Featuring an alder body and a maple neck with slab rosewood fingerboard, the Limited Edition Mike Kerr Jaguar Bass has a classic Fender tonewood formula that delivers well-defined punch, massive resonance and ample warmth, whilst a versatile set of high-output humbuckers offer Kerr’s trademark savage sound. The compact 30” scale length modern “C”-shaped neck sports a slim profile and medium jumbo frets on a 9.5” radius fingerboard for a modern playing feel. Meanwhile, gleaming gold hardware and elegant block inlays complement the vibrant Tiger’s Blood Orange finish to create a truly striking aesthetic.
“I’ve been a fan of Mike Kerr ever since Royal Blood burst onto the scene in 2013 with their snarling debut single ‘Out of the Black’,” said Justin Norvell, Executive Vice President of Product FMIC. “He has such an innovative approach to his playing and to the equipment he uses, so it’s been great to celebrate that with this signature. Bassists are going to love the easy playability of this instrument and with the high-output Custom Humbucking Pickup on the bridge and the Wide Range Humbucking Bass Pickup in the middle position, they’ll find it's a joy to replicate Kerr’s fierce riffs.”
“When I play bass and write riffs, I’m looking to feel childish excitement, and I get that feeling from this bass,” said Mike Kerr. “The Custom Humbuckers are a big part of that, and the smaller one at the bridge is a real wildcard. I use it a lot in the studio, particularly when I want to double-track bass. I can get a twang and something subby at the same time, without having to go and grab another guitar. Hopefully players will enjoy it as much as I do!”
In Conversation with Mike Kerr | Artist Signature Series | Fender
Royal Blood announce the September 8 release of their fourth album Back To The Water Below and share its lead single “Mountains At Midnight”. Listen HERE.
Throughout, their story has been one of independence. Relying on their friendship and intuitive musicianship to guide them through as they were catapulted into theaters and arenas around the world, favoring working independently away from prying eyes rather than enlisting the help of the latest big-name co-writer. Their victories have come from hard work, prodigious songwriting, fierce performances, and a smidgeon of good fortune. That spirit of independence continues into Back To The Water Below, which saw them self-produce an entire album for the very first time. It was a process which cancelled out the noise of any external influences, while also allowing them the convenience to write at their own studio in Brighton whenever inspiration struck.
They discovered that the best ideas were the result of following their instincts — their unspoken, subconscious connection honed over the course of 15 years playing music together. Just as importantly, they cast aside any preconceptions of what Royal Blood should be. They allowed themselves the freedom to embrace other ideas, at times being guided by melodies rather than riffs and rhythms, and in others deploying whatever instrumentation they felt best complemented the songs. If in doubt, they remembered a nugget of advice offered by Rick Rubin – that the sound of Royal Blood isn’t defined by genre or the instruments that they play, but by the unique chemistry forged by the two friends.
Royal Blood - Mountains at Midnight (Official Video)
But as the single “Mountains At Midnight” proves, sometimes the result was a fresh take on the old school Royal Blood prototype – albeit with a supercharged rush. As we’ve come to expect, Mike Kerr inventively layers a heavyweight wall-of-sound solely with his bass, while Ben Thatcher’s rhythms simultaneously swing with a spacious groove while pummelling us into submission. Meanwhile, Mike’s lyrics complement the song’s ominous, foreboding ambiance with vehement menace: “I’m a ticking timebomb hooligan come to light your fuse / 24-carat thug in a velvet glove.”
Elsewhere, Royal Blood present plenty of surprises without ever compromising the essence of their identity. “Shiner In The Dark” sets a rock ‘n roll swagger to the tight, danceable rhythms that defined the 2021 album Typhoons. Devoid of distortion, “The Firing Line” represents a bigger departure, its ‘90s alt-rock tone and an underbelly of psychedelia later elevated by a chiming piano melody. “Pull Me Through” goes further still, uniting the plaintive piano that fans loved in the live favourite “All We Have Is Now” with a full-blooded denouement. They’re also songs which will not only provide a broader spectrum of moods for live shows, but that will offer the dynamic contrast to amplify the power of their most fiery moments.
'Back to the Water Below' Tracklist
1. Mountains At Midnight
2. Shiner In The Dark
3. Pull Me Through
4. The Firing Line
5. Tell Me When It’s Too Late
6. Triggers
7. How Many More Times
8. High Waters
9. There Goes My Cool
10. Waves Deluxe Edition 7” single bonus tracks:
11. Supermodel Avalanches
12. Everything’s Fine
Back To The Water Below is now available to pre-order HERE. In addition to its digital release, physical formats include deluxe vinyl (packaged with a bonus 7” featuring two additional tracks) and two cassettes, all of which are available exclusively from Royal Blood’s official store. Amazon will stock an exclusive gold vinyl, while HMV (UK only) and select indie stores offer an exclusive clear vinyl. The range is completed by a CD and a regular black vinyl.
