The fact that the most onerous components of SB 1070 were blocked by a judge hasn’t done much to dull the rage of angry activists across the country. In the music world, the ink wasn’t yet dry on the judge’s ruling when Zack de la Rocha and his posse of…
Way back in 1990, before Nirvana came along and made “metal” a bad word, three of thrash metal’s biggest bands — Slayer, Megadeth, and Testament — joined forces for a European tour dubbed “Clash of the Titans.” Much has changed in the 20 years since that legendary tour, but in…
The long, hot summer has been particularly bumpy for nightclub owner Jon Harris. Since re-opening the doors to Phase 54 at its new location, 1020 North 54th Street in Chandler, in May, he’s endured a court challenge from neighboring businesses over the fact they don’t want a dance joint in…
Listening to Green Day’s major label debut, Dookie, in 1994, who could have imagined that they’d be a video game in 2010? Not me, certainly. For one, the idea of a video game branded to a rock band was still pretty far-fetched, despite Midway’s Revolution X arcade game, a standard…
It’s seems unlikely that Valley residents are unfamiliar with Soulfly. After all, the band is fronted by a longtime Phoenix resident, Max Cavalera, and has been rocking out and destroying eardrums for 13 years. Just take a look at the track list on the band’s latest album Omen: “Bloodbath &…
Folks can’t help singing along to “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” — even if they’re in a public place and can’t sing. What many people don’t know that the song’s composer, Charlie Daniels, played with the likes of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen and produced such bands as The…
At 56 years old, L.A.-based singer-songwriter (and founding member of Wall of Voodoo) Stan Ridgway will release his newest album, Neon Mirage, in September. In the process of writing and recording it, however, he had a string of losses. His uncle died, his father died, and a friend and contributor…
No doubt about it, the downtown dance spots located along Washington Street get pretty damn busy during weekend nights as countless clubgoers congregate to drink and debauch until last call looms amidst this massive club hub. PHX Nightclub was particularly packed this past Friday evening as the deckmaster duo of DJ…
The music lovers who frequent Zia Records in Phoenix tend to favor heavier fare — typically metal and hip-hop. But they always pepper in a few surprises. While the latest from Bun B comes out on top this week, The Black Keys slide right in the middle. The newest Arcade…
There are probably lots of ladies on the planet who wish they were Bruno Mars’ girlfriend right now. That’s because his latest single, “Just the Way You Are,” is one of the prettiest, purest love songs out there right now. Girls all over the place instantly swoon when the hear…
This flier sure is pretty for advertising a show by a band that goes by the name of Asses of Evil. It’s a bright and colorful portrait of a lady with pin-up girl style, and it almost looks as if it could have a place in a comic book. Asses…
If you’re one of those trendoid hepcat types who dig American Apparel, colored Ray-Bans, and electro remixes of La Roux, chances are good that you’re already familiar with the extracurricular exploits of the Night Thieves. But for those who aren’t, here’s the skinny on the skinny jean-wearing posse: Consisting of…
On Interpol’s self-titled fourth album, the onetime kings of the New York indie-rock scene are still the well-groomed gloom merchants that exploded in popularity in 2002, but they seem to have lost their edge. That’s not really supposed to happen after you leave the big leagues (Capitol) and return to…
“I always said I hated the Black Crowes,” says Mike, sipping a Diet Coke. “Then one day someone put on a Black Crowes album and I was like, ‘Who is this?’ There were four or five songs I liked — I mean, really liked.” I agree with Mike, staring at…
Scoring one big hit is a Catch-22 for most bands, who often go down in history as a much-derided One Hit Wonder as their talent or record of innovation goes ignored by a fickle public. And when a band’s lone hit is a cover . . . Well, such is…
Lots of bands say their music transcends genres. Rarely does it. And contrary to what it says on the band’s MySpace page, it doesn’t really seem to be the case with Yonder Mountain String Band. Not really, anyway. The Colorado band doesn’t transcend genres so much as it avoids being…
Maybe getting rejected by Ozzy Osbourne isn’t such a bad thing after all. At least not for Gary Hoey. The veteran axman, who’s gearing up to release his 17th album, Utopia, on August 24, auditioned for the Prince of Darkness in the late ’80s but didn’t get the gig. Instead…
With Friday the 13th films playing on every TV screen, an entire staff of slasher victims and a visit from Jason Voorhees himself, it was a real massacre at Monkey Pants in Tempe on Friday night. Check out our slideshow for all the gory details…
Beloit College’s annual Mindset list came out today.The fancy little Wisconsin school puts the list — which aims to show how kids entering college this year see the world, basically by pointing out a bunch of pop culture references they won’t understand because they’re so young — under the guise…
Arcade Fire is an indie band. I don’t say that just because they sound like an indie band — though they do — but because they’re actually signed to an indie label.All three Arcade Fire albums came out on Merge, a North Carolina-based company that was started in 1989 so…
This week French Canadian indie rockers Arcade Fire were the best sellers at Stinkweeds record store. And no matter what part of town you shop in, no one can seem to get enough of the latest release from Wolf Parade: They mysteriously find a way of showing up in nearly…
Artist: Tucson three-piece Roll AcostaTitle: The Dawn EPBasics: Lead by their namesake Jake (Roll), Roll Acosta pound the sensibilities with light, airy rock/pop music.Their sound takes a lot of credit from Acosta’s vocals, which are reminiscent of John Ondrasik — better known to the world as Five For Fighting. As…
