Bass Player Features

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Metallica performing with Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Ronnie Wood, Flea and Joe Perry

Watch Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Joe Perry join Metallica for a pulverizing performance of Train Kept A-Rollin' at 2009’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony

By Matt Owen published

The two Yardbirds alumni and Aerosmith icon – who each had history with the song – were joined by Ronnie Wood and Flea for the rendition, which featured a who's who of rhythm heroes and lead legends

Jason Newsted of Metallica playing live

"With no disrespect to Cliff Burton, I think my picking brought a new tightness to Metallica. Cliff's sound wasn't very defined": An interview with Jason Newsted on the release of The Black Album

By Karl Coryat published

From the Bass Player archive: Jason Newsted on picking vs fingers, the gear and technique behind The Black Album and how it feels to fill Cliff Burton's shoes...

Mike Mills, left, and singer Michael Stipe of REM perform on stage at the Carver Hawkeye Arena in Ames, Iowa, March 10, 1989

“Sometimes I think, 'What would John McVie do?' That’s how I wrote the bassline to Losing My Religion”: The secrets of R.E.M.’s Mike Mills

By Karl Coryat published

From the Bass Player Archive: An interview with R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills from 1991, the year that Out Of Time took them from cult status to million sellers.

Nikki Sixx (Franklin Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr.) in concert with the Sixx:A.M.

Nikki Sixx “played his butt off” on Dolly Parton’s upcoming rock album

By Nick Wells published

The country legend recruited Mötley Crüe's bassist for her tentatively titled Rock Star LP

Cliff Burton (1962-1986), performs at the UIC Pavillion in Chicago, IL during the Damage, Inc. Tour on April 5, 1986.

Cliff Burton wrote one of Metallica’s heaviest riffs on a de-tuned classical guitar

By Nick Wells published

Kirk Hammett: “To this day, I think: ‘How did Cliff write that?’”

Steve Lukather of TOTO performs at Freedom Hill Amphitheater on August 15, 2015 in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

Steve Lukather: "The bassline was easy. It wasn't like I had to be Jaco Pastorius"

By Nick Wells published

How the legendary guitarist ended up playing bass on Michael Jackson’s Beat It

Adam Clayton

U2’s Adam Clayton: “The bass has to either be sexy or aggressive, or it shouldn’t be there as far as I’m concerned”

By Amit Sharma published

The bassist for one of biggest rock bands of all time on cramming a stadium-ready rig into Fender’s first-ever signature bass amp, what prompted him to play an Ibanez on one of the group’s most iconic songs, and why he’s only just started exploring five-strings four decades into his career

Mountain live on TV

Watch Mountain’s Felix Papplardi and Leslie West tear Pennsylvania a new one on Mississippi Queen as they redefine ‘heavy’ for the 70s

By Tom Poak published

“All stoner and doom bands are foam in the wake of Mountain!” An unmissable performance that generated some amazing YouTube comments

Blondie's Parallel Lines album

The Lowlist: Blondie’s Parallel Lines – the album that defined New Wave

By Mike Brooks published

The rhythm section was "was totally out of whack". The producer was "like Adolf Hitler". But out of it all came an all-time classic.

Images from Paul McCartney's 1973 special

The 1973 Paul McCartney TV Special is not only the most ’70s thing you’ll ever see, it’s a fascinating snapshot of a post-Beatles McCartney

By Tom Poak published

50 years ago, the James Paul McCartney TV special hit the screens. Born out of acrimony, and panned by critics, it’s a flawed but fascinating insight into McCartney’s mindset

Melissa Auf der Maur performs live at Le Trabendo on December 15, 2010 in Paris, France.

"The Breeders, Hole, Sonic Youth, The Smashing Pumpkins all had female bass players. That was definitely an inspiration": When Melissa Auf Der Maur went solo

By Joel McIver published

From the Archive: Melissa Auf Der Maur on gear, grunge and the fine art of going solo

Frankie Poullain

The Darkness’s Frankie Poullain: “If you go too posh with distortion, it gets too precise and nice. It’s got to be a bit nasty and a bit wrong”

By Joel McIver last updated

The world’s last great hard-rock band with an advanced sense of humor are back with new album Motorheart. Bassist Poullain brings the pick and the thumb...

Charles Mingus

The genius of Charles Mingus: activist, writer and jazz legend

By Dr Nichole Rustin-Paschal last updated

Mingus biographer Dr Nichole Rustin-Paschal offers an academic perspective on the musical legacy of one of the most iconic figures in jazz history

Francis Rocco Prestia, circa 2000

"If you’re overplaying, you’re under-listening": Rocco Prestia on 50 years with Tower of Power

By Chris Jisi published

From the archive: in our last in-depth interview with Rocco Prestia he looked back over his five decades with Tower Of Power

Thunderca performs during the Wonderfront Music & Arts festival at Seaport Village on November 20, 2022 in San Diego, California.

Thundercat: “People are telling me to turn down, and I’m like, No! I’m trying to burn down the stage!”

By Nick Wells published

The 6-string superhero on his gigantic bass tone, and how he nearly set fire to the Sydney Opera House

Photo of WAILERS and Aston BARRETT and Bob MARLEY, Bob Marley performing live on stage at the Odeon with Aston 'Family Man' Barrett

10 reggae records that every bass fan should know

By Nick Wells published

The 10 best reggae albums from Jamaica’s main bass men. From Sly and Robbie to Bob Marley and the Wailers

Def Leppard's Hysteria

The Lowlist: Def Leppard's Hysteria, the album that changed melodic rock

By Mike Brooks published

Real bass, sampled bass: how Hysteria redefined a genre's production standards.

June 1992: American jazz musician Charlie Haden poses for a portrait in June 1992 in New York City, New Yor

“I had been warned I might be shot immediately but I decided to do it anyway": The unstoppable Charlie Haden

By Jim Roberts published

One from the archive: Bass Player’s July 1991 profile of legendary jazz bassist Charlie Hayden

AUGUST 1962: (L-R) Booker T. Jones on the organ, bassist Donald 'Duck' Dunn, drummer Al Jackson and guitarist Steve Cropper of the R&B band Booker T. & The M.G.'s perform onstage in August 1962

Watch Donald “Duck” Dunn as Booker T and the MGs blow minds in Norway in 1967

By Tom Poak published

On 7 April 1967, the Stax/Volt Revue hit Europe. Norwegian TV caught them in action in Oslo. What’s Norwegian for “locked in”?

Chic's C'Est Chic album

The Lowlist: Chic's C'est Chic was pure groove genius

By Mike Brooks published

We doff our caps to the uplifting grooves and funkalicious basslines of Chic's second album