Rewind: The Top 10 Bass News, Videos, Player News and Columns of the Week

by Corey Brown Monday, May 31st, 2010

1. Report: Slipknot Bassist Paul Gray Found Dead
Slipknot bassist Paul Gray was found dead on Monday, May 24th at an Urbandale, Iowa hotel. He was 38.

2. Video: Victor Wooten and Stu Hamm Jam: Chameleon
Check out this jam session between Victor Wooten and Stu Hamm at the Hartke booth during Winter NAMM 2009.

3. Column: Speaker Impedance: How to Properly Match Your Amp Head with Cabinets
Amplification can be confusing to a newbie coming from a combo amp. If you are new to amps and cabs, Jeff Gorham’s latest column should help explain what speaker impedance is, and how it works with your amp head.

4. Contest: Fender’s Band of Skulls Bass Guitar Giveaway
Fender’s contest to give away a Jazz Bass hand-painted by Band of Skulls bassist Emma Richardson, is running through Monday. The bass is signed by the entire band.

5. Report: Slipknot’s Paul Gray Died of a Drug Overdose
Reports are starting to surface alleging that Slipknot bassist Paul Gray died from a drug overdose. TMZ has released a recording of the 911 call from the hotel employee who found Gray’s body, indicating that there was “a hypodermic needle next to the bed,” and pills.

6. The Lowdown with Dr. D.: Practice Techniques: Utilizing Metronome to Improve Facility
One of the main advantages to playing a passage vastly under performance tempo is that you give yourself ample time to think. It is easier to plan, calculate and control your playing at slower tempi. Exactly how slowly you should practice depends on the difficulty of the passage. In general, the more difficult the passage, the slower you should practice it.

7. Player News: James LoMenzo to Replace Paul Gray on HAIL! Tour
Last month, we reported that Slipknot bassist Paul Gray would join metal supergroup HAIL! for their upcoming European and Asian tour dates. After Gray’s untimely death on May 24th, HAIL! announced that James LoMenzo would fill in on bass.

8. News: Rush: Clockwork Angels Sneak Preview
Rush has announced its next studio album, Clockwork Angels will release in 2011, with two tracks releasing next week (June 1st). “Caravan” and “BU2B” will be available as a digital download.

9. Player Spotlight: Sean Scales
Meet Sean Scales, our bassist in the spotlight for May 25, 2010.

10. Ask Damian Erskine: Your Own Voice
Damian answers a reader’s question about how to further develop his playing and find his own voice.