. Can't say I was complaining about the meat of the review though...

Sadly, you need to find your niche in the workplace before you get to be able to do what you want! When I worked for a certain oil co while at Uni, I used to get really pissed off about it all. I'd just not long had my nose and lip pierced, so I wore small retaining studs to work. My manager told me I was not allowed to have anything, I protested that you couldn't see the lip at all because of my beard, and the nose stud was no bigger or more obvious that the jeweled stud worn by another female member of staff. I needed the job and the money, so I had to relent and endure the fun aspect of putting them back in when I got home, which nipped somewhat as the holes would close up during the day. I eventually got a better job post-uni where they tolerated me looking how I wanted on a Friday, as long as I wasn't meeting a client (which I never really had to do). After three years, I am now valued enough to have started my own contracting business, and it's no longer an issue of how I look, but instead of how well I can do my job. I also am attempting to get a composites manufacturing business off the ground with a friend from Uni, and hope long term to work at that pretty much full time. I'll be my own boss, and can look how the hell I want, and if I ever need to employ anyone, then the same will apply to them. But, it's taken a long time to get to the point where my appearence is no longer important compared to the quality and speed of the work I do. Everyone has to start somewhere, and unless your skill is a niche thing, then he who pays the cash makes the rules!

I too had forgotten about the wonder that is GCG. I want it back.

You want them? They'd likely be up for some lesbian action... hehee

Jolly fun gig. Anyone take any photies??

Notice how she didn't post the exclusive link....

is that serious or a joke? i can't decide.

if it's serious then i have to say i'm kinda shocked and maybe slightly appalled. if it's a joke it's in rather bad tase' date=' much like certain members loads it seems.[/quote']

Just say Kai & Bob....

Then bad taste becomes normal!!

Tonight.

blow it out your eyes!

Blow it out your stitched-on couch and permanent marker sideburns.

Yea fekker

Nice car, shame about the bozo on it!

Sorry Biz, we have a gig in Birmingham on Saturday night

Hopefully see you tomorrow night at our gig though, buy you a couple in advance!!

Hey' date=' don't give a fuck dude - more of an incentive to put on a great show tomorrow and prove the doubters wrong?

I saw you last time and thought with a bit more polish you'd be on the way to something.[/quote']

I fully agree with Marsh here, you have to start somewhere! The Aberdeen piss-crew are very good at being critics without being realistic at the same time. You're a bunch of young guys just learning the deal, no-one starts out amazing. You just need some more gigs and practise, some better amps would help a lot, and just the confidence really. You've all loosened up a lot since the first time I saw you, and you just need to develop that! Misfits and the Ramones are where it's at, and you just need to relax a little and have fun in the delivery.

I'd sacrifice death in front of you all just to be part of a spectular feat like that. It would actually be quite amusing if Ash could make it look like something was bursting out of his chest' date=' doncha think?

Rob, I've got the Murderdolls with me at work today - you wanting a copy while it's here? I remember you were interested when it was on at the last gig and Ant and I were raving about it.

Let us ken.[/quote']

Yeah, sure thing Marsh, that would be ace