Buzz
Duff McKagan Speaks on Upcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Duff McKagan opened up about his thoughts on his upcoming induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Guns N’ Roses. “I don’t [know what’s going to happen]. I know I’m going to go. I can’t, at all, speak for anybody else. And won’t. I’ll be there with...
TC Electronic Unveils BG250 Combo Amp at MusikMesse 2012
TC Electronic announced their new BG250 bass combo, a 1×15? that pumps out 250 watts of power while weighing in at 35 pounds. The combo is the first to have TC’s innovative new TonePrint concept built in, which allows for interchangeable and customizable effects to be loaded into the amp. Coupled with the iPhone app, TonePrint lets you change effects...
New School: Olivier Babaz
Olivier Babaz is a bassist who pushes his technique to expand his musicality, even if it means playing several instruments at once. The bassist first caught our attention in a video where he plays bass, kalimba, and shaker all at the same time. Born and raised in Paris, Babaz moved to Canada in 2010. Besides working on his own music,...
Cream, Live At Royal Albert Hall: Outside Woman Blues (2005)
On November 26, 1968, Cream performed their last show together at London’s Royal Albert Hall. In 2005, the trio of Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker returned to the Hall for a reunion concert – the first time since the brief set at Cream’s 1993 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here’s one of the performances...
KISS and Mötley Crüe Announce North American Tour
KISS and Mötley Crüe will be hitting the road this summer for a trek so epic it’s simply dubbed “The Tour.” Starting at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia on July 20th, the extensive tour covers the entire Continental U.S., eventually wrapping up on September 23rd in Hartford, Connecticut. Both iconic rock bands will be debuting new music on the...
Warwick Unveils Two New Robert Trujillo Signature Basses
Warwick has introduced the Artist Series Robert Trujillo NT and the Rockbass Artist Line Robert Trujillo basses. The new models are built with similar specs to his existing signature Streamer bass, but are built in different factories to keep the price point down. Available in 4- or 5-string versions, the Artist Series bass features a neck-through design with a maple...
Bass of the Week: Norton Guitars Wraith Bass
Norton Guitars takes a unique approach to building instruments by utilizing what they call the “Norton Mainframe” – a skeleton made of T6061 aircraft grade aluminum. The bass is then built with wood and electronics from there. A prime example of their work is their Wraith model bass. Featuring the “Tube” frame version of the Norton Mainframe, the Wraith is...
Larry Graham and Graham Central Station Play Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger”
Yep, you read that right. During an appearance on the Dutch radio show GIEL to promote his European tour, Larry Graham and his band Graham Central Station took current pop music head on by tackling the Maroon 5 tune “Moves Like Jagger”. Armed with his iconic white bass and some gnarly effects, the slap bass innovator nails the tune and...
Rotosound Introduces Bass String Cleaner
Rotosound has introduced a new string cleaner for bass that wraps around the strings for 360 degree cleaning. Designed to fit all 4- and 5-string bass guitars, the BSC1 uses microfiber pads to remove sweat and debris to extend the life of your strings. The device also cleans the fingerboard at the same time, all without needing a cleaning solution....
Ruokangas Guitars Introduce Fretless Steambass
Finnish custom shop Ruokangas Guitars is now offering fretless versions of their vintage-inspired Steambass, which they introduced last year. The company included stylish fret markers on the ebony fretboard that don’t cross the whole board but instead correspond in placement to the position of the neck – the lower register has markers under the E-string, while the 12th “fret” and...
Improving Your Playing: What’s Your Story?
Q: What are you personally working on to improve your playing? A: Okay, getting more personal than usual here <grin>… I am in a constant state of flux with my practice habits. Different things bug me about my playing depending on the gigs I have one week versus the next, causing me to switch gears and focus. Lately, I’ve been...
The Original Flecktones: Live at Anthology
Bela Fleck and the Original Flecktones are currently touring in support of their most recent album, Rocket Science. Pianist/harmonica player Howard Levy returned to the group for the first time since 1991 for the album and tour, which also includes bassist Victor Wooten, percussionist/drummer Roy “Futureman” Wooten and banjoist and leader Bela Fleck. The band made a stop in San...