Live Performances
MGMT
MGMT returned to the Jimmy Kimmel Live stage recently to perform their titled track from their latest album, Little Dark Age. On the heels of wrapping up their latest U.S. tour and before they head overseas, the guys ripped through their synth-heavy, moody track, complete with a very unsettling outfit worn by their stage-right keyboardist.
MGMT play Power Slinkys and Bass Power Slinkys. You can also see Simon O’Connor playing his Custom Music Man Classic Stingray Bass.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6g4_ZiT694
Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats
Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats performed “You Worry Me” from their album, Tearing At The Seams, on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The soul-rock group is currently on tour through the United States.
Watch the uplifting performance below as the band jams out to the theme of staying calm in troublesome times. We’re getting the feeling that this band is taking over the crossover genre from Rock to Rhythm & Blues.
Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats rely on Cobalt Power Slinkys, Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Mediums, and Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Slinkys.
Johnny Marr
Longtime Ernie Ball alum and guitar legend, Johnny Marr hit the stage for Team Coco this week to perform a new track. In classic Marr fashion, the tune “Bug,” off his third solo album, finds his guitar tones dancing between chorus filled cleans and fuzzed out moments in an effortless flow.
Check out the video and pick up the new album, Call The Comet, here. And in case that wasn’t enough, Mr. Marr also released a video for his new tune, “Walk Into The Sea”, from the same album. Check out the video below!
Johnny Marr plays Power Slinky guitar strings.
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy treated the studio audience on The Ellen Degeneres Show to a performance of their song “The Last Of The Real Ones” from Mania. The new record had received a ton of positive feedback and debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts.
Watch below as the band gives a dynamic performance with quick piano breaks, pulsing purple lights, and Patrick’s voice belting out about a nostalgic love.
Fall Out Boy play Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom and Bass Hybrid Slinky.
Strung Out
Strung Our performed an acoustic showcase on Exclaim TV’s No Future. Performing two songs, “Town of Corazon” and “The Architect”. After nearly three decades of exciting punk tock music and heavy riffs, the band this year has released an acoustic EP called Black Out the Sky. Not only does String Out seem to defy the test of time as all-time punk legends, but they can also bring out acoustic melodies that are just as impactful.
Chris Aiken of Strung Out plays Ernie Ball Acoustic Aluminum Bronze Light, Bass Regular Slinky, and Regular Guitar Slinky.
New Releases
St. Vincent
Ernie Ball Music Man signature artist, Annie Clark has released the “Fast” version of her popular song Slow Disco. She mentioned to Pitchfork,
I always felt this song could wear many different outfits and live many different lives.
St. Vincent worked with Jack Antonoff (Bleachers, FUN and 1989 by Taylor Swift) and co-wrote the song with Civil Wars’ Joy Williams. Listen to the new “Fast” version remic of Slow Disco below.
St. Vincent plays her Signature Ernie Ball Music Man Guitar with Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys.
Watch the making of St. Vincent’s Signature Ernie Ball Music Man Guitar below.
Real Friends
Real Friends released a new single alongside an Official Music Video for the track. The single “From The Outside” dives into lead singer Dan Lambton’s struggle to communicate his emotions to loved ones. The song is charged with attitude and talented harmonic riffs from guitarists Dave Knox and Eric Haines.
Check out the video below and catch Real Friends as they tour on the Vans Warped Tour this summer.
Real Friends play Beefy Slinkys and Bass Hybrid Slinkys.
Thrice
Barely 2 years after releasing their latest album, the guys in Thrice have released a new tune, new label, and new tour. To kick off the announcement, the band released their first new single, “The Grey” on YouTube, along with the announcement of joining the Epitaph Records family.
The new track combines dirty bass guitar tones, dizzying guitar riffs and a powerful chorus, all recorded in a more raw tone. Check out the lyric video below and catch the guys on the road this summer and fall.
Dustin uses Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Slinkys.
