Don’t Make Another Bass Guitar Mr. Rickenbacker

DIY 2007

1 – Buy a laptop
2 – Get a shonky copy of Reason or Cubase or something
3 – Make some songs, with loads of computer orchestras and that on it without actually really playing anything
4 – Create a Myspace page
5 – Upload the songs and some pictures and stuff
6 – Send out friend requests to any old fucker anywhere
7 – Repeat steps 3 to 6 until bored shitless

DIY 1980

1 – Get / make some instruments
2 – Learn how to play them (optional)
3 – Write some songs
4 – Buy a tape recorder and a microphone (optional)
5 – Go round your mates shed, and record songs with made up instruments (see step 1)
6 – Do some gigs in your local church hall ideally in Scunthorpe
7 – If people actually pay to see you, use the money to make a proper real record
8 – Design a cover and stuff
9 – Send one to John Peel
10 – Listen to the radio for months hoping to hear the record you made
11 – Never tell anyone

So if it’s easier now, why was it better then?

The answers can be found in the two note guitar lines and bins-for-drums of Puritan Guitars, or the bass-made-of-floorboards dirty hiss camp paranoia of Instant Automatons. There are others, oh, there are others.

I’d heartily recommend Messthetics Greatest Hits for starters.

Puritan Guitars - £100 In 15 Minutes

Instant Automatons - Scared To Be Alone

Danny & The Dressmakers - Don't Make Another Bass Guitar Mr Rickenbacker