Question: If you could play the role of any guitarist in a biopic, who would it be and why?
Oliver Ackermann — A Place to Bury Strangers
Photo by Tyler Barclay
A: If I could play anyone in a biopic it would be Kurt Cobain. I definitely don't qualify as the most obsessed fan of all time. That perhaps goes to the runaway I drove around in my '89 Caprice constantly requesting to rewind back to "Drain You" over and over again.
Kurt Cobain interviewed on Boston's WFNX radio, September 1991.
Photo by Julie Kramer
But Kurt for sure gave me the confidence that I could write a song and I just dove in and never looked back. I also think I could figure out those guitar parts, so there would be no weird miming to some complex solos. The real reason to do this, though, would be one of my favorite pastimes: jumping into drum sets.
Nirvana - Drain You (Live at Reading 1992) (Official Music Video)
Oliver Ackermann's Current Obsession:
Beyond-destroyed sounds. I guess that's always been my obsession, so it's more of a lifestyle. There's a little constant fight that goes on in my head where I think "this is just too messed up—what about pure fat sine waves, distinguishable rhythms, beautiful harmonies, and dreamy melodies?" And then when it comes down to it, it's just more exciting to swing a strobe light over your head and play a little AC interference. The other thing that's important is there ain't no faking. I better be drilling into my pickup or throwing my amp through the air. More high definition than surround sound 182 kHz is standing right next to me when I rip the strings off my guitar.
Sarah Gutierrez — Reader of the Month
A: Nancy Wilson. How could I miss the '70s and '80s—that's why!!! I grew up listening to Heart and being in a female fronted group would be a dream. I really loved her work on the movie Vanilla Sky. I remember frantically searching for who played, "Elevator Beat" in a movie that moved me. It certainly pulled at the heart strings.
Elevator Beat - Nancy Wilson
Sarah Gutierrez's Current Obsession:
Royal Blood having Josh Homme as a producer for "Boilermaker" on Typhoons blew me away, along with Mike Kerr's riffs. Hometown & young self-produced "Drown." I love the drums! These boys from Gen Z really are the future of music. Des Rocs made my cry about following your dream when I saw them live in October. I love to turn up Cleopatrick as loudly and often as possible. Recently discovering Nothing but Thieves' self-titled album (heavily influenced by Jeff Buckley) gave me life—I'm thrilled to see them in Chicago next year.
Royal Blood - Boilermaker (Official Video)
Tessa Jeffers — Managing Editor
A: Kim Gordon. I'm not much into Sonic Youth, but I love Kim's solo stuff. She's a great bass player, and her guitar playing is raw and powerful (just like her voice).
Years ago, I read her biography, Girl in a Band, and it's a wildly interesting look into an artful life. She's a bold creator who rose out of the shadows of men to claim her own space, and I'm here for that.
Tessa Jeffers' Current Obsession:
French music. Recently I came across a rad song by Les Artisans called "Theoreme," and it prompted me to seek out other French artists. I knew Edith Piaf and Savages well, but new ones for me include La Femme, Christine and the Queens, and Serge Gainsbourg, who's apparently the "Elvis of France." J'adore!
Theoreme - Les Artisans (audio)
Joe Gore — Contributing Writer
A: Hector Berlioz, the great 19th century French composer. Unlike nearly all classical composers, he didn't compose at a keyboard. He wrote everything on guitar and a little whistle—including his revolutionary Symphonie Fantastique and the massive opera Les Troyens. Despite his humble tools, he's considered one of the greatest orchestrators ever. (Sadly, he never composed for guitar—only with it.) But the fun part would be portraying his larger-than-life personality. Talk about attitude! He was ambitious, angry, arrogant, and unspeakably funny. His prose is as amazing as his compositions, especially his Mémoires, my fave book about classical music. (Free English-language edition here.) On page one he writes, "I was brought up in the Catholic faith—the most charming of religions since it stopped burning people." And the snark never stops.
Joe Gore's Current Obsession:
Baude Cordier's "Belle Bonne Sage," a 14th-century love song notated in the form of a heart.
Medieval music! When I was a teen, my plan was to go into academia, specializing in early music. Life decreed otherwise. But now, in late middle age, I'm returning to the late Middle Ages. I've just recorded my first-ever solo album: a compilation of 14th-century pieces. I play the notes exactly as written, but using modern instruments, including lots of electric guitar. To modern listeners unfamiliar with the style, it sounds like music from Mars: eerie, beautiful, and totally frickin' weird. (Example: This love song by Baude Cordier, notated in the form of a heart.)