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Producer Nick Raskulinecz picks 10 essential rock records

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:35:00 GMT

Read more about Producer Nick Raskulinecz picks 10 essential rock records at MusicRadar.com

Since Elvis moved like Elvis on the Ed Sullivan Show, rock 'n' roll has played a key role in widening the cultural gulf between parents and their kids. Producer Nick Raskulinecz wouldn't know from that, though: As a music-obsessed teenager growing up in Knoxville, Tennessee, he used to bond with his mother over their mutual love of rock, metal and even prog albums.

"My mom had great taste in music," Raskulinecz says. "She and her friends would play Rush and Yes and all kinds of cool bands. It was awesome having a mother who loved music. Anytime she went to the record store to buy a couple of albums, she'd get some for me, too."

Read more about Producer Nick Raskulinecz picks 10 essential rock records at MusicRadar.com

Ask Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee your questions!

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:45:00 GMT

Read more about Ask Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee your questions! at MusicRadar.com

Have you got a burning question that you've always wanted to ask Alex Lifeson or Geddy Lee, but you never thought you'd get the chance to ask?

Well, here at MusicRadar, we're in the business of getting you as close to your musical heroes as possible, and it doesn't get much closer than this. We'll be sitting down with the legendary Rush duo on Monday 20 May, and we're giving you the opportunity to have them answer your questions.

The only stipulation is that you keep your questions focussed on the music and how they've made it - be that songwriting, recording, touring or gear - and we promise that we'll put the best questions to Geddy and Alex for you.

All you need to do is email your question to musicradar@futurenet.com, or add it in a comment on our Facebook page. We'll pick the best, and upload Geddy and Alex's filmed responses online next week. Good luck!

Keep your eyes peeled for a very special Rush competition coming up on MusicRadar.

Clockwork Angels is out now, and the European leg of the tour arrives in the UK next week. The dates are as follows:

Wednesday 22 May Manchester Arena

Friday 24 May London O2 Arena

Sunday 26 May Birmingham LG Arena

Tuesday 28 May Sheffield Motorpoint Arena

Thursday 30 May Glasgow SECC

Tickets are on sale through Live Nation, Ticketmaster and Ticket Line. For more information, visit the official Rush website.

Read more about Ask Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee your questions! at MusicRadar.com

Cool and classic basses: DeArmond Starfire Bass

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:30:00 GMT

Read more about Cool and classic basses: DeArmond Starfire Bass at MusicRadar.com

The full designation for this bass is 'DeArmond by Guild' and represents a budget priced reintroduction of the Guild Starfire Bass following the Fender buyout of the company in 1995. The Guild original ran from 1964 to 1977, when it failed to inspire the new generation of super bass players.

This DeArmond version revived the interest however, being very well constructed with a solid core to the body and set neck. It offers a vintage vibe when playing, with a surprisingly full sound although somewhat brighter than the early version, mainly due to the simplified circuitry and DeArmond USA pickups rather than the original Guild units.

What makes it important and collectable is that it sparked enough appeal for Fender to follow up with a new Starfire II bass under the Guild banner in 1998. What's also curious about this model is that it was never for sale in the USA although even there the interest in these budget-priced instruments was undeniable.

Read out full DeArmond Starfire profile

Read more about Cool and classic basses: DeArmond Starfire Bass at MusicRadar.com

Win a Boss TU-3 chromatic tuner signed by Lags from Gallows

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:18:00 GMT

Read more about Win a Boss TU-3 chromatic tuner signed by Lags from Gallows at MusicRadar.com

Roland recently got to hang out with Lags, guitarist and main songwriter with Gallows. Apart from filming a series of great videos, they also got Lags to sign one of his most useful Boss pedals, a new Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner, to give away as a prize to one lucky winner of our competition.

Now as you'd imagine, Gallows play pretty hard, which is why Lags uses the tank-tough TU-3 for accurate, reliable tuning gig after gig. Suitable for guitar or bass, it's the industry standard tuner that no guitarist or bass player should be without! And if the TU-3 can survive life in Gallows, it should be OK for you.

All you have to do to win is watch the video above of Lags playing his Roland V-Guitar Fender G5 Strat, answer the following question and leave your details to enter:

Which settings on the Fender G5 Strat does Lags use to jam?

1.) Drop D Telecaster
2.) Baritone Humbucker
3.) Open G Acoustic

Click here to enter

The competition is open to UK residents only.

If you want to see more of the Lags interviews or keep up to date with the great stuff that Roland are doing then make sure to head over to the Roland Blog or like their Facebook pages Roland UK and Boss UK.

Read more about Win a Boss TU-3 chromatic tuner signed by Lags from Gallows at MusicRadar.com

Cool and classic basses: Ovation Magnum I/II

Wed, 08 May 2013 14:35:00 GMT

Read more about Cool and classic basses: Ovation Magnum I/II at MusicRadar.com

Ovation’s first bass guitar was the Typhoon, a thinline semi construction similar to a Hofner Verithin released around 1968/9, but it created little interest.

Determined to do better with their first solid bodied bass the Magnum was designed to be the ultimate bass guitar to date. It was certainly packed with unusual features, particularly regarding the pickups.

