John Bohlinger, Perry Bean, and Chris Kies have a conversation about the music that made them move 'n' groove in 2023—including fresh cuts from Willie Nelson, Joe Bonamassa, Jason Isbell, Queens of the Stone Age, Sleep Token—and share their anticipation of new releases in 2024.
Nirvana's iconic frontman codesigned this hybrid with the Custom Shop in 1993 and now it sees a wide release.
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) today announced the global launch of the Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang® guitar,commemorating the 30th anniversary of Nirvana's influential record "Nevermind." The Signature Jag-Stang® guitar is a reissue of the legendary performer's own custom model, which included a combination of his favorite elements from his Fender® Jaguar® and Mustang® guitars. The Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang® guitar design genesis can be traced back to Cobain's personal journals filled with photo collages and drawings of his idea for a hybrid of the Jaguar® and Mustang® guitar.
These detailed sketches of Cobain's dream Fender® guitar drawn in 1993 are brought to life in this 2021 revival.
The guitar is built to Cobain's meticulous specifications, using vintage-style single-coil and custom humbucking pickups, a 24" scale length that gives the guitar a feel and playability that is characteristic of the Mustang® guitar, which Kurt preferred, and of course, the iconic body shape.
Available in both right and left-handed models to honor the legendary left-handed player himself, the Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang® fits all of his playing preferences for those looking to emulate his iconic stage style.
"Ever since I started playing, I've always liked certain things about certain guitars but could never find the perfect mix of everything I was looking for" said the late Kurt Cobain in a 1994 Fender Frontline interview. "The Jag-Stang® is the closest thing I know."
One of the most influential rock musicians of all time, Cobain's impact has influenced guitarists and musicians throughout pop culture. As the front man of the Grammy Award-winning band Nirvana, Cobain was a creative force to be reckoned with: delivering generation-defining anthems from their first album Bleach to their final release, In Utero. Many of music culture's greatest used the re-release of the Jag-Stang® guitar to pay tribute to Cobain's legacy:
"After the 80s placed a focus on excess and technical guitar ability, Kurt blew through the barriers to entry to become a musician or start a band," said Gerard Way, singer, songwriter and co-founder of My Chemical Romance. "He embodied a collective frustration with the elitist obstacles to guitar players, and encouraged all of us to pick up an instrument and go for it — no matter what kind of training you had, no matter how many solos you were able to play. To me, that's rock and roll. Kurt and Nirvana brought the underground into the public consciousness with heart, rebellion, and authenticity; the world needed these things on a mass scale.""After getting their first single and their Bleach album, I was a Nirvana fan before I even saw them live," said J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. "They didn't disappoint — they were hard, heavy, and manic. We toured together in 1991 — after we played the Warfield in San Francisco, I was really sick lying on the couch backstage. Kurt came up and hugged me — he was psyched up on the show, especially on the song Sludgefeast that we played. I wasn't much of a hugger at the time, but I needed one. Thanks Kurt."
"Kurt's style felt like a reaction to the overindulgence of the '80s," said Joe Trohman, guitarist of Fall Out Boy. "Through his playing, I was exposed to this strange intersection where noise rock and pop music could meet and get along. So, Cobain was definitely a gateway player. And, similarly to how he felt about his Jag-Stang, my Tele is also a Frankenstein, of sorts––cobbled together from my favorite guitar bits. It's important to have an instrument you're comfortable with that can do what you need it to do."
"Kurt was the first guitar player that I really recognized as a "defier" of norms,'' said singer-songwriter John J. McCauley of Deer Tick. "It must have been MTV or one of the college stations in Providence. I was pretty young. Aside from Kurt's guitar playing, it was really all the hooks and his incredible voice that captivated me. I was a big Beatles nerd kid and Nirvana was like their heaviest moments on steroids. In Utero was the first album I owned by Nirvana. I had never heard anything like "Scentless Apprentice" before. That album and those tracks really helped me open my mind to more experimental music."
"Kurt's playing inspired me in a lot of ways, from the attitude in his playing and use of power chords, to his more pluck-focused and interesting riffs like in Come As You Are or All Apologies," said singer-songwriter Beabadoobee. "He also played in Drop D a lot and that was cool to try - it got me into playing around with tunings which I do all the time now. I agree with what Kurt said about loving guitars, but always wanting to change something small. It's a hard mix to get right, but there's a few guitars I really love. The Jag-Stang is a really nice fusion and I love what Kurt did with it!"
