With age comes wisdom. Like the common sense notion that the best way to tackle an event as big and complex as tonight’s Viva PHX music festival is to have a plan, and a good one at that. And given the sheer number of bands and venues involved (more than…
When the aptly named Asses of Evil imploded in 2012, Valley punk rock fans were left eager to see what would come crawling from the wreckage. Stalwart bass thumper Todd Joseph and singer/rhythm guitar maestro Chris JJ Jet quickly formed The Smoke Bombs, enlisting lead guitarist Brandon Meunier and drummer…
Lawrence and Mark Zubia are flat-out Arizona rock ‘n’ roll royalty. Simply put, it would be difficult to find a more accomplished set of musician brothers from around these parts, save for the Meat Puppets’ Cris and Curt Kirkwood. But one could make an argument that the Zubia siblings have…
It’s 2014 and high time you got some new music into your playlist — seriously. And that’s doubly true when it comes local music, of which there’s an abundance in metro Phoenix. The Valley’s music scene is gifted with burgeoning bands and emerging artists who will be making waves and…
Choosing a music store is, for many people, akin to choosing a proctologist. You may really need what it has to offer, but you also know it is almost always going to be painful. Whether you are an aspiring newbie or a seasoned musician, the experience of visiting the retailers…
Despite the chill in the air, many of you have been champing at the bit to slip on a wifebeater, draw Xs on the back of your hands, and slam-dance to classic East Coast hardcore and old-school straight-edge thrash. When Boston’s Slapshot makes its first trip to the desert in…
Local band Dirty Hairy is a bit of an anomaly. Led by frontman H. Shelton Valentine, a raspy-voiced punk rock dervish in the body of an aspiring Buddha, the band cranks out some of the most questionable covers you could imagine, along with a smattering of punk/metal hybrid originals. And…
Not to burst any death metal bubbles here, but Matt Harvey of Exhumed is a really nice guy. He’s insightful, seems to genuinely care about how much fun fans have at their shows, and when I approached him from the standpoint of why and how he does his thing, he…
There’s going to be a war going on inside Club Red tomorrow night — and your cochlea may not survive the battle. The Tempe music venue will play host to representatives of some of the music world’s most heaviest and hardest music genres — including Portland’s Toxic Holocaust and Northern…
“I think there’s a big misconception of EyeHateGod,” says Jimmy Bower. “People see the name, think, maybe these guys are Satanists, maybe they’re just stupid.” I first heard EyeHateGod back in 1992 when In the Name of Suffering came out. Admittedly, I was as enthused by their name as much…
“I think there’s a big misconception of EyeHateGod,” says guitarist Jimmy Bower. “People see the name, think, maybe these guys are Satanists, maybe they’re just stupid.” I first heard EyeHateGod back in 1992 when In the Name of Suffering came out. Admittedly, I was as enthused by their name as…
“I think there’s a big misconception of EyeHateGod,” says Jimmy Bower. “People see the name, think, maybe these guys are Satanists, maybe they’re just stupid.” I first heard EyeHateGod back in 1992 when In the Name of Suffering came out. Admittedly, I was as enthused by their name as much…
Be Yourself . You are never going to be Joe Strummer. Joe Strummer was Joe Strummer and you are you, which is not a bad thing. The most attractive thing you have to offer as a bandmate, as a performer, and as someone an audience wants to watch (more than…
Santa Claus and I have had a tenuous musical history. There have been some good years, for sure, especially in 1986, when he brought me Christian Death’s Only Theatre of Pain on vinyl. I’m sure Kris Kringle, viewing from his magic snow globe, loved seeing my sheer delight as I…
What follows is nothing but an unabashed love note to Jonathan Richman. He first captured my heart when I saw the movie Repo Man — Jonathan wasn’t in Repo Man, but there is a cover of his song “Pablo Picasso” on the soundtrack. The lyrics of this particular track, like…
The spring of 1989 was a period of birth for me: It was the first time I ever played a gig at a club with a PA of its own. The place was Time Out of Mind in South Phoenix. Not the most reputable club, as some of you may…
An evening with Nik Turner on his “Space Ritual” tour promises to be both a learning and — according to Nik himself — a “healing” experience. In fact, Turner told Up on the Sun, “The energy that we’re putting into [this tour] sort of transcends what the thing is about…
Portland’s Quasi will be visiting the Rhythm Room on Monday in support of their excellent new double-album, Mole City. The band, which turned 20, features two accomplished vets of the Northwest scene, Sam Coomes (guitar/vox/keyboards) and Janet Weiss (drums/vox); when they aren’t devoting their time to Quasi, both have played…
