Latest articles by Nick Wells
From The Archive The RHCP bassist has no intention of apologizing for his success – but he knows the music business isn’t always pretty
The Furious Bongos’ Conrad St. Clair explores the musicianship, chemistry and creative thinking behind Frank Zappa’s music
The bass icon was one of the architects of the Wailers’ sound. But after Bob Marley’s death, he found himself embroiled in a bitter legal battle
After stripping the amp down and retesting it, Ashdown finally discovered the culprit – and it had nothing to do with the amp
Rhonda Smith opens up about her new supergroup with Cindy Blackman Santana and Orianthi – and the lessons she learned from Prince
Nat Weiss, an entertainment lawyer who represented the Beatles, saw something beyond a great sideman when he encountered Stanley Clarke playing bass in a club
Having already transformed bass design with Stuart Spector, Ned Steinberger turned his attention to eliminating the headstock altogether – only to discover that Les Paul had beaten him to it
September’s bass arrivals are led by two 6-string artist models, while Ashdown shifts its focus from bass amps to bass guitars
As bassist for Canadian alt-rock band Freeze the Fall, Aria Becker knows the challenges that come with age restrictions – and why the band is finally beginning to outgrow them
With guitarist Lyle Workman at the helm, Bootsy Collins reunited with the J.B.’s for the 2007 Superbad soundtrack
As bassist and lead singer for American rock band Madam Radar, Violet Lea’s approach is all about instinct and attitude
From genre-defining signature basses to an unconventional take on a Fender classic, here’s the lowdown on August’s biggest new bass gear releases
Cooper has since become an integral part of the Coheed machine, bringing an aggressive but articulate approach to the band’s low-end
From a Wayne’s World-inspired Fender to “Roadie Friday”, Georgia Davies reveals the chaos, camaraderie, and curveballs of life on the road with The Last Dinner Party
Bassist Stan Woodward talks eBay finds, music theory, and the rapid rise of the Geordie Greep-backed jazz outfit
Mastodon’s biggest line-up change could have derailed them. Instead, it inspired one of the most ambitious albums of their career
Built by renowned bass builder Mike Lull, both of Ament’s “NBA” basses would eventually meet their demise on the road
Finalists will compete for a haul of prizes including Phil Jones Bass amps, basses, effects, and other bass gear
A fearless audition proved Doug Wimbish was exactly what Living Colour needed following the departure of bassist Muzz Skillings
When Tony Iommi comes calling, there’s only one answer. But for Black Sabbath super-fan Becky Baldwin, saying yes was the easy part
From classic heavy-metal thunder to the soulful tones of reggae, these are the bass releases putting some serious weight behind July’s gear calendar
The Bad Brains bassist discusses his new jazz album and why decades with one instrument taught him that great tone starts in your fingertips
Sam Dixon’s bass collection also includes a 1967 Silverstone Dolphin, a Harmony H2 from 1964, and a pre-CBS Fender P-Bass
