Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 613

Who doesn’t like a good viral video? Korean rapper PSY scored it big with his latest hit “Gangnam Style,” which has reached over 67 million views on YouTube. The zany and infectious tune inspired Xander Myers to make a slightly funkier version with his own bass line. Check it out!

Facebook friend Alex Kalicinski sent us this great clip of UK bassist Damien Langkamer working out a groove and some solo ideas. Dig that tone! For the gear heads out there, Damien is playing a Roscoe SKB3005 bass.

Fuzzrocious has just introduced the Heliotropic, a new pedal that combines a modified big muff circuit and preamp. The new stompbox was inspired by a song of the same name by the band Failure. “Failure coaxed some amazing and unique sounds out of their instruments,” Fuzzrocious builder Ryan Ratajski stated. “I have been chasing those tones ever since I started...

Cuban bassist Charles Flores has passed away, after a two year battle with cancer. Flores’ career included work with a host of Latin and jazz superstars including Michel Camilo, with whom he had played with since joining the pianist’s trio in 2002. It was with Camilo that Flores won a Grammy for the album Live at the Blue Note. “It...

Reggae masters Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare have done it again with New Legend – Jamaica 50th Edition, a new album of 10 original tracks celebrating Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of independence. The drum and bass duo are joined by a new band called the Jam Masters, which is filled out by guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith, keyboardist Robbie Lyn and vocalist...

The Beatles’ third and decidedly psychedelic film Magical Mystery Tour is coming back to life this Fall as the 1967 film has been fully restored and will be released on DVD and Blu-ray. Written and directed by the Fab Four themselves, the loose plot is a “dreamlike story of a coach day trip to the seaside” accompanied by six songs...

California-based Kauer Guitars has introduced the Daylighter Bass, modeled after their popular series of guitars by the same name. With several feature options, the company says the bass can cover ground from “classic Motown vibe straight through the most aggressive modern bass tones.” The Daylighter’s body is made of Spanish Cedar and is available in a plethora of color options....

With a new album and videos (see below) to accompany its release, Jayme Lewis has been taking the online bass community by storm with his awe-inspiring playing and tight band compositions. Lewis puts the bass out front in all the right ways, letting his equally skilled bandmates take the lead when the time is right. Beginning on piano at age...

In experimenting with neck designs, German luthier Rüdiger Ziesemann was looking for a way to improve sustain in his Bassline brand designs. He came up with a radical neck profile with extended mass and a groove on the back for your thumb. The concept was first introduced into his electric upright model called the Universal, but bass guitarist wanted in...

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the “hows” of bass playing: scales, chords, arpeggios, slapping, tapping, harmonics… Maybe you’re working on getting that one awesome lick just right so you can use it someday. With so much information to digest, sometimes it’s best to take a step back and remember what it is we’re actually working toward. What is...

Andy Saxton really brings it in his tune, “A Fire Inside.” The hard-hitting, bass-up-front song features the bassist going nuts with slapping and tapping to drive unrelenting metal rhythms. The track comes from his new EP, Drum and Bass.

KISS is kicking things up a notch for 2012 with set of new releases, starting with Destroyer: Resurrected. The album is a remixed version of the band’s multi-platinum 1976 record, featuring the songs “Detroit Rock City,” “Shout It Out Loud,” and “God of Thunder.” Remixed by original producer Bob Ezrin, the new release adds goodies for uber-fans, including a new...