Song: Foxy Shazam’s “Oh Lord”Context: OK, Jay Bennett was right, I love this record. Foxy Shazam – Oh Lord by alienhits…

Song: Queen, “We Are The Champions”Context: I’m so proud of what the Up On The Sun team did last year. Queen – We Are The Champions by SWBOY1994…

It brings me great joy to report that Up On The Sun was named the Best Features Blog in the state by the Arizona Press Club in a ceremony Saturday night in downtown Phoenix. Niki D’Andrea, Jonathan McNamara, Stephen Chilton and I made up the winning team. (Full results here.)The…

Song: Against Me! “White People For Peace”Context: All these musicians boycotting Arizona… Against Me! – White People for Peace…

Arizona is facing more heat over our crazy new immigration law, SB 1070.Belinda Carlisle took to Facebook today to say she wants Lilith Fair organizers “to move the phoenix date in protest of the new immigration law in ARIZONA. the gogo’s [sic] condemn the law and want the date moved.”So,…

Song: Evelyn Evelyn, “My Space” Context: Wondering if I should drive to LA on a Wednesday Evelyn Evelyn – “My Space” by moderntonic.com…

Ever wonder what sort of merch the Phoenix band featuring former Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz would print? We have the first look and it ain’t pretty. Actually, it looks like, ummm… Affliction Tapped Out the Smashing Pumpkins in 1996.Yeah, that about sums it up.You Hang Up says…

I love the new Hooves EP, Greater Aspirations, Lowered Expectations. Like, a lot. The Phoenix Rock and Roll Band (they seriously defy any genrefication beyond that), which is the subject of this week’s music feature in print, really, really outdid themselves. I won’t write any more about them — you…

Song: Urge Overkill/Gwen Stefani Mashup, “Hollaback Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon”Context: Happy birthday, Ving Rhames. Hollaback Girl, You’ll be a Woman Soon – GLORYHOLE VS. REMIX…

It’s finals week at Arizona State University, which means The State Press, the school’s student newspaper, is printing articles that appear to be term papers. Like, for example, this monster 1,800-word profile of Stinkweeds Records owner, former Modified owner, and all-around Phoenix indie booster/mascot Kimber Lanning.The piece is really, really…

Song: Cypress Hill and Tom Morello, “Rise Up”Context: Cypress Hill becomes the latest group to punish Arizona for SB 1070. Cypress Hill feat. Tom Morello – Rise Up…

Sorry, folks: There will be no hits from the bong in Tucson. Latino rappers Cypress Hill posted an announcement on their website saying they will cancel an upcoming show at Tucson’s Rialto Theatre because of the law, which requires Arizona law enforcement officers to ask suspected illegal immigrants for documentation.The…

Song: Hooves, “Giggles”Context: Editing this week’s feature story on the band. Their EP is pretty solid overall, but this song is by far the best. Really a nice piece of rock songwriting. Actually, it’s probably the best song I’ve heard from a Phoenix band yet this year. Hooves – Giggles…

It’s been a week since we asked Arizonans angry about SB 1070 — the law that essentially mandates law enforcement agents racially profile Hispanics and requires those Hispanics to prove their citizenship or risk deportation — to send us their protest songs.The response has been amazing. We’ve already recieved tracks…

Song: Kinch UK’s “Bad Dreams”Context: If you’ve ever Googled Phoenix indie band Kinch you’ve probably come across information about the British group of the same name, which called it quits back in January. Ever bothered to listen to The Other Kinch? They’re not bad, actually. I’m sure most locals are…

Former Phoenician Ryan Breen, a.k.a. Back Ted N-Ted, just finished a world tour with Imogen Heap, who is probably best known for singing “Hide and Seek,” the haunting song sampled on Jason DeRulo’s smash “Whatcha Say.”As the house producer for Modern Arts Records he moved to NYC with the rest…

Song: Megadeth’s Youthanasia (Condensed)Context: That video of W.A.S.P’s Chris Holmes drinking vodka in a pool makes me crave some metal. What fits the bill better than an album’s worth of searing Dave Mustaine riffs, condensed into seven minutes, with no Dave Mustaine vocals? …

There was a time when Merle Haggard defined defiantly prideful pro-Americanism better than anyone. During the dark days of the Vietnam War, the gruff California country singer penned two songs, “Okie From Muskogee” and “The Fightin’ Side of Me,” that answered Bob Dylan and Joan Baez about as well as…

Once upon a time — in a time we’ll call The Good Old Days — so-called “college survival kits” included notebooks and detergent and shit like that. That was before kids were all stupid little losers, though. Now, they apparently need help figuring out all the fancy ass pop culture…