The bridge unit has U-shaped pole pieces wound in pairs like a split-coil pickup but the huge bridge humbucker has individual coils wound round each pole piece and each coil has its own volume control for perfect string balance. This is certainly a pretty cool thing to have. The bridge offers very precise adjustment for scale length yet changing strings is quick and easy.

In order to get full use of the stereo function the Magnum was provided with a splitter lead for the stereo output jack so you could either use both channels in your bass amp or two completely separate rigs for a monster sound and delivery. Sadly however, the Magnum is just not a sexy looking instrument and although it sounds great it weighs a lot too, so it never achieved the popularity that was expected. They did produce a more regular shaped twin cutaway with a less cluttered appearance in 1978 but sadly this also failed to capture the imagination and was withdrawn in 1983.

Not wishing to miss a trick, along with the passive Magnum I Bass Ovation also produced the Magnum II, an all active unit that provided even more tonal response and opportunities. The 3-band EQ offered Bass, 400Hz and Treble each as a double slider with +/- 12dB adjustment. To power the circuit two PP9 batteries were housed in a compartment by the lower cutaway underneath a separate section of the scratchplate.

The individual volume controls for the pole pieces on the humbucker were accessed through the four holes provide using a regular screwdriver. When adjusted well this was produced a very well balanced instrument from string to string. This highly sophisticated circuitry gave the Magnum II a cleaner yet meatier sound than the passive version and was way ahead of its time but still failed to find favour with enough players to keep it in production any longer. Our sincere thanks to Dave Swift for use of his basses and Lars Mullen for the pictures.

Read our full Ovation Magnum I/II profiles

Read more about Cool and classic basses: Ovation Magnum I/II at MusicRadar.com

Beatallica's Jaymz Lennfield talks Beatles/Metallica mash-ups on Abbey Load

Thu, 02 May 2013 16:20:00 GMT

Read more about Beatallica's Jaymz Lennfield talks Beatles/Metallica mash-ups on Abbey Load at MusicRadar.com

"Are we parody?" asks Beatallica leader Jaymz Lennfield? "People have no idea what to call us. Is it tribute? Is it satire? We get all sorts of responses to what we do. Trying to wrap your melon around this band can be a pretty strange thing for a lot of people."

Count the folks at Sony/ATV Publishing, who own the rights to many of The Beatles' songs, among those asking such questions. Some years ago, the publishing giant sent a cease-and-desist notice to the Milwaukee-based humourists (which also includes members Grg III, Kliff McBurtney and Ringo Lars) after their popular Beatles/Metallica mash-ups first started appearing on the Internet.

Read more about Beatallica's Jaymz Lennfield talks Beatles/Metallica mash-ups on Abbey Load at MusicRadar.com

Roger Glover talks Deep Purple, Rainbow and Dream Theater

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:30:00 GMT

Read more about Roger Glover talks Deep Purple, Rainbow and Dream Theater at MusicRadar.com

Cool and classic basses: Burns Marquee 5-String bass

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:45:00 GMT

Read more about Cool and classic basses: Burns Marquee 5-String bass at MusicRadar.com

This is a second one-off from Burns built in 2001 and it's another very distinctive 5-String bass, loosely modelled on the Burns Jazz Bass design from 1964 that was later revamped as the Marquee Bass in 2000.

The reversed headstock is a Burns first, the dot inlays seem rather too small on such a wide fretboard and the two piece scratchplate is an unusual shape. The MM styled humbucker is the real surprise here though, and is neatly linked to the switch between the controls allowing the unit to be used either as a pair of single coil or with both coils together.

Jim Burns was notorious for producing custom ordered one-offs, prototypes and 'bitsas' and it's great to know that Burns London will do the same if the opportunity presents itself. Our sincere thanks go to Barry Gibson of Burns for providing the picture and this information.

Read full Burns Marquee 5-String profile

Read more about Cool and classic basses: Burns Marquee 5-String bass at MusicRadar.com

Music Biz 411: Beware - counterfeit guitars!

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 23:55:00 GMT

Read more about Music Biz 411: Beware - counterfeit guitars! at MusicRadar.com

"You call it a bargain.. NOT the best you've ever had..." Trolling the web in search of a bargain guitar can lead you down a path to purchasing a piece of shaped basswood that you might call a guitar. You might also want to call that purchase a counterfeit. Want to make sure you don't get fooled again? Here are some things to keep in mind:

A guitar (or bass) is "counterfeit" when a bona fide trademark is placed on an inferior substitute instrument that has been held out to the general consuming public as the original, authentic brand. See 15 U.S.C. § 1127; Trade Marks Act 1994, c.26 §97 (Eng.).

Let's say you're searching www.wehavecheapoguitars.com, and you see a "Spectobisky SoundFury" guitar with "silver hardware and white and black color" for sale.It even has a rosewood fingerboard made in Shandong China. The website description states a price of $120 - $150 USD. Even though you believe that there is no import line made by Spectobisky, and you know that the Spectobisky SoundFury model retails new for $4,000, and never less than $3,200 used, you can't resist. What a deal! Bragging rights are yours.

