Steve Lawson and Daniel Berkman Set to Release 11-Hour Album
Steve Lawson isn’t one for sticking to the norm. Besides his ethereal solo work, the six-string bassist likes to experiment with other improvisors to create in-the-moment performances – often without having ever played with them before – and release the result directly to his fans. His latest collaboration with percussionist Daniel Berkman, entitled FingerPainting, collects nearly every note that the...
Nikki Sixx Selling Stage-Played Basses from Motley Crue Concerts
Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx is offering fans a chance to buy his stage-played basses from the band’s current and upcoming North American tours. Each night of the tour, Sixx will play one of his signature Schecter basses for the concert. Fans that buy the bass will get to have a meet-and-greet with Sixx before the concert where he will...
David Gage Instruments Introduces Realist LifeLine Double Bass Pickup
David Gage Instruments is adding to their Realist series of instrument pickups with the Realist LifeLine. The new double bass pickup is a self-powered piezo that the company describes as offering a “focused bass sound.” The LifeLine works on basses with adjustable bridges and is mounted on the bridge adjuster without glue or fasteners. Its output jack is held tightly...
Gigantour 2013 to Feature Megadeth, Black Label Society, Newsted
The 2013 round of Gigantour has been announced, and this year promises to be another great summer of metal. Hosted and headlined by Megadeth, the package tour will include performances by Black Label Society, Device, Hellyeah, Newsted and Death Division. If you’re keeping track, that means fans will be able to see David Ellefson, Jason Newsted, JD DiServio, Bobzilla and...
Bass of the Week: Browne Basses Milo
Here’s a fantastic bass built by luthier Mike Browne. This particular version of his Milo model bass features some fancy woodwork, especially on the body. It’s built with a Honduran mahogany core, a full face figured walnut top with a maple accent stripe, a walnut back, a walnut center block, and maple center block stripes. The neck is quartersawn hardrock...
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen: Autumn Leaves
Every time I watch or listen to NHØP, I have to stop everything else I’m doing. His jaw-dropping virtuosity and sheer technicality is unmatched. Here’s an awesome clip of the Great Dane ripping up the jazz standard “Autumn Leaves”. He starts the song off with a tip of the hat to Jaco Pastorius by playing part of the electric bassist’s...
dUg Pinnick Releases “Naked”
Hot on the heels of his new trio’s debut album, bassist and King’s X frontman dUg Pinnick is stepping out on his own again a solo effort entitled Naked on RockArmy Records. The deeply personal album is nothing but Pinnick, who wrote, played, recorded, and produced the entire album in his Los Angeles home studio. Naked is packed with 11...
DBZ Guitars Releases Barchetta Bass Series
DBZ Guitars has introduced the Barchetta Bass, a model based on DBZ’s flagship guitar. The bass follows the company’s trend of blending modern and traditional styles for unique instruments. The Barchetta Bass comes in three versions based on their tops: Standard (ST), Flame Maple (FM), and Spalt Maple (SM). Common features include a maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, and a matching...
Levy’s Leathers Creates New Line of Hemp and Denim Guitar Straps
Levy’s Leathers has announced a new line of hemp and denim guitar straps. Featuring six “70’s-inspired” designs, the straps have frayed edges and are finished with suede leather backing. The straps are 2-1/2? wide and are adjustable from 41? to 54? in length, though they’re also available in XL, which adds 12? to their overall length. The Levy’s Leathers Hemp...
The Police: Live at The Old Grey Whistle Test
Here’s some old school Police for you. Recorded in 1978, Sting and the boys bring their raw energy (and awesome sunglasses) to “Can’t Stand Losing You” and “Next To You” on this taped performance for The Old Grey Whistle Test. The show was The Police’s first ever TV appearance in the UK.
Mission Engineering Introduces VM-PRO Volume Pedal
Mission Engineering has added a new volume pedal to their line up with the introduction of the VM-PRO. The pedal offers up an integrated buffer to maintain frequency response whether you’re using long cables or multiple effects pedals. The VM-PRO is available in standard and PZ versions to accommodate for standard pickups or piezos. The device takes different instrument levels...
Audix Releases Cabi5 and Cabf5 Microphone Mounting Kits
Audix has introduced the Cabi5 and Cabf5, a pair of kits that bundle their i5 or f5 microphones with their CabGrabber microphone mounting systems. The CabGrabber mounting system is a spring-loaded mic support that grips onto bass or guitar cabinets for easy mounting. The system mounts without the use of tools and has a curved arm with a locking choke...