Buzz
John Paul Jones to Receive Gold Badge Award
John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin and Them Crooked Vultures will honored with a Gold Badge Award, given out by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. The event, which will also recognize twelve other recipients, will take place October 20 at the Savoy Hotel in London. Jones is being honored not only for his time with Led Zeppelin,...
Flashback: Metallica Bass Auditions with Robert Trujillo
This is a cool documentary clip showing the process Metallica went through to replace Jason Newsted, who left the band. In the clip, bassists making appearances include Scott Reeder (Kyuss), Jeordie White, aka Twiggy Ramirez (A Perfect Circle, Marilyn Manson), Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity), Chris Wyse (The Cult) Eric Avery (Alanis Morissette, Jane’s Addiction) and Robert Trujillo, who the...
George Porter, Jr. to Tour with 7 Walkers
Legendary New Orleans bassist George Porter, Jr. will be hitting the road as part of the jam supergroup, 7 Walkers, on their upcoming tour. The band, founded by ex-Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann and guitarist Papa Mali, will also be releasing their self-titled debut on November 2 through Response Records. Though Porter is on the album, much of the bass...
Jack Bruce: Rope Ladder to the Moon Documentary Released on DVD
Tony Palmer’s 1969 documentary on Cream bassist Jack Bruce is now available on DVD. Jack Bruce: Rope Ladder to the Moon is a 55 minute documentary on the singer-songwriter, filmed around the same time that he was recording his jazz-oriented solo record, Songs for a Tailor. The film proves to be a snapshot of Bruce during a pivotal time in...
Practice Routines
Q: How would you describe a good practice session and how would you break it down? A: I think I’ve probably answered this in different ways in past columns, depending on the topic. In short, I’d tailor the practice time and routine based upon your own personal attention span and needs. I have the problem of getting bored quickly when...
Alex Bershadsky: Butterfly Trap
Here is a cool video from Zon endorser Alex Bershadsky. Alex resides in Israel, where he performs with his band, The Looney Tunes. His composition, “Butterfly Trap”, evolves from a thoughtful solo bass idea into a full band ballad, and then into a funky fusion jam before returning to solo bass.
Tony Kanal Speaks on New No Doubt Album and Tour
No Doubt’s Tony Kanal took the time to speak with press last week during bandmate Gwen Stefani’s fashion show in NYC, saying that the band is revving up for a new album and tour. The ska-rock band is still in the process of writing their sixth studio album, which will be their first new material since 2001’s Rock Steady. Kanal...
Reader Spotlight: Elias Kesh
Meet Elias Kesh, a bassist from San Jose, California and our player in the spotlight for September 21, 2010. Bio: Elias began to perform music as a youth in the 70’s, followed by years studying music theory and jazz arranging in college. His primary genres of focus have been jazz/fusion and R&B. Some of Elias’ influences include Jeff Lorber, Brian...
Fusebox Funk Releases “The Subterrestrials”
Fusebox Funk has released their fifth EP, The Subterrestrials, via Extra Medium Productions. The four-track EP was produced by two-time Grammy winner Ross Hogarth, who has also worked with Ziggy Marley, Motley Crue, Jewel, and Jimmy Eat World. The band itself has shared venues with the likes of Parliament/Funkadelic, Smash Mouth, Against Me!, and Ozomatli. The Florida based group creates...
David Pastorius: Live Jazz Jam
There’s not a lot of detail about this live performance by David Pastorius (other than being called “Jazz Jam”), but there’s plenty of bass.
David Gage’s Shop Hosts Open House
David Gage String Instruments has announced they will be holding an open house at their shop in New York City to celebrate the new school year. The free event will take place September 25 from 2 to 6 PM, and is set to include informative sessions, titled “Ask the Luthiers,” “Traveling with a String Bass,” and a special presentation by...
Metallica Releases “Six Feet Down Under” EP
The metal legends in Metallica have been touring for nearly two solid years since the release of their last studio album, Death Magnetic. Now the group is finally wrapping up their time on the road with a fall tour of Australia and New Zealand, they’re commemorating the occasion by releasing Six Feet Down Under, a compilation EP of live performances...