Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 796

Glenn Hughes’ autobiography, Deep Purple & Beyond: Scenes from the Life of a Rock Star, is now available. In the book, the ex-Deep Purple bassist and current Black Country Communion member recounts his turbulent years from rising to fame and wild parties to cocaine and crack addiction and his eventual recovery. “I’ve been working on this book for the last...

Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill weighed in on the band’s current state and future plans in a recent interview with Metal Hammer Germany. The group, who recently announced their “farewell” Epitaph tour, also lost founding member K.K. Downing. The guitarist cited “an ongoing breakdown in working relationship” for his departure. “We have done everything to persuade Ken to continue, but...

Rotosound have expanded their Swing Bass line of strings to include a set of 45-100 gauge nickel strings. The company says the new set of nickel strings have a more muted and smoother tone than its stainless steel brethren, which make up most of the Swing Bass series, and that they offer a softer feel. As with the rest of...

Gov’t Mule frontman Warren Haynes has released a new soulful solo album, Man in Motion. For the project, Haynes explains he made a “wishlist” of band members, including the Meters’ George Porter Jr. on bass. The legendary New Orleans bassist’s groove permeates the album’s 10 soul-laden tracks, providing a solid foundation for the rest of the group. Besides the Meters...

LeCompte Electric Basses has announced the Charlie Padilla Maqueo Signature Model, available in 4-, 5-, and 6-string versions. The single cutaway bass features solid body construction with a choice of woods and a slim, 24-fret set-neck. Standard features include a Nordstrand pickups, Hipshot hardware and a satin finish. Charlie Padilla Maqueo is the bassist for the Mexican rock band ELAN,...

Stu Hamm shared this new video of Gretchen Menn’s “Oleo Strut”, where he lays down a solid groove with drummer John Mader. Stu really lets it rip at the 1:30 mark when he trades some smokin’ solos with the guitarist.

Gibson has released another short scale bass this year, following the announcement of the short scale Thunderbird. The new LP Junior DC Bass features a 30.5” scale, which the company explains is perfect for players with shorter arms and smaller hands. Designed to mix elements of the Les Paul Junior guitar and the 1960 EB-0 bass, the body is solid...

Esperanza Spalding has sparked people’s imaginations, but she’s not the only one who can sing and play bass. Here’s a clip of 20-year old Kate Davis showing what multi-tasking is all about. The performance is from a gig at Jimmy Mak’s in Portland, Oregon in 2008.

Carl Martin has released a new stompbox tuner, designed to offer high visibility on stage. Housed in a die-cast black chassis, the chromatic tuner can be calibrated from 437Hz to 443Hz. It can switch between standard readout and strobe functions for easy visibility, and also includes a mute switch for silent tuning. True Bypass is included to keep a clean...

JaMuzic New York is presenting BassBreak Live! this year on May 14th in Falls Church, Virginia. The event is a day of bass-centric activities including performances, clinics and giveaways. Instructors include Adam Nitti, Ace Livingston, Bryan Beller, Terrance Palmer, and David Dyson, who will all give lectures between one and two hours. Pavel de la Fuente of Pavel Musical Instruments...

Soundgarden has unveiled their full summer 2011 tour dates, which are set to span the US and Canada. Anchored by bass hero Ben Shepherd, the band will be joined by Coheed and Cambria, The Mars Volta, Queens of the Stone Age, Mastodon, and the Meat Puppets. Soundgarden reformed early last year after a 13-year split. Besides a “best of” album,...

Here’s a funky clip of Danish bassist Lars Danielsson grooving hard with just him, a drum machine, and his trusty old Fender Jazz. Danielsson effortlessly floats between styles, and wraps it up by playing around with the last lick from Donna Lee.