Slipknot Asks for Return of Items Stolen From Paul Gray’s Grave
The members of Slipknot are reaching out to the community for the return of items that were stolen from bassist Paul Gray’s grave. Taken from the gravesite were statues of a gargoyle and a Buddah that had been placed there by friends and family. In a statement on their website, Slipknot simply states they want the items returned. “We ask...
Alfred Releases the Couch Potato Bass Workout
Alfred has released a new instructional though maybe unconventional book, entitled The Couch Potato Bass Workout. Intended for all levels and styles, the book is based on the idea that sometimes we end up practicing while “vegging out on the couch” sometimes, so why not make it productive? The workout includes exercises to develop speed, strength, and accuracy by teaching...
Gear Watch: Sheptone P-Bass Pickups
Sheptone is stepping into the world of electric bass pickups, beginning with a new line of P-Bass pickups. The new models are made for Fender Precision basses and similar models, and are made to vintage specifications, utilizing alnico 5 magnets and #42 plain enamel wire while measuring out to 10.3k. All the pickups are made in the U.S. at Sheptone’s...
Victor Wooten Announces 2011 Summer Camps at Wooten Woods
The first batch of dates for the 2011 summer camps at Wooten Woods have been announced, which will mark the Bass/Nature camp’s 12th season. Victor Wooten, who happens to be an avid naturalist in addition to world famous bassist, runs the camps with a who’s who list of bass legends. This year includes three distinct camps: the Bass/Nature camp, Music/Nature...
Pablo Aslan Quintet: Ventarron
Here is the tango master Pablo Aslan at work on the tune “Ventarron.” This performance comes from the 2009 Buenos Aires International Tango Festival.
Mike Mills Talks On Upcoming R.E.M. Album
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Mike Mills revealed new details about R.E.M.’s upcoming album, Collapse Into Now. The bassist explains the new project sounds reminiscent of the group’s 1992 release, Automatic for the People. ”The songs go from one type into another really easily and it all seems to fit as a piece,” he says. “It makes sense...
Tommy Stinson Thanks Fans For Haiti Fundraiser with Free MP3
Guns N’ Roses bassist Tommy Stinson is thanking his fans for contributing to his recent auction, which helped to raise money for the Timkatec schools in Haiti. To show his appreciation, Stinson is giving away a free MP3 and video of a new song, which he recorded in the restaurant of the Conrad Hotel in Brussels, Belgium. ”Thanks to you,...
Pablo Aslan Releases “Tango Jazz” With Paquito D’Rivera
Tango bass master Pablo Aslan has just released a new collaborative album with Paquito D’Rivera. Tango Jazz: Live at Jazz at Lincoln Center features Aslan as both bassist and musical director during the March 2010 concerts in New York City from which the album is compiled. D’Rivera, who is one of the most esteemed Latin Jazz alto sax/clarinetists in the...
Gear Watch: Tech 21 VT Bass 300 Amp
Tech 21 has unveiled their new VT Bass 300 amp, based on their SansAmp Character Series VT Bass pedal. The box, which is rated at 300 analog watts, features two channels that can be dialed in from clean to completely overdriven. You can choose between the two or combine them using the included footswitch. The footswitch also allows for silent...
Black Dub Releases Debut Album, Announces Tour Dates
Producer/guitarist Daniel Lanois’ band Black Dub has released its debut self-titled album. The 11-track outing features the slick grooves of bassist Daryl Johnson, who seamlessly follows the band as they subtly mix rock, funk, soul, and reggae styles into their own unique sound. The group’s quartet setting allows Johnson to really stretch out with some tasty fills without losing their...
Elvis Bassist Bill Black’s 1960 Fender Precision Up For Auction
A 1960 Fender Precision bass belonging to the late Bill Black is being sold at the Heritage Auctions Beverly Hills Signature Music & Entertainment Auction, to be held November 13th and 14th. Black, who passed away in 1965, is best known as Elvis Presley’s original bassist, playing with the icon through the 1950s. Black was also a pioneer of Rockabilly,...
Flea Joins Gorillaz Mastermind Damon Albarn For New Project
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea has teamed up with Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn on yet another supergroup. Albarn reports that the band also includes Afrobeat drumming master Tony Allen and some of his “favorite African musicians will be involved also.” They are mostly done recording an album, though they still don’t have a name. “Flea of course is an...