Custom Shop: BNA Audio
Great things often come out of solutions to problems. For example, bassist Mark Robertson noticed that amplifying an upright bass to really loud levels was an issue that got overlooked by most manufacturers. He eventually discussed it with friend and electronics guru Justin Herlocker, and BNA Audio was born. The team got into building hi-fi bass cabinets and is an...
Soundgarden Release “King Animal”, Announce Tour Dates
It has been a long time since Soundgarden has released any new material. Sixteen years to be exact. That’s all changing with the release of King Animal, an album that should have fans rejoicing as the band stays true to their signature sound. Bassist Ben Shepherd supplies low end support as well as several of the album’s riffs, including the...
INXS Announce Split
After 35 years together, INXS are calling it quits from touring. The band, anchored by bassist Garry Beers, announced it during what would be their final concert in Perth, Australia. A press release soon followed. “We understand that this must come as a blow to everybody, but all things must eventually come to an end,” the band stated. “We have...
The Motet: “Canned Heat” Cover
Facebook friend Michael Coderre turned me onto Colorado based band The Motet, sending in this awesome cover of Jamiroquai’s “Canned Heat”. As if the band’s rock solid groove isn’t enough, bassist Garrett Sayers takes a sweet solo at the 8-minute mark. As Michael put it, “The man is boss. Straight up.” We agree.
The Clayton Brothers Release “The Gathering”
The Clayton Brothers are back at it with The Gathering, a new album available through ArtistShare. Centered around bassist John Clayton and saxophonist Jeff Clayton, the band’s regular lineup includes John’s son Gerald on piano, trumpeter Terrel Stafford and drummer Obed Calvaire, but the group extended the “family” on this go around with trombonist Wycliffe Gordon and vibraphonist Stefon Harris....
Digitech Introduces 3Q 3-band EQ E-Pedal for iStomp
DigiTech has expanded their E-pedal offering for the iStomp with the introduction of the 3Q, a 3-band EQ. Each of the band controls – Bass, Mid, and Treble – offer 12dB of boost or cut, while the Mid Freq control selects the midrange frequency range between 500Hz and 3kHz. The DigiTech 3Q E-pedal can be downloaded and used with an...
Periphery: “Make Total Destroy” Bass Cam Video
As our Facebook friend Skip Taylor noted, it’s been a while since we’ve posted a metal video. Get ready for a little mayhem. Adam “Nolly” Getgood just posted this video from a performance of “Make Total Destroy” with Periphery at Manchester Academy from their recent European tour. Shot with a headstock cam, the footage captures all of the bassist’s energy...
Pigtronix Infinity Looper Pedal Now Shipping
Pigtronix’s first foray into the looping world has happened with the release of the Infinity Looper pedal. The Infinity allows for record, playback, dub, undo and redo functions on two stereo loop pairs that can be configured in several ways. Among the pedals innovations is the SYNC MULTI mode, which allows for the length of Loop 2 to be anywhere...
Acoustic Image Introduces Series 4 Contra Combo Amp
Acoustic Image has unveiled the Series 4 Contra, a 300-watt combo amp that the company explains is its most affordable combo. Similar to the Series 4 Coda combo, the new Contra features a 10-inch down-firing woofer and a forward-firing 5-inch midrange driver. It also has Automatic Voltage Switching, which protects the amplifier from damage no matter where in the world...
Ibanez Introduces 5-String Mikro Bass
Ibanez is now offering a 5-string version of their GSR Mikro bass. Sporting a 28.6? scale, the company explains the GSRM25 is perfectly suited for young students as well as adult players who prefer a short scale. Besides an extra string, the GSRM25 sets itself apart from its 4-string companion with a pair of Ibanez’s STD J5 pickups. The body...
Aerosmith Releases “Music From Another Dimension!”
The veteran rockers of Aerosmith have released Music From Another Dimension!, their 15th studio album and first album featuring new material since 2001. While bassist Tom Hamilton explains the whole band developed the album, he admitted to Ultimate Classic Rock that he took a larger role in the music. Two of the tracks – “Tell Me” and the bonus song...
Bass of the Week: Datum RM Series
The upper horn on the Datum RM Series bass may look cool, but it’s there for more than looks. The G-shape adds more contact between the body and neck, essentially giving the benefits of a singlecut bass to double cutaway design. Handmade in Italy, each bass is available with several options, including the number of strings, fretted or fretless, and...