Reverb
HAIM’s Este Haim on Teaming with Fender and Proving People Wrong
The central thesis of HAIM’s cheekily titled third record, Women in Music Pt. III, which came out this summer, appears on the track “Man from the Magazine”. After quoting a sexist interview question that came from a male journalist, the song’s second verse goes: “Man from the music shop, I drove too far/ For you to hand me that starter guitar/ ‘Hey, girl, why don’t you play a few bars?’/ Oh, what’s left to prove?” HAIM, a Los Angeles-based rock group of three multi-instrumentalist sisters that has been referred to as a “girl band” too many times to count, shouldn’t have to prove anything. But, if they did, a spot in a Fender campaign might seal the deal. “I guess the only thing that I can do is just keep proving people wrong,” says HAIM’s bass player Este Haim, who stars in Fender’s latest...
Moog Brings Back Budget-Friendly Werkstatt-01 Modular Synthesizer
Moog is bringing back its “most affordable” modular synthesizer, the Werkstatt-01, just in time for the holidays with a new low price. If you plan on spending less money and more time making music, it’s the perfect way to begin dabbling in Moog’s ever-growing world of modular synths. The Werkstatt-01 now goes for $199 (versus its original price of $379), and its simplicity and customization make it entry-level accessible for those who’ve never owned such an instrument. As Moog states in the press release, the Werkstatt can be used for “musical exploration and experimental education” as a standalone instrument or a workshop for patching and interconnectivity with other gear. It was designed specifically for the curious owner to open it up and tweak away, all while literally learning the ins...
Adam Jones Unveils Signature Les Paul Guitar and New Music Featuring Tool Bandmates: Stream
Tool’s Adam Jones has been one of rock’s most innovative guitarists for the past 30 years. Now, he finally has his own signature guitar, a 1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom. Moreover, he’s celebrating the instrument with brand new music, a score to a short film he created called The Witness. The track is essentially a Tool instrumental, as he’s joined by the band’s rhythm section of drummer Danny Carey and bassist Justin Chancellor. Gibson’s Custom Shop Murphy Lab recreated “Adam’s #1 Guitar”: a Silverburst 1979 Gibson Les Paul. The guitar has become a mainstay in Jones’ arsenal and was prominent on the band’s tour in support of Fear Inoculum last year. From looks down to electronics, it’s a spot-on clone of Jones’ go-to axe. The replica touts a hand-wound Seymour Duncan Distortion bridge pickup...
Jeff Bridges on How His New Line of Eco-Friendly Guitars Abide by the Environment
When you’re buying a coffee table for your home or building a shed in the backyard, do you ever stop to think about where that wood came from? What about when you buy a guitar? Well, at Breedlove Guitars in Bend, Oregon, they are doing more than just creating environmentally friendly instruments; they are facilitating a new way of thinking. According to Breedlove, “owner Tom Bedell has traveled to each forest in Suriname, the Republic of Congo, and the Swiss Alps to verify individual harvest, chain of custody, and sound ecological practices.” Though what this company does is outside the norm, all it takes are the actions of one to create a chain reaction and potentially spark a huge wave of change. No one understands this concept more than Jeff Bridges. We all know the prolific actor for h...
Fender Extends Free Guitar Lessons Program Through the End of 2020
Back at the beginning of the pandemic, guitar manufacturer Fender kicked off a promotion that offered guitar, bass, and ukulele players three months of free lessons on their Fender Play app. The giveaway was initially supposed to run for six three, but it was such a huge hit that the company is extending it through the end of 2020. “When quarantine began, we invited the world to make some noise with free access to Fender Play. Six months in, the world is louder than ever — and music still has the power to connect us all,” Fender said in a press release. “So until 2020 is over, our invitation is back, 3 months of free online guitar, bass and ukulele lessons. No cost. No catch. Just music. Let’s play on through to the other side.” It might seem a little peculiar for a business to be giving a...
Trivium’s Matt Heafy Presents Guitar to Hero UPS Driver on Drew Barrymore Show: Watch
Just a couple weeks after its premiere, Drew Barrymore’s new talk show has already earned some major metal cred. Trivium frontman Matt Heafy recently made an appearance on the daytime television program to gift a Gibson guitar to a hero UPS driver. On a recent episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, the actress spotlighted a UPS driver named Hector as part of her “Drew Gooders” segment. Hector recently went viral for a super-cool gesture that made a young boy’s day. As the parents of four-year-old Langston explained, the youngster has been lonely and cooped up inside during the COVID-19 pandemic, and gets excited anytime a delivery person comes by. One day Langston asked Hector if he had a package for him, but Hector had to tell him he didn’t have anything. Cut to the next day, when Hector cam...