"Nevermind was basically my music teacher," said Luke Boerdam of Violent Soho, "I've never needed a guitar lesson since. That album underpinned how I related to writing and music… it wasn't just an influence, it was the influence. To me Nirvana made it "okay" not to know heaps of chords, or practice your scales. It was all about raw energy, feel and tension with their music. It's 100% important to have a guitar that can help you build a mental picture of things you need to make your songs work and what you like."
"Though Kurt's performance and playing style seems quite simple, his sound had an unrivaled persuasiveness and vitality that penetrated through our emotions," said Jean-Ken Johnny, guitarist and vocalist of Japan's MAN WITH A MISSION. "Listening to Nirvana was an eye-opening experience for me. He made me realize the importance of expressing one's emotions through music and guitar, rather than overwhelming audiences with technique. It showed me the potential guitar has to reveal and amplify emotions to a greater length. His performances changed the way I listen to music, and had great influence on the music I chose to pursue."
The heartfelt vocals, distorted power chords and raw energy of Cobain's music with Nirvana launched the grunge movement and inspired countless other artists for years to come. Later generations have also come to appreciate Cobain's progressive politics, as he publicly took positions against racism and homophobia that were well ahead of the social norms of the day. Since his passing, Kurt Cobain has been named one of Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists, 100 Greatest Singers of All Time and 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.
Cobain was seen playing a variety of Fender® guitars over the years, but his Fender® Jaguar® and Mustang® remain the most iconic due to their use on the "Nevermind" tour and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" music video. The Jag-Stang® guitar — designed by Cobain himself — combined his favorite elements of each of these guitars into a custom Fender® creation. Cobain played his own Jag-Stang® live several times on the In Utero tour before his untimely passing. But much like Cobain's legacy, the guitar lived on after being given to R.E.M guitarist Peter Buck, who used it in several of the band's videos.
Exploring the Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang | Artist Signature Series | Fender
"When we took a look at the sketches Kurt Cobain had drawn up for his dream guitar, we were impressed by how intricate his design was. We honored the original model - all the specs on the new Jag Stang® are as they were. Nothing new was done to it, we really wanted to keep it aligned with Kurt's vision. Through our long-standing relationship with the Kurt Cobain Estate, we always knew we wanted to bring his vision to life. It's been an immense honor to help bring his idea to fruition and revive this model," said Justin Norvell, EVP of Fender Products.
The Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang® guitarcomes in Fiesta Red and Sonic Blue finishes and all the specs on the new Jag-Stang® are as they were in Kurt's original model, honoring his creation. The guitar features an alder body, 24" short scale length, 7.25" and radius rosewood fingerboard. Additionally, the vintage-style single-coil and custom humbucking pickups allow players to recreate Cobain's classic tones. The Mustang® guitar slider switches provide the flexibility to dial in four distinct settings for a variety of in or out-of-phase tones - perfect for replicating Kurt's punchy guitar sounds. The Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang® guitar is available in both right and left-handed models.
Originally designed by Kurt Cobain and the Fender Custom Shop™, the guitar was dialed in and finalized right before the time of Cobain's passing. Although only used live at a few of Nirvana's last shows, the documentation of this personalized guitar is preserved in his personal journals, made public after his passing. The pages here are scanned from the book, "Kurt Cobain Journals" published by Riverhead Books (2002), which reprinted the pages. These sketches not only illustrate the history of the Kurt Cobain designed Jag-Stang® but are also incredible pieces of history epitomizing the relationship between Cobain and Fender.
In celebration of the Jag-Stang® release, fans can learn to play iconic Kurt Cobain songs on the Jag-Stang® guitar inside Fender Play®, the complete learning app for guitar, bass and ukulele. "Artist Spotlight: Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)" features lessons to Nirvana songs such as In Bloom, Polly, Something In the Way, Pennyroyal Tea, Sliver and more.
Street price: $1,249.
In true tradition, the Fender® Artist Signature Series honors iconic musicians through product progression and storytelling, creating instruments inspired by the unique specifications of the world's greatest guitarists and bassists. Watch History In A Hot Minute: The Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang for a deep dive into the building of this iconic instrument. Watch as Nick Reinhart digs into the exciting features from the Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang. Additional info on the Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang® guitar and product descriptions are available here. Product, lifestyle and artist images can be found here.
For technical specs, additional information on new Fender products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.fender.com. Join the conversation on social media by following @Fender.
The Alice in Chains guitar ace breaks out on his own (again) for a collection of songs featuring Duff McKagan, Tyler Bates, Gil Sharone, Greg Puciato, and others.
Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Alice In Chains co-founder Jerry Cantrell today announces a North American tour beginning on March 24, 2022 in support of his soon to be released album Brighten. Tickets are on sale Friday, August 27 at 10:00 AM local time.
The upcoming tour follows the release of his first song from Brighten, "Atone", which was met with praise from fans and critics. Rolling Stone writer Jon Blistein said, "Atone" is a heavy track, although it's undergirded by a sinister twang while the guitar riffs hit with grit and menace, as well as a bit of psychedelic unease. "Running out of time," Cantrell wails right before the hook, "Gotta find a way to atone/Gotta find a way to atone/Trying to find a way to atone."
Jerry Cantrell - Atone (Official Video)
Jerry's expansive sonic palette incorporates everything from moments of moody organ and powerful pedal steel to the cathartic choruses and airtight riffs which is the hallmark of Cantrell's sound.
The tour kicks off at the legendary First Avenue in Minneapolis and will wind its way across the country hitting major cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Nashville, NY, Philadelphia, Seattle and Los Angeles to name a few. See full tour routing below.
Tickets for the Brighten Tour are available via Ticketmaster and wherever tickets are sold.
Over the past year, Jerry co-produced Brighten with film composer Tyler Bates [300, John Wick] and long-time Engineer Paul Fig. Reflecting a classic spirit, they welcomed a dynamic cast of supporting players, including drummers Gil Sharone and Abe Laboriel, Jr. (Paul McCartney), Duff McKagan [Guns N' Roses, Loaded] on select bass tracks, Greg Puciato [Dillinger Escape Plan] handling all of the backing vocals along with Lola Bates, pedal steel master Michael Rozon, Vincent Jones on piano, Wurlitzer, and organ, Jordan Lewis on piano, Matias Ambrogi-Torres on strings, and Joe Barresi [Tool, Queens of the Stone Age] overseeing the mixing of Brighten.
Brighten is available for pre-order and will be offered in an exclusive bone with gold splatter color 180 gram vinyl via Jerry's webstore. CDs are also available in the webstore for pre-order. Pre-order and pre-save—HERE.
Jerry Cantrell North American 2022 Tour Dates
Thu-Mar-24 Minneapolis First Avenue
Sat-Mar-26 Chicago The Vic Theatre
Mon-Mar-28 Detroit St. Andrews Hall
Tue-Mar-29 Toronto History
Thu-Mar-31 Pittsburgh Roxian Theatre
Sat-Apr-02 Atlantic City Music Box @ Borgata
Sun-Apr-03 Philadelphia Theatre of Living Arts
Tue-Apr-05 New York Irving Plaza
Wed-Apr-06 Boston Big Night Live
Fri-Apr-08 Baltimore Rams Head Live
Sat-Apr-09 Raleigh The Ritz
Sun-Apr-10 Charlotte Fillmore
Tue-Apr-12 Orlando House of Blues
Wed-Apr-13 St. Petersburg Jannus Live
Fri-Apr-15 Atlanta Tabernacle
Sun-Apr-17 Nashville Ryman Auditorium
Tue-Apr-19 New Orleans Fillmore
Thu-Apr-21 Dallas House of Blues
Fri-Apr-22 San Antonio Aztec Theatre
Sat-Apr-23 Houston House of Blues
Mon-Apr-25 Oklahoma City Diamond Ballroom
Wed-Apr-27 Denver The Summit
Thu-Apr-28 Salt Lake City The Depot
Sun-May-01 Portland Roseland Theater
Mon-May-02 Seattle Moore Theatre
Wed-May-04 Sacramento Ace of Spades
Thu-May-05 Los Angeles Belasco Theatre
Sat-May-07 Las Vegas House of Blues
Sun-May-08 San Diego House of Blues
'Brighten' Track List
Atone
Brighten
Prism of Doubt
Black Hearts and Evil Done
Siren Song
Had To Know
Nobody Breaks You
Dismembered
Goodbye
The Cast of Players on 'Brighten'
Jerry Cantrell – Guitar, bass, vocals, keys
Greg Puciato – Backing vocals
Duff McKagan – Bass
Gil Sharone – Drums
Abe Laboriel Jr. – Drums
Tyler Bates – Strings, percussion, guitar
Vincent Jones – Piano, keys, & strings
Jordan Lewis - Piano
Michael Rozon – Pedal steel
Lola Bates – Backing vocals
Matias Ambrogi-Torres – Strings
Slowhand will hit cities in Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida with bassist Nathan East and guitarist Doyle Bramhall II backing him up.
