Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 81

Fender has announced the American Ultra II lineup, which they call the most advanced series in the company’s history. Built in their California factory, the instruments are crafted with a blend of CNC technology and hand-craftsmanship.

Dunlop has teamed up with Polish extreme metal band Behemoth to create a signature line of guitar and bass strings. The band, anchored by Tomasz “Orion” Wróblewski, now has artist series four and five-string bass sets.

Next year marks the 25th anniversary of Disturbed’s smash hit debut album, “The Sickness.” To celebrate, the band has announced a 34-date tour in which they will play two sets each night.

Canadian rock trio Metz has announced that they will go on an indefinite hiatus following their upcoming European fall tour. The Toronto-based group was formed in 2007 and released six LPs since 2012.

We’ve shared a couple of Atticus Lazenby’s incredible creations in the past, and they just keep getting better. The luthier shared his latest build, the CUTEbass 432, which he says is for himself.

Dream Theater fans flipped out with the announcement that drummer Mike Portnoy had rejoined the fold. The group has scheduled a slew of 40th Anniversary tour dates and has been teasing a new album for some time. Now they’re letting fans in on more details about “Parasomnia.”

Joni Mitchell’s archival releases have continued with Archives – Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980), which sheds light on the singer-songwriter’s jazzier phase of the last ’70s. The lineup includes bassists Jaco Pastorius, Charles Mingus, Rob Stoner, Max Bennett, Stanley Clarke, and Eddie Gomez.

Japan’s Vola Guitars has announced the ZVA 5 Bass. The handmade five-string bass is crafted with an alder body, maple neck, and either a rosewood or maple fingerboard for a classic vibe.

Legendary thrash metal band Slayer formed in 1981 and, as you can imagine, they picked up lots of stories along the way to the top. Fans can now dig deeper into the group’s history with a new online museum on their website.

The late, great Andy Rourke was best known for his work with The Smiths, but he also played for Sinead O’Connor, Badly Drawn Boy, Morrissey, and more. In his later years, he started a group called Blitz Vega with Kav Sandhu. Now, Rourke’s final project has been released to the world.

Fender’s artist series has another signature in it with the new Limited Edition Mark Hoppus Jaguar Bass. The company says the new bass allows players to replicate the Blink-182 member’s tone “precisely.”

The Smile has returned with their third studio album, entitled “Cutouts.” The band – comprised of Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with drummer Tom Skinner – recorded all the music during the sessions for their previous album, though the new record has a much different feel.