Bassists - Page 84

Another bass legend has left us with the passing of Funk Brother Bob Babbitt, as the iconic bassist succumbed to complications from a brain tumor which was discovered last year. He was 74. Along with fellow low-ender James Jamerson, Babbitt was the foundation for the Motown Sound and played on over 200 Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 hits. His undeniable...

Job For a Cowboy bassist Nick Schendzielos has announced he will be sitting out part of the band’s upcoming performances on the Summer Slaughter Tour, which runs July through August. The Red Chord guitarist Mike “Gunface” McKenzie will be filling in. “On June 28, immediately after landing in Boston to rehearse for Puerto Rico/Summer Slaughter, my girlfriend was in a...

After 40 years at the helm, Rich Appleman retired as Chair of the Berklee College of Music’s Bass Department in May of this year. During his tenure, Appleman helped shape the face of the school by growing the bass department by leaps and bounds. Succeeding Appleman this fall will be bassist Steve Bailey, who brings his own incredible credentials to...

Meet Heyko Gülicher, a bassist from Germany who takes on the big task of anchoring a Jamiroquai tribute band dubbed Jamirolike. He says he fell in love with the bass “from the first time [he] played Peter Gunn on an E string”. Heyko is our player in the spotlight for the week of July 10, 2012. Bio: I’ve been brought...

Peter Hook has announced that his memoir is set to hit the shelves October 1 from publishers Simon & Schuster. Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division. will document the bassist’s time in the seminal post-punk band, from helping to form the band to lead singer Ian Curtis’s death. Hook will also delve into his time with New Order, which was formed...

Rock legend Rudy Sarzo has left the ranks of Blue Oyster Cult, he revealed in an upcoming interview with Ultimate Classic Rock. The bassist, whose resume includes work with Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot, and Whitesnake, said his departure was on good terms. “Due to my scheduling with other projects that I’m doing, it became a little bit hard for me...

Meet bassist/multi-instrumentalist Kurt Skrivseth, a musician hailing from Montana. Kurt’s story is a great one, including having performed with both Slash and Snoop Dogg. His gear list is pretty GAS-inducing too. But most impressive is Kurt’s story of overcoming injury to pursue his dream of music and playing bass. Kurt turned this into an asset – one he refers to...

Tomáš ?elechovský, bassist for the Czech symphonic metal band Symphonity, has passed away after a hard fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Hailing from Brno, ?elechovský listed his musical influences as ranging from The Beatles and The Beach Boys to Frank Zappa and Tom Waits, though Led Zeppelin was always his favorite. The bassist joined Symphonity in 2004, while the band...

Tommy Stinson will be reuniting with his former Replacements bandmate Paul Westerberg to benefit guitarist Slim Dunlap, who suffered a stroke earlier this year. The duo will be recording a single as part of a limited edition project of covers songs of Dunlap’s original music done by his friends. The recordings will be split into limited edition 7-inch albums and...

YouTube has helped us discover many talented bassists we may not have found otherwise. One great example is Or Lubianiker, aka Rule of Thump. The Israeli bassist has a wicked sense of groove matched with a wicked sense of humor that combine perfectly in his songs, instrument demos, and video lessons. Besides his “fingerlickin’” playing, Lubianiker is a positive force...

Bassist John Koko has passed away at the age of 51, due to complications from a lifelong heart condition. He was a member of The Makaha Sons and had been a fixture of performing and promoting Hawaiian music. Koko started his musical career at just 12 years old when he joined Na Leo O Nanakuli. Later, the Hawaiian native started...

Meet Robert Asencio, a bassist from NJ who has overcome a lot through his music. We love his description of his day gig: “playing bass 24/7”. Nice. Robert is our player in the spotlight for the week of June 26, 2012. Bio: “All is possible through faith in the Lord & hard work.” These words have come to symbolize my...