W.A.S.P. Releases New Album, Four Years in the Making
Stalwart metal band W.A.S.P. has released its latest album, Golgotha. “There are times in any band’s career that somehow all things mesh together. Their experiences, influences, and personal timing bring them into a common space,” said frontman Blackie Lawless of the album, which features longtime bassist Mike Duda. “This has happened with this record. Four years in the making has...
Snail Moves Forward with “Feral”
Heavy rock band Snail’s latest album, Feral, combines emotionalism, psychedelia and sonic heft. The band returned to music making in 2008 after a short-lived initial career in the early 1990s, when they released one album and one EP. Feral is the band’s fourth 21st century studio album. The record includes two songs contributed all, or in part, by bassist Matt...
Coheed and Cambria Tour, Release New Album
Coheed and Cambria’s latest album, The Color Before the Sun, is something different – it’s not a concept album. According to Rolling Stone, the album was recorded live in the studio with Zach Cooper on bass, and the songs, instead of having a sci-fi concept, reflect bandleader Claudio Sanchez’s impending fatherhood. “This is a new phase in my life. I’m...
Ex-Hanoi Rocks Bassist Collaborates with Former Bandmate on New Album
Sami Yaffa, onetime bassist for the Finnish band Hanoi Rocks and the New York Dolls, holds down the low end on former Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe’s latest solo effort, Blackout States. The album “has all the ingredients of a perfect rock‘n’roll record – strong melodic songs with great meaningful lyrics that defy all clichés, delivered with a punky, ballsy...
Last Album Leads to New EP for Decemberists
The Decemberists have released the five songs that didn’t make it onto its January album, What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World as the EP, florasongs. Featuring Nate Query (also Black Prairie) on bass, the album’s title references the Portland studio belonging to Tucker Martine, who co-produced What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World with the band. Arguing...
Small Faces Decca Years Box Set Released
The Small Faces, the 1960s band that evolved from mod to psychedelic in four short years before retooling its lineup and transforming into The Faces, has received the box set treatment for its 1965-67 tenure with Decca Records. Led by bassist/co-songwriter Ronnie Lane and guitarist/co-songwriter Steve Marriott, the British band, in its Decca days, was firmly mod. The five CD...
The Zombies Release New Album, Mount Unusual Tour
The Zombies, the British rock band known for 1960s pop hits “She’s Not There,” “Tell Her No,” and “Time of the Season” have released the album Still Got That Hunger with a lineup featuring Jim Rodford (Argent, The Kinks) on bass. Rodford’s son’s Steve also handles the drumming duties for the band, which features original members Rod Argent on keyboards...
Ariane Cap Releases Music Theory Book for Bassists
Bassist, pianist, composer and educator Ariane Cap has decided to make understanding music theory easier to understand for bassists in her book, Music Theory for the Bass Player: A Comprehensive and Hands-on Guide to Playing with More Confidence and Freedom. The theory in the book is designed to be approachable, and can even be used by players who can’t read...
Jazz Legend Eddie Gomez Works with New Collaborator
Jazz bass great Eddie Gomez (Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnette) has collaborated with acclaimed pianist Bob Albanese on the latter’s album, Time Remembered. Also featuring drummer Willard Dyson, the album was recorded in one night-long studio session. “It’s a record which I hope will awaken a listener’s private muse,“ Albanese said. Take a listen to the album on Soundcloud....
Paul McCartney Remixes, Remasters, Rarities Appear in “Tug of War” and “Pipes of Peace” Reissues
The Paul McCartney Archive Collection album series is going strong, with the dual release of deluxe editions of the famed bassist/multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and songwriter’s 1982 Tug of War and 1983 Pipes of Peace. Tug of War, which featured the hits “Take It Away” and “Ebony and Ivory” as well as “Here Today” – McCartney’s song for his former bandmate in...
Clutch Releases 11th Album, “Psychic Warfare”
The latest album from Maryland rockers Clutch is poised to build on the success of 2013’s Earth Rocker, which debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at #15. Psychic Warfare, which features founding bassist Dan Maines, is the band’s eleventh studio album, released on its own Weathermaker Music. The band worked together in the studio more than in the recent past,...
Book Offers Tips on Negotiating the Music Business
There’s more to being a musician than making music. For many, the music making can be the easiest part of establishing a career. Bobby Borg, onetime drummer for Warrant and a teacher of music business classes at Musician’s Institute and UCLA Extension, has written Business Basics for Musicians: The Complete Handbook from Start to Success to help fellow musicians negotiate...