Authors: James Orme
Local Reviews: Hot Club of Zion
Hot Club of Zion is one of the best jazz trios around. They play a gypsy style of jazz, and even though the mention of the genre brings to mind the great Django Reinhardt, they still maintain their own identity while paying proper homage. … read more
Local Reviews: Charles Ellsworth and the Dirty Thirty
This Arizona transplant has created a record full of sorrowful tunes that seems to organically flow from within himself. Gentle in his approach, each song is as thoughtful in its songwriting as it is in its production. One that stood out for me was “These Desert Nights,” which builds a picture of the lost feeling that Ellsworth himself has surely had while spending time in his native land. … read more
Local Reviews: Bullets & Belles
I have to say that this might be the best production of anything local I’ve ever heard, which would stand to reason, since while Bullets & Belles only formed last year, the members are all veteran musicians. This three-song EP is some damn catchy jazz pop, with stunning vocals, thoughtful lyrics and brilliant songwriting. … read more
Local Review: The Hang Ups
I love everything about punk rock—the anger, the energy, all of it. I hope that three-piece bands like The Hung Ups are always around. The songs on this EP are so immediate and easy to get into. … read more
Review: DESTRUCTO MAXIMUS – ANTiSEEN
DESTRUCTO MAXIMUS ANTiSEEN Steel Cage Books Street: 01.01.03 This book drips blood; I’m not kidding. The pure destructo rock evil of ANTiSEEN inhabits it. A black leather cover and silver foil lettering is more than appropriate for a book I can’t put down, which I’m a little afraid of. Destructo Maximus is a collection of
Just Another Fan on Stage: An Interview with Matt Freeman
Matt Freeman is the best bass player out there, and he’s been proving it for years in Rancid and, before that, in Operation Ivy. When longtime Social Distortion bassist John Maher quit in order to spend more time with his family, Social D went looking for a new bass player. Mike Ness went straight to
AFI
If a band finds a certain level of success in what they’re doing does that automatically make them “sell-outs?” Case in point, AFI has recently enjoyed #1 status on the charts with their new record Decemberunderground. A lot of people have come out of the independent woodwork to slam this band with all sorts of
A Rocker Against Parkinson’s
Back in the late 70s, rockabilly was all but alive. That was until three young men, Brian Setzer, Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom slapped some grease in their hair, picked up their respective instruments and formed the Stray Cats. They would go on to remind the world of the greatness that this early form
Devil’s Brigade: Halfway to Hell
Matt Freeman has been the man to beat on bass for years. Since the late eighties he has put his signature driving bass lines to work in Operation Ivy, Rancid and various other bands, and has been happy to fill the role of side man. Now with over 20 years of career to look back on Freeman is looking forward by taking his side project, Devil’s Brigade, out on the road to support their self-titled debut release. … read more