Latest articles by Nick Wells
The chance meeting between Pino Palladino and D’Angelo that helped create the sound of the vaunted Voodoo album
The A-list bassist sheds some light on the late R&B legend's beguiling behind-the-beat hip-hop grooves
Nashville session bassist Travis Dykes spent $136 building a bass from Temu parts. Now he’s playing it on some seriously big gigs
From legendary Nashville sessions to performing on the world's biggest stages, Travis Dykes charts the surprise success of the budget bass he built in a day
How Christian McBride reunited The Police duo for his latest solo outing
Sting and Andy Summers joined McBride for a jazz-tinged version of a Synchronicity-era Police classic
From gigging in strip clubs to recording with John Martyn and Kate Bush, Danny Thompson walked a singular path in bass playing
Beginning with his early days amid London’s jazz and blues boom in the ’50s, to his famed partnership with singer-songwriter John Martyn, the late Danny Thompson excelled at everything he touched
As Musical Director for Kendrick Lamar, Tony Russell could be the greatest bass player you've never heard of
He’s played with Usher, Jamie Foxx, P. Diddy, and Jay-Z – is Tony ‘Chicago’ Russell the best-kept secret in bass?
11 real-life Spinal Tap moments from bass playing royalty
Bass legends Victor Wooten, Thundercat, Duff McKagan and more share their own moments of outrage, downright stupidity and absolute genius
Adrian Younge reveals the inspiration behind his half-fretless Fender Custom Shop Jazz Bass
Having collaborated with the likes of Jay-Z, Wu-Tang Clan and Kendrick Lamar, Younge joined forces with Master Builder Vincent Van Trigt to recreate his favourite bass sound
Having played in the Pixies, Zwan, and A Perfect Circle, Paz Lenchantin knows a thing or two about the bass guitar and its role in rock
Former Pixies bassist Paz Lenchantin still has a few tricks up her sleeve, including a debut solo album
How Phil Lynott narrowly missed the chance to form a supergroup alongside Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore
The name Baby Face would end up being used as a song title on Thin Lizzy’s next album
How Peter Hook invented an unheard-of approach to punk-rock bass playing
With Joy Division, Peter Hook’s upper-register basslines were plucked straight from a rhythm guitarist’s handbook
Danny Sapko on social media scandals, his 80’s-inspired AI rock band – and how the ‘Dipstick Lick’ broke America
Having taken on the crowded playing-field of social media, it’s been quite a year for infamous YouTuber Danny Sapko
Marrying savage hooks to technical prowess, Jon Modell is proof of just how heavy a 5-string bass can be in modern metal
Bassist Jon Modell looks back on the band’s early days – and the influence guitarist Greg Kubacki has had on his sound
Bassist Ronnie Ficarro on taking Wolfgang Van Halen’s studio sound to the stage
Ronnie Ficarro explains the nuances of pick playing, why tone can make or break a band, and how he stumbled upon slap bass for Mammoth’s latest single
Before Robert Trujillo and Jason Newsted, Cliff Burton set the musical bar for Metallica and established an indelible legacy
Cliff Burton’s playing style may have been an offbeat fit for the cutting-edge thrash of Metallica, but it worked perfectly
Thunderstruck on bass? With slapping and tapping? Bass hero Toby Peterson-Stewart flexes his chops in tribute to AC/DC
From parallel distortion to cutting-edge tapping, Toby Peterson-Stewart breaks down some of the highlights from his latest cover
Jack Bruce’s final encounter with Jaco Pastorius
According to his brother, Rory Pastorius, Jaco was influenced by the late Cream bassist’s midrange sound and aggressive lead style
Joe Satriani’s best basslines (Yes, he plays bass, too)
The phenomenal guitar playing of Joe Satriani needs no introduction, but he also handled bass duties on his first two albums
Alex ‘V-Man’ Venturella on the secret to metal’s heaviest bass tone and nailing his Slipknot audition
Slipknot's low-end specialist discusses his epic amp collection, the brilliance of Eloy Casagrande and how James Hetfield shaped his technique
Iron Maiden remain one of most domineering forces in heavy metal – and bassist Steve Harris has led the charge
Steve Harris has always pushed beyond the conventions of rock bass guitar, but in his mind, he’s no bass hero
He was Zappa’s bassist and remains a low-end enigma – but Scott Thunes has never held back on his opinions
Scott Thunes blazed a unique trail with Frank Zappa – but maintains solo bass is a complete no-no
Carol Kaye on why it is not who you are but how and what you play that defines you as a musician
As one of L.A.’s top studio musicians during the ‘60s, Carol Kaye’s credits rival anyone's. In this classic 2009 interview, she talks influences, teaching, and how she feels about being a role model
“This bass has plenty of cutting power, and it's versatile enough to handle just about any gig”: Cort GB-Fusion 4 review
A new entry to the wallet-friendly bass market, the Cort GB-Fusion 4 combines impressive pickups and hardware with classic J-Bass style
David Hood on Aretha, what Otis Redding taught him, and tales from Muscle Shoals' golden age
In this interview from the Bass Player archive, Hood reflects on his career as a ‘Swamper’, playing on hits by Paul Simon, the Staple Singers Aretha Franklin and more
