Buzz
Wayne Jones Band: Get Up
Wayne Jones may be known for his innovative bass amp designs, but he’s also a great bassist himself. Here’s a cool clip of his band playing a benefit concert on December 4th, 2016 at Memo Music Hall, St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia. Jones leads the band on his bass with additional groove bass played by Craig Newman. For extra fun, the...
Providence Announces the Bass FX Console
Japan’s Providence Effects has released a new comprehensive effects switching unit for the bass called the Bass FX Console BFX-1. The new bass switcher is fitted with an on-board preamp, the company’s Vitalizer B buffer, and an XLR direct output. “The Bass FX Console BFX-1 enables the player’s favorite pedals with one action without interrupting technical performance,” Providence writes. “A...
David Crosby: She’s Got To Be Somewhere
I really enjoyed Kevin’s recent interview with Mai Agan. Among the topics they discussed was her work with the legendary David Crosby. “Croz is on fire! I mean, he is singing really really good. He is a happy man, and you can hear it in his music,” she said. “On Sky Trails there are songs that he has co-written with...
Headcat Announces New Bassist, Tour Dates
Rockabilly supergroup Headcat has been on hiatus since bassist Lemmy Kilmister’s passing in December 2015. Kilmister formed the band with Slim Jim Phantom and Danny B. Harvey back in 1999 and gigged throughout their 15 years. Now Phantom and Harvey have announced the band will continue with a new bassist/vocalist: former Morbid Angel frontman David Vincent. They announced the new...
Arkham Sound Introduces the Abyss Tube Preamp
Maine’s Arkham Sound has expanded their line of tube preamps with the Abyss. Described as a mid-priced addition to their lineup, the preamp features the same core circuit as their Bullet and Zephyr models and can be used standalone or mounted in a rack. The Abyss centers around a 12AX7 preamp tube, which the company says was selected for good...
Mark Michell: Bass Playthrough of Tetrafusion’s “10,001”
Tetrafusion has just released their latest album, Dreaming of Sleep, on Bandcamp. The prog-metal outfit is anchored by bassist Mark Michell, who released this playthrough video for the song “10,001” to show you how it’s done. Michell rips through the track with killer technique, slick tapping licks, and absolutely monster tone. Dreaming of Sleep is available now for download for...
Mr. Big Releases Track from Upcoming Album
Billy Sheehan and Mr. Big are gearing up for their ninth album, due to be released on July 7th. Defying Gravity will feature the original lineup of Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Sheehan, and Pat Torpey, although Torpey shares duties with drummer Matt Starr after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The album will also see the return of their original producer....
Fender Issues Update on Use of Rosewood
At the beginning of the year, new CITES regulations went into effect for all species of rosewood. The wood is very common in basses and other stringed instruments as a fretboard material. To address the issue, Fender released a statement on how they are changing their instruments to deal with the new regulation. “Fender is committed to the continued use...
Mike Watt with Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder: Walking The Cow
Ever since the Ring Spiel Tour ’95 album came out last year, I’ve been hooked on this song. “Walking The Cow” is an odd little tune written by Daniel Johnston and reimagined here by Mike Watt along with Dave Grohl, Eddie Vedder, Pat Smear, and William Goldsmith. Watt lays down a perfect bass line accented by a few pops and...
Ask Damian: More Album Recommendations
Q: I really dug the last column about albums to check out, if you want to get into jazz. I found a ton of great stuff that I actually liked in there! Do you have any more suggestions that extend beyond the jazz genre? A: Thanks! I’m glad that you discovered some new music. That’s great to hear. I’ve gotten...
Davie504: Fidget Spinner Jam
It seems like you just can’t get away from fidget spinners right now. Luckily, YouTube bassist Davie504 decided to put one to good use. Here’s a cool clip of him using a fidget spinner to play the main theme to “Misirlou”. The fad toy makes for good tremolo pick.
Reader Spotlight: Liam “Leroy” Owen
Growing up in what he describes as “the wildest and weirdest parts of West Wales,” Liam “Leroy” Owen lived in a home without a TV signal. “So music was what we did,” he shares. His dad – a guitarist – had plenty of instruments around, and when it came time for Liam to choose one, he chose the bass. Liam...