The long weekend is over, the barbecues a memory, and summer is here in full swing. That means that NAMM is just around the corner.

DNA will not be exhibiting this time around, but I’ll be there, walking the floor, and having some meetings. Of course, there’s also the Low Notes For Nashville benefit concert to think about. Sean O’Bryan Smith and Mick Donner are working out details with several bassists, and we’re all becoming more excited by the minute.

One reason that I’m so excited is that we are providing the speaker cabinets for the backline. More than a dozen top bassists will get a chance to hear the cabinets in a working situation. That should be a ton of fun.

For more information, see our Events page, and visit Low Notes For Nashville.

I’m even luckier than the rest, as I’ll be using a rig this Saturday at Springfest. I haven’t decided for certain, but I think I may use the DNS-410. I won’t need it, but it’s here, and it’s bored. I’ll report back next week to let you know how itgoes (went).

Practice Tip of the Week

The summer NAMM show is always a great experience. But this year it’s going to be even better. Reason? Because the night before the show poens - Thursday, June 17, Low Notes For Nashville will host an all-bass benefit concert for Nashville flood relief. The concert will be headlined by Steve Bailey, and will feature a double-handful of top bassists including DNA endorsers Sean O’Bryan Smith and Roy Vogt. I’ll be MC-ing the event and will do a short set as well.

For more information, see our Events page, and visit Low Notes For Nashville.

Practice Tip of the Week

Welcome back, my friends, to the show that’s just getting started. (With apologies to Greg Lake.) I didn’t mention it last week, bu David and Judy enjoyed a wonderful second honeymoon in Hawaii last week. There are no pictures to prove they were really there, and all I really know is that David was totally unavailable for several days.

So, I’m not certain he was in Hawaii. He could have a new undisclosed location known to no one, even me. He could have been off in some very small foreign country doing weird stuff for guys that don’t talk much and blend into shadows. You just never know. But, pictures or no pictures, the officail story is that they were in Hawaii, and until proven otherwise, I’m sticking with it.

Now, Sean O’Bryan Smith and his blushing bride Jami have a very different honeymoon story. They didn’t wait hoonose how many years for their second getaway. They’re doing it for their anniversary. I’m pretty OK telling you because they’re both tweeting their fingers off, and they’ve even tweeted pictures. Plus Sean left me in charge (sort of) of the whole Low Notes for Nashville thing.

So, last week was interesting, and this week is interesting in a different way. My weekend will be spent mostly driving so my family can meet my bride of almost eighteen months for the first time at my mother’s 80th Birthday party. No pressure there, right?

So, let’s up the ante, then. I modified the lyrics to a song to make them about my mom and the kids, and how we got our love of music - and our talent - from her. (Dad loved music, too, but he couldn’t carry a tune in a dump truck, much less a bucket.) My sisters are performing it with me, some thing we haven’t done in decades. And we get one ten minute rehearsal themorning of the party. Should be fun…

Definitely check out Low Notes For Nashville. There’s a lot going on, and there a lot of ways you can pitch in and be a part of it. The list of players involved is just amazing. We’ll soon be announcing details on a benefit concert for the cause.

Over at the forum, we’ve given the place a name. Not surprising that the poll results showed The Gene Pool to be the clear favorite. We’re now discussing potential member nicknames. We’d love to have you join the conversation.

As for new content, in addition to the Practice Tip of the Week, we posted a short video lesson for beginners. To be honest, I’ve been so busy talking to dealers, endorsers and such that I haven’t had time to add more articles from Roy Vogt and Sean. Plus, they’re both in Nashville dealing with the aftermath of the worst natural disaster they’ve had in at least five hundred years. So they’ve been a bit busy, too.

But things are getting better. And the NAMM show is just around the corner. Summer is shaping up to be pretty nice, I must say. But that’s all I can say. See you in a week.

One of the reasons we enjoy our work so much is that bass players are a wonderful community. And we’re proud that many of our endorsers are at the heart of a new effort to assist with Nashville flood relief.

Low Notes For Nashville got its start when Sean O’Bryan Smith tweeted that he was donating all May download profits to flood relief. Within minutes, Lane on Bass followed Sean’s lead. That was last Thursday.

By the end of the day, Roy Vogt and Polo Jones had stepped up, and Sean and Lane were already putting together a much larger effort than expected By the end of Friday, the group had a new web site - thanks to Roger “Spydah” Barlow - our Web UberGeek.

