Archive for 2018 - Page 15

DSM Noisemaker has announced the OmniCabSim Mini, a compact pedal that continues their line of cabinet simulators. It has controls for amp gain, level, texture, resonance, and cab size. “The Cab Size switch options are Combo and Stack for guitar use, while Fridge is selected for bass use to get that tight and punchy low-end response for any situation or...

Prophets of Rage have released a new video called “The Ballot or the Bullet” that teases their upcoming album with a mashup of three unreleased tracks plus the new single “Heart Afire.” Taken from a Malcolm X speech about black voter rights, the video is a reminder of the importance of voting. “There are people trying to keep many of...

Bob Daisley has just released a new tribute album to guitarist Gary Moore, with whom he had worked for many years. Moore Blues for Gary features a host of incredible guitarists and vocalists paying respects to Moore with Daisley laying down the bass all along the way. “In my opinion, Gary was one of the best guitarists who ever lived....

Earthquaker Devices has unveiled a new pedal called the Black Ash Endangered Fuzz. Limited to 1,500 units worldwide, the fuzz is a take on the “three-knob” Tone Bender that is built with rare components. “It uses a highly curated selection of premium components including paper-in-oil capacitors and half-watt carbon composition resistors from EarthQuaker Devices president Jamie Stillman’s personal collection to...

In our last interview with solo bass whiz Steve Lawson, he gave us the scoop on his latest album, Beauty and Desolation. The gorgeous seven-song collection continues the bassist’s constant sonic exploration and artistic growth. Our chat included his ideas on the album’s concept, his improvisational style, and how he uses symbolism in music. In part two of the conversation,...

Vulfpeck shared another song from their upcoming album, Hill Climber. Part of the announcement stated “Joe Dart on upright bass.” So of course, I clicked immediately and had a good laugh.

The remaining members of The Specials have announced they’re working on a new album called Encore. It will be their first new release in 20 years and the first to features vocalist Terry Hall since 1981. It also reunites the band with Lynval Golding and bassist Horace Panter, who helped spread the news on Twitter. “Can finally talk about our...

Ozzy Osbourne has announced a new round of dates in his “No More Tours 2” farewell tour. The former Black Sabbath singer will once again be joined by longtime collaborators Zakk Wylde, Tommy Clufetos, Adam Wakeman, and Blasko on bass. The North American leg of the outing will also feature support from Megadeth, who will be celebrating their 35th anniversary....

3Leaf Audio has expanded their pedal lineup with the Chromatron, a state variable filter that is the result of “10 years tweaking, refining, and reimagining.” “It is an optically-controlled analog filter that can switch between envelope control and manual control via expression pedal with the push of a button,” the company explains. “The envelope detector is an original design, producing...

We have another jaw-dropping video premiere for you today, this time from the Jonathan Scales Fourchestra. The band, led by steel pan player Scales, has always been stocked with killer bassists. (Just check the archives.) This live performance of “The Trap” features band member E’Lon JD with special guest Dywane “MonoNeon” Thomas, Jr., who also appeared on the song for...

In this video, we’ll work through a great pattern that I learned from the great trombonist Dave Glen. It’s a fantastic way to make the transition between scales and arpeggios and also helps you to relate them more naturally to different chord types. I found this very useful when I first heard Dave talking about it and I think you...

The Blues Beatles is a favorite around here, and this video features the band performing a concert live at Vicentina Aranha Park in Brazil. Once again, Bruno Falcão handles the bass (and some backing vocals) on the band’s unique covers of Beatles tunes.