Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 841

The rockers in Black Rebel Motorcycle Club posted a message on their web site seeking help in tracking down some stolen gear, including a 1968 Ampeg Scrolltop fretless bass and a 1964 Black Fender Precision. The gear, which belonged to bassist/singer Robert Levon Been’s father, was taken out of band’s personal storage locker. Also taken was a Fender 1954 Esquire...

Schecter has announced the new Raiden Special and Raiden Elite basses, geared towards the “feature driven, price conscious player.” Both basses feature 34” scale and 6-bolt necks. The Raiden Special has a body of basswood with a quilted maple top and a 24 X Jumbo fret Rosewood board with a maple neck. The Special also features the coil tappable Schecter...

Geoff Lloyd, who co-founded and played bass for the popular Canadian rock group, the Matthew Good Band, passed away this weekend. The cause of death has not been made public, but a Facebook post states that “Geoff had been fighting his inner demons for a number of years, and they finally got the better of him.” Lloyd was the bassist...

Due to tons of requests, Tech 21 has introduced the VT Bass Deluxe, a 6-channel programmable version of their SansAmp Character Series VT Bass pedal. The pedal brings together the warmth of an all-analog signal path and the convenience of digital recall to allow players to easily dial up their favorite tones. The controls on the VT Bass Deluxe include...

Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman’s supergroup side project, “Apparatjik,” featuring Magne Furuholmen from A-Ha, producer Martin Terefe and Jonas Bjerre from Mew, will be releasing a new as-yet-untitled album and making their first public appearance on February 1st. The name Apparatjik comes from the Swedish language and is used to describe people who “create bottlenecks in otherwise efficient organizations.” The group...

The new Red Ripper Fuzz for bass from Tech 21 is more than your ordinary distortion box. It actually responds to the dynamics of your touch, so if you play harder you get more fuzz and higher harmonics, and if you play softer you get less fuzz and enhanced lower harmonics. Very nice for dynamic contrast. The Red Ripper’s “R.I.P.”...

Velvet Revolver and ex-Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan is reportedly writing and recording with the group Jane’s Addiction, according to fan web site Xiola.org. The news following a twitter post from original J.A. bassist Eric Avery, saying “fyi, to answer the question directly, i am not writing with janes addiction.” Jane’s Addiction reunited with the original lineup in late...

Zon Guitars has announced a new affordable line of bass guitars called the Standard Series. Featuring the Mosaic, Sonus, and Legacy models, the new basses are handcrafted in Korea to Zon’s rigid quality requirements and then inspected for finish and setup at Zon’s facility in Redwood City. “There are a lot of players out there who want to own a...

Jazz bassist Michael Janisch has just released his new album, Purpose Built on Whirlwind Recordings. This is his first album as a bandleader and features Aaron Goldberg (piano), Jim Hart (vibraphone), Jason Palmer (trumpet), Paul Booth (Tenor Saxophone), Mike Moreno (guitar), Patrick Cornelius (alto saxophone), Phil Robson (guitar), Walter Smith III (tenor saxophone), and Johnathan Blake (drums). Preview and download...

According to the Detroit Free Press, the widow of Motown’s master bassist James Jamerson is suing La Bella Strings for using his name and image in its marketing. The suit is seeking at least $25,000. Annie Jamerson, 68, is filing the suit against La Bella, which “touts James Jamerson in the packaging and ads for a set of bass strings.”...

The massive line up for the three day Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has been announced, boasting over 120 performing artists. The headlining artists for each night are scheduled to be Jay-Z, Muse, and Gorillaz. Bass players will be happy to hear from the likes of Les Claypool, Them Crooked Vultures, Sly and the Family Stone, and many more....

Korg has released a new addition to their expansive selection of tuners called the Wi-Tune Chromatic Tuner. Utilizing the Korg’s new “Wireless Tuning System,” it allows players freedom from swapping cables and needing to patch in and out of a tuner during performance. The tuner is made up of two pieces: a transmitter module that attaches to the instrument, and...