Adam Neely is a bass player, band leader, YouTuber and much more as you're about to find out in this interview.

I sat down with him recently in NYC and got into what it takes to be a bass player and artist in 2025 and beyond.

We talk touring as a band leader, breaking the YouTube algorithm, and a little nerdy pedal chat thrown in for good measure.

This was the first time we were meeting in person, and it will hopefully be the first of many sit-down discussions as the music business evolves in the coming years.

Enjoy,

Janek

This episode of the podcast started life a couple of days ago as a post on my newsletter, and has now become a deeper dive into the inner workings of some of the most legendary bass players we all know and love.

You might have heard of these bassists, maybe heard these albums. Perhaps you've even heard these exact songs before! But if you leave with nothing else from this episode, I want you to think about all the places your mind hasn't yet wondered when you listen.

Before you leave, don’t forget that our 4th of July “Independence Bass” sale is now live! Get 30% off all orders over $80, and get free shipping worldwide on books, CDs and Vinyl. No promo codes needed. It all happens automatically at checkout.

More soon and happy practicing!

Janek

You might be a bass player who owns more than one bass, but has had difficulty switching between them. You are not alone!

This was me for the longest time. I used to be so tied to one specific instrument that I missed out on a lot of opportunities to play music. I've since shed that security blanket and am sharing the process in today's episode as I highlight how much easier it has become to switch between 4 very different basses.

The Vital Information East Coast tour starts tomorrow, all dates are linked below.

More soon,

Janek

📚 Bass Books

👕 Merch

🌎 My Website

💿 CDs and Vinyl

📅 Tour Dates

🎧 Stream My Music

SUBSCRIBE OR I'LL CHAGE ALL THE SETTINGS ON YOUR PEDALS

Playing a Thundercat song on SBL wasn't something I had on my bingo card at the beginning of the year, but that's exactly what happened! I had a blast shooting the video and was (in a very rare instance for me) quite happy with the performance. I think it was a product of being surprised by the material, feeling comfortable around the crew, and just letting it happen.

Massive thanks to Sharon for doing such a great job of hosting the segment and being open to trying something new with the format, and to the whole crew with Scott and Mattie for our mega day in the studio here in Los Angeles.

Check out the new Chordal Harmony Bundle if you want to dig deeper into some of the chords and voicings I’m breaking down in today’s episode.

More soon,

Janek

📚 Bass Books

👕 Merch

🌎 My Website

💿 CDs and Vinyl

📅 Tour Dates

🎧 Stream My Music

SUBSCRIBE OR I'LL CHAGE ALL THE SETTINGS ON YOUR PEDALS

It all started as a very innocent comment about not being a huge Soundgarden fan. Over 200k views and 1k comments in the first week later, and the dumpster fire that YouTube comments can become has been quite an eye-opening ride. The irony is, I don't hate Soundgarden at all. I've even seen them in concert at the old LA Forum and had a great time.

The way in which most of the outraged commenters on Musora's video we shot with Vital Information think it's wrong that I don't choose Soundgarden as my go-to band, is quite astonishing. If I asked them to listen to microtonal ambient clarinet music and they weren't a huge fan, should my response be the same? Should I think any less of them? Of course not. In this episode we break down the Soundgarden controversy, my clinics in Europe with Ian Martin Allison, and one of the worst travel weeks of my 30+ year career.

Make sure you check out the new vinyl copies of the Mystery to Me 20th Anniversary release that just arrived while I was on tour in Europe. All pre-orders shipped today, and there are a few copies left that are available in the store while stocks last!

More soon,

Janek

📚 Bass Books

👕 Merch

🌎 My Website

💿 CDs and Vinyl

📅 Tour Dates

🎧 Stream My Music

SUBSCRIBE OR I'LL CHAGE ALL THE SETTINGS ON YOUR PEDALS

When life happens and what you actually need to be doing to get ready for recording, performances, or clinics gets put on the back burner, it can feel a little hectic and out of control.

I found myself waking up today, the day before leaving for Europe, and feeling very underprepared with my playing.

Today’s episode takes a look at the idea I’m using to inject some confidence and stamina back into my playing, so I can hit the ground running in Germany and play to the best of my ability.

The final few tickets for our Bass Bash event in London on June 1st are AVAILABLE HERE, as is a mint-condition Fairfield Circuitry Randy’s Revenge that is flying out of the pedal library this week to make room for something new.

I was also given a couple of fun new toys by Tosin Abasi yesterday, so we take a quick look at them towards the end of the episode.

More soon,

Janek

📚 Bass Books

👕 Merch

🌎 My Website

💿 CDs and Vinyl

📅 Tour Dates

🎧 Stream My Music

SUBSCRIBE OR I'LL CHAGE ALL THE SETTINGS ON YOUR PEDALS

It's not clickbait, it's not a hack, it's not a shortcut, and there is no avoiding the work.

This is literally how you get better faster than you’re doing it now.

Laser focus on small pieces of information for as much time as you can during your practice sessions, will help give you the freedom to play without thinking when it comes to be onstage.

More soon,

Janek

P.S. There are crazy delays on the Mystery to Me Anniversary Vinyl, and I must apologize to everyone who pre-ordered the album. I was expecting to ship in mid-April, and that is already a month gone. The latest from Discmakers is May 15th-Jun 4th as a delivery window. As soon as they’re here, they’ll be on the way to you!

📚 Bass Books

👕 Merch

🌎 My Website

💿 CDs and Vinyl

📅 Tour Dates

🎧 Stream My Music

SUBSCRIBE OR I'LL CHAGE ALL THE SETTINGS ON YOUR PEDALS

In this no-holds-barred episode, we (yes, my wife is finally back on an episode!) react to the recent storm surrounding Danny Sapko's exposé of Giacomo Turra, who’s been accused of stealing musical content and passing it off as his own. The controversy triggered widespread conversation across the online music world—drawing in heavyweights like Adam Neely and Rick Beato. But here’s the twist: we don’t agree with most of what they had to say.

🎧 Inside this episode:

* A breakdown of Sapko’s claims and what they reveal about the culture of borrowed clout

* Our critical take on Neely and Beato’s responses—and where we feel they missed the mark

* How social media rewards performance over process, illusion over integrity

* The damaging effect this has on real musicians who spend years learning, practicing, and creating

* Why defending the process—not just the product—matters now more than ever

This isn’t a takedown. It’s a deep reflection on how we define musical value in an era where faking it can get you followers, brand deals, and a career.

More soon,

Janek