Calling a band a “jam band” can be just as stigmatizing as calling them a “Christian act” — a sizable, devoted minority of the music-listening population will see it as a real virtue, while the rest of us silently utter a prayer of malediction, à la Max von Sydow in…
In case you missed it, Palm Beach buzz band Surfer Blood has signed to Warner Bros. It’s a puzzling move three-quarters of the way through the year 2010, when not one but two independent releases have taken the number-one spot on the Billboard charts. What does being on a major…
Frank Black thinks you shouldn’t trust a single word I write about either him or The Pixies. The venerable frontman of the equally venerable alt-rock band has had a contentious and distrustful relationship with music scribes, as demonstrated by his declaration that most band interviews “are mangled and even have…
The music industry is notorious for taking even the best, most down-to-earth people and chewing them up. Even if one is fortunate enough to “make it,” it’s almost impossible to not become a raging asshole-holic. That makes it all the more remarkable that Tom Petty became wildly successful while sticking…
Skybox — whom you may remember from their time in the Phoenix music scene a few years ago — are returning to the Valley from their new home in Chicago for their first show in the area in over a year. The band takes on the music business in a…
Cream Stereo Lounge’s loss is 910 Live’s gain. The promoters of Giant Wednesdays have left behind the sleek and chic Scottsdale club and moved their weekly party to the far funkier Tempe nightspot, located at 910 North McClintock Drive. They’ll continue to book internationally known house and trance superstars, including…
Music fans at Stinkweeds went after a lot of alt-rock this week.Blonde Redhead was the CenPho store’s most popular album. Ra Ra Riot’s summer release The Orchard made the top 10 as well, along with The Walkmen’s new album Lisbon.1. Blonde Redhead, Penny SparkleSee the entire list after the jump…..
So many children of celebrities get sucked into the music business by their famous parents. For example, Jada Pinkett and Will Smith’s nine-year-old daughter Willow Smith released her very first single earlier this month. Right after its release, Jay-Z signed Willow to Roc Nation.Even though Willow might actually have a…
Artist: MoovalyaTitle: First Degree, a five song EPBasics: Hey now, some goofy pop punk! That’s more like it! Billing themselves as a “melodic punk band from Phoenix, AZ,” Moovalya plays pretty run-of-the-mill rock music with an edge that was last seen wandering the streets of Anaheim in the year 2000.A…
Kanye WestNot surprisingly, preppy hip-hop star Kanye West managed to inject a lot of energy into his show-closing performance of “Runaway” at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards. He started out playing a loop which served as the backdrop for the song, then he danced around in his bright red suit,…
Sometimes people ask me, “Martin, why are you so hard on noted junkie and sometimes rock singer Scott Weiland?”Well, for one, because he’s a pathetic piece of trash who makes donations to a “charity” that’s actually just his late brother’s family. Also, because he seems to have been caught lip-syncing…
Dana SternJanis Joplin Crap N VomitDon’t look at this flier as if the ladies are trying to scream over the bands set to play. Instead, picture them at the show, rocking out to a bevy of fun-filled indie bands at The Trunk Space.Or, they might be loudly singing “Happy Birthday”…
Sweden is a peculiar country — the furniture comes disassembled and the fish taste like gummy bears — but its people have put out some good music. For a nation with a population comparable to North Carolina, Sweden has created some pretty diverse stuff, too. It’s easy to draw a…
You know that gag in This Is Spinal Tap involving the band’s ever-rotating carousel of deceased or otherwise combusted drummers? Foghat’s Roger Earl is the living antithesis of that. For 39 years, spanning no fewer than 20 lineup changes, Earl has survived as the boogie-rock foursome’s lone constant — a…
You may not call yourself a fan of country music, but if you’ve lived in Arizona for more than a couple of years, chances are you find at least some aspect of it endearing. Then again, maybe not. But for a greenhorn aspiring to develop an appreciation for this part…
A simple, straightforward, bullshit-free piece of work. That’s what Lisbon, The Walkmen’s upcoming album, sounds like. These post-punk rejectionists were formed in the muck and mayhem of the garage-rock revival, along with a slew of other “the” bands — namely that quintet who were dubbed the saviors of rock: The…
The proprietors of Palazzo, 710 North Central Avenue, are about to rid themselves of the blood-sucking, fang-wielding, pale-face creatures of the night that have infested their club for more than five years, but won’t be needing any garlic or crucifixes to do so. Notorious goth affair Tranzylvania is getting the…
After yanking back a 16-ounce can of sugary, guarana-infused Rockstar, whatcha gonna listen to? Sufjan Stevens? The Decemberists? Negatory, bro-ham! You’ll want exactly what this energy-drink-sponsored alt-metal tour brings to the table: blast beats, screamo vocals, and high-decibel thrash showmanship. Now in its third year, Rockstar’s answer to Ozzfest (conceived…
Adriane GoetzLoving life at Bar Smith. Phoenicians finally have their choice of dance venues on Friday nights, but Bar Smith was among the first to do it right and its Fuse Fridays are still going strong. Check out our slideshow from last Friday, where special guest DJ Udachi lit up…
Music lovers at Zia Records Chandler demanded darkness this week.Stone Sour came out on top with their new album. Avenged Sevenfold and Disturbed’s albums were also near the top of the list, signifying that locals are getting excited about this weekend’s Rockstar Uproar Tour and Arizona Fall Frenzy Festival.1. Stone…
Sobering news from Arizona State University’s newspaper today: ASU students are starting Glee-inspired clubs in several area schools.It’s apparently not enough to watch the awful show, or to call yourself by the insufferable sobriquet “Gleek” anymore. Now, you’ve gotta actually inflict showtunes upon the masses to prove your undying dedication…
MTV’s annual Video Music Awards have been working their way steadily downhill for a few years now.This year’s show was pretty damn near the bottom of the slope, one would hope. The 2010 iteration included predictable performances, a lack of pans to stars in the crowd, and a lack of…
