Latest articles by Nick Wells
How bassist Cliff Williams landed the gig (and found his sound) with AC/DC
When he joined AC/DC in 1977, Cliff Williams played a Fender Precision, but made a permanent change following the band's Highway to Hell album
How the bassist for UK riff-slingers Don Broco ended up recording with Muse’s bass rig – and collaborating with Nickelback
Recorded with the help of Muse bassist Chris Wolstenholme, Nightmare Tripping showcases bassist Tom Doyle’s Earth-shattering basslines
From Raye to Zara Larsson, how session pro Liv Thompson learned to nail pop’s big gigs
Having performed everywhere from SNL to the Grammys, Thompson knows a thing or two about the bass and its role in pop
Ashley Reeve leads the low-end for everyone from Cher to Filter – and her right-hand tone is her most important asset
When she’s not performing with Cher, Ashley Reeve has honed her bass playing prowess with the likes of CeeLo Green, Adam Lambert and alternative rock band Filter
We meet the man who reunited Paul McCartney with his long-lost Beatles bass
Stolen in 1972, Paul McCartney’s missing Höfner resurfaced in a family’s attic 51 years after it disappeared. But it took some tracking down…
The story behind Intervals virtuoso Jacob Umansky’s signature bass – and why Avenged Sevenfold changed his life
The Intervals and Nita Strauss bassist’s personalized 6-string Dingwall was first made as a one-off artist build – only for it to turn into his first-ever signature model
How bassist Eva Gardner landed the gig with Pink
The daughter of Creation bassist Kim Gardner, Eva Gardner was also a member of The Mars Volta
How new Nine Inch Nails bassist Stu Brooks went from pop royalty to one of rock’s most sonically adventurous gigs
Brooks had previously collaborated with musical giants like Lady Gaga, 50 Cent, Danny Elfman and Iggy Pop
How Gail Ann Dorsey honed her bass craft with David Bowie and Lenny Kravitz
Bowie’s long-time bassist salutes her mentor and unpacks her approach to the bass chair with Lenny Kravitz
“I deserved a songwriting credit. They sold millions and I only got $200!” Flea’s bittersweet hip-hop recording experience
In 1989, as the Red Hot Chili Peppers enjoyed their first big hit, Flea was hopping around MTV in the video for Young MC’s Bust A Move
The bass Bootsy Collins used to record a James Brown anthem has been listed on eBay
The Fender Jazz Bass bought at auction for $40,000, has now been listed on eBay for almost twice as much. But you’ll have to bid an extra $299 if you want the original strings
How bassist Andy Fraser electrified a Free classic with his less-is-more brand of fiery blues-rock
When Andy Fraser joined Free in 1968, he arrived as a teenage guitarist, but his melodic bass style became essential to the band’s success
How Tal Wilkenfeld taught Sting the correct way to play an Aerosmith classic
Sting was performing alongside Steven Tyler and Jeff Beck at the MGM Grand when Wilkenfeld intervened
“A grave miscalculation”: Grammy Awards criticized over Anthony Jackson’s inclusion in rock/metal In Memorium section
Jackson’s longtime manager voiced her disappointment at how the Recording Academy’s tribute was categorized
William Billy ‘Bass’ Nelson, Funkadelic bassist who coined the band’s name, dies aged 75
Flea has led tributes to the Funkadelic bassist, who was one of the founding architects of funk’s most audacious musical revolution
Marcus Miller and Pino Palladino share the stage alongside Lauryn Hill at the 2026 Grammy Awards
The two bass legends took to the biggest stage in music for a tribute to D’Angelo and Roberta Flack
The best new things in bass from the biggest music instrument event of the year
From Aguilar to Ashdown and beyond, here’s a look at the new gear that had bassists abuzz at this year’s NAMM show
Eric Clapton was Cream’s biggest star, but Jack Bruce sang most of the band’s classic tracks
In later years, Bruce jokingly referred to Cream as Da Creams, in a nod to the band’s supergroup status
She put a video of herself playing bass on YouTube. Then Prince called
Having caught the attention of Prince and Bootsy Collins, Alissia is riding a new wave of recognition with her debut single featuring Nile Rodgers and EarthGang
Bootsy Collins was tripping on LSD when he took the James Brown bass chair to its most in-your-face level
Unable to deal with Brown’s disciplinary code, Bootsy was gone within a year
When Jimmy Haslip met Jaco Pastorius at Frank Zappa’s studio
The Yellowjackets co-founder and then-bassist tells the story of his first encounter with bass royalty
Justin Chancellor explains how bass fits into Tool’s challenging brand of prog
With their uncompromising blend of formidable time signatures and distorted guitar riffs, Tool are a band quite unlike any other
Flea has announced his debut solo album – but he’s not the only bassist playing on it
After decades of anticipation, Flea’s debut single pulls no punches, with two bassists linking seamlessly on the song’s darting bassline