So you follow the website's PayPal instructions, and three weeks later, a yellow foam package wrapped in yellow tape shows up at your door – not quite the method of protection you expected. Upon extrication, you hold the SoundFury in all of its inglorious cheapness. There is no backplate, the pickups are not screwed in, and the neck pocket has a gap the size of the Grand Canyon. Oh, yeah, it won't stay in tune, either. But, hey, you have yourself a genuine fake Spectobisky, and that is what counts – right?

Not quite right. By supporting this counterfeit-laden website, you are aiding and abetting the very destruction of the companies you hold in high regard. Counterfeits are the scourge of all guitar companies. Each counterfeit sold is one less real guitar sold by an authentic manufacturer that invests hard-earned dollars to constantly improve and market its products. Each counterfeit sold is one more less-than-quality instrument that may harm the reputation of the authentic company (although we know that you know what you bought).

This not to say that every guitar that looks like an original is a counterfeit. There are many proprietary guitar body designs and just "styles" of body designs. Check the headstock; if it is an exact copy, it will have the faked company logo and the exact shape of the authentic brand. It may even say "Made in The USA" (or any other country in which the original was manufactured). Remember: there is no quality control on these fakes, so the parts that you count on for quality (tuning machines, pickups, bridges, etc.) are fakes and are of poor quality. Counterfeit buyer, beware. It is only guitar wasteland.

Prior to forming Bienstock & Michael, P.C. in 1987, Ronald S. Bienstock was editor-in-chief and publisher of International Musician & Recording World and served as General Counsel to Hoshino, U.S.A. (manufacturer of Ibanez guitars and electronics, and Tama drums). In 1991, Bienstock was voted one of the top 100 "Most Influential People in the Music Business" by BAM Magazine. Today, Bienstock & Michael's practice serves a broad spectrum of clients throughout the entertainment and musical instrument industries, specializing in the fields of intellectual property, business matters, and litigation.

Bienstock teaches Entertainment Law as an adjunct professor at New York University and is a frequent guest lecturer for various graduate and undergraduate schools at NYU. He has also been a music business commentator for NPR, WBAI, Barely Legal Radio, Tech TV, and CNN. He has been a guest lecturer, instructor and panel moderator for BMI, ASCAP, CMJ, NEMO, SXSW, NAMM, PMA, RPMDA, the Florida Music Conference, Miami Music Conference, Atlantic Records' A&R University, the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA), the New York City Bar Association, the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law, Berklee College of Music, St. John's School of Law, Rutgers School of Law, Seton Hall Law School, Ithaca College, New Jersey City University, and many other organizations and universities.

Read more about Music Biz 411: Beware - counterfeit guitars! at MusicRadar.com

Steve Morse talks Deep Purple's new album, Now What?!, track-by-track

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:15:00 GMT

Read more about Steve Morse talks Deep Purple's new album, Now What?!, track-by-track at MusicRadar.com

To prepare for the recording of their new album, Now What?!, their first set of original material since 2005's Rapture Of The Deep, the members of Deep Purple (vocalist Ian Gillan, guitarist Steve Morse, bassist Roger Glover, drummer Ian Paice and keyboardist Don Airey) held three writing sessions – in Spain, Germany and England – last year that yielded, according to Morse, an overabundance of material.

"I guess you can never have too many good songs," says Morse, "but by the end, we had so much stuff that I was begging everyone, 'Let's just record. We've got too many songs. I can't remember everything, and if we keep writing, I'm going to start repeating myself.' It was great when Bob finally came in and waded through everything."

Read more about Steve Morse talks Deep Purple's new album, Now What?!, track-by-track at MusicRadar.com

Who's the greatest songwriter of all time?

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:39:00 GMT

Read more about Who's the greatest songwriter of all time? at MusicRadar.com

It all starts with the song. Whether you're a rock, pop, dance or R&B artist, before you step into the studio or onto the stage, you need the material.

So songwriting, you might argue, is the most crucial music making discipline of them all, and certainly the one that can reap the greatest financial rewards. Performers and players come and go, but a great song is timeless.

It's time, then, for MusicRadar to ask you to cast your vote for the greatest songwriter(s) of all time. Just to be clear, we're only considering what you might call 'pop' tunesmiths here - we'll leave the great jazz songwriters for another day.

What makes a songwriter great? Ultimately, that's for you to decide, but we'd suggest that they need to have mastered their craft and penned numerous classics (or future classics), some of which will probably have been performed by other artists.

The shortlist below is based on MusicRadar users' nominations - pick your favourite and put a click in the box!

Read more about Who's the greatest songwriter of all time? at MusicRadar.com

Who are the greatest songwriters of all time?

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:39:00 GMT

Read more about Who are the greatest songwriters of all time? at MusicRadar.com

It all starts with the song. Whether you're a rock, pop, dance or R&B artist, before you step into the studio or onto the stage, you need the material.

It's time, then, for MusicRadar to ask you to nominate the greatest songwriters of all time. Just to be clear, we're only considering what you might call 'pop' tunesmiths here - we'll leave the great jazz songwriters for another day - but that's the only stipulation.