We immediately committed to providing loaner cabinets and whatever other assistance we could. Now, less than a week later, dozens of players have added their support, as have several manufacturers.

Sean O'Bryan Smith and Lane on Bass throw down at last summer's Low Show.

Those wishing to help can purchase downloads from several musicians (with more coming on board), make a cash donation through the site, donate extra gear, or attend the huge bass concert the group is now planning.”This is a way I can help my city get back on its feet,” said Sean. “I’ve always been about strengthening the bass community, and about serving others in need. Now I get to both at once.”

Roy Vogt and Polo Jones, brothers supporting Low Notes For Nashville.

“I’m totally with Sean,” Lane said. This is a unique opportunity to combine my charity work and my love for the bass community. It’s been absolutely wonderful to see so many players - all the way up to the greats I’ve learned from over the years - enthusiastically jump on board. Now let’s see just how far we can drive this bus.”We hope you’re as excited as we are, and will join us in our efforts to support the many brother and sister bass players in Nashville in their time of need. Visit Low Notes For Nashville and do what you can to help.With sincere thanks to everyone involved,

The DNA Team

Hi, everyone! I hope you’re having a good week. I’ve been runing non-stop since Friday. The weekend was filled with personal stuff - going to see a band Glenda and I both love, then joining the guitarist and his wife for a big get together at their place to celebrate the bassist’s Birthday. Sunday was the April dinner in the Danville Foodstock series. So by the time I hit Monday, I was in full swing.

As everyone on the forum already knows, I made a stealth trip up to ChicagoLand to pick up several prototype cabinets. It was a quick up and down run, with barely enough time to hang out with David. Yesterday and today I worked on coordinating with several endorsers, and finding a room for us all to use.

Tomorrow, I’m up at 5:00 in the Geez It’s Early. We’ll see if James, my Young Gun drummer actually wakes up so he can ride with me. I’ll hook up with JD and the crew at Corner Music first, then grab lunch with Marc Williams, who may well be our first new member of the family. Then I have some time to kill before meeting up with Abe White, Roy Vogt, and Sean O’Bryan Smith to beat on some cabinets.

Once we complete the test, I”m hopping right back in the van with about eight ounces of straight espresso and heading home. I really a full day at the desk Friday, because I”m tied up for most of Saturday with a last minute fill-in gig for Doc Ashton & the Root Canals.

Doc runs the hottest Jazz band in the area. The bassist for this pair of clinics and a concert had to bail at the last minute, and I got the call. So I’m going to find out how rusty my Real Book chops are. As many of you know, Lane don’t do much Jazz. And if the changes aren’t on paper, you can skip the bridge and I’ll see you at the end.

In other news, I got a short email from brother WATT. Seems he got stranded along with the rest of Europe thanks to an upset volcano. IF I understand correctly, the entire Iggy Pop and the Stooges band and crew was stuck.

Y’all… can you just imagine Iggy after several days stuck where he doesn’t want to be? Hopefully, byt he time you read this, WATT will be on his way home to sunny San Pedro. It’s an even bet whether he ever leaves again.

I’ve really got to cut this short and get some sleep. I’ll have a good report on Friday, as well as more updates to the site, including this week’s practice tip.

Hi, everyone! Just wanted to post a few quick updates. First, Eddie at Bass Northwest sent us this picture one of his team mates snapped while Eddie was taking Dave Garcia’s order for the first DNA cabinet sale. (See previous update.) Way to go, Eddie!

I also wanted to tell you the latest news about brother Mike Watt. He is featured in Guerilla filmmaker Brendan Toller’s I NEED THAT RECORD! The Death (or Possible Survival) of the Independent Record Store. Johnathan Perry, of the Boston Globe calls it “an elegy for a vanishing subculture…a lively, bittersweet film that examines - with caustic humor, brutal candor, and, ultimately, great affection - why roughly 3,000 indie record stores have closed across the nation over the past decade.”

You can pick up your copy for the pre-order price of $11.21 here.

You can also watch the trailer here.

Congratulations, Mike, and thanks for carrying the torch!

That’s all I have for today. I’ll see you next week with more DNA news!

Greetings from the Deep End, all y’all! I’m in the middle of working on today’s upload, which is going well. However, this just can’t wait:

I’m thrilled to announce that David Garcia is our official Original DNA User (ODU for short)! David just sent me a text informing me that he just put a deposit down on a DNS-410. And since he emailed as I was writing this, here’s the scoop straight from Dave himself:

As always, it was a very good experience dealing with them as they’re knowledgable and put a big emphasis on their customer service. I absolutely cannot wait to receive that cabinet and make some serious noise!

