Bass Player is the world's most comprehensive, trusted and insightful bass publication for passionate bassists and active musicians of all ages. Each issue delivers the latest tips and techniques that are guaranteed to make you a better player.
When our team here at Bass PlayerHQ put our heads together a while back and decided which bassists should receive BP’s coveted Lifetime Achievement Award this year, we came up with a long, long list of names. Even though we’ve been giving these awards out since 2000, the occasional year out for publishing or pandemic reasons aside, there is still a huge number of bass players who deserve this recognition. In the end, though, we narrowed it down to three bona fide legends of our instrument, and added a new award category while we were at it—the ‘Rising Star’ award, given to a bass player who may not have many decades as a professional behind them just yet, but who is pushing our community forward anyway. We want to commend…
Last time we sat down to talk with Geddy Lee, which feels like an entire geological epoch ago in the light of what has happened to the world since then, it was November 19, 2018. On that occasion we asked Lee if he ever planned to write an autobiography, and his exact answer was “I don’t think my story’s done yet. It feels a bit premature. Maybe I’m kidding myself, but I don’t quite feel like I’m ready to do that yet. I have other ideas for books, but they’re not autobiographical.” Fast forward three years and one apocalypse, and here he is, announcing that a monster memoir is indeed on the way for 2022. Set for release next autumn via Harper Collins, the project began as a way for…
New instructional books devoted to the great bassists Anthony Jackson and Jeff Andrews are now available. The former, The Artistry Of Anthony Jackson, comes from Andy Robertson, and covers many elements of Jackson’s first-class career, including 10 detailed transcriptions of his bass parts with Chaka Khan, Steely Dan, the O’Jays, and others. Meanwhile, BPcontributor Joe Hubbard’s book, Jeff Andrews Walking Bass Masterclass, is a similarly comprehensive analysis of the late jazz master’s work. Find them online at: https://andyrobertson.co.uk and www.joehubbardbass.com…
Iron Maiden, ‘Phantom Of The Opera’ (1980) One of those rare songs—a long, multi-sectioned composition that doesn’t outstay its welcome—Iron Maiden’s sumptuous ‘Phantom Of The Opera’ is, like all Maiden songs, a bassist’s dream. Bandleader and primary songwriter Steve Harris is a bass player of superb skill and panache, combining his love of Seventies prog and punk to form a sleek but melodic approach that was already fully evolved on Maiden’s first album. The bass solo—a simple I-IV-V that moves down a tone for two successive bars before moving back up and repeating—is a thing of sheer beauty.…
German luthiers and amp-makers Warwick have announced their new Gnome Compact cab range, intended as partners for their Gnome amplifiers or indeed any amp of the user’s choice. As they tell us, the new cabs have been “designed to offer a transparent, crisp and defined bass sound in combination with an ultra-portable design.” The cabs’ bass reflex opening can be used as a handle, and there’s a level-adjustable piezo tweeter. The range is available in five configurations—10/8 (1x10”, 150 watts), 2/8/4 (2x8”, 200 watts), 10/4 (1x10”, 200 watts), 12/4 (1x12”, 300 watts), and 2/10/4 (2x10”, 300 watts). Prices range from around $256 to $392, and all models will be available from January.…
The venerable Spector brand has launched a new Euro RST Series of bass guitars in multiple configurations, with updated tonewoods, enhanced electronics from Aguilar, and new stain options. Four- and five-strings are available in three colors—Sienna Stain, Turquoise Tide and Sundown Glow—each with a matching headstock and a soft matte finish, the idea of the latter being that it feels ‘played in’ immediately. The soft matte finish of the Euro RST gives it the feeling of being ‘played in’ immediately As you’d expect, a neck-through construction is present and correct, paired with a three-piece roasted maple neck and fingerboard for enhanced stability and rigidity. A flame maple top and empresswood back add resonance and a touch of bling. The electronics are the acclaimed Aguilar Super Double pickups and OBP-2 preamps,…
