If you’re a bassist, you probably already know that you’re going to be carrying a much bigger case than anyone else, you’re probably going to have the heaviest and largest instrument that can actually be held on stage, and you’re a much  more integral part of the band than you probably get credit for.  You probably already know that you’re going to need more tools and gadgets than a regular guitarist, but what kind of things should you always have on hand?  What, in short, is the shortlist of tools you need?

I’m glad you asked.  I just found a pretty insightful little post that aims to tell you just that, what You need in your tool kit as a bass guitarist.  The tools are easy to come by, easy to find and you should have no trouble outfitting your bass case with them in no time at all.  Here, according to the article, are the most important items for your bass kit:

# “A philips (cross-head) screw driver.
# An allen key or two (hex key).
# A good set of wire cutters.
# A flat-head screw driver (if you have an older bass).”

What is great is, there are actually full guitar kits, like this one by GIGmate that give you all the tools you need in one fell swoop.  Not too shabby, not too shabby at all!  Toss in a few extra sets of strings, a cleaning cloth and extra straps and picks and you should be always prepared for whatever hurdles a live gig can throw at you!

One of the things that I’m currently lacking in my basement is a bass cabinet.  I’ve got 2 guitar amps down there, a full drum set and even somewhat of a recording setup. I’m not entirely sure if I should buy one, or just wait for one of my friends to, but not having a bass cab means only 2 people can play music/jam at a time.

There seem to be some good deals on bass cabs online and even in stores (if you find the right sale), but I think the best thing might be to look for one used. I remember one of my friends once making the mistake of buying an Ampeg refrigerator cab. Like the name implies, the bass cabinet is the size of a refrigerator!  While it does have wheels, it is really hard to move around especially down stairs. So, I won’t be making that mistake again…

So I had a chance to listen to Monotonix’ Body Language EP all the way through. The first song “Summers & Autumns” is the best on the record. It starts with a kind of Black Sabbath-esque 70’s style riff and and then continues on to a stop/start chorus and just grooves. The absence of a bass guitar makes the fact that the songs groove solidly impressive, also showcasing how tight the drummer is.

The EP holds true to the rock sound of the band all the way through. There aren’t any ballads or weird electronic tracks or anything like that. The title track, “Body Language” which is also the final song starts with seemingly random piano playing before descending into a kind of dance-y led zeppelin riff, this is a good thing. It also has a catchy chorus, and a guitar part near the end of the song that for some reason reminds me of the music in the Mega Man games you played as a kid on Nintendo.

After seeing them live I kind of figured their EP would be weak, just because their live show is so intense. In a way the EP is weak, but not in a bad way. It doesn’t capture the insanity and ridiculousness of their live shows, but its pleasing to listen to and that is usually the mark of any decent record.

OM is a band I’ve been listening to for a while who is really amazing and yet may or may not be together at the moment and is also pretty much unheard of outside of certain circles. OM, (pronounced like the chant), is a 2 member band founded from the remnants of San Francisco stoner rock band Sleep. More specifically OM was Sleep’s rhythm section, the band is comprised of only a singer/bassist and drummer, there are no guitars.

The band’s sound could also be described as stoner rock, (slow, heavy songs in 4/4 time that make you nod your head and pay homage to black sabbath), but by listening closely to them a lot more is revealed. Their songs feature not only heavy abrasive moments, but quiet meditative passages that give-way to chant like vocal melodies. OM songs usually feature only a few riffs per song, yet most of their songs clock in over the 10 minute mark. On the surface this seems repetitive, but these few riffs evolve within the song, changing and mutating as the song progresses.

I saw them at the Echoplex here in LA about 2 months ago and they were great, ridiculously loud and hypnotic. Recently though, it has been reported that after 3 albums, the drummer Chris Haikus is leaving the band. Supposedly the bassist/singer Al Cisneros will continue on. Definitely a band worth checking out if you’ve never heard of them before. Below are the titles to their albums and links to their website and myspace page, where you can hear a few tracks.

- (2005) Variations on a Theme

- (2006) Conference of the Birds

- (2007) Pilgrimage

Omvibratory.com

http://www.myspace.com/variationsontheme

Video of OM performing live at Amoeba Records - San Francisco