Tell us about your favourite songwriters in the Comments below and we'll draw up a shortlist of nominees for you to vote on.

Read more about Who are the greatest songwriters of all time? at MusicRadar.com

Cool and classic basses: Supersound SCB Bass

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:52:00 GMT

Read more about Cool and classic basses: Supersound SCB Bass at MusicRadar.com

Back in 1958 Supersound added guitars and basses to their amplifier range, and enlisted the help of Jim Burns who was experimenting with instruments at that time. It was a short lived association but it did produce this, the first solid bass guitar built in Britain, commissioned by Teddy Wadmore who was the bassist with the Ted Taylor Four.

He'd managed to borrow a Fender Precision Bass from a US serviceman and was totally blown away with it, so showed it to Alan Wootton and Jim Burns at Supersound. The SCB (Single Cutaway Bass) is obviously far from being a clone but it does have the badged pickup in the same position as the Fender. It's a shorter scaled instrument too with guitar sized tuners, and in order to produce enough clearance for the posts they are fitted into a recess at the rear of this substantial headstock.

Not only was this the first British solid bass guitar, it's currently the only known example in near-original, fully playable condition and indeed it still feels and sounds amazingly good. Our thanks go to Guy MacKenzie for the picture and for allowing us to play this historically significant bass and to the legendary Paul Day for the historic details.

Read our full Supersound SCB Bass profile

Read more about Cool and classic basses: Supersound SCB Bass at MusicRadar.com

Jason Newsted talks Metallica, fave drummers and recording new band EP, Metal

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:30:00 GMT

Read more about Jason Newsted talks Metallica, fave drummers and recording new band EP, Metal at MusicRadar.com

After he left Metallica by his own volition in 2001, bassist Jason Newsted threw himself into a variety of musical projects – Echobrain, Voivod, stints with Ozzy Osbourne's band and Gov't Mule – but he says that it's only recently that he's been able to adjust to normal life from his 15 years with the metal behemoths.

"Metallica was quite a ride," Newsted says. "It took me 12 years to come down from the band. I just came down last year. I was spun out for that long before I actually got my feet back on the ground and felt good about doing this thing again."

Now that he's found his footing once again, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and six-time Grammy winner is pursuing the ultimate in heaviness with his own outfit, the inventively named group Newsted, in which he sings lead and plays bass. On the dramatically surpercharged and compelling four-song EP, Metal, Newsted is joined by guitarist Jessie Farnsworh and drummer Jesus Mendez Jr.

The band recently added former Staind guitarist Mike Mushok to the lineup, and a full-band album will be released by the end of the year. "I couldn't be happier with how the EP turned out," says Newsted, "but I really can't wait for everybody to hear what we're doing on the album. There's some spots where I'm like, 'Whhhhat the heck?' Between Jessie's AC/DC-like rock 'n' roll guitar playing and Mike's full-shred mode, it's a multidimensional thing that's going to blow people's minds."

Newsted spoke to MusicRadar about how the new band came together, his extra-curricular activities over the years, his favorite drummers and whether fans can expect to hear any Metallica songs during Newsted shows.

So the band is called Newsted. What – you couldn't think of a better name?

[Laughs] "No, I couldn't. That's the best name. Is there a better name? Let's see… Black Sabbath is better, but that's about it. I've been in lots of cool bands with lots of cool names. This one had to be like this. It's a global thing, a global appeal; it's what's Metallica has worked on for 30 years, and I was there for 15 of those years.

"Because I've played so many different styles over time with Gov't Mule and Voivod and Echobrain, all of this crazy music, I needed to make sure that there was no confusion as to what this is. That's why I called the EP 'Metal' and the name of the band is Newsted. I've worked a long time to have my name mean something, so I may as well use it.

"This is the first time since Flotsum that I started a band from fresh. I'm singing, it's my songs, my voice, my lyrics – because of all that, it's got to be my name. I didn't want to people to have to spend a whole lot of time figuring things out."

"We're gonna crush it," Newsted says of his band's live shows. "People are going to get purity from us." © Fran Strine

Were you looking to form a band for a while? It seems as though you've had a great time just playing in other people's groups.

"I get a lot of cool offers – always, but especially since leaving Metallica. A lot of heroes call me, and I can't say no to them. I've played with Ozzy, played with Tony Iommi. The only answer I give them when they call is 'What time do you want me to be there?' I feel pretty blessed."

In Metallica, you worked with producer Bob Rock, who isn't known for banging things out quickly. I would imagine that recording the Metal EP was the opposite of, say, the "Black Album."

"That's correct. We did the EP in a week – in six days, actually. We'd go in, set up the mics, and then we'd blast. That's what you get – warts and all, man. There's imperfections and all kinds of tuning crap, but it's fine. That's not what this deal is; it's about impact and purity.

"I've already been to that place that you mentioned. I've already done those things, and it is a challenge. To be able to get that meticulous and to make things sound perfect, that's a very serious level of artistry. When you spend that much time on something, you usually do get those results.

The Black Album is the biggest SoundScan album of all time, so the proof is in the pudding. But the live thing that we do with this band, you get what you get. It's the same exact thing as when you come to see us live, except we play it right in front of you."

