In Memoriam: George Mraz
Another jazz legend has left us. George Mraz, who played with everyone from Chet Baker to John Abercrombie, has passed away of undisclosed causes. He was 77 years old.
Steve Vai Unveils Massive Tour with Philip Bynoe on Bass
Guitar legend Steve Vai has announced an extensive U.S. tour that will cover the nation over 54 appearances. Vai will be joined by his long-time bandmates Dave Weiner, Jeremy Colson, and bassist Philip Bynoe.
RightOn! Straps Unveils Paul Turner Signature Strap
RightOn! Straps have introduced their first signature strap with the Paul Turner model. The Jamiroquai bassist’s new strap comes in black with white contrast details or white with black details.
In Memoriam: Roger Newell
Roger Newell has passed away following an aortic aneurysm. He was 73 years old. Newell was best known for his work with Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who shared memories of the bassist on his website.
Static-X Announces “Rise of the Machine” Tour
Static-X is continuing to honor their fallen frontman, Wayne Static, with a new tour. Tony Campos will be on the date with Static-X and Fear Factory, , while bassists Acey Slade and Ryan Farrell will be on tap for Dope and Mushroomhead.
In Memoriam: Melvin Dunlap
Soul music legend Melvin Dunlap has passed away at the age of 76. The news was shared by his son, Lamont, on Facebook.
Dug Pinnick Unveils Fifth Solo Album, “Joy Bomb”
King’s X frontman and bass hero Dug Pinnick has announced that his fifth solo album, entitled “Joy Bomb”, will be dropping on October 15th. The record marks his first solo album of new material since 2013.
Bass of the Week: De Gier Guitars Custom Bebop
Sander De Gier shared this custom version of his Bebop model on Facebook and it stopped me in my tracks. The luthier wrote a great explanation of the bass, so we’ll let him tell it.
Metallica Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Self-Titled Album with Remaster, Covers Record
Metallica’s self-titled album, aka “The Black Album”, is one of the best-selling records of all time. Now the band is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a reissue that’s remastered and available in multiple configurations.
G&L Introduces L-2500 Series 750 Bass
G&L has unveiled the L-2500 Series 750 bass, which marks their first five-string model to have a 19mm string spacing at the bridge.
Vanilla Fudge Releases Final Song with Tim Bogert, “Stop In The Name of Love”
Tim Bogert’s final recording with Vanilla Fudge has been released with the band’s “fudged up” version of The Supreme’s “Stop In The Name of Love.” The track features the original lineup of Bogert, Mark Stein, Carmine Appice, and Vincent Martel.
Paul Ballam-Cross Publishes “Fernando Sor: Selected Studies Arranged for Electric Bass”
The bass has its own repertoire, but we can often learn new things by studying other instruments. That’s the idea behind the new book “Fernando Sor: Selected Studies Arranged for Electric Bass” by Paul Ballam-Cross.