Glenna JenningsBy Tom Murphy Tristan Shone was a mechanical engineer before he formed Author & Punisher. His first album, 2005’s The Painted Army, hinted at the sound Shone would later hone five years later on Drone Machines in 2010, after having fully integrated various MIDI controller devices that looked like…
Phoenix blues guitarist Chuck Hall has signed on with local label Fervor Records, who specializes in licensing music, and the move has already paid off — the label has landed his songs in an episode of Justified. The record deal calls for his band to produce a CD, and for…
Nowadays, Phil Anselmo is mostly an open book. On one hand, he’s creating a “brand,” even though much of his time is dedicated to representing everything that doesn’t want to be branded. On the other, it’s an underground brand of being fucking hostile, and he finds a way to somehow…
Everyone knows that Zia Records hooks up all the Valley music junkies. Big-time. The lure of that sharp red and yellow “Zia” sign brings in people from all walks of life seeking novelty toys, every possible music genre, and movies. Personally, it’s the smell of vinyl that calls my name…
For those who came of age after Y2K, we remember the heady days of heart-on-sleeve pop punk, defined by bands like Fall Out Boy, Cartel and Panic! at the Disco, radio-ready acts that were as relatable as they were kitschy. However, few records encapsulated this timeframe with the honesty of…
Photo by Ian WitlenHave you ever seen a gingerbread man with no arms do the shimmy? What about two sharks going at it in shallow water? Seriously, who doesn’t want to see a drunk dude having the time of his life, only to fall flat on his ass? It’s the…
The owners of the Monarch Theatre would be wise to make sure their much-heralded PK sound system is finely tuned, since that baby’s about to get a major workout this weekend. It’s likely to be put through its paces on Saturday, January 18, when 30,000 watts of warped bass blasts…
Photo by Ian WitlenAfter three years of raging at sea, Hard Events’ Holy Ship cruise has proven itself to be the best nautical EDM adventure that money can buy. (Of course, we here at Crossfade enjoyed press accommodations, so we didn’t actually pay.) It might still be a new-ish phenomenon,…
Photo by Ian WitlenEnough about the music and enough about the giant ship — everyone wants the good stuff! Like, who was the most wasted asshole on the boat? Who delivered the most snooze-worthy DJ set? And who was the most ratchet dancer of Holy Ship!!! 2014? While the rest…
Photo by Ian Witlen After three years of raging at sea, Hard Events’ Holy Ship cruise has proven itself to be the best nautical EDM adventure that money can buy. (Of course, we here at Crossfade enjoyed press accommodations, so we didn’t actually pay.) It might still be a new-ish…
Last year was surprisingly good for metal. Not only did we have some mosh pit-worthy tours and festivals — those only seem to increase every year — but there were a ton of kick-ass album releases, as well. Amon Amarth’s Deceiver of the Gods, Ghost B.C.’s Infestissuman, Phil Anselmo’s Walk…
“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…
By Mary Grace Cerni There are party fouls that can be forgiven. Really egregious ones, even, like peeing in the indoor plants. But disrupting the music by unplugging the host’s device in favor of your own iPod or smartphone? Now that’s fucked up…
Big Nick and the Gila Monsters have some experience ringing in new years — they’ve been together for 21 of them. Last week, they closed out 2013 with a New Year’s Eve gig at Janey’s in Cave Creek, where they play at least once a month; they’ll return this Saturday…
Once upon a midnight dreary, while other folks are asleep and weary, Club 24 will welcome many a freak through its door. It’s all for a big party, with music both dark and arty, that’s simply titled Nevermore. Edgar Allan Poe is the inspiration behind this insidious dance party gestation,…
SheaEditor’s Note: Shea Serrano is an award-winning music writer and goofball whose recent exploits include Bun B’s Rapper Coloring and Activity Book. Right now, Pitbull’s “Timber,” featuring Ke$ha, is number two on Billboard and number one on my GTFOH chart. I don’t remember the first time I heard — it seems…
Robert Bejil, FlickrMost people regard metal music as an anti-intellectual, chest-beating, noisy fit for cavemen. Despite this being 100 percent true, there are a few positive things that result from having an intense dedication toward one of the most juvenile forms of music out there. While listening to metal may…
Last night, metal god Rob Halford from Judas Priest made a guest voice appearance on an episode of The Simpsons called “Steal This Episode.” In a nutshell, Homer became annoyed with movie theaters, so Bart taught him how to download movies illegally. Of course, Homer thinks this revelation kicks ass…
Cold Shott and the Hurricane Horns brought in the new year with a stellar performance at the Tempe Block Party on New Year’s Eve. Cold Shott and the Hurricane Horns may be the Arizona version of the nationally known group Roomful of Blues. Both bands have been around for decades…
Shea Note: in his column Serrano Time, award-winning writer and goofball Shea Serrano writes about his life and times. Dear 2013, Oh, man. So you’re officially over. That’s kind of sad. You were mostly a very dope year — at least for me, anyway, and truth be told, that’s all…
Buckle your safety belts, because you’re about to trip through a time warp. We’re setting the Wayback Machine to a quarter-century ago — 1989, to be exact — when a small radio station called KUKQ was the blasting out alternative, underground, and indie rock tunes over Valley airwaves via 1060…
It’s that time of year where our focus is officially shifting from reflecting on 2013 to preparing for 2014. Another 365 days have swept by, full of heavy metal ups and downs, groupies and drug overdoses, mind-blowing riffs and sold-out shows. The state of metal in 2013 certainly hasn’t blown…