What kind of demos did you record for the EP? Were they elaborate and very plotted-out, or were they loose sketches?

"I got my first computer last year. I have GarageBand on there, and I have my guitar, so basically, those are the tools. Since last year, I've written 21 songs, and each one I put on the computer with all the instruments – guitar, bass, drum machine. Then I share the songs with Jesus and Jessie and now Mike. I give them most pieces of what's on GarageBand, and they put their artistry on it. The stuff comes back, and it becomes what you're hearing on the EP and what you'll be hearing with the album. The initial seeds are all mine, but those guys put all the colors in."

"I'm an old-school metal guy," says Newsted. "At the end of the day, that's what I am." © Fran Strine

How did you find the guys in the band?

"I was introduced to Jesus probably about 15 years ago. He did some local road crew moving-around-gear-stuff work for Metallica back in the day, and then he became the drum tech on the Echobrain tour. We got to be buds. Around 2003, he started coming to my studio, the Chophouse, as an instrumentalist; we'd jam our improves and slabs or metal and stuff like that. It was cool.

"Jesus brought in Jessie about five years ago, so the trio that created the Metal EP has been together since that time. Last year, we started putting the nose to the stone, you know, honing it in and getting it together for real. We've got a few years under our belts, learning each other's chemistry and our playing styles and things like that.

"Then, about seven weeks ago, Mike Mushok auditioned for us. We had a few auditions with some very capable players; there were a couple of people in the on-deck/standby circle that wanted to come and play. But once Mike was here, they… didn't get to come and play. [Laughs]

"Actually, I knew that Mike was the guy even before we started playing. He's a very cool cat. We have the same sense of humor and a clean-headed, clear-eyed professional vibe. I'm not afraid to have a couple of brews when the time comes but not when we're playing. It's a very pro situation.

"Mike has added a new dimension to the band. I never listened to much Staind, so I was unaware of their heavy element. Mike brings the heaviness to the band – he's got that seven-string guitar and that baritone guitar. I feel very blessed to have him in the band. In the seven weeks that we've had him, we've completed the album – 15 songs. We'll put out a full hour for the people pretty soon."

Well, it's pretty clear that you're happy with how things are working out.

"Absolutely. I do push very hard in the studio but not dickishly so. I'm just professional, and these cats are all that. They're hard workers – that's what I was looking for.

Do you give Jessie a lot of direction for what you want him to play? Is there a set way you guys work at this point?

"All of the songs are mine from the get-go. All of the ones you hear on the EP and everything you're going to hear on the LP are my skeletons, my initial seeds – all the riffs are mine. I give the guys the demos, they learn my riffs, and then they play guitar in the studio. So I'm planting the seeds, and then I wait for them to bring the fruit.

"Actually, on the recording of Soldierhead, that's me playing guitar. Jessie plays the leads, but I'm doing rhythm. On the LP, everybody came in and did full parts. I'm just playing bass. The EP was very much a testing of the waters."

Metallica, 2000. (from left) James Hetfield, Newsted, Kirk Hammitt and Lars Ulrich. "There's no way I can't be influenced by that band," says Newsted. © Frank Trapper/Sygma/Corbis

The main guitar riff for Soldierhead is somewhat reminiscent of Metallica. Do you hear that, too, or is it just me?

"How can we not hear it? It's there!" [Laughs]

And Godsnake, lyrically, has a bit of a Don't Tread On Me vibe. You're not afraid to reference your past.

"Hey, man, I wear my influences on my sleeve. I was a Metallica fan before I joined the band; I was a Metallica fan while I was in the band; and I'm a Metallica fan out of the band, just as I always was. There's no way I can't be influenced by that band; I spent 15 years – one third of my life – in Metallica. When you've spent hours and hours with people, it rubs off on you.

"But I try to be wide-eyed and sponge-like with everybody I play with – guys like Zakk Wylde and Warren Haynes. When you're lucky enough to be with players like that, you should soak it up and spit it back out."

"I'm an old-school metal guy. At the end of the day, that's what I am – even though I've listened to a lot of different styles of music and I've played a lot of styles. It's always going to come out a certain way with me, and that's fine. I not ashamed of any part of my history, my biography, and I'm happy to spread 'em around. Everybody regurgitates, and that's all I'm doing."

Talk to me about your playing with Gov't Mule. Of all the stints on your resume, that one is a little surprising.

"Warren called me up to jam when they were doing the Deepest End thing, right after they lost [Allen] Woody. They were looking bass players to kind of fill his shoes, and it literally took 24 bassists at a time. For real – literally. He was very special. So that's how it all started.

"I did some live shows with them, did some recording – it was a whole different facet. I'm very much a jam-oriented kind of cat myself; I've spent hours doing improvisational music. Hour-for-hour, I've spent more time doing that than anything else. Going in and jumping into the jam situation felt natural to me, but I had to be on my Ps and Qs because of the caliber of players.

"And I'll say this: Matt Abts from Gov't Mule is one of the most underrated drummers in the history of time. I've played with some of the craziest, sickest drummers, and he's definitely in top five or six."

