Renaud Garcia-Fons Releases Mediterranees
French double bass master Renaud Garcia-Fons has just released his new album, Mediterranees, in the U.S. The 18-track album is an exploration of the music of the Mediterranean, which Garcia-Fons attributes to his Spanish and Italian roots. “There’s nothing ethno-musical or touristy about this project,” the bassist explains, “Simply a desire to be carried on a passionate thread of a...
Bill Wyman Rejoins Rolling Stones for Tribute Album
Bill Wyman has teamed up with his old pals in the Rolling Stones to contribute to a new tribute album from Ben Waters, according to the Stones fan site Iorr.org. Waters pays his respects to late pianist Ian Stewart on the CD entitled Boogie For Stu, which is due in March. Wyman joined the rest of the Stones to record...
Dave LaRue Joins New Supergroup Featuring Mike Portnoy
Dixie Dregs bassist Dave LaRue is now part of a new unnamed supergroup along with ex-Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, guitarist Steve Morse, Neal Morse, and vocalist Casey McPherson. The group announced that they have just entered the studio to begin work on their debut release. “I think we are almost done with the writing/arranging process of the first song,”...
Mike Watt Announces New Album Release, Tour
Punk legend and Minutemen co-founder Mike Watt has announced an extensive North American tour in support of his upcoming CD, “Hyphenated-Man.” The new record, which is already available in Japan, is 30 tracks which Watt describes as thirty parts of one big tune. “My third opera ‘hyphenated-man’ will be released everywhere except Japan on March 1, 2011 through my new...
RIP Phil Kennemore
After being diagnosed last year, Y&T bassist Phil Kennemore lost his battle to cancer January 7th. The 57 year old was a founding member of the band in 1974 and continued touring with the band up until his hospitalization. A benefit concert featuring Queensryche, Heaven & Hell, and Testament was held on December 31st to offset Kennemore’s medical expenses. ”Phil...
Rylee Releases Bass Fretboard Addict App
Michael Rylee has just released the Bass Fretboard Addict app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. The app is a fretboard trainer game designed to help “improve your visual, mental, and listening bass guitar skills” as well as your ability to read music notation. Using real bass guitar sounds, the app challenges you to find notes on the fretboard by...
New Book Of Photography Chronicles Les Claypool’s Career
A new book chronicling Les Claypool’s career through photos has been published in a limited run through San Francisco based Rock Out Books. To Defy The Laws of Tradition is a collection of over 750 photographs taken by Jay Blakesberg’s 10,000+ image archive of Claypool’s groups including Primus, Holy Mackerel, Sausage, Oysterhead, and the Frog Brigade. Claypool also contributes an...
Nikolai Fraiture Confirms New Strokes Album for March
Bassist Nikolai Fraiture has confirmed that the new Strokes album is almost complete and is set for a March release. In an interview with BBC Radio 1, Fraiture explained the group’s fourth album hearkens back to their “classic sound.” “Sonically, I feel it’s the album which should have been made between Room On Fire and First Impressions Of Earth,” he...
What Blues Bass is All About: Russell Jackson with B.B. King
Russell Jackson joined B.B. King’s band in the late ’70s, staying with the legendary guitarist for seven years. In this early ’80s clip from French TV, the band plays an instrumental, then kicks into “Let the Good Times Roll,” with another segue into “Everyday I Have the Blues.” The whole band swings hard to Russell’s bouncy lines, as he lays...
Unearth Announces Benefit For Fallen Bassist
Unearth have announced that their first show of 2011 will be a benefit for their former bassist, Chris “Rover” Rybicki, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2010. The show will also feature Rybicki’s former bands. “We will be playing alongside another one of Rovers former bands No Choice as well as our friends in Screams of Erida and...
In Memoriam: Mick Karn
After a brave battle with cancer, former Japan bassist Mick Karn has passed away at the age of 52. The fretless bassist left an indelible mark on the ‘70s and ‘80s low-end scene with his unique style and phrasing. After glam rockers Japan split up, he collaborated with Bauhaus vocalist Peter Murphy in the group Dalis Car, as well as...
Dave Sitek To Sit In On Next Jane’s Addiction Album
The saga of the bass position in Jane’s Addiction continues as the group revealed that TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek will be contributing on the four-string for their next release, due out this summer. According to Spinner, the producer/multi-instrumentalist will also be writing material with the alternative rockers, but will likely only be a band member as far as...