David knows how to make cabs better than anyone so I feel perfectly safe in putting the money down without even seeing one yet. Plus, I wanted to get in there before there’s a huge backorder on them.

To top all that off, I told them to let me know when they can take preorders for the heads, because I want the big one!

I was here first!

Sincerely,

Dave Garcia

Oceanside, CA

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines…er, credit cards. Something. Dealers are taking advance orders.

Call an Authorized Dealer for Pricing

Back now at seven in the evening. Spent the afternoon calling and emailing dealers. It’s only fair to let them all know the gate is open. So. Moving on:

Speaking of dealers, please join us in welcoming Corner Music, Nashville, TN, as our newest dealer. David and I have known JD and the rest of the crew for a god long time, and we’re reaaly excited to be working with them again. Learn more here…

Had a great talk with Traa Daniels of P.O.D. yesterday. He’s been back in the states for a few days in between legs of their South American tour. So far, things are going really well, and they’re looking forward to continuing the festivities.

Another great piece of news is that P.O.D. is writing material for a new CD. Traa says everyone is pumped for the project and the songwriting is going really well. More on that as it develops.

Sean O’Bryan Smith had a total blast taping the Kenny Rogers 50th Anniversary Tribute special. And why not? What with all the legendary performers with whom he appeared. I’m hope ful that by next week I’ll be able to tell you more and maybe even show you pictures.

Late last week, I got an update from Angeline Saris. She continues to improve after surgery and hopes to be back playing by the beginning of May. In the meantime she’s keeping herself busy revamping her web site. She asked me to thank everyone for the prayers, good vibes and well wishes. If you sent her an email, she’s been working through a few a day, and promises to answer every one.

Articles: Roy Vogt offers a series of articles on studio work

Studio 101: Old School

Studio 201: New School

Studio 202: Breaking In

Practice Tip of the Week: Practice in Your Head

That’s about it for now. If you haven’t voted in our current poll, please do so now. And don’t forget to join us over at the forums to keep up with all the latest.

Welcome back, everyone! I hope you all had an excellent holiday weekend! I took most of the weekend off, mostly because I just needed the rest! (smile)

The results of our first Players Poll are in. Here’s how you voted:

Carpet came in first at 53%

Epoxy paint earned 37%

No preference came in at 10%

Our second poll has already begun; this time we’re asking which speaker cabinet you prefer. If you haven’t voted, please go back to the home page and vote now!

I’m very excited to announce that Roy Vogt will conduct a clinic in Chicago on Saturday, May 8th. Times are being nailed down, but it will probably start mid-morning and run through at least mid-afternoon. The clinic is being produced by Jauqo III-X, an old friend of Roy’s and mine, and an outstanding bassist. I’ll be there until about 1, when I have to leave to get back home for a gig. More on this as it develops.

And speaking of clinics, Snow Owl will be offering his master class at Berklee next week. If you can find a way to be there, you’ll be glad you made it!

Got an email from brother WATT today, announcing some Stooges dates - a four-pack of shows in France and one in Spain, beginning this Friday. Check out WATT’s Hoot page for more Stooges dates throughout the summer, as well as other WATT performances.

In addition to being the Godfather of Punk Bass, WATT is also a photographer with a new show: Eye Gifts from Pedro. The show features WATT’s favorite shots of his hometown, San Pedro, CA. Read all about in this article.

That’s all I have for now. I’ll see you in a few days with more DNA news.

Article: Be One with the I

Practice Tip of the Week: Hear it in Your Head

It’s been a busy few days, and I’ve spent almost my entire morning on the phone, talking with endorsers and dealers. Man, I’m getting excited! Let me fill you in on some of the news:

Sister Angeline Saris has made it through surgery and is in good spirits. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to talk long, becasue right after she called they came to take her to her ultrasound checkup on her artery.

Angeline sent me a pair of pictures earlier today. I feel safe posting the one below, but I’m going to hold off on the other one and make sure it’s OK with her to post it, as it shows the drain, which only Gene Simmons could love. But it is a funny shot in an Oh, Gross! sort of way.

Angeline Saris recovering from surgery, with her friend Josh.

UPDATE: Angeline took a nap after the ultrasound, but called me a few minutes ago. She’s still really tired after the surgery, and I hate to say it, but the test showed she may not be out of the woods yet. I won’t say more until Angeline gets to talk to the doctors.

