Despite what it does for your record sales, it sucks when a rockstar dies before his time. Hard times came about in 1996 after the passing of Sublime’s vocalist and guitarist Bradley Nowell.Even good ol’ Lou Dog was bummin’. Frankly, I can’t blame him. If I had been more than…
2012 is looking to be a comeback year for infamous Phoenix-born “deathrock” combo The Mighty Sphincter. The mythic band — part of the same Placebo Records scene that birthed JFA, International Language, and many, many more — has always been lead by songwriter Doug Clark, and he says that this…
When you or I get hit up to finance someone’s 12-vinyl disc, pearl handled, hand-carved boxed sets, it will be officially time to pronounce the fan-funding phenomenon dead. Jason Woodbury profiled Kickstarter a few weeks ago, and here we can see it working rather successfully for Loyal Wife, a brand…
It’s been two years since Arizona transplant Michelle Blades’ last album release. During that time the soulful singer-songwriter spent some time in Paris where she turned 21, and put in work on her new record, Mariana. The new album, which is scheduled for release on February 18, is currently streaming…
Cass McCombs and Frank Fairfield Crescent Ballroom Thursday, December 12 It’s a rough night when the opening act outshines the headliner. Maybe it’s just because this particular opening act was especially talented, but seeing rocker de melancholia Cass McCombs take the stage following old timey string multi-instrumentalist Frank Fairfield was…
Hunter Riley Riley is director of programs for the Pat Tillman Foundation. He encourages you to run, walk and honor at the 8th Annual Pat’s Run on Saturday, April 21. Sign up at www.patsrun.com. Cost is $35 and benefits Tillman Military Scholars. When you put your key in the ignition and turn…
Wisdom suggests that ASU students love pizza, and a little time spent on this blog proves that they love making videos. Local rapper Parker King is looking to take advantage of both. He’s shooting the video for his first single, “Pass the Parm” this weekend. The song was inspired by…
Stephen Steinbrink is a pretty busy guy, but it looks like there will be one less thing on his plate at the end of the month: his venue/art-space Yellow Canary Dance Hall will be shutting its doors. We profiled the space as an example of how Kickstarter has helped fund…
If you’ve ever seen the Red Hot Chili Peppers live and in concert, no doubt you’ve witnessed lead singer Anthony Kiedis bouncing around the stage like a silly little freak. Thanks to a recent foot surgery (which involved removing a crushed sesamoid bone and repairing a detached flexor tendon), the…
The brand new issue of Phoenix New Times is on stands and online now. Here’s what we’ve got for your this week: Serene Dominic sits down at Harvey’s Wineburger with Snow Songs, one of Phoenix’s “most evocative and engaging bands” to discuss how bands will get their music out in…
When the news broke that X103.9 would be “shifting formats from alternative rock to a “by Gen-X, for Gen-X playlist,” the natural question was, “Will any of the X103.9 DJs be staying on in the transition?” My103.9 launched today, and the site’s website, My Phoenix Radio, has an answer, in…
Last year buying Coachella passes got a little hellish, particularly for those who thought they’d be fine if they waited a while to buy them. This year looks to be…well…not that different. The ticket purchasing process has changed yet again. Despite two weekends to choose from, there are now…
This week, New Times ran a list in our print publication highlighting some of the most interesting posts published at Up On The Sun over the past week. Here are links to those posts. What albums sold the most copies at Hoodlums Music in 2011? What songs are easing our…
Until last June, it was difficult for Montreal’s Dan Boeckner to separate his two musical projects. The collaboration with wife Alexei Perry (Handsome Furs) and the full-time source of his paychecks (Wolf Parade) both achieved a balance of ’80s synth-pop and punk rock attitude. But when Wolf Parade went on…
Though the name Mighty Sphincter may sound like a stereotypical fictional punk band (say, the band that the mohawked goofus on the bus was jamming on his ghetto blaster in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home before Spock gave him the knockout pinch or whatever), the mythic Phoenix band was…
The next time the fact-finders at the CIA revise the entry for Germany in their popular World Factbook, they really oughta update the country’s list of major exports to include house music alongside high-octane beer, schnitzel, and household goods. Das Vaterland has been fertile ground for birthing practitioners of inexorably…
Pat Travers can kick ass in more ways than one. First, the Canadian guitarist is a black belt in Isshin Ryu Karate. And though he won’t demonstrate martial arts moves on stage, Travers’ hard-hitting music is still a kick in the face. Travers’ work is heavy in sound and thick…
When Tim Bergling started crafting electronica in 2008 in the bedroom of his Stockholm residence, he drew inspiration from his countryman Eric Prydz and the members of the Swedish House Mafia. Flash-forward to 2012, and the 22-year-old artist (now known as Avicii) is sharing the bill with his heroes at…
The year 2011 may go down in history as the first year we paid more attention to where music will be stored and what delivery system it will stream from than we did to actual music (which continues its steadily declining devaluation in the marketplace, thank you). One hallowed time,…
As Ricky Rozay can attest, it costs to be the boss. The redoubtable 35-year-old has encountered a few glitches en route to hip-hop celebrity. His gluttonous build, self-parodying image, and seemingly absent moral compass (the offensive language on 2010’s Teflon Don doesn’t stop with “If she died on my dick…
In 1970, Elton John released his self-titled sophomore album and Tumbleweed Connection. In 1974, Kiss released their eponymous debut and its followup, Hotter Than Hell, nine months later. In 2003, alt-country songwriter Ryan Adams released his most flippant album, Rock N’ Roll, the same day he released his darkest, Love…
Thursday 12 16th Street Bar & Grill: Kickback Thursdays with DJ Cedric Ceballos (hip-hop, classics, neo-soul, reggae, R&B, Top 40, old school) Bar Smith: Ladies Night with DJ Idenaty, DJ EC Rock, & DJ Oh-Jezus (various) Bobby Q’s: Capricorn B-Day Bash with DJ Phlava, Judge Da Boss, & Petey Wheatstraw…
