Latest articles by Nick Wells
Viral bass hero Blu DeTiger just gave the Fender Jazz Bass a radical revamp – but she started on a Gretsch she left in a taxi
We talk to the bassist with 1.4 million fans on TikTok about how DJing influenced her bass playing, and sending her new signature Jazz Bass to Flea
“David Bowie didn’t even show up”: Herbie Flowers on the making of Lou Reed’s Walk On the Wild Side
Having recorded over 20,000 sessions for the likes of David Bowie, Dusty Springfield, T.Rex, Paul McCartney and Elton John, Brian ‘Herbie’ Flowers was not your average bassist
“I couldn’t work with Lennon and McCartney. I’d end up being beaten to death”: Back in 2011 we locked horns with Lemmy
In a world full of rock ’n’ roll poseurs, Motörhead's hard-living bassist, Lemmy Kilmister, was a true original
How a late-night drinking session with Lars Ulrich almost ruined Robert Trujillo’s Metallica try-out
Robert Trujillo was announced as Metallica's new bassist on February 24, 2003, following a two-day try-out for the metal giants
“I’m like the power forward on a basketball team”: Bob Glaub might be the most famous bass player you’ve never heard of
Bruce Springsteen, John Lennon, Stevie Nicks and oh so many more: for 50 years, Bob Glaub has kept things moving on hit after hit
How Chick Corea bassist Avishai Cohen landed one of the most coveted gigs in jazz
Born in Israel and raised in St. Louis, Avishai Cohen followed the path of many bass players – electric to acoustic – and ended up landing in the hottest seat in the jazz circuit
Fender Vintera II ’60s Precision Bass review
Vintage looks? Timeless P-Bass tones? We size up the latest incarnation of Fender’s flagship 4-string
Flea wanted to ditch Give It Away before his Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmates stepped in
Rick Rubin persuaded Flea to tone down his original bassline on the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 1991 hit single
Slipknot’s original bassist Paul Gray on holding the middle ground in metal’s most extreme band
Slipknot are one of the most visually arresting bands still working today – but the late Paul Gray’s role was decidedly different
“The time I had with Prince at Paisley Park was life-changing”: MonoNeon on collaborating with giants
The Jacob Collier, Mac Miller and Prince collaborator reveals the bassline he wishes he'd written, and reflects on the mind-blowing experience of having Mavis Staples and George Clinton guest on his new album
How Bill Wyman transformed a 1966 landmark track by the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones were working to finish their Aftermath album when Bill Wyman made a musical detour
How Jack Bruce tapped into his jazz roots with fusion supergroup Spectrum Road
Jack Bruce launched Spectrum Road in 2012, featuring drummer Cindy Blackman-Santana, and Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid
How Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones took flight with Them Crooked Vultures
Back in 2010 John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl and Josh Homme joined forces in a bid to redefine heavy rock
Andy Fraser names the forgotten song that marked the pinnacle of his bass playing with Free
Having already sparked Free’s biggest hit, All Right Now, Andy Fraser once again proved that the bass can be a focal point as much as an accompaniment
Cheap Trick’s Tom Petersson on how he pioneered the 12-string bass and influenced a generation of players
Having invented the massive 12-string bass sound back in 1978, Cheap Trick’s Tom Petersson earned his place as one of the most innovative bassists in rock ’n’ roll
Joy Division and New Order hero Peter Hook looks back on his genre-defining legacy
As the respective legacies of Joy Division and New Order grow, year on year, Peter Hook continues to tread his individual path
Ever wondered how Lemmy got those terrifying bass tones with Motörhead? Grab your earplugs – we're going in
“I’ve let a few well-known bassists loose on Lemmy's rig, but no-one sounds close to him”: According to his bass tech, dialing in Lemmy's overdriven tone isn't easy
Why Chris Squire’s relationship with Rickenbacker got off to a shaky start
Chris Squire's Rickenbacker underwent several changes over the years, the most radical coming when he rewired the single-output bass with stereo outputs
Robert Trujillo reflects on the legacy of Jason Newsted and Cliff Burton
If you know your Metallica history, you’ll know that Robert Trujillo is the fourth player to fill the Metallica bass role
Nate Mendel on the time John Paul Jones arrived for his Foo Fighters cameo
Foo Fighters’ ambitious double-disc In Your Honour included guest performers Josh Homme, Norah Jones and Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones
Chi Cheng on his final Deftones album – which took almost three years to complete
According to the late Chi Cheng, Saturday Night Wrist was the first time he’d really locked in with the drums
Meet Vincen García, the Spanish bass virtuoso who joined Cory Wong with 48 hours’ notice
Vincen García shares his bass heroes and how he went about “bringing the artillery” with Cory Wong
Billy Sheehan explains his three-finger plucking technique
After almost 60 years of playing bass, Billy Sheehan is still learning – and still flooring listeners