Eric Clapton announced yesterday he will be hosting a series of concert dates across the U.S. in September 2021. Tickets for these shows will go on sale starting Friday, June 18th at 10am local time.
Eric Clapton's band for these shows will include Doyle Bramhall II, Paul Carrack, Nathan East, Sonny Emory, Steve Gadd and Chris Stainton with Sharon White and Katie Kissoon on backing vocals. The show will feature Jimmie Vaughan as special guest.
The newly announced shows will be Clapton's only North American dates for 2021 and will precede his European tour, which was recently rescheduled to Spring of 2022 due to ongoing COVID restrictions in Europe.
Eric Clapton North American 2021 Tour Dates:
September 13 - Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena
September 15 - Austin, TX Frank Erwin Center
September 17 - Houston, TX Toyota Center
September 18 - New Orleans, LA Smoothie King Center
September 21 - Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
September 23 - Atlanta, GA Gas South Arena
September 25 - Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
September 26 - Hollywood, FL Seminole Hard Rock
The album arrives on June 11 and was produced by guitarist and longtime collaborator Armand Hirsch and singer-songwriter Margaret Glaspy.
(March 17, 2021) -- Guitar virtuoso Julian Lage has signed with Blue Note Records and announced a June 11 release for his label debut Squint, a striking new album that weds incisive, expressive songwriting with the profound interplay Lage has honed over the past few years with his deft trio featuring bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Dave King (The Bad Plus). The album's lead single “Saint Rose" is available today to stream or download. Squint can be pre-ordered on vinyl, CD, or download.
Lage will be continuing his popular series of masterclasses with upcoming sessions on April 11 and April 18. A 30-minute solo performance will follow each class.
“I absolutely love improvised music, and I've always been fascinated by singer-songwriter music," says Lage. “For me, the jazz that came out of Blue Note always engaged both sides of that. It had incredible improvisational vocabularies and performances, but when I think of albums from Grant Green's Idle Moments to Joe Henderson's Inner Urge to McCoy Tyner's Time for Tyner with Bobby Hutcherson – all these records that I love so much also have such great songs. I felt like this was an opportunity to present new music born out of the Blue Note tradition as I've interpreted it."
When the trio took the stage of the Village Vanguard for a six-night residency in January 2020, those ideas seemed ripe enough to explore as they planned to head into the studio. When those plans were upended by the pandemic, Lage took the opportunity to retool his new songs in light of the summer's lockdown and protests over social justice. By the time he, Roeder, and King finally set foot in Nashville's Sound Emporium in August, the tunes had taken on a deeper, darker air of mystery and searching.
“Going into this album," Lage recalls, “my first tactic was just to make positive, beautiful music – a beam of light from three cats who love each other. After the recording didn't happen, I started reflecting on the music's intent. It was clearer than ever that art and music are platforms to influence and heal and facilitate conversations. It became really important to me to capture a certain sense of emotional complexity to the music, a little fuzziness. This record sits comfortably in the unknown."
Finding comfort in that tenuous space was also aided by the presence in the studio of two of Lage's closest compatriots, who served as co-producers: guitarist and longtime collaborator Armand Hirsch and singer-songwriter Margaret Glaspy. “On one level, the combination of Margaret and Armand is just abundant support," Lage says. “But I also have such deep respect for what they both bring to the music. They helped make sure that the essential experience was always there, that Squint never became a pursuit to make a good jazz guitar record, but to create music with a clear spiritual pulse."
Crafted after two years of touring together, Squint reflects the trio's loose but deeply attuned chemistry while tracing the threads of those wide-ranging influences into new original pieces. Lage's lyrical writing reveals his love for early rock and blues as well as songbook standards and the bold, memorable compositions of his jazz idols. In addition to Glaspy's keen-eared influence, he's also sharpened his songcraft via the informal counseling of Jeff Tweedy. The Wilco frontman's influence can be felt on vibrant, infectious songs like “Saint Rose," an ode to Lage's California hometown Santa Rosa.
Track List:
- Etude (Julian Lage)
- Boo's Blues (Julian Lage)
- Squint (Julian Lage)
- Saint Rose (Julian Lage)
- Emily (Johnny Mandel-Johnny Mercer)
- Familiar Flower (Julian Lage)
- Day and Age (Julian Lage)
- Quiet Like A Fuse (Julian Lage)
- Short Form (Julian Lage)
- Twilight Surfer (Julian Lage)
- Call of The Canyon (Billy Hill)
For more information:
Julian Lage