Seems a few people took offense at my calling local rapper Cballa a “dumb fuck” for naming his album Blacc Hitla. Marcus Staples, who put out the album on his Clicc Made Entertainment imprint, asked “Do you consider Julius Caesar a tyrant?” (Well, actually he misspelled “Caesar” but I corrected…

wish i had a joint, Fred, but this’ll have to do I’m not proud of it, but I honestly love smoking cigarettes. This post isn’t music related, but the video below is invaluable for historians and future archaeologists alike. If only it were for marijuana instead…..

Due to some alien interference with the blog-ware that I use to compose these missives, I didn’t get to holla at y’all yesterday; then again, I was enjoying perusing what the upcoming weekend has in store for me. This weekend marks a high point for Phoenix — Money Management XL…

The dorks in Illegal Substance The other afternoon I was sitting in one of my local watering holes and the B-52’s “Rock Lobster” came on the satellite radio. I had to walk outside; that song and its ilk turn my stomach and make me puke a little bit in my…

Smokescreen Just received a CD and e-mails from the local band Smokescreen, and I’m torn between two opinions about its marketing strategy. I like the band; it sounds like lush late-’90s alt-rock in the vein of Radiohead or the Pumpkins, but not too clone-esque. Here’s the strategy though: the band…

For professional observers like myself, nothing quite beats witnessing a good brawl. That’s why I’m issuing a call for y’all to encourage my ornithological cohort, Stephen Lemons of Feathered Bastard fame and infamy, to join in the festivities tonight at the party for AZPunk.com’s 5th birthday at BANNED in Tempe…

Joey Kamka Drummer Joey Kamka from local metal purveyors Autumn’s End was hit on his motorcycle on Saturday, January 27 by a drunk driver, according to reports I’m getting. This is what the band is reporting: On January 27, 2007 at 3:00am Autumn’s End’s drummer, Joe Kamka was hit by…

I just received news that Feedback Video Magazine, which I wrote about here last year, is having to end its run on KAZ-TV (channel 13 on Cox Cable or channel 27 in the atmosphere). Apparently the guys at 3B studios lost some sponsors at the last minute and the contract…

The legendary Chico Chism I received news this morning from my music editor, Niki D’Andrea, that legendary blues drummer Chico Chism passed away yesterday. You can read Niki’s farewell column here, a sweet tribute to one of Phoenix’s true musical institutions. This is what she sent about his passing… “I’m…

The Brothers Calabrese I’ve followed the horror-punk trio Calabrese for quite a while now (as you can see here in a June 2004 column I wrote), and I’m always pretty stoked when they drop a new record. The three brothers, Jimmy, Bobby, and Davey (that’s in order of their ages)…

As you may have read, I’ve been harassing the guys in Attack of the Giant Squid to let me hear their long-in-development-but-nearly-finished album. Last night they finally came through, treating me to a listen-through at guitarist Tony Patino’s house. You’ll have to wait for the 2/8 edition of my column…

P.O.S. I’ve said it many times before, but I’m compelled to continue preaching that the Blunt Club is the best club night ever in town for real underground hip-hop. DumperFoo and his homeys keep proving it, week after week. Rather than dropping some names every week I figured I’d give…

Neato! Spent the last week or so immersing myself in the 8-piece live hip-hop/jazz project known as Antedote the Neato Project. If you’re not familiar, you ought to be (you can read more about it in the 2/1 issue of New Times). These eight musicians kick out soulful, intricate hip-hop…

Chase and his cronies at Bad Stain Records have posted up this year’s nominees for the unfortunately named Arizona Ska-Punk Awards (although I know the contraction’s snuck its way into common vernacular, I just think that “ska-punk” is a stupid fucking term). Nonetheless, it is an interesting democratic you-pick-the-winner contest,…

Admittedly it’s a slow blog day when I have to resort to putting absolutely horrible spectacles up on here, but this is so bad, it’s… just fucking bad. No, the band Lordi isn’t local (Daggrr from Army of Robots hit me up with this), they’re Finnish, and apparently won the…

Damn, a glitch in the interweb prevented this from going up with the previous post about the swell kids in Peachcake, Stefan Pruett and Johnny O’Keefe. Stefan sent me over these tracks for all you fans and haters out in the blogosphere to scope out. But also, besides the nifty…

I always enjoy the little missives I’m sent from Stefan of weirdo duo Peachcake, but this one was so exceptional I had to share it with everybody, ’cause it’s a damn thoughtful and interesting idea. Check it… 2007 has gotten off to a relatively slow start. We’ve been home now…

We Fly Our Kites at Night I don’t ordinarily get vindictive towards bands that I actually like, but I’ve got to solicit y’all’s assistance in lighting a fire under the arses of the guys in spazz/punk outfit We Fly Our Kites at Night. The boys, who I wrote about more…

The Necronauts I’ve been wondering what local indie/alt/punk trio the Necronauts have been up to lately; seems I haven’t heard about any shows or tours recently, and they’re one of the most entertaining acts we’ve got around here. If you’ve been missing Billy, Andrew and Dale as well, I’ve got…

In a couple of weeks you’ll see my column about a few of the kids that attend the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences, one of the premier sound engineering schools in the country, located right here in Tempe and Gilbert. I’ve been hanging out with a few kids (“kids”…

Dumperfoo on the Canvas Hmmm, having two separate bomb-ass birthday parties, one in L.A., one here in the ‘Nix, seems a little bit ambitious, but if there’s one dude in town who can pull it off its Blunt Club impresario and artistic wunderkind Adam “Dumperfoo” Dumper. This post is to…

Yes, the free booze… not only do you have the always reliable One to hit up tonight for dancing and making out (this one features Rick Ramirez along with DiPadova, and upstairs at Homme Groovetribe First Fridays is popping off), but Sunday DiPadova’s launching a new night at a new…