Paul McCartney Reissues “Wings Over America”
While currently on his Out There Tour, Paul McCartney is continuing to reissue his classic material with a new version of Wings Over America. The release is a remastered take of the 1976 triple album that captured the band during their Wings Over America tour of the same year. With performances including “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Live and Let Die,” and...
Bass of the Week: Fclef Basses Custom Series II
This week we take a look at the Fclef Custom Series II Bass. Introduced as part of their 10th anniversary, the Custom Series II model builds upon their Custom Series and is handcrafted in the United States. The company also boasts that each member of the crew is a bass player, which gets a big thumbs up in our book....
Gibson Celebrates With 50th Anniversary Thunderbird Bass
Fifty years ago, Gibson stepped out with an edgy line of guitars and basses, respectively named the Firebird and the Thunderbird. The company is now celebrating the design with a 50th Anniversary Thunderbird Bass. Finished with Gold Bullion in a high-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer, the bass sports through-neck construction with a mahogany body, a mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard with pearloid...
Rage Against the Machine: Killing in the Name, Live at Rock am Ring
Tim Commerford’s raw power groove propels Rage Against the Machine in this performance of “Killing in the Name,” live at the Rock am Ring Festival in 2000.
Michael Dease Releases “Coming Home”, Featuring Christian McBride
Trombonist Michael Dease has released his fifth album as a leader, entitled Coming Home. The 11-track release showcases the jazz side of his upbringing in Augusta, Georgia with a healthy mix of standards and original tunes. Dease recruited bass legend Christian McBride to anchor the album, citing his tastefulness and virtuosic playing. “Everything he plays feels so good,” Dease said....
In Memoriam: Marshall Lytle
Marshall Lytle, bassist for Bill Haley and The Comets, has passed away at the age of 79 after a battle with cancer. Lytle left his mark on popular music as the bassist on the classic track “Rock Around the Clock,” a song that is often cited as the birth of rock ’n’ roll. Born in Old Fort, North Carolina in...
Molten Voltage Introduces OZ Looper Controller
Molten Voltage has released the OZ Looper Controller, a pedal that works in tandem with the Strymon Timeline Delay to offer advanced use of its MIDI capabilities. The OZ connects with a single MIDI cable to access and control the TimeLine’s Reverse, Half-Speed/Double-Speed, Undo, and Redo functions. The OZ also has single-press, soft-touch recording and play back, meaning that you...
Daft Punk Releases “Random Access Memories”
Electronica duo Daft Punk have taken a turn towards humanity with their latest album, Random Access Memories, which almost exclusively uses live instrumentation. The 13-track effort brings together a spectacular cast of guest musicians including Julian Casablancas, Pharrell Williams, Paul Williams, Nile Rodgers, Chilly Gonzalez and others. “Making music with musicians and bringing back a certain craftsmanship, that was totally...
Phil Jones Announces Limited Edition Briefcase Ultimate Bass Amp Combo
It’s been ten years since the Phil Jones Briefcase was introduced, and the company is celebrating the milestone with a limited edition version of the compact bass amplifier. The Phil Jones Briefcase Ultimate will be a modified version of the original, bumping up output from 100 watts to 160 watts. Other upgraded features include new higher power Pirhana speakers with...
Peter Hook and The Light to Perform New Order Albums on North American Tour
Peter Hook and The Light are gearing up for a special North American tour this fall in which the group will play the first two albums from the bassist’s previous band New Order. The band will perform both 1981’s Movement and 1983’s Power, Corruption & Lies in their entireties at nine cities across the U.S. and Canada, starting September 10th...
Bass of the Week: KR Guitars Ursa
This week we check out the Ursa from KR Guitars, a striking multi-scale bass that’s handmade by luthier Kevin Robertson in Vallejo, California. While the bass can be built with whatever woods are requested, this particular bass caught our eye with its 5A California Claro Walnut top and 5A flame maple back. The rest of the bass’s body is The...
Custom Shop: Revsound
Started in 1983, Revsound is a company that offers handmade bass cabinets. Proprietor David C. Luke’s deep interest in sound and sound production has driven his work to create powerful cabinets with an emphasis on staying lightweight. Luke builds all of the cabs to order in his Effingham, New Hampshire workshop. The RS series includes a 1×10, 2×10, and 4×10...