News - Page 234

Bass Battle, aka Bogdan Diaconeasa, has released a new album, but this one is a little different from his previous efforts. While it still has some killer bass on it, Electric Play focuses on the guitar. “Guys, for some of you, this new release could sound a little bit paradoxical, a project called Bass Battle with a new album has...

If you’ve felt the ground rumbling late, it’s probably because bassists from all over the world have teamed up for the Bassists Alliance. The project, which features thirteen bassists and one drummer, has released their debut album, Crush. Formed by Alberto Rigoni and Six Feet Under bassist Jeff Hughell, the group’s new album is as varied in style as it...

Doom metal legends Sleep expanded their 2018 tour dates with a new handful of concerts in January. The trio, which is anchored by the mighty Al Cisneros, will be visiting Utah, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas in addition to their previously announced spring shows. In other news, the band spent part of this past year working on a new album with...

Bass and drum duo Royal Blood have announced they’ll be coming to the U.S. for a headlining tour in 2018. Fronted by bassist/vocalist Mike Kerr, the band will be hitting the road in support of their latest album, How Did We Get This Dark? The tour kicks off in Brooklyn, New York before heading to Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Georgia, Florida,...

Tony Levin and his brother Pete have followed up their debut album with a new live release, entitled Special Delivery. Produced three years after the Levin Brothers’ self-titled debut, the new album captures the duo along with saxophonist Erik Lawrence and drummer Jeff Siegel during their 2017 tour. The quartet tackles mostly original tunes penned by the Levins and Erik...

Grateful Dead fans have one more reason to be grateful: bassist Phil Lesh and guitarist Bob Weir have announced a duo tour. The trek, which will be their first ever duo run, will take place with multiple night engagements in New York City, Boston, and Chicago during March. “I guess it was last summer, Phil and I played a little...

If you’re interested in the history of the double bass, you may want to check out Stephen Street’s new republished editions of three books by Raymond Elgar: Introduction to the Double Bass, More About the Double Bass, and Looking At The Double Bass. Originally published in the 1960s, the books chronicle the double bass in three aspects. Introduction covers the...

Listen up, Rolling Stones fans: the legendary rock band has put out a new compilation album called On Air. The 18-song collection brings together live and studio performances from various BBC shows between 1963 and 1965, during which time Bill Wyman was starting to produce some of his most iconic bass lines. Tracks include takes of their classics “Come On”...

Bass master Ron Carter has teamed up with 1630 Jazz Books to re-release his Comprehensive Bass Method instruction book and two song books. The 84-page bass method book builds on the original from the 1970s with “several of his compositions, a transcription, new photographs and video links to Ron demonstrating several exercises.” Designed for both upright and electric bass, it...

U2 has followed up their 2014 album Songs of Innocence with Songs of Experience. Like its predecessor, the group’s 14th album looks back on the band’s career and lessons learned through the years. Adam Clayton explains that through everything they’ve experienced, it boils down to simple things: “The idea is what has it taught us? Where are we at now?...

It’s been 40 years since Rush released A Farewell To Kings. The album, which notably features the hit “Closer to the Heart” among others, is being celebrated by the trio with a reissue including a massive box set. Anchored by the incredible bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee, each version of the reissue includes a remastered version of the original album plus a...

Bobby Vega has a reputation, or maybe several. He’s known for his incredible knowledge of bass gear. He’s known for being the go-to bassist in the Bay Area. He’s also known for grooving his ass off with a pick, but that’s not all there is to his playing. Now fans who know his funk and rock playing can get a...