Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 337

Aria Guitars is paying homage to the classics this year with their Hot Rod Collection, which includes the Aria Pro II 313-MK2 “Detroit” bass. Unveiled at the Winter NAMM Show, the bass comes in four and five-string versions.

Colin Edwin has returned with a new solo album called “Infinite Regress.” The bassist, known for his work in Porcupine Tree and O.R.k., opted for a song-based focus on the album by teaming up with vocalist and lyricist Robert RJ Peck.

The Funky Knuckles have returned with their fourth album, Delicious, and as the title suggests, it’s a tasty treat for your ears. We caught up with Wes Stephenson to get the scope on that and more.

The legendary reggae rhythm section of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare teamed up with Roots Radics for the album “The Final Battle.” Shakespeare’s simple yet perfect groove adds motion to the track, “This Morning.”

Former Morbid Angel bassist and vocalist David Vincent has just published his autobiography. “I Am Morbid: Ten Lessons Learned From Extreme Metal, Outlaw Country, And The Power Of Self-Determination” goes beyond the familiar tale of rock and roll gone bad.

Kala expanded its lineup of U-Basses with two new entry-level models called the Nomad and the Scout. The ukulele-sized basses feature little to no-frills while retaining the U-Bass feel and sound.

Les Claypool and Primus will be paying tribute to Rush this year with an extensive tour. The “A Tribute to Kings” shows will feature the trio performing Rush’s “A Farewell To Kings” in its entirety at each show in addition to an all-Primus set.

After previewing them last year, Ashdown unveiled the new Studio Range at the Winter NAMM Show this year, which includes four new combos: the Studio 15, the Studio 12, the Studio 10, and the Studio 8.

Level 42 celebrated their 30th anniversary back in 2010 with a world tour. In this clip from London’s Indigo2, slap monster Mark King leads the group on “43” with an active bass line before switching to fingers for the middle section.

Last week, the bass community suffered a major blow with the loss of Mike Lull. Beyond his incredible craftsmanship, Lull was a positive force and an inspiration to all those he met. We wanted to honor him by featuring the M4V/M5V as our bass of the week.

Brandon Shaw sent us this video, and it’s a cool look into the creation of a great bass line by Carmine Rojas. The clip details the evolution of David Bowie’s hit “Let’s Dance” as it morphed from a folksy guitar number to the monster groove it became.

Jazz bassist Ben Williams has stepped out front on his new “sociopolitically charged” album “I Am A Man.” Though it’s his third solo album, it’s his debut as both bassist and vocalist.