O'Really?

Conventional wisdom states that you should never meet your heroes because they will probably fall off whatever pedestal you’ve put them on. So what would you do if you bumped into your hero or heroine in the supermarket? This happened to me while stocking up on essential groceries in a Tescos store. I’m there buying some milk, minding my own business in the dairy section and I’m joined by Mani, bass guitarist of the Stone Roses and Primal Scream (see Figure 1) who is doing the same. I’m star-struck and a little tongue-tied.

All About That Bass, ‘Bout That Bass, No Treble

So what should I do? There’s a few options that sprung to mind:

• Respect his privacy, let him go peacefully about his business without being mobbed by yet another idiotic fanatic like me?
  • … but then regret not taking the opportunity to say something…?
• Ask for a selfie and then send it to all my mates who are big fans of the Stone Roses and Primal Scream?
• Tell him how awesome his bass lines to She Bangs the Drums, Swastika Eyes, Fool’s Gold, Kill All Hippies and I Am the Resurrection are [1,2]? Not only is the bass awesome, there’s some great lyrics to accompany them too: “Kiss me where the sun don’t shine the past was yours but the future’s mine” … and … “I’m no clown, I won’t back down, I don’t need you to tell me what’s going down. Down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down…”
• Invite him to join our band / choir’s next performance as a very special guest bass guitarist?
• Nod some longer wavelength appreciation as a fan who also enjoys singing (and listening to) bass frequencies? All About That Bass, ‘Bout that Bass, No Treble…

I’m pretty sure Mani, like many celebrities, must get sick of people getting into cliched conversations like that, especially when he’s just buying some milk.

The BA55 NOD: BASS NOD?

Instead of mithering Mani with cliches, I opt for something different. I’ve clocked him driving around Manchester with an unusual personalised registration plate on his car, which is currently parked outside the supermarket. The plate is BA55 NOD, see Figure 2.

Now I think I know what BA55 NOD is referring to, but it would be good to confirm my theory, to get the truth directly from the owner of the number plate. So I ask him, what’s the story with the number plate? What is a bass nod exactly? What’s the Story, Rosey Glory?

Thankfully, Mani happily confirms that the bass nod is exactly what you might expect. It’s the move you do with your head, when you’re playing (or listening to) bass lines. Pick out the bass line, and nod your head in time. Easy. This is a useful dance move, if like me, you’re not known for your dancing skills. Just nod your head in time to the funky bass lines. It’s easy and can even look good too, you don’t need to be rock star superstar to carry it off.

Supermarkets aren’t the kind of places you expect to meet your heroes and heroines, but even rockstars have to pop out to buy some milk sometimes. So what would you do if you bumped into yours while shopping for groceries?

Thanks and RIP Mani (1962-2025): all about that bass, no treble.

References

1. John Leckie and Peter Hook (1989) The Stone Roses, The Stone Roses, Silvertone Records
2. Brendan Lynch, Jagz Kooner, David Holmes, Hugo Nicolson, The Chemical Brothers, Kevin Shields, Tim Holmes and Dan the Automator (2000) XTRMNTR, Creation Records Limited