Buzz
Gear Watch: BOSS BR-800 Digital Recorder
BOSS has released the new BR-800 Digital Recorder, a portable multi-tracker device. The recorder includes touch-sensor switchers and SD-card recording media. Up to four tracks can be recorded or eight tracks played back simultaneously, with an additional stereo track dedicated to the built-in rhythm generator. There’s an “EZ Recording” mode for beginners looking for guidance in the recording process. Other...
John Paul Jones: Tidal
Here’s John Paul Jones in rare shredding form! Here he uses his 10-string with a pitch shifter to tear through this song on the .
Detroit Bass Fest 2010 Lineup Announced
Details for this year’s Detroit Bass Fest have been revealed, and it looks like it will be another great day of bass. The event has been set for September 3 at Bert’s Warehouse Theatre in Detroit, Michigan. Laying down the low-end will be Gerald Veasley, Ralphe Armstrong, Anthony Wellington, and Doug Johns. The performers will also be clinicians in workshops...
Gear Watch: Team Awesome! Fuzzmachine Re-Released
Smallsound/Bigsound has released an updated version of their Team Awesome! Fuzzmachine bass fuzz pedal. The new stompbox includes added controls that allow for blending overdrive and fuzz, phase inversion, and higher gain levels. The input signal is split into two channels for clean and fuzz, both having their own volume controls. Also added is an input gain circuit to boost...
Allan Holdsworth Live with Skuli Sverrison: Letters Of Marque
Here’s a live performance of Allan Holdsworth at the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA on October 7, 1992. This performance of “Letters of Marque” features a solo by bassist Skuli Sverrison. Gary Husband is on drums and Steve Hunt is on keys. Thanks to Sigurdór Guðmundsson for sharing this with us.
Avenged Sevenfold Release “Nightmare”
Avenged Sevenfold has released their newest effort, Nightmare. This is the first album not to feature the band’s original drummer, Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, who passed away late last year. In his stead for the album and subsequent touring is Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy. “Mike Portnoy has always been a hero of ours and Jimmy’s,” bassist Johnny Christ told Bloody-Disgusting.com....
Weather Report: Live in Hamburg 1971 DVD Released
A 1971 performance of Weather Report, originally broadcast on the German TV show “Beat Club” has made its way to DVD. Released this week, Weather Report: Live in Hamburg 1971 features the early line-up of the group including bassist Miroslav Vitous, co-founding members Joe Zawinul (keyboards) and Wayne Shorter (sax), with Alphonse Mouzon on drums an Dom Um Romao on...
Getting in the Scene
Q: I have some questions regarding studio bass work and other bass-related job possibilities. Since you are a man of many groups and projects, I was hoping you could share some of your valuable insight and experience about diversifying one’s opportunities as a bass player. What is the first step, besides practice of course, to becoming a studio bassist? Are...
Igor Franca: Tight Trite Night (Bass Version)
This is Brazilian bass player Igor Franca, performing a 6-string bass version of the tune “Tight Trite Night”, written by the amazing acoustic guitarist, Don Ross.
Glenn Hughes Announces Solo UK Tour
Former Deep Purple and Black Sabbath member Glenn Hughes has announced a fall tour of the UK. “I’m thrilled to embark on the most extensive U.K. solo tour of my career,” he reports. Most recently, Hughes collaborated with drummer Jason Bonham and guitarist Joe Bonamassa in the supergroup Black Country Communion. Glenn Hughes Solo Tour Dates: Sep. 23 – Academy...
Reader Spotlight: Joel Gregory Ciulla
Meet Joel Ciulla, our bassist in the spotlight for July 27, 2010. Bio: Joel has performed and recorded with hundreds of great musicians such as Alex Acuna, Bennie Maupen, Gerald Clayton, Dr. Bobby Rodriguez, Poncho Sanchez, Justo Almario… just to name a few. He is currently working on his new CD “Cha Cha Bop”, featuring all original compositions. Location: Los...
Custom Shop: An Interview with Pierre Erizias
While checking out all the booths at Summer NAMM last month, we ran into custom bass builder, Pierre Erizias. Based out of Montreal, Pierre wowed us with not only his basses, but his cool story of how he got started building. We were able to catch up with him recently to dig a little deeper and find out about his...