HISTORICAL FACTS: Bootsy collins - The Untold Story

"Imagine what Bucket faces every day, because he don't talk to people. He talks with his guitar. And that's pretty much it.”: Bootsy Collins on his friendship with oddball guitar virtuoso Buckethead

Pair have teamed up on new concept album about mental health

MusicRadar · Aug 11

“Jaco made a great contribution, but what came after was all these idiots trying to sound like him. That's why bass players today are so lame”: Bill Laswell gives his unfiltered verdict on modern bassists

The visionary producer also had his say on Lemmy, Paul Simon, and his failed studio session with Jaco Pastorius

Guitar World · May 30

“A historically significant instrument directly tied to the evolution of modern funk”: The bass Bootsy Collins used to record a James Brown anthem has been listed on eBay

The Fender Jazz Bass bought at auction for $40,000, has now been listed on eBay for almost twice as much. But you’ll have to bid an extra $299 if you want the original strings

Guitar World · Feb 24

“He broke my heart, but at the same time, I was like, ‘Okay, well, I would love to have a Fender Jazz Bass’”: Bootsy Collins' first Fender Jazz Bass has just been sold at auction – and shot past its estimate

James Brown bought the bass sometime in 1970 for his young protégé, William Earl Collins, better known as Bootsy Collins, and it would go on to be played by another one of his bassists, Fred Thomas

Guitar World · Dec 8, 2025

“James Brown told me, ‘Son, you can’t come on my stage with that funny-looking thing!’” When a young Bootsy Collins joined James Brown’s band, the Godfather of Funk bought him a Fender Jazz Bass. Now it’s up for auction

Following Bootsy’s departure from the JBs in 1972, the bass continued its life on stage with Fred Thomas, another of Brown’s longtime bassists

Guitar World · Nov 27, 2025

“I thought it was the worst film I’d seen in my life! I was super-embarrassed. But that solo became part of the franchise’”: Stevie Salas on Bill & Ted, playing arenas with Rod Stewart then opening for Joe Satriani, and turning down both Van Halen singers

The ahead-of-his-time guitar great recalls starting a trend followed by Steve Vai and Tosin Abasi, why he had to quit a Joe Satriani tour, and why he sometimes aimed to be the worst player in the room

Guitar World · Nov 12, 2025

Tributes Flow For Singer D’Angelo Who Has Died, Aged 51: ‘True Voice Of Soul’

"My musical DNA was helped shaped by this man. Forever grateful."

Pedestrian.tv · Oct 14, 2025

“They kept talking about this bizarre guitar player who practiced nonstop in his room and was very eccentric. I thought, ‘I want to work with him’”: Bill Laswell survived Buckethead, John Lydon, Ginger Baker and Eddie Hazel – and made it sound easy

The bass journeyman, soundscape creator and producer recalls having his P-Bass stolen the night before his first Brian Eno session, making PiL classic Rise, and hoping illness hasn’t ended his surprisingly fight-free career

Guitar World · Sep 16, 2025

“I had no contact. I just happened to be looking through emails and saw, ‘Bootsy Collins appearing at the NAMM booth’”: How Bootsy Collins and James Brown’s band ended up playing on the soundtrack of this hit Seth Rogen movie

Legendary sideman and film composer Lyle Workman recounts how he managed to reunite the legendary funkateers for 2007’s Superbad – by approaching Bootsy at NAMM

Guitar World · Jul 21, 2025

“I don’t know how he got my address. He sent me a videotape of him jamming his head off. I was like, ‘Who is this guy?’” Buckethead gives rare ‘interview’ to Bootsy Collins – but speaks through his Les Paul

Collins talks and Buckethead riffs in the strangest guitar interview of 2025

Guitar World · Jun 27, 2025