Buzz
John Entwistle Biography Coming in April
As bassist for The Who, John Entwistle helped to shape the role of bass in rock music. Now the story of his life will be detailed in a new authorized biography by Paul Rees.
Fender Announces New Ownership
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation will be getting a new change in ownership. A press release from Fender announced that longtime investor Servco Pacific, Inc. will be securing a majority stake in a purchase agreement with TPG Growth.
Bass of the Week: Burretone Guitars PS 51 Tribute
Greece’s Burretone Guitars makes handcrafted instruments based on vintage designs. Their first build of 2020 is for a customer who wanted a tribute to the classic 1951 Precision in all maple.
Matteo Mancuso, Stefano India, and Giuseppe Bruno: Havona
Guitarist Matteo Mancuso has a new project with bassist Stefano India and drummer Giuseppe Bruno, and if this video is any indication, it is a killer line up. In this clip, the trio takes on Jaco Pastorius’s tune, “Havona.”
In Memoriam: Joe Payne
Sad news to report today: bassist Joe Payne has passed away from undisclosed causes. He was 35 years old. Payne was known for his technical ability in the death metal scene. He joined Nile in 2005 when he was 19 years old.
Tool Add New U.S. Tour Dates
Tool has unveiled a new round of tour dates in the U.S. Northwest in support of their latest album, “Fear Inoculum.” They are also scheduled to headline Bonnaroo in June.
MXR Unveils the Thump Bass Preamp Pedal
MXR unveiled the Thump bass preamp at this year’s Winter NAMM Show. Based on the Echoplex preamp, the compact green pedal features a three-band EQ with a mid-frequency knob.
Ben Wendel and Linda May Han Oh: All Blues
“All Blues” is one of the most played jazz standards in the book, but you’ve probably never heard it like this. Linda May Han Oh joined Ben Wendel for his “Standards with Friends” series to reimagine the song’s groove.
Shavo Odadjian Announces New Band
System of a Down seems to be in a recording gridlock. The band will be touring Europe this summer, but that won’t keep bassist Shavo Odadjian from working on his own new music. He’s just revealed a new project called North Kingsley.
GR Bass Unveils the AeroTech Featherweight Bass Cabinet Series
One of the most shocking pieces of gear we found at the 2020 NAMM Show was the AeroTech bass cabinet series from GR Bass. The lineup is described as the lightest bass guitar speaker cabinets in the world.
Quintin Berry: Watching You
I saw this video by Quintin Berry yesterday on Facebook. Somehow I missed it back in 2017 when he originally shared it. Here’s the official video for Quintin’s tune, “Watching You,” which features him on vocals, some gnarly bass, and his unique way of playing.
Juan Alderete in Coma Following Bike Accident
Bass master and pedal guru Juan Alderete needs your positive energy. His wife Anne posted an update on Instagram explaining that he has been in a coma following a bike accident.