Jeff Rouse Joins Fozzy
After filling in for bassist Paul DiLeo for several months, bassist Jeff Rouse is now a permanent member of Fozzy. The rock band, fronted by WWE star Chris Jericho, announced the news in a press release. “Jeff is an incredible musician and singer who has spent the last decade playing in Duff McKagan’s Loaded and is also the lead singer...
The Physics House Band: Teratology
Our Facebook friend Tanner Feazell sent us a clip of the experimental rock group The Physics House Band performing their song “Teratology.” The group’s bold sound is held together by bassist Adam Hutchinson, who throws in some nasty fills between grooves. “I stumbled upon these guys today and loved it! Hope you guys enjoy it, too,” Feazell wrote. And we...
Gibson Updates Thunderbird and SG Standard Basses for 2015
Next year will see the revamp of two classic Gibson basses including the SG Standard and Thunderbird bass models. Each of the basses will retain many of their features with improvements including a full contact bridge, thicker and smoother rosewood fingerboards, pearl inlays, comprehensive setups, upgraded output jacks, and more robust cables for improved signal strength. The 2015 Gibson Thunderbird...
3Leaf Audio Announces Little Black Box EQ Pedal
Seattle-based effects company 3Leaf Audio has unveiled their latest offering called the Little Black Box. The pedal is an EQ/clean boost circuit that builder Spencer Doren says is designed to “add sizzle to your tone”. The Little Black Box’s EQ section has bass and treble boost controls with a mini-switch to toggle the affected treble frequency. The switch has two...
Diskord: Horrid Engine
Norwegian group Diskord is about to release a mini-LP called Oscillations, and the group has offered a look at the release with a video for their song “Horrid Engine.” The band’s over-the-top heavy sound is anchored by bassist Eyvind Axelsen. “The music can perhaps be described as progressive, slightly weird, death metal with old-school elements and a quite prominent bass,”...
Black Sabbath to Record New Album and Plan Final Tour
It looks like Black Sabbath will be returning to the studio again in 2015, according to Metal Hammer’s interview with Ozzy Osbourne. The band, anchored by bass wizard Geezer Butler, will reportedly record one more album with a final tour cycle. “The whole Sabbath experience this time around was great,” Ozzy told Metal Hammer. “We all made friends, we didn’t...
Bass of the Week: Doner Designs Navy Bass
This week we check out an incredible project led by the good folks at Doner Designs, a father and son team that pieces together themed instruments to donate to charity. Steve and Richard Doner started playing bass and guitar, respectively, in 2008 as a bonding experience that grew into tinkering with upgrades and modifications. Now their hobby is benefiting their...
Primus: To Defy the Laws of Tradition, Live 1989
Les Claypool has always marched to the beat of his own drum. That’s why we’re celebrating his birthday today with a clip of the trio playing “To Defy the Laws of Tradition” from their 1989 radio performance on Stanford’s KZSU. The video captures the band’s eclectic energy as they start with a spacey atmosphere before kicking into the song’s groove....
Reed James Engineering Introduces RJ NEO Split Blade Bass Pickups
Reed James Engineering has expanded their RJ NEO line of pickups with the RJ NEO Split Blade. Utilizing the same technology as the rest of the series, Reed James describes the new split blade as having the same mid-range and dynamics of their Vintage Vibe Jazz Bass pickups with the smoothness of of the RJ NEO. The RJ NEO Split...
Seven7: Free
British metal outfit Seven7 is gearing up for their upcoming third album, The Follower, which is due in November. Here’s their latest video for “Free,” which features bassist Arran McSporran keeping it heavy on his 6-string fretless.
TWA Now Shipping Little Dipper Mk II Pedal
After two years of development, TWA has released the Little Dipper Mk II envelope-controlled vocal formant filter. The new version of the pedal, which is based on the classic Colorsound Dipthonizer circuit, adds new control features as well as a fuller frequency response, lower noise floor, and improved tracking. Among the new features is a Low Boost switch that the...
Nate Watts to Join Stevie Wonder on “Songs in the Key of Life” Tour
Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life is one of the most brilliant albums ever made. Musicians from all walks of life cite it as a heavy influence, and it was ranked at 57 on the Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest albums of all time. Wonder will be presenting the album in its entirety on an 11-date North American tour...