NAMM 2023 news: all the latest guitar news, rumors and predictions By Michael Astley-Brown published 29 March 23 The biggest launches from the world’s largest guitar gear show
NAMM 2023: Ampeg gives bassists “an entire rig in a single stompbox” with the SGT-DI preamp and DI pedal By Matt Owen published 29 March 23 Featuring the brand's first IR Loader, SVT and B15 tube amp emulation modes and a built-in Super Grit Technology overdrive circuit, the SGT-DI ranks as one of the most comprehensive bass boxes out there
The Stones Roses, Primal Scream and bass playing: A rare interview with Mani By Scott Rowley published 27 March 23 Stone Roses and Primal Scream legend Gary “Mani” Mounfield on gear, groove and the problems of playing with a drum machine
The Lowlist: Thin Lizzy's Live And Dangerous is one of the greatest live albums ever released By Mike Brooks published 26 March 23 Unfairly maligned as an album "fixed in the studio", a new version of Live And Dangerous proves Lynott and co didn't need overdubs
10 things you didn’t know about Carol Kaye By Nick Wells published 24 March 23 She played for Elvis, Sinatra, Spector, the Beach Boys - but just how did she do it?
Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood to play bass on Nick Cave’s forthcoming solo tour By Matt Parker published 24 March 23 The British bassist will team up with Cave for a set of intimate shows this fall
Former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony teases new band with Bon Jovi guitarist, Aerosmith drummer and “a really, really cool singer” By Matt Parker published 24 March 23 Phil X and Aerosmith live drummer John Douglas are involved, but who’s the mystery vocalist?
Carol Kaye played a Fender Precision Bass on most of her classic sessions – but she preferred the Music Man StingRay By Matt Owen last updated 24 March 23 The session bass legend was recruited by Music Man to demo the first-ever StingRay in 1978, and recorded a fusion track especially for the occasion
Should Bill Wyman have gotten a songwriting credit for The Rolling Stones (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction? By Nick Wells published 24 March 23 Bill Wyman: “The fact of the matter is that my bassline made the song just as much as Keith’s guitar riff”
Kiesel unveils the A2, a future-forward offset electric guitar and bass that marks the dramatic evolution of the Aries By Jonathan Horsley published 22 March 23 The A2 guitar and bass debut a refined body shape and contouring to enhance ergonomics and offer players a speedy ride
NAMM 2023: Darkglass seeks to shake up the noise gate market with mysterious and “cutting-edge” new NSG pedal By Michael Astley-Brown published 21 March 23 It’s got one giant knob, it works with guitar and bass – and that’s about all we know
Rudy Sarzo: "Randy didn't live long enough to be the best Randy Rhoads. There was so much more inside of him that we never got to see" By Andrew Daly published 20 March 23 The LA bass legend reflects on the legacy of his Ozzy Osbourne bandmate, 40 years of Quiet Riot's Metal Health, and explains why you can't compare Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads
Remembering the Boss TU-1000 – the gigantic, pedalboard-dwarfing tuner pedal that launched a hundred memes By Michael Astley-Brown published 20 March 23 One of the largest pedals ever released, the enormous tuner quickly became the subject of guitarists’ ridicule – but it did eventually find an audience
The Lowlist: Jamiroquai’s Emergency on Planet Earth was a solid platinum gem for all bass players By Mike Brooks published 18 March 23 An appreciation of the album that introduced the young Stuart Zender
Jet Harris was Britain’s first bass guitar player, the first to own a Fender Precision, and its first rock’n’roll hellraiser too By Tom Poak published 18 March 23 Fights, car crashes, affairs with starlets – Jet Harris set the template for British bass players and bad behaviour, and along the way inspired everyone from McCartney to Lemmy
Andy Fraser: “It was me trying to impersonate Pete Townshend, who was, to me, the all-time greatest chord king” By Nick Wells published 17 March 23 How Free’s worst ever gig inspired one of the most iconic bass solos in rock
The Mu-Tron III: “Without it, there ain’t no Bootsy” By Nick Wells published 17 March 23 Everything you need to know about the iconic stomper from Musitronics
KHDK and Slipknot’s V-Man promise a “gritty as f**k” tone that will “change your life” with their new Totality overdrive By Matt Owen published 17 March 23 The limited-edition pedal is designed for both guitar and bass and boasts none-more-metal artwork crafted by Luke Preece
JHS Pedals responds to DigiTech Bad Monkey price hikes: “Learn to listen with your ears and not trends, and you will be a much happier guitarist” By Matt Owen published 16 March 23 Brand founder Josh Scott posted a statement after Bad Monkey price tags soared to $650 seemingly in response to his latest demo video, which compared the discontinued DigiTech to the Klon Centaur
Slipknot’s V-Man: “At first the mask was a bit weird, but the LEDs make the sides of the bass neck easier to see!" By Joel McIver published 15 March 23 Slipknot’s Alex ‘V-Man’ Venturella reveals how he got the (literally) hottest gig in metal