Who would be some of the others on that list?

"Igor Cavalera from Sepultura, Thomas Pridgen from Mars Volta, Gene Hoglan, Tom Hunting from Exodus, Lars Ulrich, Michel from Voivod – those are some pretty serious drummers, man."

Hearing how jazzed you are about the recording you've done with these guys, I imagine you're itching to take them on the road.

"Oh, yeah. We're gonna crush it. People are going to get purity from us. A genuine rock 'n' roll, punk, old-school, thrash-metal ethic is what it comes down to. It's not too many frills right now, not a grand production, but that's all right. We let the music do the talking – that's it."

Do you plan to play any Metallica songs?

"Hey, man… hey, man… [Laughs] You know, there's there been two lead vocalists in Metallica in the 32-year history of the band: there's a guy named James Hetfield, and there's a guy named me. I only sang three or four songs, but the videos have kept me alive in people's eyes. I will touch upon the songs I am famous for from the bands I'm famous for."

For more info on Newsted, including tour dates, visit the band's official website.

Read more about Jason Newsted talks Metallica, fave drummers and recording new band EP, Metal at MusicRadar.com

Counting Crows on writing, the Stones and Hemingway

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:45:00 GMT

Read more about Counting Crows on writing, the Stones and Hemingway at MusicRadar.com

In part two, Adam steps back from the live show to where it mostly begins: his head and a piano. Sure his head is still a little fuzzy, but it's filled with lyrical gems just waiting to be unearthed and turned into a Counting Crows song.

In no way is he a one-man band, though. "Being a solo artist wouldn't be challenging enough," he quips. Plus, he's super proud of what his fine feathered friends have achieved. Got a notepad but no lyric? Take a line from this story-teller's book and get started...

If someone said, 'I want to write my first song. How do I come up with a lyric?' What advice would you give?

"Start with a moment where you 'feel' something. I remember reading A Moveable Feast by [Earnest] Hemingway and he said, 'Start with just one true thing.' When you start with something true, a line will come and everything proceeds from there. It's not a diary, it's not a news story. It's an expression of how you feel. The story can be fiction as long as the feeling is real. For example, I could be playing piano, singing, and a line comes along like, 'A long December and there's reason to believe maybe this year will be better than the last.' The rest is me following the thread of that thought."

Do you need 'real time' stimulus or can you write from imagination?

"Both because the best way to talk about things is to not just talk about what you're feeling. You know, describe the room you're in and how you're feeling will come through in the details. It's not enough to say, 'She was so beautiful across the room.' Talk about the way light falls on her face. That says how it feels to look across the room and see her. Details are important. They give form to your thoughts."

Do you re-live emotions and re-imagine peoples and places when singing your lyrics?

"It's not so much taking myself back as it is bringing that moment forward. A song is like a coffee filter where you pour your daily life through it. Each day is a different way of experiencing the song. The point is, it can always be present tense and it should be because your feelings change. The way I felt dreaming about becoming a star when I wrote Mr Jones is different to the way I feel now. It was never just a song about becoming a rock star, it was a song about knowing – even when wishing for it – that all of those things aren't gonna work like that. You know, "When everybody loves me I'll never be lonely"? That's not true, and I knew that when I wrote it. Everybody loving you is not gonna change a god damn thing about how you feel about yourself."

Do you collect experiences as potential lyrical inspiration?

"I've been trying to remember things as they come but it's more musical in substance at that point. I'm using my phone more, humming tunes into it as they come, then I'll work on them when I get home – I tend to sit at the piano. Writing hasn't been my focus the past few years because I've been trying to get less crazy. Now I'm getting back to it."

Is it exciting going back into that writing frame of mind?

"Sometimes. I'm writing 'cos I think I should, but I'd just like to get my head working better; be less crazy. There was never anything more important to me than writing and playing but in the last few years I've started to feel like that wasn't the right priority. When you're young and excited about where you're going, it's easy to say there's nothing more important. Things like mental illness... you just figure it will straighten itself out and that in the meantime you should just enjoy being crazy and writing songs. But when it doesn't straighten itself out and you realise the quality of life is kinda low and that being a rock star, which you thought would fix all that hasn't, then it's like, 'Hmm.' Survival has become a lot more important the past few years."

Do you think in some 'bigger picture' way you have more to draw upon now?

"I always saw music as the thing that was gonna save everything else but it didn't. I realised after a while that the songs provided solace for others but they didn't solve the illness for me. In fact, it kind of exacerbated it because I kept coming home to hotel rooms in weird places with my head spinning and reality seeming very distant. I was allowing myself to believe [music] was going to make everything fine. While everyone's telling you you're an idol, that makes it better for a second but you realise it's not gonna fix you – you're gonna go back to that hotel room and still be crazy. I used to believe [music] would provide the answer but it doesn't. You have to figure that out for yourself. If I get that figured out, maybe it will provide clarity and inspiration. But while you're living it, it's hard to do. I started resenting writing a few years ago because it was providing comfort to everyone but me."

Lyrics are important to a song's appeal yet album reviews rarely comment upon them. Does that burn you after putting so much of yourself into them?

