|
 |
Recently in Artists Category
 In its first week on the chart, The Mars Volta's new CD The Bedlam in Goliath debuted at number three in the US. As you probably know, bassist Juan Alderete is an Ampeg player. He's been playing dual SVT rigs for years ( SVT-VR heads and SVT-810AV cabs), not just with TMV but with speed metal band Racer X (which included guitarist Paul Gilbert) and The Scream. You may have seen Juan recently in an Ampeg ad called "Bedlam In Goliath?" which ran in Bass Player here in the States, where he was also featured in an interesting article. In person, Juan's a great guy. He digs punk rock and hard rock, and he's just a music fan in general and quite a genial dude.
 Your bass-loving pals at Ampeg attended the 2008 NAMM show in Anaheim last week. We brought a bunch of new products which you're already seeing on the website ( www.ampeg.com), and we had numerous Ampeg players stop by to sign autographs and hang out. Let's hope I don't leave anyone out (in roughly alphabetical order): Anna K. of Opiate For The Masses, Michael Anthony, Emma Anzai of Australian band Sick Puppies, Chris Beattie of Hatebreed, Hunter Burgan of AFI, Maya Ford of The Donnas (plus the other three Donnas!), Jesse Hughes (and his son) of Eagles Of Death Metal, Mike Inez of Alice In Chains, Dave LaRue of Dixie Dregs, Tony Levin, Nikki Monninger of Silversun Pickups, Michael Rhodes, Billy Sheehan, T.M. Stevens, and Paul Wilson of Snow Patrol. And that's just the people who were scheduled to show up. Look for more photos and videos here any day now... At right, Robert Trujillo of Metallica with our new Ampeg SVT Micro Stack--a 150-watt tone midget with 2x10" cabinet featuring Eminence speakers and our infinite baffle design.
Continue reading "Good Morning... NAMM!" »
 It's not very often that four of the world's coolest bass players show up in one place, but they did last week in Hollywood. Ampeg spent an entire day in one of the soundstages at SIR (thanks guys!) photographing four of our endorsers for use in our celebrated black and white campaign, which you've no doubt seen everywhere from our own website to the back cover of Bass Player and in other bass magazines around the world.
Continue reading "Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only The Bassist" »
Born and raised in New Orleans, bassist Annie Clements' style
encompasses the warmth, soul and groove of her hometown. Add to that a
degree in Bass Performance from the Berklee College of Music and it's no
wonder she's become a sought-after "sideman."
Clements tours as bassist and background vocalist with Mercury recording
artists Sugarland and is featured on their platinum sophmore album, "Enjoy
the Ride." Opening slots on Kenny Chesney and Brooks and Dunn's tours have
won the band legions of fans and the group will headline the Country Music
Television (CMT) Tour this fall.
Annie relies on her SVT-6PRO combined with two 8X10 cabinets to create
a sound that's true to her roots, yet powerful enough to pack a punch in
ampitheaters and stadiums across the country!
http://annieclementsmusic.com
Brooklyn's favorite rap trio, the Beastie Boys, have just taken off on a big tour, and from the photos we've been seeing, they're trying to make it clear that they are still contenders. If you check out all of their stage gear, it's clear. Drums, amps, etc. Clear. Bass player MCA (also known as Adam Yauch) commissioned Ampeg to build him some custom see-through bass amps, and we were more than happy to oblige.
When they hit Seattle a couple of weeks ago to kick off the tour by playing a one-off club gig (at the Crocodile Cafe, capacity a tight 500 and tix $25 each!), followed by a weekend appearance at the Sasquatch! Festival, we showed up to see how these custom-fabricated B-15 Portaflex babies looked—and sounded—on stage. Well, we were pretty pleased at both. Clearly, Ampeg is MCA's choice for the best sounding and best looking bass amps available today. (And these B-15's may be the most customized versions we've ever made!) Later this month the band will release their first-ever instrumental album of new material, The Mix Up, which follows their first instrumental CD, The In Sound From Way Out. 
Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler's just wrapped up the Canadian leg of what promises to be one of this year's most exciting tours. Playing under the name Heaven & Hell, it's basically Black Sabbath but with original vocalist Ronnie James Dio doing the singing. Also on board for the tour is drummer Vinny Appice—it's the first time these four have traveled together in fifteen years.
