Revolver To Honor Gene Simmons with Golden God Award, Name Best Bassist Nominees
Revolver Magazine has announced the nominees for their 4th Annual Golden Gods awards show, which honors members of the hard-rock and heavy-metal community. The Golden God award, which is given to one special honoree each year, will be presented to KISS bassist Gene Simmons for “embodying the spirit of hard rock and metal.” “It’s an honor and privilege to accept...
Legendary Reggae Duo Sly & Robbie Release “Blackwood Dub”
The legendary Jamaican rhythm section duo of drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare have released Blackwood Dub. The 10-track collection of instrumental songs was written by the Sly and Robbie and has a sense of groove that just won’t quit. The duo, who have helped to shape the face of Reggae and rock/pop music, recorded the album at the...
Traveler Guitar Unveils the Ultra-Light Bass
New for 2012 is the Traveler Ultra-Light Bass, an extremely lightweight and compact bass guitar. The whole instrument measures 33 3/4? in length and weighs in at a mere three pounds and 6.5 ounces. Built from a solid piece of Eastern American Hard Maple, the Ultra-Light Bass features a removable metal lap-rest and a built in thumb rest for comfort....
Genz Benz Introduces Contour 500 Series Combo Bass Amps
Genz Benz has introduced the Contour 500 series of combo amplifiers, including a 1×15″ model and a 2×10″ model. Built with power and weight in mind, the CTR500-115T and CTR500-210T push out 300 watts at 8 ohms while weighing 48 pounds and 52 pounds, respectively. The line also includes a pair of matching extension cabinets that raise the power output...
Maguinho Alcantara Brecht and Eduardo Kusdra: Mandela
A drummer can be a bassist’s best friend. Here we find a cool clip of drummer Maguinho Alcantara Brecht and bassist Eduardo Kusdra playing their tune “Mandela.” The duo build the whole tune, which is in 5/4, with just drums, bass, and a unified sense of groove.
Jack Bruce and His Big Blues Band Announce UK Tour and Perth Festival of Arts Performance
Jack Bruce and His Big Blues Band will be hitting the road for a UK tour this month. The trek will be kicking off with a three day residency at Ronnie Scott’s in London before taking over the rest of the country. In addition to the tour, the group will be part of the lineup for the Perth Festival of...
Lemmy Kilmister Working on Solo Album
Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister revealed that he’s working on a solo album in a recent interview with SF Weekly’s Dave Pehling. The veteran metal bassist says he’s most of the way through the effort, which will be chock full of guest artists. “I’m three-quarters of the way though a solo album right now. I’ve got two tracks with The Damned,...
Napalm Death Releases “Utilitarian”
Grindcore band Napalm Death have released Utilitarian, their 14th studio album of original material. Anchored by bassist Shane Embury, the 16-track collection continues their tradition of extreme music with in-your-face riffs and aggressive vocals. “After some deliberation, we decided on ‘Utilitarian’ as the album title,” vocalist Mark “Barney” Greenway said. “We generally try to avoid generic titles, and this seemed...
Traynor Introduces DynaBlock Series at NAMM
Traynor introduced their DynaBlock series of bass amplifiers at NAMM this year. Central to the line is the DNB 400 head, which is then implemented into 1×12, 1×15, and 2×10 combos. Rated at 400 watts, the head has active and passive instrument inputs to accommodate all basses. Tone controls on the amp include a 4-band EQ and a Low Frequency...
Elvin Jones Trio, Featuring Jimmy Garrison: Sweet Little Maia (1968)
I don’t watch much TV, but I would if it was more like this 1968 clip from the Danish show Jazz Omkring Midnat. The Elvin Jones Trio, consisting of drummer Elvin Jones, bassist Jimmy Garrison and saxophonist Joe Farrel plays the tune “Sweet Little Maia.” The trio gets to really stretch out since there isn’t a chordal instrument, and Garrison...
Glenn Hughes and Black Country Communion Release Live CD, Prepare Next Studio Album
Black Country Communion have released a CD version of Live Over Europe as a follow-up to the DVD of the same name. Taken from their 2011 European tour, the 2-CD set features 17 tracks of the band’s original songs as well as two tunes from the band members’ previous work. Comprised of bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, guitarist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason...
Bass of the Week: Rob Allen MB-2
The Rob Allen MB-2 is a unique semi-hollow bass designed to combine the warmth of an upright with the punch of a solid body electric bass. Though it’s available in a fretted version, the MB-2 comes standard as fretless to keep with the organic feel. The bass is offered in three variations depending on the top selected: Maple, Walnut, or...