"When I write a song it's just lyrics and chords. That act of becoming a Counting Crows song is the work we do together. That's my favourite part of being in a band. It's so easy in rock 'n' roll to be flashy and get a name – to become a famous drummer or guitarist – but I don't think people understand what it truly is to be a band. I don't think people get what's so great about the Stones or Fairport Convention. It's much easier to notice somebody sticking out than it is to notice a bunch of people playing together.

"From Day One, listening was more important than playing; basing your playing off what the other guy's doing. Listen to All My Failures and you'll hear the band chasing itself around: the littlest things in the acoustic guitar that get a reaction from the electric guitar that get a reaction from the drums and bass. I'm so proud of that stuff and wish people would notice it more."

Echoes of The Outlaw Roadshow is released via Cooking Vinyl 8 April. The band's six-date tour begins in Birmingham on 19 April. Tickets are £33.50 adv Reg / £36.50 Bristol / £37.50 London (all subject to booking fee). Online tickets available from Ticketmaster or Live Nation. Check the official Counting Crows website for more info.

Read more about Counting Crows on writing, the Stones and Hemingway at MusicRadar.com

Cool and classic basses: Vigier Excess Bass

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:57:00 GMT

Read more about Cool and classic basses: Vigier Excess Bass at MusicRadar.com

Although by no means the first bass guitar from designer Patrice Vigier, the Excess was the first to offer a more conventional stance, and as such was a breakthrough for the company.

The idea of a carbon fibre reinforced neck without a truss rod may sound ambitious but it actually works beautifully. Endorsee Roger Glover famously supported the bass on two blocks then stood on the bass without any ill effect to the bass whatsoever!

The offset, fully adjustable bridge is a particularly well designed unit that fully accepts the string ends. The active electronics are pretty serious too, as the EQ controls offer a cut/boost of +/-20dB so the bass certainly lives up to its name, and the on-board circuitry also allows the choice of high or low impedance and a trim pot for hum-cancelling. This effectively allows the use of extra long leads on stage without any power loss and higher quality DI in the studio.

Full Vigier Excess Bass profile

Read more about Cool and classic basses: Vigier Excess Bass at MusicRadar.com

Production legend David Foster on 16 career-defining records

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:30:00 GMT

Read more about Production legend David Foster on 16 career-defining records at MusicRadar.com

"So how do you become a record producer?" During the course of his career, David Foster has been asked that question time and time again, and while his answer might change, depending on the situation, the thought bubble over his head is always the same: "If you have to ask how to become a record producer, you'll never be one."

Expounding on this sentiment, the Canadian-born multiple Grammy winner and Oscar nominee explains that, while his own career path took a series of twists and turns, he was always set on being a musician. "How or in what capacity, I wasn't quite sure," he says. "But music was the goal that I chased."

Read more about Production legend David Foster on 16 career-defining records at MusicRadar.com

Musikmesse 2013: Fender new models in pictures

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:45:00 GMT

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Fender new models in pictures at MusicRadar.com

Musikmesse 2013: Yamaha guitar line-up revealed

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:00:00 GMT

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Yamaha guitar line-up revealed at MusicRadar.com

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Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Yamaha guitar line-up revealed at MusicRadar.com

Musikmesse 2013: Fender stand in pictures

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:44:00 GMT

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Fender stand in pictures at MusicRadar.com

Musikmesse 2013: We called by the Fender booth in Frankfurt to take a look at some of the company's latest guitars - plus a few beautiful and weird Custom Shop treats.

Read on to check out the new Cabronita Telecaster Thinline, Classic Series guitars and loads more. We've included official press release info from Fender where possible.

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Fender stand in pictures at MusicRadar.com

Frankfurt Musikmesse 2013: live highlights

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:15:00 GMT

Read more about Frankfurt Musikmesse 2013: live highlights at MusicRadar.com

MUSIKMESSE 2013: Musikmesse 2013, Europe's biggest music equipment gear show, is now in full swing. Our team is on the floor in Frankfurt, seeking out the big stories and hottest products, while our UK office is handling the latest news as it comes in.

So where do you get the pick of the Musikmesse 2013 content in one place? Right here: click on for the story so far and keep checking back for the biggest news, eye-catching photos and revealing videos.

If you want to catch absolutely every Frankfurt-related article as it's posted be sure to bookmark our Musikmesse 2013 event page.

Read more about Frankfurt Musikmesse 2013: live highlights at MusicRadar.com

Musikmesse 2013: Ibanez stand highlights in pictures

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:26:00 GMT

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Ibanez stand highlights in pictures at MusicRadar.com

Musikmesse 2013: We payed a visit to the Ibanez booth here in Frankfurt to grab shots of some of new electrics, acoustics and basses the company had on show.

Click through the gallery to see a host of new signature models and some serious multi-string experiments.

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: Ibanez stand highlights in pictures at MusicRadar.com

Cool and classic basses: Fender Jazz Bass Pre-CBS Custom Colou

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:01:00 GMT

Read more about Cool and classic basses: Fender Jazz Bass Pre-CBS Custom Colou at MusicRadar.com

This was the second version of the magnificent Jazz Bass and is displayed here in its full Custom Colour with matching headstock glory. The standard colours were available too of course, but they had the natural finished headstock.

