Ashdown Introduces Retroglide 800 Bass Amp
One of the many new products Ashdown introduced at NAMM this year was the Retroglide-800, an amp head built in their custom shop. The company describes the amp as a throwback to the ’80s with founder Mark Gooday saying, “[it] takes me back to my roots as a bass player [with] pure, simple tone at your fingertips.” The Retroglide revolves...
Hammer and Tongs: An Interview with Frankie Poullain
Nearly three years after their last release, over-the-top rock band The Darkness has announced that their fourth album, Last of Our Kind, will be dropping on June 1st. The record sees the band return in epic fashion with ten new songs filled with tales of battle, love, and struggle. Of course, the whole album is tied together by the massive,...
Willy González Trio: La Saladita
I love hearing music from around the world, especially when it features the bass. Here’s a fantastic clip of Argentinian bassist Willy González and his Trio performing “La Saladita” from their latest album, Tamocomoqueremo. González, who started as a jazz musician, has been reimagining traditional Latin American styles on his six-string bass. “La Saladita” is in the vein of Cueca,...
Rami Lakkis & Gene Lake: Insomnia
Shapeshifter Lab is a great venue in Brooklyn that hosts innovative artists to explore musical boundaries, and since it’s co-owned by Matt Garrison, you can bet that it’s very bass-friendly. Here’s a great clip of bassist Rami Lakkis with drummer Gene Lake performing “Insomnia” at Shapeshifter last year. The song is an original composition by Lakkis that fuses electronica and...
In Memoriam: Andy Fraser
Andy Fraser, bassist and founding member of the ’60s rock band Free, has passed away at 62. Although a cause of death has not been released, Fraser had recently been battling AIDS and cancer. Fraser was born in London in 1952 and began music studies on piano at the tender age of five. He switched to guitar when he was...
Bassist Co-authors Book on Recording with iPads and iPhones
The co-author of , Ryan C. Williams, is back with another book for musicians. This time out, he has co-authored a book in the “For Dummies” series — iPad and iPhone for Musicians for Dummies. Written by Williams and Mike Levine, U.S. editor for Audiofanzine, the book covers a wide range of topics, including invaluable music apps and making apps...
Nik West, Featuring Orianthi: My Relationship
Anyone that has jammed with Prince, John Mayer, and Bootsy Collins must have something good to say, and Nik West is one of those people. The bassist’s recently released Say Somethin’ EP blends rock, funk, and R&B for an engaging musical journey pinned together by her solid bass playing. West gives a taste of the EP with her latest music...
Bass of the Week: Adamovic Basses SuperNova 5
Adamovic Basses recently posted a set of photos on their Facebook page that made me want to look up some more. The bass was SuperNova 5 featuring a one-piece African padouk top, and it’s our bass of the week. The SuperNova one of the company’s first models and features a three-dimensional hand-carved body. While the Netherlands-based company builds the model...
Robert Glasper Experiment, Featuring Derrick Hodge: Say Yes
Derrick Hodge is a monster bassist. Adept at both electric and upright bass, his style brings together the best elements of jazz, R&B, and gospel. Here’s a clip of Hodge laying it down with the Robert Glasper Experiment during a performance at The Exchange LA in Los Angeles, California. The bassist pours his soul into an extended bass solo that...
In Memoriam: Mike Porcaro
Mike Porcaro, who played bass for the seminal rock band Toto, has passed away after a long battle with ALS. He was 59 years old. Porcaro came from a musical family. His father is jazz drummer Joe Porcaro, and he is the middle brother of drummer Jeff Porcaro and keyboardist Steve Porcaro. Though Mike played on several unofficial sessions since...
Spector Introduces NS-2 CT-B Carved Top Bass
Stuart Spector was showing off his latest creation at NAMM this year with the Spector NS-2 CT-B, a carved top take on the company’s flagship NS-2 model. Handbuilt in Spector’s U.S. workshop, the bass features a chambered alder body with a redwood top that’s carved on both the inside and outside surfaces. The top also fits their Helium series and...
DR Strings Introduces Pure Blues Bass Strings
DR Strings has introduced a new set of bass strings called Pure Blues. The strings utilize a Quantum-Nickel wrap, which the company describes as combining the best characteristics of steel with a nickel feel. “Pure Blues bass strings combine a fat, warm punch with an edge especially designed for the modern bassist,” DR writes. “Pure Blues strings provide more output,...