Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 480

I love discovering older bands that I missed, and The Electric Flag is definitely one of them. The short-lived band fused blues, rock, and soul for an upbeat sound. Electric Flag was anchored by bass great Harvey Brooks, who also worked with Bob Dylan, The Doors, and Miles Davis. His active bass line drives the energy alongside a young Buddy...

Lemmy Kilmister and Motörhead are headed back out on the road. The band has announced a North American tour for August and September that will span from California to New York with several stops in between. The string of dates kicks off August 19th in Riverside, California with Saxon and Crobot in support. Motörhead will also be playing Riot Fest...

Olivier Babaz has a specialty in performing double bass, kalimba, and shaker simultaneously to create a unique and beautiful texture. His latest video takes on the iconic Led Zeppelin song “Stairway to Heaven,” and it has to be seen to believed. Babaz starts the melody on the kalimba before switching to focus on bass during the breakdown, while his footshaker...

Here’s another great example of how versatile the double bass is as an instrument. Greek bassist Petros Klampanis paints a vivid picture with his bass on “Blue Cave,” a song inspired by an area on his home island of Zakynthos. Utilizing looping and effects, Klampanis builds a haunting and beautiful backdrop to build a melody and solo over. You can...

SolidGoldFX has released the Sasori Fuzz, a pedal they describe as “brimming with rich brassy overtones and a unique buzz saw grind.” The pedal, which takes its name for the Japanese word for scorpion, is designed for both bass and guitar. The Sasori is set up with Fuzz, Level, and Tone controls to dial in the effect. Besides its biting...

This week we check out the Mayones Prestige Classic, a bass the company calls “a tempting luxurious instrument for connoisseurs with clear yet rich tone of modern Nordstrand Fat Stack pickups.” The bass, which comes in 4-, 5-, and 6-string versions, features neck-thru construction with several layers of wood. The body wings have an ash back topped by spalted maple...

The Bass Centre has revamped their vintage-inspired Power Bass series for 2015 with a several new features. According to the manufacturer, the lineup has been “re-imagined to blend period accurate looks & a classic sound with modern, light weight construction & a super fast, satin finish neck.” One of the main upgrades is the inclusion of the Babicz Full Contact...

Violin meets bass in Nathan Navarro‘s latest video cover of Lindsey Stirling’s “Take Flight.” The bassist tackles the melodic and complex violin part while still infusing his own style into it. Navarro also posted free tabs on his website to share with anyone up to the challenge.

Swedish bass amplification company EBS has unveiled the Reidmar 750 lightweight bass amp. Continuing the Reidmar series, the 750 carries many of the same features of its predecessor while adding extra power and several features. The Reidmar 750 features an analog preamp combined with a Class D power amp to have an output of 750 watts at four ohms. The...

Rock bass legend Michael Anthony turns 61 today, and we’re celebrating with a 2012 clip of the supergroup Chickenfoot performing the Montrose song “Rock Candy.” Between Van Halen, Chickenfoot, and The Circle, Anthony has been rocking for over forty years. It’s an inspiration to see him bring as much passion to it today as he did when he started out....

Swedish bass building company Unicornbass has announced the Artist 10th Anniversary Limited Edition Bass. Limited to 10 basses, the instrument is based on one of their existing models with several special upgrades. “[It is] based upon the Artist Master bass, however this has a few hidden tricks up its sleeve,” luthier Christian Olsson writes. “[They include] a chambered body of...

Judging by the excitement in his voice, you’d think gospel legend Andrew Gouché was just getting his start in the music industry. Sure, he’s worked with The Winans, Prince, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Andraé Crouch, and many more. But after nearly four decades of playing behind the world’s biggest gospel and R&B stars, the bassist is stepping out on his...