The legend of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On is that James Jamerson was so drunk he played the bass lying down By Mike Brooks published 28 May 23 And yep, most of us can’t play those basslines standing up and completely sober
DigiTech just dropped a major announcement that made us even more excited about what's in store By Matt Owen published 26 May 23 Four of DigiTech and DOD’s most influential minds have returned to lead the renewed brands, and some huge pedal releases have already been teased
Tina Weymouth: “I know Bono used me to taunt Adam Clayton when U2 were starting out” By Gregory Isola published 26 May 23 One of the bass world’s most influential female figures talks gender stereotypes and why her small stature was “almost like a dare to boys”
Nikki Sixx alleged someone replaced his bass parts on early Mötley Crüe albums, says Bob Rock By Matt Parker published 26 May 23 The Mötley Crüe producer recalled a conversation he had during the making of Dr. Feelgood – and stressed Sixx is now “an amazing bass player”
Robert Trujillo: “We have more riffs than we know what to do with. With every handful of riffs we get out of Kirk, there’s another 500 we didn’t hear” By Amit Sharma published 26 May 23 Now a 20-year veteran as Metallica bassist, Trujillo details the secret weapons that locked in with James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett's guitar tones on 72 Seasons, and the key to getting extra grit from fingerstyle bass
In 1965 Elvis Presley was playing bass guitar, with a little help from Paul McCartney By Nick Wells published 25 May 23 Paul McCartney: “He was trying to learn bass, so I was like, ‘sit down, let me show you a few things’”
Bill Lee, jazz bassist, composer and father of Spike Lee, dies aged 94 By Matt Owen published 25 May 23 The double bass loyalist who rejected the rising wave of electric basses in the '70s worked with Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Gordon Lightfoot and more, and scored Spike's first four feature films
TC Electronic debuts the Infinite Mini Sample Sustainer, shrinking John Mayer’s favorite infinite sustain pedal By Michael Astley-Brown published 24 May 23 The new design delivers the same organic infinitely looped layers but in a pedalboard real estate-saving enclosure
The Beatles’ “first left-handed bassist”, Chas Newby, dies aged 81 By Matt Parker published 24 May 23 The bass player and former math teacher was subbed into the Liverpool legend’s early lineup in December 1960 and played one of the most formative shows of the era
Primus's Les Claypool names 7 bassists who shaped his sound By Andrew Daly published 24 May 23 The alt-rock innovator on "one of the most underrated bass players ever", who he sees as the instrument's Jimi Hendrix and that time a low-end hero "f**king kicked my ass" in a jam
“The phone rings and it's Jaco Pastorius. He says, 'I’m in room 265, come up here and get your lesson!'” Marcus Miller on an encounter with the self-proclaimed ‘greatest bass player in the world’ By Nick Wells published 24 May 23 Marcus Miller on what he learnt from Jaco Pastorius and why replacing him in Weather Report was “a beat down waiting to happen!”
Algy Ward, bassist with The Saints and The Damned and founder of Tank, dies aged 63 By Matt Parker published 23 May 23 The UK bass player played a role in several acclaimed punk and metal bands, yet refused to be pigeonholed by either camp
Foo Fighters officially name Josh Freese as their new drummer By Matt Owen published 22 May 23 With the help of Chad Smith, Tommy Lee and Danny Carey, Dave Grohl and co confirmed Freese would be joining the band full-time for their upcoming tour
The Yes Album: When Chris Squire created one of the most recognizable bass tones in rock By Mike Brooks published 21 May 23 The Lowlist – celebrating longplayers with low-end – doffs its cap to Chris Squire
Andy Rourke: “If I wasn’t eating or in the bath, I had a bass in my hand. I played it constantly” By Joel McIver published 19 May 23 In this interview from 2016, the late low-end legend reflects on an influential career with The Smiths and beyond, why the Fender P-Bass won his heart, and how he developed his distinct playing style
Andy Rourke, bassist with The Smiths, dies aged 59 By Matt Parker published 19 May 23 Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr has led tributes to the man he says “reinvented what it is to be a bass guitar player”
"I thought, 'Wait a minute – we never practiced this…'" Jimi Hendrix bassist Billy Cox remembers Woodstock By Richard Johnston published 19 May 23 From the archive: Billy Cox on Hendrix, Band of Gypsys, his influences and that Woodstock show
Kate Bush on John Giblin: “We’ve all lost a great man and an unmatchable musician” By Nick Wells published 18 May 23 Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Guy Pratt and many more pay tribute to bassist John Giblin
Rolling Stone Darryl Jones, Aerosmith’s Tom Hamilton (and an actual Beatle) to lead next Rock ’N’ Roll Fantasy Camp in New York By Jonathan Horsley published 17 May 23 Yup, a rhythm section comprising 'fifth Beatle' Pete Best on drums, with Jones and Hamilton on bass, is just the thing for playing Stones, Aerosmith and Beatles classics onstage in NYC
Best jazz bass 2023: recommended J-Bass guitars to suit all levels, budgets and tastes By Chris Corfield published 17 May 23 There’s a jazz bass for everyone. Here's our expert pick of iconic offsets from Fender and beyond
