Archive for November 2014 - Page 5
Machine Head Debuts New Bassist on Bloodstone & Diamonds
Machine Head’s first album with new bassist Jared MacEachern (ex-Sanctity guitarist/singer) has been released. is the eighth studio album for the Bay Area-metal outfit. MacEachern replaced previous bassist Andy Duce in 2013. You can check out how he sounds, along with the rest of the band, via the album stream: Bloodstone & Diamonds is available on and as a digital...
The Lightbulb Moment: A Tale of Two Pickups
It was a humid, mid-summer night in 2010. Navigating to the venue seemed to take forever as the streets were bustling with 20-somethings heading to this restaurant and that, celebrating their two-day vacation from the confines of their offices. This particular club was familiar… I had played there once a month for almost a year and was confident in my...
Rich Brown: “Lua” Live (2012)
Back in 2009, Rich Brown shared a video with us of him playing his original composition, “Lua”. He told us the song was “written after spending many an evening gazing at the moon in it’s luminous splendor. A bit Metheny, a bit Gismonti, a bit Garrison.” Here’s a newer video of Rich playing that tune live. The tones he gets...
Rush Releases “R40” Commemorative Live Video Set Featuring Rare Footage
If you love Rush and don’t own many on the legendary Canadian trio’s live performance videos, the could be up your alley. The deluxe collector’s set celebrates the 40th anniversary of Rush’s (bassist/singer Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer Neil Peart) recording career in a 6 Blu-ray or 10 DVD box set. It includes “Rush In Rio”, “R30”, “Snakes...
Napalm Death Announces New Album Release Date, North American Tour
Next year will be a big year for Grindcore legends Napalm Death, as the group have announced a new album and tour for January. Apex Predator – Easy Meat, will be the band’s 16th album, hitting stores on January 27, 2015. Of course, the album will feature the ripping bass lines of Shane Embury. “Some in power like to declare...
Alusonic Announces David Caraccio Hybrid Signature Bass
Bassist David Caraccio – better known as YouTube’s DavidSinRocks – has teamed up with Alusonic to create a signature bass in their Hybrid series. As part of the series, the bass is built with an alder body fitted with a gold anodized aircraft grade aluminum top. The Alusonic David Caraccio Hybrid Signature bass also features a hard maple neck reinforced...
Eduardo Machado and Robertinho Silva: Choro Azedo
There has to be something in the water in Brazil that contributes to great bass playing. Maybe I should plan a trip. Bassist Eduardo Machado shared his videos with us, and this one is so much fun I had to pay it forward. Eduardo plays two bass tracks on this and is joined by percussionist Robertinho Silva on this tune...
Flea Contributes Low End to Antemasque’s Debut Album
If you feel like you can never have too much Flea in your life, you need to get your hands on supergroup Antemasque’s . Antemasque, which is made up of former members of At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta (who Flea has also played with) recorded the album earlier this year and released it briefly online before pulling it...
Breaking Down Harmonic Substitutions: Part 1
Q: What are substitutions and how can I make use of them? A: The first answer is easy: a substitution is using one chord in the place of another. For example: We might assume that a C Major chord symbol (CMaj7 or C?7) would imply a C major scale: C D E F G A B C But what if...
Derek Trucks Band: Voices Inside (Everything is Everything)/Fat Mama
Kevin sent me a list of videos he thought I might like to share while he’s enjoying his honeymoon this week. He guessed this one would be my favorite. He was right. This is the Derek Trucks Band, anchored by the great Todd Smallie on bass. The band plays “Voices Inside (Everything is Everything)” and “Fat Mama” in this performance,...
Foo Fighters’ “Sonic Highways” Explores America in 8 Songs
The Foo Fighters’ project is more than a TV show — it’s a TV show about recording an album in eight cities across the United States, with lyrics penned by bandleader Dave Grohl after he conducts interviews with iconic musicians in each city. The show has already debuted. Now, the album has arrived. Also titled Sonic Highways, the album sees...
Reader Spotlight: Valerio “Fluido” Celentano
Meet Valerio “Fluido” Celentano, a bassist who was born in Italy but has made his way to New York City in pursuit of his musical career. Valerio is quite the character, as you’ll soon see. I’m not sure I’ve met a person here who has even close to the musical interests as he does – or one who plays that...