Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 86

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.

In part 4 of our interview with Tony Levin, he reveals how Steve Gadd changed his career and explains how he chose musicians for his new solo album.

Basstardos may have a tongue-in-cheek name, but it’s an assembly of three of the most virtuosic bassists of our time, with Munir Hossn, Hadrien Feraud, and Michael Pipoquinha. Here's the band’s performance for The Black Room Sessions.

YYNOT is about to hit the road for a fall tour, but they’ve also announced the third annual Bubba Bash for 2025. The fundraiser celebrates late Rush drummer Neil Peart, with proceeds going to benefit Cedars-Sinai Hospital in his name.

Warm Audio has launched the Pedal76, which they describe as a faithful recreation of a legendary compressor in pedal form. The new unit is an all-analog, transformer-balanced FET compressor designed for guitar, bass, and more.

Moody Blues legend John Lodge has announced a new set of tour dates for his “Days of Future Passed” tour, in which he will play the band’s 1967 album of the same name in its entirety. The bassist, singer, and songwriter made sure to incorporate his former bandmates in the shows, even the late Graeme Edge.

Rob van den Broek shared his latest creation with us and it’s an absolute beast. The Brooks Double Duane Bird, aka the DDB, is a double neck Thunderbird-style bass that features a traditional 34-inch scale four-string neck below a 30.5-inch scale twelve-string neck.

Umphrey’s McGee will take flight next year with the newly announced Cruising Altitude 2025 Tour. The band, anchored by Ryan Stasik, will kick things off on January 16th.