There are several ways to play rockabilly nowadays: the gentlemanly way (Robert Gordon, Sleepy LaBeef), the roots-conscious 1955 hepcat way (High Noon, Big Sandy & the Fly-Rite Boys), glam-revival (Stray Cats, Polecats), and the mondo-demento lunacy/ribaldry of the Cramps and Reverend Horton Heat. (Can’t forget the Blasters — in a…
We have a little piece of music history living here in Phoenix in the form of Paul Roman, vocalist and guitarist of seminal psychobilly band The Quakes. Formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, The Quakes were one of the first American psychobilly bands — influential enough to get constant…
The debut album of Tempe-based Awake and Alert, Devil in a Lambskin Suit (Five One, Inc.), is one of the most welcome surprises in the indie pop scene this year. The band’s sound is a mix of classically inspired rock with touches of soul and musical theater, which seems to…
Put them in suits and give them bowl haircuts, because from the sweet harmonies to the charismatic melodies, this Phoenix quartet channels the British Invasion circa 1965. In April, they released their 11-track debut, We Can Do No Wrong, which recalls the retro vibe of the Rosebuds’ debut several years…
Hats off to any musician who ventures out of his/her comfort zone and doesn’t stick (or bury) him/herself in a particular niche. But venturing isn’t without its pitfalls: Your fans might be disoriented by a new direction, while other listeners might think you a dabbler or pretender. Guitar wizard John…
Swedish imports (as if the name wasn’t a giveaway) PB&J have been making music together for eight years, but it took their third and latest release, Writer’s Block, to strike a chord in America. The album represents a change of pace for the trio, as they largely ditch the up-tempo…
Friendship has some effin’ sweet benefits when you’re pals with London West Records owner Matty Spangler. The 28-year-old DJ frequently books his turntablist buds to blast out house and trance tracks at the Ballroom (adjacent to Myst, 7340 East Shoeman Lane in Scottsdale) every Friday night at the aptly named…
First Friday is usually a big blowout for us. After stomping the streets to stare at the scene’s art, we’re ready to hit the bottle, big time. This past weekend, we not only hit the bottle — we smashed it into a million effing pieces. So when it came time…
If you tuned into MTV’s Video Music Awards this year, you may have noticed one big thing: they sucked. Between Britney Spears’ underwhelming performance (note to Brit: your career is over; you might as well pose for Playboy while your body is still somewhat nubile), Kanye West’s temper tantrum about not winning, and Kid Rock kicking Tommy Lee’s ass, the VMA’s were nothing but a sub-par Circus of the Stars, minus the cheesy ’80s leotards.
James Hunter may be one of the best kept secrets of the music world. In fact, Van Morrison called him “the best voice and best-kept secret in British R&B and soul.”
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I just finished reading issue number one of Z-Gun, a new print zine put out by Scott Soriano and Ryan Wells. It’s 40 pages long with feature length articles and interviews on Pink Reason, San Francisco art punk 1977-1982ish, Black Humor, and Not Not Fun Records, among other things, and they review a boatload of good and bad underground rock records with honesty and humor. If you want the dirt on good rock music in 2007, read this zine. Heaven knows that 99.9% of the zines ever released in the history of the earth suck horribly, yet this one, this one does not.
Charlie Levy of Stateside Presents ain’t gonna dig this edition of Future Shock, and neither will Jeremiah Gratza of President Gator, nor the folks behind Select Shows, or Live Nation. That’s because this week’s lineup of “just announced” concerts coming to the Valley is extremely heavy on shows being promoted by their biggest competitor, Lucky Man.
Here’s part two of New Times’ August 15th interview with Sacred Reich/Human Condition guitarist Wiley Arnett.
Thursday 6 Big Fish: Chronik Frequency with DJ Lady Killa, DJ Papi Cholo, DJ Dmok, DJ Spawn, & DJ Illogiq (techno, breaks, electro, hip-hop) Bunkhouse: DJ Doom (dance) Club Mardi Gras: DJ Dana (country) Dirty Pretty: Foxy Bitch with D-JR (rock, Top 40, hip-hop) Draft House: DJ DBX (hip-hop, R&B,…
As much as we hit up the downtown scene, it wasn’t until this past weekend that we finally got around to seeing Andrew Jackson Jihad play live (shameful, eh?) at one of our favorite venues, The Trunk Space, for their CD-release party on Friday, August 31. (Click here for more…
Albert Lineses III is a student of Socrates and Sun Tzu. He’s also a Catholic-turned-Buddhist turntablist and hip-hop and party rock DJ from the south side of Phoenix. Like his penchant for stalwart theories of philosophy and spirituality, his spin-side manner leans toward the wise and the elevated. “I have…
Miranda Lambert has sung about dousing exes in kerosene for their no-good ways, and on her sophomore effort, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, the country star takes aim at a few more men who have done her wrong. All twang and laughs, she recently spent some time talking about why you don’t mess…
Death metal legends Cannibal Corpse released one of their most brutal records to date in last year’s Kill (Metal Blade), an album full of songs with tasty titles like “Necrosadistic Warning” and “Submerged in Boiling Flesh.” The latter describes a dish fit only for stomachs of steel (or Jeffrey Dahmer):…
Some classical music sounds heavier than rock music, particularly huge orchestral and operatic arrangements like Wagner’s Die Walküre and the Symphonic Dances of Rachmaninoff. Explosive compositions like those often bring to mind images of deranged composers with tussled hair and furrowed brows, waving a baton at an army of horns…
There were a lot of great independent labels that flourished in the ’50s and early ’60s, and each owns a place in the stars — Chess, Sun, Atlantic, Motown, Stax. It was a movement, a golden age for music geared toward a new teen demographic. Maybe it’s true that Vee-Jay…
Drawing on a raw, ragged roots-punk ethos that’s served everyone from The Pogues to Against Me!, Tempe’s Liars Handshake stokes the same passionate fury. Featuring the core of the old punk outfit Bullet Train to Moscow, the band’s led by the gruff, raucous vocals of Jared Christy. The quintet offers…
Retro rip-off artist or respectful interpreter of classic styles? English vocalist and guitarist James Hunter walks a tightrope between interpreter and impersonator. Complete with brassy choruses, tailored suits, and old-school charm, Hunter’s classy brand of soul and R&B evokes Sam Cooke’s smooth croon while sidestepping the pitfalls of cheapskate cover…
