The history of Paul McCartney and his iconic Hofner 500/1 bass guitar By Nick Wass published 13 January 22 How the violin bass became Macca's number one through the Beatles years and beyond
Billy Sheehan looks back on 30 years of Mr. Big’s Lean Into It By Mike Brooks published 11 January 22 How the 1991 album defied the rise of grunge and changed the band’s lives with a number one hit for the ages
Death From Above 1979's Jesse Keeler: "When I first tried a Dan Armstrong bass, I was like, 'Wow, this neck is so small, and I’ve got all these extra frets. This is awesome!'" By Joel McIver published 7 January 22 The pioneering two-piece's riffer-in-chief on his love of a certain transparent bass, why he had to abandon his 1971 Rickenbacker 4001 and the making of new album Is 4 Lovers
Best gifts for bass players 2022: 10 of the ultimate gifts for bassists By Daryl Robertson published 6 January 22 Show the bassist in your life you care with our pick of bass accessories, pedals and must-have items
Tim Commerford: "I’ve always shied away from having basses made for me, but with Music Man I’m really happy to say that this is a bass I’m part of" By Kevin Johnson, Joel McIver published 6 January 22 The Rage Against the Machine bassist breaks down his tricked-out Ernie Ball Music Man Artist Series StingRay
Ruth Goller on her best bass albums By Bass Player Staff published 21 December 21 The contemporary jazz trailblazer reflects on her most significant releases and offers a cautionary tale for session bassists
Best bass effects pedals 2022: 8 of the best pedals for every type of bassist By Simon Fellows published 20 December 21 Our guide to the finest sounding effects pedals for bass players, including fuzz, compressors and multi-effects
Geezer Butler names 5 bass albums that shaped his style By Joel McIver, Amit Sharma published 16 December 21 The Black Sabbath legend digs deep into his record collection to pay dues to his biggest inspirations
Verdine White: “Apart from the drums, the bass is the instrument you need to play the longest to become truly funky” By Bass Player Staff published 14 December 21 In this classic interview from 2004, the Earth, Wind & Fire legend reveals the secret of funk and explains why he's never used a pick
Adi Meyerson on taking inspiration from avant garde artist Yayoi Kusama and processing synesthesia through bass By Bass Player Staff published 10 December 21 The upright bassist returns with a new compositional style inspired by visual arts and synesthesia, and explains her method for us
DMC & The Hellraisers’ David Filice: “Amateurs learn something until they can play it right – professionals learn something ‘til they can’t play it wrong” By Bass Player Staff published 8 December 21 The bass player for Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels’ hard-rocking hip-hop fusion band unpacks the story of his career in his own words
Charnett Moffett: “I try to get a lyrical, singing quality through the fretless bass. It’s a way of being in direct communication with people” By Bass Player Staff published 3 December 21 Jazz veteran Charnett Moffett discusses his latest life-affirming album, New Love, and how Jaco Pastorius and Alphonso Johnson shaped his approach to playing
Dave Pomeroy: “Banjo bass, string bass… I did one song with nine tracks of uke bass. There are a million different ways to play the bass” By Jamie Blaine published 1 December 21 Pomeroy has played on over 500 albums, collaborating with the likes of Sting and John Fogerty, and here he talks all things low end and how he ended up directing a bass orchestra
Nick Beggs on his best (and worst) bass albums By Bass Player Staff published 25 November 21 “With every royalty payment that comes in, I get down on my hands and knees and I praise the God of Kajagoogoo!”
Martin Gordon looks back on Sparks, jamming with the Rolling Stones, and working out Chris Squire’s “astonishing noise” By Bass Player Staff published 23 November 21 With his new album, Another Words, out now, Gordon pays dues to Frank Zappa, explains the concept of setting Trump to music, and revisits his bass sound on Kimono My House
Klaus Voormann: “John Lennon gave me all the freedom in the world... The Plastic Ono Band lineup of Ringo, John and me is my favorite of all time” By Richard Purden published 18 November 21 How many bass players have shared the stage with the Beatles, both as a band and individually? Only one...
Cradle of Filth’s Dan Firth: “With such busy music, you need to really pick your spot... There’s a lot to be said for being really deliberate with your basslines” By Bass Player Staff published 16 November 21 The Filth bassist discusses note choice, his growth as a player, and walks us through the most enticing specs of his new signature Schecter five-string
Geezer Butler: "It was always magical playing with Tony. We never had to discuss anything – it just seemed to happen. To me, he’s the greatest guitarist ever" By Joel McIver, Amit Sharma published 15 November 21 The bass legend looks back on his time with Tony Iommi and Black Sabbath, shares his highlights from new solo boxset Manipulations of the Mind, and reveals why he's turning to six- and seven-string basses for future material
Classic gear: Rickenbacker 4001 By Rod Brakes published 12 November 21 This classic electric bass was Rickenbacker’s bestseller of the '70s
The Tragically Hip’s Gord Sinclair: "Find the holes in the melodic dialog with the guitars and the vocals – that’s when you find your moment as a bass player" By Bass Player Staff published 11 November 21 With the Canadian stalwarts returning with an album of nostalgic songs, Sinclair explains why now is the time to celebrate the Hip
