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Rotosound interview Believe In Music Week NAMM Doug Wimbish Eva Gardner Duff McKagan KingaGlyk Jake Burns Ricky Dover Jr JJ Burnel Mark King James LoMenzo 2020

Top Rotosound players speak about making music during the COVID-19 pandemic

With travel restrictions in place across the globe and events on hold, we took to Zoom to meet up with some of our favourite Rotosound players who tell rock n' roll tales and unveil plans for future releases from lockdown sessions.

I got a set of Swing Bass…& the brightness and the roundness of the sound I was trying to get kind of appeared.

-Duff McKagan

When I started to play bass I didn’t have my own strings…  I really like these [Rotosound] strings

-Kinga Głyk

The NAMM Show’s Believe In Music Week is wrapped up and we had the best time hanging with some of our favourite Rotosound players.

We were fortunate enough to talk with some of our favourite musicians and the power of modern communication allowed us to broadcast our chats with these great guitarists and bassists with the entire world. From longterm Rotosound string players such as JJ Burnel, Mark King, Eva Gardner, and Duff McKagan; to recent endorsees like Kinga Glyk and Ricky Dover Jr; old friends Doug Wimbish and James LoMenzo; and heroes we’ve never had the chance to meet before like Jake Burns.

Scroll down to check out all of our interviews with some of the world’s best musicians…

Duff McKagan on Gun N’ Roses’ wildest show, covering Prince, and recording in lockdown

Rotosound chats with Duff McKagan and catches up with how the iconic bassist has been dealing with the postponed Guns N’ Roses tour and life at home. Duff talks about how he first started using Rotosound strings and why he still uses them to this day.

Kinga Głyk shares a simple bass line to make people happy & her secondhand string story

Prodigious Polish bass player and composer, Kinga Głyk, updates us on her year away from touring, explains how she got into using Rotosound strings, and discusses how much work goes into being a top level bassist. Kinga Głyk uses Rotosound Swing Bass Nickel strings.

James LoMenzo discusses his varied career from Megadeth to John Fogerty via French horn

World renown bassist with everyone from Slash’s Snakepit to John Fogerty, Megadeth to Black Label Society, James LoMenzo, catches up with Jason How and Jack Dunwoody from Rotosound in lieu of this year’s NAMM Show.

James shows us around his home studio and gives an insight into how he got into using Rotosound strings.

Mark King on writing & recording at home, how he got into bass, & playing double bass

Level 42 frontman, Mark King, talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected his life, why he first picked up the bass, and why he has used Rotosound strings throughout his career. Mark takes questions from fans including how often he changes his strings (it’s a lot!), if he plays double bass, and whether he has any dreams yet to be fulfilled.

Doug Wimbish discusses tone & pedals, the Sugarhill Gang, & ‘surviving synth bass’

We met up with Doug Wimbish on Zoom to see what he has been up to in the past year and to put forward some questions from fans. Doug talks about his audition for Living Colour, recent chats with his former bandmates, and goes into detail about using effects pedals musically.

Ricky Dover Jr champions his top British Invasion bands & discusses the Nashville scene

Guitarist with Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts and rock n roll enthusiast, Ricky Dover Jr, chats with Rotosound as part of NAMM’s #BelieveInMusicWeek 2021. Ricky’s love for the British Rock bands of the ’60s and ’70s drew him to Rotosound, which has helped him achieve the vintage-flavoured tone he adores.

Ricky talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected his music life (postponed tours with Mötley Crüe included) and how the Nashville music scene has fared. He also talks about his collection of pedals and vinyl records with a special affection for Rotosound players Status Quo.

Ricky plays Rotosound Pure Nickel strings.

Eva Gardner talks bass tips, life on & off tour, & NAMM

Solo artist and one of the world’s top session bassists, Eva Gardner, talks to Rotosound’s Jack Dunwoody. Eva talks about going from Pink’s Beautiful Trauma world tour (#2 highest grossing tour from a female artist) to being a musician at home, what it’s like working with Cher, and the best advice she received from her father, the legendary bassist, Kim Gardner.

Stiff Little Fingers’ Jake Burns talks punk philosophy, guitars, & life in lockdown

Guitarist and frontman with Stiff Little Fingers, Jake Burns, speaks to Rotosound’s Jason How about how the COVID-19 pandemic affected his year, why he doesn’t listen to Hendrix, and how much his guitars take a beating.

JJ Burnel chats about The Stranglers’ new record, his influences, & speaker-ripping tone

Iconic bassist with The Stranglers, JJ Burnel, talks  about life away from touring, recording in his local village, his early influences and how he ended up with his signature ‘growly’ tone.

JJ Burnel uses Rotosound Swing Bass strings.

Played by legends

Rotosound has been the number one choice of music string for the most celebrated musicians of every generation. Find out more on the Rotosound Players page.

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