Butler's stage rig for the tour, which starts up again April 22 for 20 US dates, includes 2 Ampeg SVT-810s, 4 custom 4x12 cabinets, and 2 custom 2x15s, powered by 4 SVT-2PRO heads. Says Geezer's amp tech, Terry Welty, pictured above in front of the Butler arsenal: "These amps work hard, and they have enough power to handle the job. The sound is pure BASS to my ears."
Billy Sheehan is widely regarded as one of the best bass players in rock. Voted the "Best Rock Bass Player" five times by Guitar Player magazine (which places him alongside Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Geddy Lee and Eddie Van Halen), Sheehan has topped Japan’s Player Magazine’s reader’s poll an unprecedented 14 times.
Sheehan began his career in the ’80s with the prog metal band Talas and went on to unlikely commercial success with Mr. Big and the hit ballad, “To Be With You.” While Mr. Big was categorized as melodic hard rock, they were primarily technical shredders, featuring virtuoso Paul Gilbert on guitar.
By applying the two-handed tapping technique and chording to shape his trademark precision and mercurial speed, Sheehan reinvented the bass the way Eddie Van Halen reinvented the guitar. Further mind-boggling, his jazz-rock fusion band Niacin demonstrates what he can do at half the speed of light.
Billy’s current rig: SVT-4PRO, SVT-810E
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Van Halen holds the record for the most #1 hits on Billboard’s mainstream Rock list. The band’s 1978 self-titled debut — universally considered one of hard rock’s greatest albums — has a legacy that puts them in the larger list of Top Selling Artists of all time, and as one of seven rock groups that have had two albums sell more than 10 million copies in the US.
When one thinks of VH, it’s usually Eddie Van Halen’s legendary guitar innovation or ongoing singer drama. But Michael Anthony's bass playing on hard rock standards such as “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love,” “And The Cradle Will Rock,” “Somebody Get Me A Doctor” and in particular, the air-raid intro/apocalyptic bass crunch of “Runnin’ With The Devil” indicate just how crucial Anthony’s bass heft and characteristic background vocals are to Van Halen’s overall sound. Michael Anthony now plays with Sammy Hagar.
Michael Anthony’s current rig: SVT-4PRO, SVT-2PRO, SVT-810E
Since their debut in 1973, Aerosmith’s innovative mating of hard rock fused with gritty rhythm and blues has earned them twenty-one Top 40 hits (nine of which made it to number one), four Grammys and 140 million albums sold worldwide. No small wonder they’re called “America’s greatest rock and roll band.” From Motley Crüe to Guns ‘N Roses, countless bands have followed the Aerosmith template of sharpened Stones-styled riffing over timeless hip-shake rhythms.
Aerosmith’s Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer comprise the best bass and drums team in rock and roll. Hamilton’s underrated but never overstated bass lines drive Aero-classics such as the R&B kick of “Walk This Way,” “Dream On” (rock’s ultimate ballad), and the classic pulsing bass intro of “Sweet Emotion.” His deceptively effective structuring lends concrete sturdiness to Aerosmith’s wide range of blues-infused, kick ass rock ’n’ roll.
Tom Hamilton’s current rig: SVT-6PRO, SVT-5PRO, BXT410HL4, SVT-DI
Besides being the most recognizable band in the world (if not the most marketed), Kiss — dressed in Kabuki greasepaint and comic book leather costumes — has earned more gold records (29 and counting) in their 30+ year career than any American rock band in history.
Hundreds of thousands of musicians claim Kiss inspired them to pick up the guitar and form bands; their impact is that incalculable. This became the basis for a famous San Francisco magazine article in the ’90s that sought to examine who had more cultural influence: Bob Dylan or Kiss.
Beneath the seven-inch dragon boots, blood-spitting and fire-breathing, Gene Simmons is an accomplished bassist. Anthemic hard rock about rock ’n’ rolling all night and partying every day aside, Gene’s constantly rhythmic bass rumble and trademark slide accents beneath Paul Stanley’s stripped riffing gives Kiss a larger-than-life sound that matches their larger-than-life look.
Gene Simmons’ current rig: SVT-CL, SVT-810E
|
 |
|
|
Copyright © 2007 LOUD Technologies Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|