Angeline did say it was OK to post the second picture, so here it is:

Blech! A blood grenade! And it’s mine! Eeew!

By the way, we’re doing all we can to help Angeline raise funds to help pay for all of this. If you can pitch in a dollar, I’m sure she’d appreciate it. And I know that we would, too!

Spoke with Roy Vogt today, as he raced from one appointment to another. He’s been keeping extremely busy, even during Spring Break, what with extra sessions, preparing for the final stretch of this school year, and dealing with the launch of his own learning community, Thunder Row. I’m assisting over there as well, and Roy and I both have blogs. We’re also building a library of lessons, articles and videos, which will feature Roy’s and my current library of material as well as new content. I’m also reaching out to other bassist/writers to invite their contributions.

While all of that is open to the public, there is also a forum which is divided into a public area and Chateau Groove, a private area for owners of Roy’s course, Teach Me Bass Guitar. (You can read my full review here. Whether you’re just starting out, are have been playing for decades, Thunder Row is a great place to improve your skills and pass some knowledge to others. I hope you’ll join us.

And speaking of joining us, have you noticed that we launched the DNA Forums? Thanks to Roger Barlow, we got it up and running last Friday, just in time for the weekend speaker testing. (More on that in a minute.) We already have a couple dozen members, including many old friends. We’ve got over three dozen topics going, including discussions on gear and upcoming designs. If you haven’t registered, please do so now, and join us as we build our community!

Snow Owl and I had a great long Skype call and caught up on several fronts. He’s expecting to attend NAMM 2011, and we’re going to see if we can work a few days in Chicago into his schedule so he can do some in-depth testing with us. Of course we also talked about his upcoming master clinic at Berklee on April 15.

One other thing we discussed - and I’m just so grateful to Snow Owl for this - was the video he sent me. It’s of the Austrian band Rock Office, which includes Hans Baumgartner, one of Snow Owl’s students. The video is of the band’s cover of my song Time of My Dyin’, Part 2, from Dig the Hole. Man, I was thrilled, and honored, they liked the songs that much.

Thanks to today’s technology, I have a video of them doing it as an internationally-sharable keepsake. You can watch it here, if you’re so inclined.

And just HUGE thanks to Hans and the rest of Rock Office - who did an excellent job! - and to Snow Owl for helping it all happen.

Now we get to the really fun stuff. If you haven’t noticed, there are four more videos (five total) from last weekend’s field testing. One word: amazinglyinstenselytotallyawesome. Check out the written report, including Jeff Carlson‘s toughts, on the SEAL Team report page. I haven’t heard back from Mark yet, but I’ll post his comments as soon as he weighs in. By the way, we also kept touch with the forum during the test. It’s in the report.

While the schedule is not set, I can tell you that the first Road Trip for field testing will be to Nashville. In addition to Roy and Sean, Abe White will be taking part, as well as a new member of the family, Marc Williams. In fact, Marc is so new that he and I haven’t met face to face yet, much less have his fake tooth with the cyanide capsule inserted, so it will be an event-packed trip for him. Of course, I’ll be shooting video and stills (of the testing not the insertion of the … never mind) during the test. If there’s time I’m going to try to get each one of them to sit for a shoret interview.

OK. That’s pretty much everything that’s going on… or at least everything I’m allowed to talk about. I’ll see you in a few days, with more.

Wow! What a weekend! I’m still recuperating from the trip, but I did manage to get one interview video done, and another almost there. The video is back on the front page.

To quickly bring you up to date in other areas:

Fellow endorser and good friend Snow Owl announced today that he will offer a master-level clinic at prestigious Berklee on April, 15, 2010. For those who don’t know, Snow Owl is bass professor at Graz University in Austria. More details on the event here, and on Snow Owl here. If you have any change at all of attending, get there! You don’t want to miss this special occasion.

If it fits for you, please offer good energy, thoughts of healing and prayers for sister Angeline Saris. As I reported some time ago, Angeline is dealing with a serious issue involving her left arm and her ability to play bass. Today, she undergoes surgery to hopefully correct the problem. She will be in our thoughts all day today, and I hope you will join us.

Finally, it’s not definite yet, but it appears as if I’ll be heading out on the road to do further testing with our SEAL Team. When I nail down the schedule I’ll tell you more.

OK, it’s already after 1 p.m. my time and I’ve got tons to do, especially if I’m traveling soon I’ll see you in a few days with more news.