Tommy Stinson Reacts to Rumors of Guns N’ Roses Cancelled Tour
In a recent interview with Cleveland’s WNCX 98.5, Tommy Stinson commented on the rumors swirling around cancelled Guns N’ Roses tour dates. Apparently, Axl Rose’s Twitter account was hacked, with the message, “All upcoming Guns N’ Roses dates are officially cancelled. Please contact your place of purchase for any refunds.” It has been announced that the dates are all still...
Lemmy Kilmister Statue Campaign Launched
A new campaign to immortalize Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead and GnR guitarist Slash with stone statues has been started in their hometown of Stoke-on-Trent, a city in Staffordshire, England. Campaign founder Nile Plumb says the two legendary rockers should be honored in their city to “celebrate Stoke-on-Trent’s musicians and inspire future generations of musicians.” The campaign’s Facebook page also poses...
Simon Little Releases New Solo Project
Bassist/composer Simon Little has released a new solo bass album, Mandala. The ten tracks on the album are all live improvisations, utilizing the Looperlative LP1 looper. “When I was 17 I was listening to the Weather Report live album 8:30 and heard Jaco perform his solo live-looping piece ‘Slang’, it changed the way I thought about playing the bass and...
Glenn Hughes Featured in New Deep Purple Documentary
Glenn Hughes will be heavily featured in a newly announced documentary that chronicles the demise of Deep Purple in 1969. The documentary, called Gettin’ Tighter, is set for an early 2011 release date and a 3-minute official trailer has been put out as a sneak peek. In the trailer, Hughes describes the difficulties he was facing during Deep Purple’s turbulent...
Gear Watch: SoloEtte Little Thumper Nylon Travel Bass
SoloEtte has released the Little Thumper Nylon Travel Bass, a new portable sidekick bass that weighs only 3.5 lbs. Featuring thick Nylon strings, the Little Thumper is constructed of a single piece of Hard Rock Maple with an aluminum rod frame that can be disassembled to fit into a compact soft case. Polyurethane tubing covers the frame for comfort. The...
Geezer Butler Open to Sabbath Reunion
In a recent interview with Hellbound, Geezer Butler said he would be open to a Black Sabbath reunion. When asked about the chances of such an event, he replied, “You know it would be nice to finish the whole thing off with one last tour, I suppose. We’re all getting a bit old now, so time is running out. It...
Rudy Sarzo Solo with Blue Oyster Cult
Here is a fan-shot video from a Blue Oyster Cult performance where they let veteran rocker Rudy Sarzo really shine. Rudy hits pretty much every era of his career, jamming with the band to tunes from Quiet Riot, White Snake and Ozzy, before taking a little Stanley Clarke-inspired solo.
Gear Watch: T-Rex Tonebug Phaser and Chorus/Flanger
T-Rex Engineering has added a Phaser and Chorus/Flanger to their Tonebug line of effects pedals. The Tonebug Phaser features a mode switch to go between a Modern and Vintage sound, as well Rate and Depth controls. The Chorus/Flanger also has a mode switch, but chooses between the chorus and flanging effects. It also has both a Rate and Depth knob...
Ben Allison’s Newport Festival Performance Released Online
Audio from bassist/composer Ben Allison’s entire set from the 2010 CareFusion Newport Jazz Festival is available for free online streaming through NPR Music. The show kicks off with a great bass solo intro to Allison’s composition “Green Al,” from his latest record, Think Free. The band includes Shane Endsley on trumpet, Jenny Scheinman on violin, Steve Cardenas on guitar and...
Gear Watch: MTD Kingston CRB and Saratoga Basses
MTD Kingston has released their new CRB and Saratoga basses, which will be shipping within the next month. The new models are Mike Tobias’ take on classic P and J-style basses, with his own twist. Both Models are available in 4 and 5-string versions, have 34″ scale necks, and have carved Basswood bodies. They also mimic classic elders by utilizing...
“Godfather of the Bass” Robert Wilson Passes at 53
Robert Wilson, affectionately known as the “Godfather of the Bass,” passed away last night at the age of 53. Wilson was the bassist for the funk pioneering Gap Band, which also included his two brothers, Ronnie and Charlie. The group was in its prime in the late ’70s through the mid-’80s, with hits such as “I Don’t Believe You Want...
Doug Wimbish Announces Wim-Bash 2010
Doug Wimbish has announced his 6th annual Wim-Bash, a day long musical event that builds up to Doug performing in three of his groups: Little Axe, Tack>>Head, and Living Colour. The show also includes 12 bands leading up to the “Soundsystem” himself. Wim-Bash 2010 takes place August 28 at Sully’s Pub in Hartford, CT from 1PM to 3AM. Tickets are...