Forgive Durden, Atreyu, and Other Band Names Stolen from Pop Culture

In 1996, Chuck Palahniuk wrote a novel about a pussy tormented by our consumerist society who creates a fight club and, in order to get over his aforementioned lack of balls, a badass alternate personality called Tyler Durden. Years later, four dudes from Seattle named their band Forgive Durden for…

A Visit to the Grave of Waylon Jennings

A Vagabond Dreamer,
A Ryhmer and Singer of Songs.
A Revolutionary in Country Music
Beloved By The World

By Martin Cizmar

I do not generally drink in cemeteries. Yesterday, I made an exception.

Think We’ll Go Eat Worms: The Dune Costume Party at Green Restaurant, Saturday, Oct. 25

David Lynch’s films have always garnered cult followings, but in the case of his 1984 screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel Dune, there’s more magic than murder in the air. There are psychic “witches,” futuristic water suits, giant sand worms, a coveted, mysterious spice, and Sting in a mankini. Fans of the sci-fi flick showed their spirit by dressing up as their favorite characters from the film at “The Spice Will Flow” Dune costume party at Green Restaurant in Tempe on Saturday, October 25.

Bottoms Up: The Jimi Hendrix Liquid Experience Inspires InSIPid Humor

Jimi Hendrix died 38 years ago, but his music lives on — and his merchandising does, too. Caffeine fiends can now drink a real “rock star” energy drink — the “Jimi Hendrix Liquid Experience.” The flavorful brew was introduced last year by The Liquid Experience Group, a division of Beverage Concepts, LLC, and seems to be catching on in consumer land. The drink is available in seven states — New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Nevada, California, and Arizona, and the company looks to expand its distribution over the next two years.

If You Haven’t Heard of Tech N9ne, He Hasn’t Been Doing His Job

In watching the presidential campaign for what feels like forever, the phrase you keep hearing that’s supposed to define people called to public service is “personal narrative.” Experience, judgment, policies, character, good grooming habits . . . They’re nil if you don’t have a compelling life story that you can…

Border-Jumping with Roger Clyne

Weekends start early in Rocky Point. The sun hasn’t yet set on a Friday night, but the beach is already spattered with vomit. Most people entering the tony Peñasco Del Sol hotel, overlooking the beach, plop cans of cerveza down on the marble counter as they check in. Where they…

Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers In Multimedia

By Jonathan McNamara When Music Editor Martin Cizmar asked me to accompany him to Mexico to cover a Roger Clyne concert for the debut of his column, Sonic Truth, I knew it was going to be a big deal. But it wasn’t until I was hanging from a scaffold trying…

CD Review: The Stiletto Formal

By Martin Cizmar

You know a local band is big when they get not one but two CD release parties. The Stiletto Formal will be all over town this weekend, celebrating the release of ¡Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta! at The Clubhouse on Friday and The Rogue on Saturday.

Giantkiller: A David Versus Goliath Rematch with the Majors?

Epic is a word that frequently punctuates Larry Elyea’s conversation. Not enough times to warrant a drinking game — like with Sarah Palin and the word “maverick” — but enough to notice it’s the ultimate compliment he can bestow. Sitting in the dramatic control room of his Mind’s Eye Digital…

Metallica’s Therapist Opens Up

By now, even if you’ve never seen the 2004 Metallica documentary Some Kind of Monster, you probably know that the band was rescued from the brink of its own creative and personal disintegration through a couple years of intensive group therapy sessions led by life coach Phil Towle. Granted, St…

Weezer Frontman Rivers Cuomo Seeks Soul Mate

Hey all, SWM looking for some fun and possibly a LTR. Figured I would come on here and try this, as recent career success has made me famous among 14-year-old girls, but I’m far too old for them. I am a musician and I’ve been plugging away in various bands…