Formations: An Interview with Paul Kowert
When Hawktail booked studio time for last year, their plan was to make an album of covers. Luckily for us listeners, they decided to pull together their own material for their new album. We caught up with bassist Paul Kowert to get the scoop.
Squarepusher and Shobaleader One: Boiler Room in Stereo
Here’s a great video of Squarepusher and his band Shobaleader One performing for the Boiler Room, which is a web series celebrating club culture. The band played a mix of Squarepusher’s classic songs: “Hello Meow,” “A Journey to Reedham (7AM Mix),” and “E8 Boogie.”
Karl Clews Releases “Dissident”
Karl Clews has released “Dissident,” a new album of original music created almost entirely on his four-string bass. Clews has made several solo bass covers over the years, but his use of the style for his own music is a recent development.
Taylor Adds Koa Version of GS Mini-e Bass
Taylor has expanded its GS Mini line with a new bass model. The GS Mini-e Koa Bass sports the same scaled-down body and string length as its maple predecessor, with some new features.
Thundercat Announces New Album, Releases First Single
Late last year, Thundercat announced his largest headlining tour to date for 2020. Now it looks like that will line up with the release of his newly announced album, “It Is What It Is,” which is slated to drop on April 3rd.
Gallien-Krueger Fusion S Series Amps Now Available
Gallien-Krueger has expanded its amp offerings with the new Fusion S series of heads. The hybrid amps have a tube preamp matched with a Class D power section. They also include a new first for the company.
Steve Harris and British Lion Release “The Burning”
Metal bass legend Steve Harris has released a new album with his band British Lion called “The Burning.” It’s the second release from the group, which keeps Harris busy when he’s not on the road with Iron Maiden.
EMG Unveils the Robert Trujillo “Rip Tide” Signature Pickup Set
EMG has expanded its lineup of signature bass pickups with the Robert Trujillo Signature “Rip Tide” Set. The Metallica bassist’s new pickups are described as a first with “stainless steel, black chrome caps to the world of the jazz bass.”
Genzler Amplification Announces the BA15-3 SLT Bass Cabinet
Genzler Amplification was at NAMM 2020 to unveil a new bass cab in their Bass Array line. The BA15-3 is fitted with a 15-inch driver with a vertical array of four 3-inch drivers, and more.
Marcus King Releases Solo Album, “El Dorado,” Featuring Dave Roe
Though he’s known for leading the Marcus King Band, Marcus King has released his first solo album. “El Dorado” was produced with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, who performed many of the instruments, as well as seasoned Nashville ace Dave Roe.
Bass of the Week: BlueLotus Basses BLSC4
This week we’re checking out the BlueLotus Basses BLSC4, a singlecut neck-through design built by Matt Scarpa. The luthier crafted it around a five-piece quarter-sawn hard maple and wenge neck.
Sons of Apollo Release “MMXX”
The virtuoso group Sons of Apollo has returned with “MMXX,” which marks their second studio album. The band has the incredible lineup of Mike Portnoy, Derek Sherinian, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Jeff Scott, and Billy Sheehan.