Welcome to the first installment of “Nothing Not New,” a yearlong project in which New Times editorial operations manager Jay Bennett, a 40-year-old music fan and musician, will listen only to music released in 2010. Why? Because in the words of his editor, Martin Cizmar, he suffers from “aesthetic atrophy,”…
“If music be the food of love, play on. Give me excess of it . . .” — Wm. Shakespeare I recently received some bad news regarding a diagnosis. It’s never easy to hear someone (especially an expert in his field) tell you that you have a serious problem, and…
It’s a wonder that Sonic Youth manages to even release Sonic Youth records, given the flurry of activity that envelops Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, Lee Ranaldo, Steve Shelley, and Mark Ibold outside of their work in the band. Their combined creative enterprises include books of poetry, ‘zines and record reviews,…
If you’ve lost your faith in love and music Oh, the end won’t be long Because if it’s gone for you, then I too may lose it And that would be wrong I’ve tried so hard to keep myself from falling Back into my bad old ways And it chars…
And while the “Punk Rock Girl” practitioners haven’t graced the Valley with their presence as of yet, at least their lead singer will be doing so in about a month. Joseph Genaro (otherwise known as Joe Jack Talcum, or even Butterfly Fairweather) has scheduled a February 2 performance at the…
Clear your calendars now for what’s likely to be a pop music fan’s wet dream when cutie pie Christofer Ingle, aka Never Shout Never, comes to town and brings a bevy of sugary acts along with him.Ready for the line-up?It includes Decaydance vets The Cab and Hey Monday, along with…
You know who loves finding out about just announced shows in the Valley? This guy. I, however, understand how this time of year is painfully slow for any real music news. That is why everyone and their mother — myself, included — trots out their best of/year end lists of…
It’s been a slooow news week around the music-oriented blogosphere. In fact, several blogs, like our friends at Electric Mustache, have just taken the rest of the year off. We’re soldiering on and reading over some of the many funny and fascinating pieces on wheel chair-bound indie-folk scion Vic Chesnutt,…
Miniature Tigers will hold a low-key goodbye show at Trunk Space tomorrow night. The band, which we’ve written about approximately eleventy billion times over the past two years, is moving to Brooklyn for reasons I won’t hazard a guess about. I’m sure I speak for everyone here at New Times…
Patti Smith, in her own words, is “an American artist . . . [who has] no guilt.” Though she has been making music for over 35 years, her thick, unapologetic voice can still stir you to the core. In each note is her every experience. Her joys, her sorrows. Her…
Would the “real” Jay Bennett have been disappointed in me? The late guitarist was, by all accounts, a free-spirited soul who appreciated mischief and who didn’t shy away from good-natured troublemaking. He might’ve gotten a laugh out my misrepresenting myself — had I taken my many chances. The real Jay…
2009 rocked and we’ve got 51 shots to prove it. From Tempe Music Fest to McDowell Mountain, Slayer to Kiss, Flight of the Concords to Shiny Toy Guns, they’re all here waiting for you to wax nostalgic. What are you waiting for? Check out the slide show…
Our music editor Martin Cizmar seems to think an American version of X Factor would be sort of pointless, but not if Simon Cowell has anything to do with it. The notoriously cranky American Idol judge wants to make the similarly performance-based X Factor a hit here in America, according to…
[jump] I have nothing at all against their number one pick, Everclear’s In A Different Light. Art Alexakis, lead singer and only original member of the band, has since retooled things and turned the once formidable alternative rock band into a pathetic covers band. Gone are the glory days of…
What purpose would there be in an American version of X-Factor, the British talent competition that made headlines this week by losing a chart battle with Rage Against The Machine? You’ve got me. American Idol, the original American spin on Simon Cowell’s first show, Pop Idol, seems to be doing…
I’ve mentioned seeing Frankie Muniz backstage at several large Phoenix-area music festivals before. It appears the former Malcom in the Middle child star, and Scottsdale resident, is taking his interest in music to the next level by joining local rock band You Hang Up…
Wesley Willis sits at a computer and adjusts his ever-present headphones, pushes them up against his ears, turns up the volume of the music. He’s frustrated because he still can’t hear his beloved rock ‘n’ roll over all the shouts of “Bum!” and “You’re a stupid asshole!” He begins to…
Name: Mathew Scott He’s also the in-house DJ for Steve LeVine Entertainment, which hosts nights at venues all across the Valley. Get the skinny on Soloman by checking out his answers below. AKA: DJ Soloman Current Club Nights: Thursday nights at Zuma on Mill, Friday night House 7340 resident at…
Guitarist Dave Mason, a founding member of Traffic, comes to The Compound Grill in north Phoenix on Saturday, February 13. Mason penned the rock and roll anthem “Feelin’ Alright” which has been recorded by a number of artists, including the famous Joe Cocker version. Tickets here. We Just Disagree -…
It’s not even January yet, but Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden has announced dates and performers for its “Jazz in the Garden” series. Chef-prepared food and a bar with wine-by-the-bottle will be served, natch. The series, which also has a number of blues acts scheduled, will run Friday nights, starting at…
As we reported last week, party house Rasputin’s Equestrian Manor closed at the beginning of this month. Our previous blog detailed the property owner’s complaints against her former tenants, including allegations that they vandalized the property prior to their eviction.The owner of the property formerly known as Rasputin’s, Tanya Rathjen,…