If you need more Thrice in your life, watch our Ernie Ball Music Man film, Inspired By Dustin Kensrue and his custom StingRay Music Man guitars.
The 1975
The 1975 have released a new song and announced two fresh upcoming albums! The song is titled “Give Yourself A Try” and comes with an introverted punk video. Watch The 1975 get sentimental with a giant teddy bear and go crazy in tuxedos and glass instruments.
Their closest upcoming album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, will be released in October 2018. The band also mentioned that they’re working on a fourth studio album that will release in May 2019. Right now, it looks like the album will be titled Notes On A Conditional Form.
The 1975 play Power Slinkys, Bass Power Slinkys, and Nickel Medium Lights with a Wound G.
The Wrecks
The Wrecks have released the Official Music Video for “James Dean.” The song is from their EP, Panic Vertigo, that released in February. The song shows off the bands ability to blend a carefree attitude with insane creativity and originality. The Wrecks are just finishing tours and will be playing several music festivals such as Lollapalooza in Chicago this Summer.
The Wrecks play Power Slinky Guitar and Bass Regular Slinky
Mayday Parade
Mayday Parade has released a new single titled “Stay the Same”, set to be available on their new record titled, Sunnyland which can be pre-ordered on Rise Records. Mayday Parade will be on tour this summer and the song “Stay The Same” could very well become the anthem for the last full national tour of the 2018 Vans Warped Tour. Listen below.
Mayday Parade rely on Ernie Ball Not Even Slinky, Bass Power Slinky, and Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Medium Lights.
Tour Announcements
Albert Lee
Albert Lee has announced that he will be making a 2018 Australian Tour. He will be performing shows throughout the nation as well as playing at several special events like Adelaide Guitar Festival, Melbourne Guitar Show, Sydney Guitar Festival and Gympie Muster.
Check out his Facebook post for the tour. Below is a video of Albert Lee giving a US Band Promo, sampling several hit songs, with his Signature Music Man Albert Lee Guitar.
Albert Lee plays with Cobalt Regular Slinkys and Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Light.
Sleeping With Sirens
Sleeping With Sirens have announced their Chill Out Summer Acoustic Tour The Rocket Summer and Kulick. They will be playing from their most recent album, Gossip, which released in 2017. They also teased on their website that a new single, “Another Day” will be releasing soon. “Another Day” is a song by Sleeping With Sirens, cowritten with The Rocket Summer. The song is teased in the video release for the tour, below.
Sleeping with Sirens uses Not Even Slinkys and Cobalt Bass Power Slinkys.
Artist Spotlight
Tarja Turunen
Tarja Turunen bassist, Kevin Chown, will make a special appearance for the 8th Season of Swedish Emmy-award winning reality TV show, Great Swedish Adventure. The television show is extremely popular in Sweden and captures 30 percent of Sweden’s total television audience. Chown was chosen by the reality show because of his unique Swedish heritage.
Below is an Official Music Video by Tarja Turunen for their song, “No Bitter End.” “No Bitter End” is from Tarja’s album, The Shadow Self.
Kevin Chown plays with Hybrid Cobalt Bass 5 Slinkys.
Bonus Content
Jimmy Eat World
In an introspective/career update sort of way, Jim Adkins and Rick Burch of the band Jimmy Eat World sat down with AP Magazine recently to chat about their new singles and where their themes seem to be leading these days. Recently, the guys released 2 new songs. These new tracks are their first since the 2016 release of Integrity Blues. One song is a fast and classic J.E.W. style, the other is a slightly softer sound, played acoustic. Jim Adkins told AP Magazine,
Adversity just seems like the place to go to write about. To me, it makes for a more interesting story. If you’re just going to write a happy song about how happy you are, I don’t really want to listen to that.
Read the entire interview here and check out Jimmy Eat World’s new tracks here.
Guitarists Jim Adkins and Tom Linton play Medium Gauge Strings with Wound G and Medium Earthwood 80/20’s.
Also, if you haven’t yet, check out the Ernie Ball String Theory film with Jim Adkins below.
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