Heavy metal has a rich and diverse history in Arizona. Our state has had a horde of notable residents: hard rock pioneer Alice Cooper, hair metal singer Bret Michaels of Poison, Judas Priest singer Rob Halford, Dave Mustaine of Megadeth and Kerry King of Slayer (both ex-residents now), Sacred Reich,…
Believe it or not, Arizona’s a hot spot for shooting music videos — and we don’t just mean literally hot, but conceptually, too. I mean, where else could a pre-slutty Britney Spears pontificate on her virginity from a cliff top overlooking green waters or Paul McCartney pretend to be an…
Michael Stipe of REM said he tried to reach out to Kurt Cobain as an attempt to help save Cobain’s life, according to NME.Stipe recently told Interview Magazine that he devised a plan to try to save Cobain from the awful state of mind he was in before he killed…
Welcome to Obscuro, a feature where Up on the Sun dives deep into the world of vinyl oddities: private press jobs, major label cast-offs, and general thrift shop clutter that’s thus far escaped anyone’s attention. These LPs have been hiding out, collecting dust, until we come along, investigate, probe and…
Just as any artist would be, DJ and producer David Guetta is understandably quite upset over the recent leak of his new song, according to Rolling Stone.Guetta has gone above and beyond to catch the sleazy hacker who leaked his new single “Where Them Girls At?” which features Nicki Minaj…
Two of R&B/soul’s most loved voices are headed for Celebrity Theater on June 16. Mavis Staples and Dr. John are set to take the rotating stage, and the show ought to be utterly fantastic. Staples’ last record, You Are Not Alone (2010) found the 71 year-old songstress teaming with Wilco…
May already? Yup. In case you are in the same work-induced haze that I am, you may need a reminder that April is, in fact, over. Luckily hindsight is twenty-twenty. You’ll appreciate that as you look back at the best concert shots from April. April was one hell of a month…
[jump] My love of all things Kenny Loggins started with The Essential Kenny Loggins. I purchased the two disc collection not too long after it was released in November of 2002 as a suggestion from a friend. I knew a few of Loggins’ songs — “I’m Alright” and “Danger Zone,”…
In April of last year, longtime Valley radio show host Jonathan L left the Phoenix airwaves and moved to Berlin, Germany. L was a popular DJ here, and hosted shows or did programming at radio stations all around Arizona for 30 years, including a long stint at alternative station KUKQ and…
Jason AlfordThe executive chef of Roka Akor hosts a Mother’s Day brunch and dinner at the restaurant on Sunday, May 8. For more information, log on to www.rokaakor.com. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? KYOT (95.5-FM) smooth jazz. What’s the…
“What’s Havarti again?” Deadmau5, Canadian-based DJ and producer known throughout the world for his tasty, electronic beats, asks the question standing in a super market with an oversized, metallic mouse head where his human one should be. “It’s Havarti if you want to party.” The reply comes from Harley, the…
This month sees the release of two records featuring Ryan “Elvis Wong” Rousseau. The first is Sonoran, by Destruction Unit, seeing release via indie label Volar Records, and the second is a reissue of The Reatards’ debut Teenage Hate, an album Rousseau played drums on in 1998 with his friend…
Calling the warehouse space where Mesa-based band The Rÿche rehearses a “practice space” doesn’t seem fair. Behind heavy metal doors, the room is equipped with a full stage, lined with couches, gig posters, and a sound system that actually puts those at some Valley clubs to shame. In front of…
The triumphs, scandals, and serial reinventions that comprise the official mythology of “Diddy” né “P. Diddy” né “Puff Daddy” né Sean Combs are compelling, indeed. But what of Diddy’s hidden history, the triumphs and mega-triumphs that he’s not yet disclosed for general consumption? We’ve meticulously compiled it here. 1969: Sean…
To some people, being cool is all about not caring if you’re cool. This week, Up On the Sun cartoonist Robbie Pfeffer explores the idea that the less effort you put into being hip, the more hip you really are — and if you’re putting more effort into putting less…
Warner Music Group — home to acts like Led Zeppelin, Green Day, and Tempe-based indie rock band The Maine — is for sale. If you think it’s tough outbidding other eBay users for a rare record, you should see the bidding battle currently underway for one of the last giants…
Who’s ready for a fight?! I’m sure that there’s not actually any bad blood between Tempe-based soul/funk band Black Carl and indie-rockers Gospel Claws, but it’s fun to imagine the two bands climbing into the vintage boxing ring at The Duce to settle a score and duke it out. Sure,…
In advance of their untitled debut full-length, local garage-pop trio The Cosmeticators released to the world Tuesday a nice-looking music video for “Roboman,” which features women in tight dresses, a dude in a robot costume, and the timeless kids game Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. So, you’re probably gonna wanna…
The Beastie Boys have been pumping out some of the best promotional blitz I’ve ever seen for their new record, Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2, out yesterday in stores and online. In addition to the incredible Fight for Your Right Revisited short film, staring Seth Rogen, Elijah Wood, Danny McBride,…
It wasn’t too hard a decision to christen Helplessness Blues as my favorite album of 2011. Robin Pecknold knows how to write a goddamn song and the band shows an amazing polish that many bands come across on their fourth or fifth albums — certainly not their second. Such is…
We at Up on the Sun woke up this morning thinking it would be absolutely smashing if, say, a brand new track from Smashing Pumpkins was waiting in our inboxes. As it turns out, dreams really do come true. ”Owata” from Teargarden By Kaleidyscope, the Pumpkins’ 44-track opus being released…
The 1980s dreamboat that all the girls loved, Rick Springfield, has been arrested for a reported DUI in Malibu, according to Spinner.Springfield was pulled over for speeding on the Pacific Coast Highway Sunday night. Drunk driving was the cause for his fast and furious actions. He was driving with a…
