Archive for 2013 - Page 41

As a part of the CBS Orchestra, Will Lee’s bass playing is heard by millions of people every week on The Late Show with David Letterman. Millions more listen to him every day thanks to his prolific recording career that spans nearly 40 years and over 1,700 albums of nearly every genre. “What I’ve always loved about my career is...

I did a double-take when I saw this new video by Viaceslav Svedov. That’s because Viaceslav decided to take the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Easily” and try it out on a Contrabass Balalaika. “…It’s freaking hard to play, but that beast sounds good!” Viaceslav said, adding “Thank YOU Mother Russia! … and thanks to RHCP.” What a beast! I had...

Derrick Hodge is stepping out front with his debut album as a leader, entitled Live Today. The bassist, who has worked with artists ranging from Mulgrew Miller to Jill Scott, is probably best known for his genre melding work with pianist Robert Glasper. It’s this blend of jazz, hip hop, and R&B that shines through on the effort, which offers...

M.V. Pedulla Guitars has introduced the Rapture NPG, a take on their Rapture model that omits the pick guard to reveal more of the body’s figure. The new bass is described as a full featured version of their “modern vintage” model and comes in single soapbar, J/J, or P/J pickup configurations. A low mid boost/cut switch is also included to...

Q: What’s your suggestion for someone trying to get a better feeling on where to put a “pop” on a bass line? Sometimes I want to put a pop on a slap or a pizzicato line, but I always end up putting it on the beats 2 or 4. How to develop a better feeling, to be able to place...

Sean Yseult’s new band Star & Dagger has released a music video for their new song “Freaktrain.” Described by LA Weekly as “the perfect blend of Black Sabbath and Valley of the Dolls,” the groove-heavy band is anchored by Yseult’s huge bass tone that fills out the bottom end while cutting through the mix at the same time.

Les Claypool’s Duo de Twang will be covering the West Coast and Midwest with newly announced tour dates throughout August and October. The acoustic group, consisting of Claypool and guitarist Marc “Mirv” Haggard, will kick things off August 16th at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, California and wrap up the first leg of the tour August 26th in...

Meet Eric Thompson, a bassist who goes by the nickname “Pedals”, who keeps busy with a life devoted to music… including owning and operating a store dedicated to (as you may have guessed) effects pedals. One of our favorite parts of Eric’s profile here is the description for one of his bands, quoted by an “old man” who said “it’s...

Ampeg has reintroduce the V-4B, a 100-watt all-tube bass amp. Based on the company’s classic amp from the ’70s, the new head is described as offering the tone of an SVT while weighing half as much. The new V-4B’s preamp includes a pair of 12AX7 tubes while the driver has a 12AX7 and one 12AU7, and its power amp contains...

Yes, I’m a huge Vulfpeck fan. It starts with bassist Joe Dart, who always seems to find the right bass line and then do something quite unexpected, but it just fits. But truth is, the whole band is just stellar. And fun. From their new release, My First Car, here’s the opening track “Wait for the Moment”, featuring guest vocalist...

Regular No Treble readers will instantly recognize the name “Vulfpeck”, thanks in large part to bassist Joe Dart, who first wowed us with the first video we shared of the group. The studio musicians-turned-band has just released their third album, My First Car. As we mentioned in our exclusive track preview last week, the album’s name was inspired by Dart’s...

Motörhead was forced to cut the band’s set short at this year’s Wacken Open Air festival in Germany after frontman and bassist Lemmy Kilmister fell ill. The band got through six songs of their planned 75-minute show before Kilmister left the stage. Fans reported that the rock legend was looking pale on stage. “I’ve been ill recently,” Kilmister told the...