Jeff Berlin pays homage to his musical mentor
Virtuoso bassist Jeff Berlin recently wrote a letter to AllAboutJazz.com about the passing of his beloved teacher, Charlie Banacos, who died on December 8th after a battle with cancer. Jeff had actually made the move earlier in his career from New York to Boston in order to study under Banacos after hearing stories of the amazing music teacher. He recounts...
Meshell Ndegeocello announces west coast tour
10-time Grammy nominee Meshell Ndegeocello is set to tour on the west coast starting in February following the release of her latest album, Devil’s Halo. On tour with her will be bassist Mark Kelley, guitarist Chris Bruce, drummer Deantoni Parks and keyboardist Keefus Ciancia. On Devil’s Halo, the bassist/songwriter said she wanted to focus on musicianship and live-band energy. The...
Dave Matthews Band: Europe 2009
The Dave Matthews Band released a new box set called Dave Matthews Band: Europe 2009 this week, featuring the tasty bass lines of Stefan Lessard. The live box set contains 3 CD’s from a show in Lucca, Italy on July 5 and a DVD of the June 26 show at O2 Academy Brixton in London, England. Also in the packaging...
Ex-Arctic Monkeys bassist joins new band
Ex-Arctic Monkey bassist Andy Nicholson has joined the cult act Reverend and the Makers. Nicholson, who left the popular British rock band Arctic Monkeys in 2006, had been playing with the Makers for about two years, but was not an official member until now. Reverend and the Makers front man Jon McClure welcomed him as a member in a Twitter...
Gene Simmons sued for assault
Gene Simmons of KISS is being sued for allegedly attacking a couple in a shopping mall in Los Angeles. The couple, Nathan Marlowe and Cynthia Manzo, allege that Simmons “responded negatively” after Marlowe began video taping him and asking him about monogamy. Marlowe claims that Gene Simmons took their camera, then choked and head butted him as well as shouted...
Lemmy Kilmister interviewed by Reality Check TV
An interview with Lemmy Kilmister of the legendary band Motörhead, shot earlier in the year at the Rainbow Bar and Grill in Hollywood, has been posted by Reality Check TV. Motörhead is scheduled to get into the studio in February to create a new album, which will be a follow-up to their last album, Motörizer. Also recently released was Motörhead:...
Gear Watch: Godin to debut new basses at NAMM
Godin Guitars, based out of Montreal, has announced that they will be showing their new bass models, the A4 and A5 SA, at the 2010 winter NAMM show. The models are available as fretted or fretless and in 4- and 5-string versions, but most interesting is the “synth access.” Each bass comes equipped with individual saddle transducers at the bridge,...
Level 42’s Mark King delivers special Christmas gift
Heather Bloomgren of Wichita, Kansas got a very special present this year. Heather has been making a concerted effort to get her favorite band, Level 42, to make an appearance in the United States by creating a Facebook page, and also making a string of funny and interesting YouTube videos. Level 42, a band from the UK driven by singer...
Gear Watch: Diamond Bass Comp compressor pedal
Diamond Pedals has announced the release of their first pedal designed specifically for bass instruments, the Bass Comp. Based on the company’s Diamond Compressor, the Bass Comp combines a “low-noise optical compression circuit with a powerful and musical tilt EQ circuit” to create a better bass sound. It boasts an extended frequency response, making it friendly for 4-, 5-, or...
Gear Watch: Warwick unveils two new basses: Bootsy Collins and Corvette $$ Special Edition
The hard working bass builders at Warwick have announced two new bass models: The Bootsy Collins Infinity Signature bass, and the Corvette $$ Special Edition Macassar. The Bootsy Infinity Signature bass is a variation of the company’s Infinity line, with some funky designs added to boot. It’s available as the Black Star or Orange Star models, depending on your color...
RIP Chris Feinstein
Chris Feinstein, who found success as the bassist for Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, has passed away at the age of 42. The cause of death is still unknown, but it was reported that he was found in his Manhattan apartment on Monday morning. His label, Lost Highway Records, issued this statement: “It is with great sadness to report that...
Bachman-Turner 2.0
Fred Turner, a former member of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, has come out of retirement to reunite with guitarist Randy Bachman for an album and 2010 tour. In their former band, they sold millions of albums in the 1970’s, with hits such as “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” and “Takin’ Care of Business.” Turner has found a breath of fresh air in...