H.E.R. Is First Black Female Artist to Launch Fender Signature Guitar
Two-time Grammy-winner H.E.R. is the first Black female artist to launch a Fender Signature Guitar in the company’s 74-year history. H.E.R. first revealed the new axe in her performance Sunday at the 2020 Primetime Emmy Awards. During the “In Memorium” segment, she covered Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”, ripping through a flawless guitar solo in the process. Now, that same model can be yours for $1,099. The H.E.R. signature Stratocaster comes with an alder body that’s finished with a new iridescent color, which Fender is calling Chrome Glow. It features a modern oval “C”-neck shape, which should be comfortable for most hand sizes, as well as Fender’s Vintage Noiseless pickups that promise a clean, well-defined tone. The custom neck plate is engraved with H.E.R.’s artwork. In a statement, ...
Dawes Share the Origins of New Single “Didn’t Fix Me”: Stream
Our new music feature Origins gives artists the challenge of digging into the various influences behind their latest tracks. Today, Dawes reveal the things that “Didn’t Fix Me”. Now more than ever, we’re all on our own journeys to try and feel just a little bit better. Of course, the double-edged sword of it all is no matter how good a place we find ourselves in, this year has made it ever more clear that such harmony is frail. But as anyone with any experience giving or receiving mental health advice will tell you, that’s normal. Feeling 100% all the time is an unfeasible expectation — and that’s okay. If you ever need a reminder of that, Dawes have delivered what could be the perfect musical hug with their new song “Didn’t Fix Me”. Taken from the band’s forthcoming Good Luck with Whateve...
10-Year-Old Nandi Bushell Continues Drum-Off with Dave Grohl by Rocking Them Crooked Vultures Song: Watch
In an otherwise tough year for the entertainment industry (and the world), this could very well be the feel-good music story of 2020. After Dave Grohl accepted 10-year-old Nandi Bushell’s challenge for a drum-off, the young YouTube sensation has continued the battle by matching the rock star’s performance of Them Crooked Vultures’ “Dead End Friends”. To quickly recap, it all started when Nandi rocked Foo Fighters’ “Everlong” a couple weeks ago, and issued a challenge to Grohl for a drum battle. This past weekend, Grohl responded by using his daughter Harper’s drum kit to rock a bit of “Everlong” and a full performance of “Dead End Friends” by Them Crooked Vultures, his supergroup featuring Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones. In his video, Grohl told Nan...
Brian Setzer Launches Reverb Store to Sell His Personal Guitars, Amps, More
If you’ve ever contemplated learning how to play rockabilly music at home, then now might be the time to give it a try. Brian Setzer has partnered with Reverb to sell a handful of guitars, amps, and more from his storied career, several of which he used to help popularize the genre. The official Brian Setzer Reverb Shop will open to the public on August 26th online. Among the items he’s selling are a Gretsch 6120 Smoke Prototype that he used on The Brian Setzer Orchestra’s hit “Sleepwalk” and a leopard-print Gretsch Hot Rod that he played in the 2002 Disney film The Country Bears. He’s also listing a custom Gretsch Hot Rod in green pin-stripe and Gretsch Hot Rods in white and red sparkle, all of which were seen on various Christmas tours by The Brian Setzer Orchestra. Many of the other gui...
Jeff Bridges and Breedlove Unveil New Signature Model Acoustic Guitars
Actor and musician Jeff Bridges has teamed with Breedlove for a line of new signature model acoustic guitars. The instruments are sustainably sourced and feature Bridges’ “All in This Together” motto inlayed on the fretboard. As Bridges states in the press release, the elegant acoustic guitars prove “we can build beautiful instruments to make beautiful music that will resonate for all time, and preserve the trees, the lungs of our planet, which temper our climate, replenish our fresh water and provide shelter for our wildlife. We can make our instruments with salvaged or selectively harvested wood from sustainable forests, while still protecting habitat and sustaining the local community. We can make a difference.” The Breedlove Jeff Bridges “All in This Together” premium signature model i...
10-Year-Old Nandi Bushell Rocks Audioslave’s “Cochise” with Guitar Tom Morello Gifted Her: Watch
Ten-year-old musician Nandi Bushell has made great use out of a guitar that was just gifted to her by Tom Morello, performing the Audioslave hit “Cochise” in her latest YouTube video. Not to mention, she also rocks the drums and bass in the impressive clip. Nandi previously wowed Morello with a performance of Rage Against the Machine’s “Guerrilla Radio”, in which she also played all three instruments. The RATM guitarist was so impressed that he shipped her one of his new Fender Soul Power Stratocaster signature guitars, along with delivering her a personal video message. Instead of putting the guitar in a display case, Nandi did what every good young rocker should do, and jammed Audioslave’s “Cochise” with the Stratocaster. A fitting choice considering that the Soul Power is modeled a...
