Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 359

Queen’s classical influence really shines on the intro to this song in a duet between Freddie Mercury and bassist John Deacon. Originally recorded for “A Day at the Races,” this clip of “The Millionaire Waltz” comes from a live performance at the Summit in Houston, Texas in 1977.

Sons of Apollo released a new live album taken from their one-off performance at the Ancient Roman Theatre in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. “Live With the Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony” captures the band with a symphony performing songs from their debut album and more.

NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert usually forces the band to reduce their format to create a more intimate performance. Music whiz Jacob Collier didn’t exactly take that route, though it’s one of my favorite performances from the series.

Steve Lawson has released a new album that marks his 30th solo album in 20 years. As with nearly all of his work, “The Arctic is Burning” is an instrumental, improvised solo bass record that is thoughtful and beautiful.

Reggae legends Steel Pulse have announced a new round of tour dates in the U.S. for October. Starting with four shows in California, the band will cover the Southwest and Colorado before heading to Alabama for a show in Birmingham.

Frederiek de Vette is back with another gorgeous build. The last time we featured one of her basses, it was a take on a classic Precision bass. This time she built two basses alongside each other in a “new school vs. old school” theme.

Sacred Reich has released “Awakening,” which marks their first full-length album in 23 years. The band’s current lineup includes bassist/vocalist Phil Rind. Rind founded the band in 1985 and says the new album is the pinnacle of their recording career.

Snarky Puppy is about to embark on a month of U.S. tour dates in support of their latest album, “Immigrance.” This will be the second leg of the tour for Michael League and the crew.

Fuzzrocious Pedals and Electronic Audio Experiments have teamed up for their first collaboration. The resulting pedal is called the Wicked Jawn, which includes slang from each of the builders’ local cities.

There’s nothing like an Iron Maiden show. Here’s a video the band shared from their 2018 “Legacy of the Beast” tour. “Run to the Hills” is a great showcase for Steve Harris’ playing with the intro, his signature galloping bass line, and more.

Quilter Labs has introduced a new device for bassists called the InterBass. The pedal-sized enclosure is described as a “bass interconnectivity system” and aims to be the solution for modern bassists.

It’s finally here. Fear Inoculum is Tool’s first album in 13 years, and it does not disappoint. As if that wasn’t enough good news, Tool announced a round of North American tour dates for the fall.