Chris Chaney Joins Jane’s Addiction For Tour Dates
Chris Chaney will be joining Jane’s Addiction for their upcoming tour dates, spanning North America and Europe. The band will be trekking in support of their newly announced album The Great Escape Artist, due September 27, 2011. The bass role has been up in the air for Jane’s Addiction over the last year since Eric Avery’s departure. After a six-month...
Kala Introduces S-U-B U-Bass Series
Kala has unveiled their newest line of bass ukuleles dubbed the Subductive Series. The basses are solid body versions of their U-Basses, available at a lower price point than the company’s U.S.-made counterparts. The Subductive Series Solid Body U-Bass (aka the S-U-B) gets its name from the “phenomenon when one tectonic plate dives underneath another and creates a deep spot...
Lakland Introduces New Skyline Model Basses
Lakland has announced new Skyline versions of their 44-51 and 44-AJ models. The Skyline series is manufactured overseas, then shipped to Lakland’s Chicago shop for final inspection. The Skyline 44-51 is a vintage styled bass, featuring a USA made Neo Punch split single coil pickup. The slab ash body is finished in butterscotch and has vintage round neck profile with...
Stu Hamm Named Head of Bass Department at Musician’s Institute
Stu Hamm has taken on the role of Program Director for the Bass Department at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, California. The bassist, who’s credentials include six solo albums and years of touring with guitar legends Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, will be in charge of the curriculum and explains his focus will be on “getting the gig”, over flashy...
Charnett Moffett: Enlightenment
Adept at both upright and electric bass, Charnett Moffett is a bassist to be reckoned with. Here, he showcases electric chops and improvisatory skills on his tune “Enlightenment,” for which he utilizes a piccolo bass. The song comes off as a meditation with its Middle-Eastern influences. Some might say “it’s too trebly,” but just wait for the 1:28 mark. (My...
Mastodon Releases “Black Tongue” From Upcoming Album
Mastodon has released a teaser track from their upcoming album, “The Hunter,” due in September. The song, “Black Tongue,” is available on iTunes in addition to being posted on YouTube. The new record will be the follow-up to 2009’s Crack the Skye, which wrapped up their elemental themed albums. Bassist Troy Sanders says the new album gives them room to...
Radial Engineering Announces Reamp JCR
Earlier this year, Radial Engineering bought John Cuniberti’s Reamp business including the rights to the manufacture the Reamp – a piece of studio equipment that allows you to take pre-recorded tracks and re-record them through your bass or guitar amp. As such, Radial has unveiled the Reamp JCR, a passive Reamper that employs the original circuit design by Cuniberti with...
Les Claypool Forms Supergroup with Neil Peart, Stewart Copeland and Danny Carey
Les Claypool has joined forces with Rush’s Neil Peart, the Police’s Stewart Copeland and Tool’s Danny Carey to form “Carey Claypool Copeland Peart” or “CCCP.” The supergroup is documented with a jam called “Count Drumula,” recently posted on Neil Peart’s website. The extent of the collaboration is unclear, as no other announcements about the group has been made. With three...
Empress Effects Introduces Compressor Pedal
Empress Effects has released a new analog compressor pedal, which brings the stompbox closer to studio gear status through the addition of more controls. Designed for both bass and guitar, the Empress Compressor also strays from 3-knob compressors by being “truly transparent.” The pedal’s controls include those found on a pro compressor: Attack, Release and Ratio, which is a switch...
Red Hot Chili Peppers Announce UK Tour Dates
Though North American dates are still TBA, Red Hot Chili Peppers fans across the pond will be glad to know that the funk-rock quartet has announced a ten date trek of the UK and Ireland. Set for November, the full-fledged tour will be their first in the area since 2006. Anchored by bassist Flea, the group will start in Dublin...
SD Curlee Brand Revived With New Bass Guitar
The S.D. Curlee bass, made popular in the 1970’s, has been reborn at the hands of Birdsong Guitars’ Scott Beckwith. Once described as the “poor man’s Alembic,” the S.D. Curlee brand went under in 1982 after business decisions that led to key members leaving. The new SD Curlee Classic is a new take on the original Randy Dritz design, featuring...
An Interview with Adam Nitti
Rounding out our interviews from the Gerald Veasley Bass Boot Camp is our conversation with Adam Nitti. Based in Nashville, the bassist and educator has run the gamut of the music industry, from session work to touring to producing to teaching and more. His credits include working with artists like the Dave Weckl Band, Steven Curtis Chapman, Susan Tedeschi, Mandisa,...