Weekly Top 10: June 3-9, 2023
Happy Sunday! As we close another week, it’s time to look back at the top stories from the land of the low end.
Here are the top 10 most-read articles for the week. Thanks for being here!
1. KISS Adds Dates to Farewell Tour
KISS has added a handful of dates to the final leg of their North American “End of the Road” tour. The farewell run, which was launched in 2019 and put on hold during the pandemic, will be ending the iconic rock band’s career.
2. Marcus Miller and Tal Wilkenfeld: NAMM 2007 Jam
Here’s a classic video from the early days of Youtube featuring monster bassists Marcus Miller and Tal Wilkenfeld. This one goes all the way back to NAMM 2007!
3. From the Bottom: Digging Into Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love” Bass Line
Who actually played Tom Tom Club's "Genius of Love" bass line? Tina Weymouth wrote it, but she didn’t record it. Paul Thompson digs in on this and more in this episode.
4. Spector Announces New Era of USA NS Bass Series
Spector has announced it is updating its USA NS series of basses for 2023. The instruments are crafted in the new Spector USA Custom Shop facility in Woodstock, New York.
5. Bass of the Week: Unicornbass PureArt JM 6-30
Unicornbass recently revealed the PureArt JM 6-30, a short-scale six-string that represents some of their best work. The fretless bass has a streamlined design to remove any obstacles to creating your sound.
6. Call Her Thumpahlenah: An Interview with Nik West
Modern funk queen Nik West has worked with a who’s who of funk music. Her newest single continues that tradition with the Godfather of slap bass, Larry Graham. We caught up with Nik to get the scoop.
7. Geezer Butler’s Memoir, “Into The Void,” Now Available
After much anticipation, Geezer Butler’s memoir “Into The Void” is now available. The bass legend covers his “birth, Black Sabbath, and beyond” over its 288 pages.
8. Playing Hammer-Ons on Bass In The Key Of E – Part 2
Here’s a quick follow-up to Ryan Madora’s previous “Keep It Groovy” lesson on hammer-ons in the key of E. Ryan reviews the basics of the technique and then adds a few new funky options to help build our groove.
9. Foo Fighters Grapple with Loss on “But Here We Are”
Dave Grohl planned to write an “insane prog-rock record” after 2021’s “Medicine at Midnight” before tragedy struck when drummer Taylor Hawkins died. They’ve just released their 11th studio album, “But Here We Are,” which deals with their monumental loss.
10. Linda May Han Oh Reflects on “The Glass Hours”
The last few years have put a lot of things in perspective. During this time, bassist Linda May Han Oh had her first child. All of it boiled down into a new album called “The Glass Hours,” which may be her most intimate album to date.
