Latest articles by Joel McIver
Gibson Les Paul Junior Tribute DC Bass review
Short of scale and small of body, this Junior makes few concessions to the modern player – but it's a lot of fun
Suzi Quatro: ”I grew up in Detroit, so I was weaned on James Jamerson. He’s still the best. I very much take my style from him”
Kicking down boundaries, 50-million album sales, primetime TV star and awesome bassist... Suzy Q explains how she ended up owning the '70s
60 years of the Fender Jazz Bass
We meet Allen Abbassi, Senior Product Development Manager, for a look back – and forward – on the subject of the mighty J...
Happy 400th birthday Bass Player! Legends of the low-end pay tribute
Bass playing legends congratulate BP on 400 issues
Roger Glover: "I'm a simple bassist. I’m not the virtuoso bass player that some people expect"
Deep Purple are the last hard rockers of their era still touring, and they’ve got some miles in 'em yet, says the man in charge of the band's low-end
Behind the scenes of Fender Custom Shop's bass creations
We visited Fender’s Custom Shop in Corona, California for a peek behind the curtain and some pearls of wisdom
Felix Pastorius: ”Even if Jaco wasn’t my father, I’d still be comparing myself to other bassists”
Felix Pastorius on the importance of an artist's individuality, managing fans' expectations and befriending your bass
Lynda Kay remembers Lemmy Kilmister, the rock 'n' roll icon with a heart of gold
The actor and musician Lynda Kay on a friendship less ordinary and a special duet with the late Motörhead frontman
Lee Sklar: "I go onto YouTube and see all these amazing players, and I say, ‘Christ, I’d be embarrassed to take a bass out in the same room as those guys'"
The great Lee Sklar, veteran of countless sessions, returns with the Immediate Family. “I’m your gardener!” he tells us...
Mark King: “Level 42 were so successful in the '80s. No-one was more surprised than me at how big the band became”
As Level 42 celebrate four decades in business, we sit down with King and take a look back - with the benefit of 2020 vision
Ida Nielsen: "Prince always pushed us to be better - now I want to make sure I’m the best musician I can be"
Ida Nielsen talks cheap gear, the Purple One, and explains why her phenomenal new album, 02022020, is slap-free
Darryl Jones: "The Rolling Stones are pretty cool about letting me play what I want - they trust that I'll find the essence of the songs"
The in-demand bass player goes deep on nailing the Stones' tones, playing with Miles Davis and the luxuries of touring with one of the world's most commercially successful bands
Richie Goods: "In my neighborhood, it was all about the bass. It was all about Bootsy Collins and Louis Johnson"
The Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys bassist on Mulgrew Miller's influence, tracking live, and how he became a 12-hour-a-day bass fanatic
Michael Mondesir: “In 36 years of playing professionally, I haven’t really owned a high-end bass”
The Jeff Beck and Whitney Houston session great on reading music, learning by ear, and why there are few better-sounding basses than the Yamaha BBN5 II
Rickenbacker Al Cisneros 4003 AC review
Sleep and OM bassist Al Cisneros is one a very short list of bassists with a signature Rickenbacker, and it is smokin' hot!
Billy Sheehan: "I never considered I had any natural talent at all. I just had a burning desire to play"
Guest editor and lord of the low-end, Sheehan talks complex arrangements, gear essentials and low-carb diets
Mike Watt: "There’s something about using the bass as a composition tool. Why only compose on a piano or a guitar?"
The Minuteman punk icon talks signature models, trying to be funky, and starting out on bass not knowing what it was
Flea: "Playing bass gets you into this hypnotic state - you’re not thinking because you’re just a conduit for the rhythm"
The iconic Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist discusses philosophy, gear and his new autobiography, Acid For The Children
Issues bassist Skyler Acord details his funk-informed metalcore approach and tricked-out signature Spector bass
Ever been so deep into your music that you’ve lost your grip on reality? Meet Issues bassist Skyler Acord, newly equipped with a state-of-the-art signature Spector bass – and stand clear