The sometimes troublesome dual concentric controls were dumped for this simpler circuit of individual volumes with a master tone (smaller knob) on the bell plate. This also helped to create the sweet-spots where the blending of the two pickups seems to turn ‘hollow’ for a really pleasing and funky sound.

This Jazz bass has standard ‘elephant ears’ or ‘shamrock’ open gear tuners that operate backwards compared to modern day Fenders. Also some models are known to exist with cool oval blades, something that Fender used a little later but never caught on. We think Fender should bring them back as an alternative again. A truly gorgeous bass that’s still as good as anything on the market today.

Check out our full Fender Jazz Pre-CBS Custom Colour profile

Read more about Cool and classic basses: Fender Jazz Bass Pre-CBS Custom Colou at MusicRadar.com

Musikmesse 2013: what to expect

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:18:00 GMT

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: what to expect at MusicRadar.com

MUSIKMESSE 2013: The Frankfurt Musikmesse is a big deal - a massive gear show giving guitar, drum and hi-tech gear manufacturers a chance to launch new products in front of not just a European audience, but eager attendees from all over the world.

This year's show takes place on 10-13 April and, as is customary, news of what's going to be making headlines there has already started to slip out.

We'll be bringing you all the big reveals as they happen next week, but before that we thought we'd jeopardise our reputation by making a few predictions. Here's what you can expect at Musikmesse 2013.

Guitars

Fender Troy Sanders signature Jaguar Bass in Silverburst. Quite a specific, we know, but that's because the Mastodon bassist himself gave us the exclusive on it way back in February. Read our Troy Sanders interview to find out more.
iPad madness. iPad's are quickly taking over as convenient guitar practice/demo tools and we don't see the trend slowing any time soon. Expect an abundance of new interfaces, FX/training apps and recording options.
AudioBus support. Still on the iPad tip, AudioBus has quietly unlocked the device's true music-making potential of late and we expect to see even more firms announce AudioBus support and begin to take advantage of it's pan-app abilities. Fancy feeding your guitar through a synth and then into Amplitube? Now you can – and you don't even have to leave the sofa.
The return of solid-state. *Cue thunder and lightning crash* Before all of you valve freaks flip out, solid-state/digital amps have come on leaps and bounds in recent years. Blackstar's ID series is seriously impressive (read our Blackstar ID:260TVP review to find out why), Fractal's Axe-FX II is quickly becoming the choice of those both heavy of tone and wallet and Orange is unveiling it's first 'professional' solid-state amps since the 70s. Something is definitely in the water.
The continuing march of 'retro' gear. The music-making industry is pretty self-indulgent when it comes to praising its own past, but recently retro looks and valve purity have totally dominated the guitar market. We're beginning to get bored by it, but nonetheless expect to see about 1,500 guitars and amps that look like they were found in your nan's attic.

Tech

Nord has been busy releasing multiple stage keyboards and a drum module in recent years, but it's all-but-confirmed that it'll have a new hardware synth at Messe. Our one confident prediction is that it'll be red.
UAD developer Universal Audio is promising a "major new recording product" in Frankfurt. A more portable version of the Apollo audio interface/DSP box, perhaps?
Korg had loads of gear at NAMM so we'd be surprised if it had much else at Messe. You never know though.
A new analogue synth or two is surely inevitable given their current popularity. Who knows where they'll come from, though.
Ditto more pad-based controllers, possibly with iPad compatibility.

Read more about Musikmesse 2013: what to expect at MusicRadar.com

Cool and classic basses: Music Man Cutlass Bass

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:10:00 GMT

Read more about Cool and classic basses: Music Man Cutlass Bass at MusicRadar.com

The Cutlass I and II were Music Man's attempt to join in the graphite neck revolution by teaming up with Modulus Graphite to produce two short-lived models.

Earliest examples used existing body stock (some going back to 1979) and three-bolt neck plates, although these were soon changed to rectangular 4-bolt plates. The 3-bolt version also had through-body stringing whereas the 4-bolt was fitted with a top load bridge unit.

The Cutlass I was essentially a Stingray and the Cutlass II a Sabre, each using those distinctive body shapes and hardware, although the Cutlass II did not retain the exposed pole pieces as seen on the Sabre's twin pickups and also offered a simplified circuit too.

The Cutlass may have been all about the graphite neck but it was obviously not that popular at the time as very few units were actually built. They are pretty special, however, as Dave Swift (owner of these two basses) explains,

"I had a Cutlass I that I bought from a shop in Birmingham back in the 80s. I believe it was one of the first Cutlass basses to turn up in England, if not the first, and most of them were all black, but mine had a beautiful natural ash body. Unfortunately I sold it! I now have a Cutlass I and II, both black, and even though these are also very rare and collectible, I wish I still had my original natural one."

Our sincere thanks go to Dave Swift for his input and to Lars Mullen for the pictures.

Read the full Music Man Cutlass Bass profile

Read more about Cool and classic basses: Music Man Cutlass Bass at MusicRadar.com