Lamb of God/Dethklok Headlining Tour Cancelled
The co-headlining tour between metal giants Lamb of God and Dethklok with support from Gojira has been cancelled due to Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe’s continued incarceration in the Czech Republic. The tour, which was to feature low-end goodness from Lamb of God’s John Campbell, Gojira’s Jean-Michel Labadie, and Bryan Beller (aka Dethklok’s Murderface), has no plans to reschedule...
Source Audio Introduces Hot Hand 3 Universal Wireless Effects Controller
Source Audio has released a new incarnation of their Hot Hand with the Hot Hand 3 Universal Wireless Effects Controller. The new model expands on its predecessor by broadening its compatibility to non-Source Audio pedals. The Hot Hand 3 package consists of a ring containing a 3-axis accelerometer that translates your hand movements into an expression signal that can be...
New School: Aaron Gibson
Aaron Gibson presents an interesting blend of singer/songwriter and solo bassist. Once described as “Jack Johnson playing with the Red Hot Chili Peppers,” the Oregon-based low-ender comps for himself while playing impressive original tunes as well as covers. Aaron scores solo gigs by covering the bass line, harmony, melody, and vocals all on his own. We reached out to find...
Simon & Garfunkel with Pino Palladino: The Only Living Boy in New York
While preparing to interview Joe Osborn, I became borderline obsessed with this song. Originally played by Joe on Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water, the bass line has such a beautiful melody to it while holding down the harmony in all the right spots. Here’s a clip of the duo’s DVD with bassist Pino Palladino, who presents the line...
Sean O’Bryan Smith Gets Spiritual With “Reflection”
Bassist Sean O’Bryan Smith has released Reflection, a twelve-track collection of hymnals, spirituals, and gospel tunes arranged with a “soul-jazz groove.” More than a soul record, the bassist says the effort mirrors his own career. “Reflection is a tribute not only to great hymns and worship tunes, but also a nod to where I’ve come from as a musician and...
Bass of the Week: Blasius Bali Fretless 4-String
Hungarian boutique bass shop Blasius designed their Bali model for players who prefer a more classical sounding instrument. Knowing versatility is key, they also included electronics to give it the ability to sound modern, too. Here’s a gorgeous fretless 4-string version of the Bali, built with an 8-piece body of ash, maple and walnut. The bolt-on neck is a 9-piece...
New Grass: An Interview With Missy Raines
You wouldn’t typically think of bluegrass bass as pushing the limits, but Missy Raines isn’t your typical bluegrass bassist. A seven time winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Bass Player of the Year Award, her penchant for musical experimentation took her from a traditional bluegrass background to a more progressive style that draws from jazz, pop, and a little...
Ozzy Osbourne with Geezer Butler: Paranoid, Live in Philadelphia (1989)
Ozzy Osbourne tapped his former Black Sabbath buddy Geezer Butler in 1988 to join him for his “No Rest for the Wicked” World Tour. Along with a young Zakk Wylde on guitar and drummer Randy Castillo, the group tore the roof off of the Tower Theatre in Philadelphia on June 4th, 1989 with the Sabbath classic “Paranoid.”
Mono Cases Unveils Vertigo Top-Loading Bass Guitar Case
Mono Cases has unveiled the Vertigo, which they state is the world’s first top-loading instrument case. Available in bass and guitar models, the design unzips from the headstock down on both sides for quicker access to your axe. The company’s Headlock neck suspension system got a redesign for the Vertigo and no longer requires strapping or buckling. It works by...
Phil Lesh Done With Recording, Continues Touring With Furthur
Sounds like Phil Lesh is done with studio albums. In a recent interview with Billboard, the 72 year old bassist said Furthur – his current effort with fellow Grateful Dead alumni Bob Weir – has no plans to record new albums, citing their focus on continually evolving music. “Nobody’s mentioned it to me, and certainly it’s not anything I’m interested...
Mesa Boogie Introduces Traditional Powerhouse Bass Cabinets
Mesa Boogie has introduced a new line of bass cabinets called the Traditional Powerhouse Series that offers up 2×10, 4×10, 1×15, 6×10, and 8×10 speaker configurations. Each of the cabs are handbuilt in Petaluma, California with Marine-grade Baltic Birch and are covered with Black Bronco Vinyl with a gray and black weave jute grille. The 2×10, 4×10, and 1×15 models...
The Who Announce “Quadrophenia” Tour – First North American Tour in Four Years
The Who have announced a major North American tour celebrating their 1973 double album Quadrophenia, which they will play in its entirety each night in addition to a selection of their greatest songs. Founding members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend have tapped bassist Pino Palladino to fill the enormous shoes of John Entwistle, who passed away ten years ago. The...