Dunlop Presents Bass Freq's Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc

As the co-founding bass player and primary songwriter of Motley Crue, Nikki Sixx was the foundation of one of the most iconic rock bands to come out of the 1980s. Recently, he sat down to talk with Bass Freq’s host Josh Paul, and we’re super excited to share that conversation with you here. Nikki took Josh on a journey through his whole story, from his start in Idaho to the barroom floors, stages, and backseats of cop cars in Los Angeles, to his unique approach to bass playing and songwriting, how he’s managed to survive in the industry, and a whole lot of gear talk among other fascinating topics.

Many of the guests who’ve come on the Bass Freq’s Podcast showed promise from an early age before being hailed as child prodigies on their way to amazing careers. This week's episode gives host Josh Paul the chance to talk to once such phenomenon while he is actually at the start of his meteoric rise. Aron Hodek, a 12-year old bass player from Slovakia, is already racking up chops, fans, and accomplishments that would be highly impressive for a player two or three times his age. Here, Aron tells us all about how he caught the bass bug and what steps he took to be able to get recognized, who he's playing with, the gear he digs, and how he still works his best to balance the important work of just being a kid while continuing to build a career that seems limitless.

Blue DeTiger is one of the shining stars among a new crop of highly skilled bass players on their way to becoming the icons of the future. She's been dedicated to the craft since the age of seven, but instead of following the traditional routes to success, she took advantage of the new medium of our age—social media, through TikTok—to make her biggest impact on the scene. On this week’s episode of the Bass Freq’s Podcast, she shares her story, inspirations, insights on gear, and what's on the horizon with host Josh Paul.

Respected performer and educator Rufus Philpot wears his love of the bass guitar on his shirt sleeves. He’s studied, taught, recorded, and performed at the highest levels, and in this conversation with host Josh Paul, Rufus dishes on that entire range of experience without holding back. Through stories about his influences, how hard he worked to make a name for himself, and the techniques and gear that aid him in his constant effort to take his art to the next level, Rufus’ passion for his instrument is evident in every word he speaks.

This week on the Bass Freq’s Podcast, we hear from LA-based award-winning bass player Pete Griffin. His resume includes some of the most respected acts in music, from Dweezil Zappa and Steve Vai to Stanley Clarke and Jean Luc-Ponty to name just a scant few. On top of being a top-tier journeyman of the stage and studio, Pete is a highly sought-after online educator. Here, he treats host Josh Paul to his own brand of eloquent wit and wisdom across a range of topics, from navigating the industry, getting and keeping gigs, and his approach to techniques and tones.

This week, we’re joined by yet another Grammy Award-winning artist to its roster—Tommy Sims. Launching his career as a session-and-touring bass player in the late 1980s, he has contributed not only his accomplished bass grooves but also his chops as a songwriter, producer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist to a long list of artists that includes Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Michael Bolton, Kelly Clarkson, the Neville Brothers, and many more. Speaking with host Josh Paul, Tommy fills us in on his journey from starting out through cultivating his varied skills and performing at the highest level with some of the biggest names of the business. Add in a touch of gear talk as well as great advice for up and coming bassists, and you have another classic episode of Bass Freq's.