News - Page 245

Get ready: Victor Wooten has announced he will be releasing a new solo album this fall. TRYPNOTYX will be available on September 5th and will be his first solo record since 2012. The bass guru will is joined by his latest trio featuring monster drummer Dennis Chambers and saxophonist Bob Franceschini. Guest artists will include vocalist Varijashree Venugopal and “voicetrumentalist”...

It’s official: the original lineup of the Dixie Dregs will be reuniting for a tour in 2018. Rumors of the legendary band’s reunion have been swirling since 2015, but it was made official in a video that Rod Morgenstein made for Rock, Roots, & Blues – Live. Original Dregs bassist Andy West will be taking part in the reunion and...

If you’ve ever been in a band, you know the hardest part is managing it. If that’s something you’ve been struggling with, Stephen Marcone and David Philp have some advice in the new sixth edition of their book, Managing Your Band – Artist Management: The Ultimate Responsibility. The 344-page book is aimed at helping DIY musicians and personal managers to...

It’s hard to talk about the giants of bass without bringing up Donald “Duck” Dunn. As a session bassist for Stax-Volt, he laid down the groove to hits by Booker T. & the MGs, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett, Eddie Floyd, Elvis Presley, Isaac Hayes, and more. Many will also remember him as the bassist for the Blues...

It’s been 11 years of waiting for a new album, but Tool’s Justin Chancellor says that the band is most of the way done with their next release. “We’re about 90 percent there,” he told the MetalSucks podcast. “We’ve just been really picky over what we want to put on this new album and really want to come up with...

John McCarthy has released a new 152-page instructional book for bassists called Learn Bass, Master Edition. Starting at the beginning with how to hold the instrument, the book covers everything from theory and scales to rhythm and how to play with a drummer. McCarthy also covers plucking techniques, slap and pop, and pick technique. Once you register your book, you’ll...

After 15 studio and live albums, Gov’t Mule has returned with Revolution Come… Revolution Go. The band, anchored by Jorgen Carlsson, proves their staying power in the release, which blends several genres to create their unique sound. “The main thing for us is to always have our personalities shining through,” frontman Warren Haynes explains. “When someone has an idea, we...

Former Police drummer Stewart Copeland has put together a new group called Gizmodrome, and he picked some heavy hitters to join him. The band is rounded out by Italian keyboardist Vittorio Cosma, guitarist Adrian Belew, and Level 42 bassist Mark King. The project will release their self-titled debut album on September 15th, 2017. Gizmodrome started with Copeland and Cosma, expanding...

If you’ve been online recently, you’ll know the most talked about story in the bass community in the last month has been the auction for a bass previously owned by James Jamerson. Owned by the Motown genius from 1962 until approximately 1968, the 1961 Fender Precision was reportedly given to fellow Detroit bassist Billy Hayes around that time. Hayes used...

Legendary punk band Rancid has returned with their ninth album, Trouble Maker. Anchored by bass freak Matt Freeman, the 19-song collection runs from blistering riffs to ska-infused jams. Freeman’s lines continue to be rooted in driving the song while bringing a melodic element to the grooves. For proof, check out the band playing the album (in the video below). Trouble...

In 2012, Paul Simon reunited with his Graceland musicians to perform special concert at the Hard Rock Calling Festival in London. Held at Hyde Park, the concert also featured special appearances by Hugh Masekela, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Jimmy Cliff. The whole cast was anchored by the unshakeable bass grooves of Bakithi Kumalo. Luckily, it’s been released on DVD. Kumalo,...

Founding members Michael Angelo Batio and frontman Jim Gillette announced last year that they’d be reforming their ’80s glam metal band Nitro for a new album. They also announced that Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler would be filling the group out, though the question of who would play bass on the record has been a mystery until now. “Nitro...