According to conventional rap wisdom, New York’s dead, Atlanta crunk is played, and Bay Area hyphy is poised to become the next phenomenon that dominates the mainstream. But for the moment, anyway, Houston hip-hop still holds the heavyweight belt; the woozy “screwed” style — first explored by legendary syrup-sippin’ DJ…
While many of us have likely uttered at some point, “If I hear one more goddamned whiny emo song I’m gonna kill myself,” suicide really is no laughing matter, especially when it comes to our nation’s kids — it remains the third leading cause of death for those between the…
There used to be a time when you could actually mention Dilated Peoples and Black Eyed Peas in the same sentence, given that they both came up in the subterranean Los Angeles hip-hop scene in the late ’90s and once shared a similar funk-soul sampling, old-school scratching and beatmaking, Golden…
Last year was a fascinating one for Korn: Guitarist Brian “Head” Welch found Jesus and quit the band (i.e., the “Korn Holy, Oh!” incident), and the remaining foursome found The Matrix (the production team known for its work with Hilary Duff, Avril Lavigne, and Liz Phair), which helped guide the…
As you might glean from the title of the second collaboration between Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche, and composer/engineer/all-around post-rock icon Jim O’Rourke, religion figures heavily in Loose Fur’s (or is that Lucifer’s?) curious, frequently skewed, mostly engaging songwriting this outing; while Pat Robertson likely will disagree, the trio’s…
Fans of West Coast “true school” underground hip-hop will have loads to throw their hands in the air about during this weekend’s Gold Chain Music Tour stop at the Clubhouse Music Venue. Oakland legend Casual headlines; he’s best known for his affiliation with the famed Hieroglyphics collective (which also counts…
Poker night at the Smith house, November 2004 . . . Jada Pinkett Smith: I see that 25 and raise 500. Abe Vigoda: Whoa, that’s too rich for me! Jackie Chan: Yeah, me too. I’m out. Jada Pinkett Smith: What about you, baby? Will Smith: I wanna keep going with…
Rock stars love to fight each other — not just battles of words, but honest-to-goodness physical beatdowns — almost as much as they love to snort drugs, hump groupies, cash fat checks from the record label, and, oh yeah, write songs. We’re reminded of this fact because Scott Stapp (the…
Armed with a terrific new album, Pandelirium, Nashville’s Th’ Legendary Shack*Shakers are bringing their greasy, Southern-fried combo of blues, punk, polka and old-school rockabilly — presented live, like a Pentecostal tent revival meets Theater of the Absurd — back to town. We caught up with Shack*Shakers front man/ringleader Colonel J.D…
Dear Ladies, Valentine’s Day may be past, but don’t worry, your number-one loverman has a special night of romance in store when I slide into town. First, I’m gonna set the mood right so you won’t even remember you’re in a club surrounded by hundreds of other screaming women –…
When I listen to Closing In, the new riff-fucking-tastic retro-metalfest from Early Man — the duo of singer/guitarist/bassist Mike Conte and drummer Adam Bennati that, thanks to the power of overdubbing, sounds at least three members larger — several things rush into my mind all at once: Heavy Metal Parking…
As you’ve undoubtedly heard, now is a good time to be of Montreal — just ask such critically slurped bands as the Arcade Fire, Stars, and Broken Social Scene. It’s also a good time to be Of Montreal, the colorful Athens, Georgia, psych-pop band fronted by ever-clever songsmith Kevin Barnes,…
“Roooooowwwwwrrrraaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrooowwwwrrrrrrr!” A guttural growl straight from the deepest pits of hell has just emanated from the throat of Melissa Cross, who follows it up with a giggle. “See, that didn’t hurt at all. But you should see the looks I just got!” That’s because the chipper, red-tressed, late-fortysomething voice instructor…
“Last year’s AZ show was so fucking epic that folks are traveling from far and wide to be there this year!” testifies “eastcoastpete” on Avail’s MySpace page. That includes the hardcore punk icons themselves, who are flying in from their Richmond, Virginia, headquarters on Friday night, playing this special one-off…
Fans of music heavier than the cast of Celebrity Fit Club 3 have had much to rejoice about over the past couple of years, what with so many powerful, innovative sounds coming out of the art-metal underground (as so nicely documented in a recent New York Times piece), plus the…
Meanwhile, in a back room somewhere in northern New Jersey . . . “Do you know why I’ve gathered you here for this important meeting?” “No, Boss,” replied the eight members of the E Street Band in unison. “Have you heard the new Marah album?” Springsteen hissed through clenched teeth…
Transcript from Hannity and Colmes, on the Fox News Channel, 1/4/2006 Sean Hannity: More on the NSA surveillance issue later, but right now . . . for years, debate has raged over the Atlanta quintet Collective Soul — legendary rock band or complete crap? What’s your take, Alan? Alan Colmes:…
Two guys are sitting in a pub knocking back shots. First guy turns to the second and says, “You see this bar? I built this bar with my own two hands, but do they call me Jimmy the Bar-Maker? No. And you know what else? That motel next door? I…
The Adolescents have been around for so long now that founding guitarist Frank Agnew’s 18-year-old son, Frank Agnew Jr., is also playing guitar in the legendary Orange County, California, punk band’s current formation! This year, the group is actually celebrating its 25th anniversary (granted, it’s spent more than half of…
For a leading indie-rock miserablist, Jamie Stewart possesses one of the heartiest, most boisterous laughs you’re ever likely to hear. The 33-year-old Xiu Xiu (pronounced shoe-shoe) front man typically converses quietly, in a polite, thoughtful, self-effacing, and a bit pensive manner, and then — when you least expect it –…
A new disc from the Rolling Stones is often cause for celebration. Not because the albums are any good — they’ve been shit since, oh, about 1981, right? — but because it means the band will be coming around on tour, and loyal fans will get to see Mick ‘n’…
Man, if you think Eminem had a rough upbringing, check out the backstory of Chris Palko, better known as rapper Cage: Born to a heroin-addicted Army father who made his young son help him shoot up, until he was arrested for threatening the family with a shotgun when Cage was…
