“New York had lied to me. I needed the truth.” So sing The Lumineers, who fled the city, stifled by the hard realities of high rent, limited practice space, and constant demands on their free time. Songwriting partners for years, Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites moved to Denver, where The…
Justin Bieber more closely resembles John Lennon than the majority of musicians today. That’s right: It’s been said. Songs like “As Long As You Love Me” and “Baby” are more heartfelt, innocent love ballads than the jaded, bitter tunes of jilted rock stars who have been used, abused, and left…
I’ve long held the suspicion that Los Angeles-by-way-of-Tucson songwriter Jacob Cooper (better known by his production moniker, Jacob Safari) ganked the name of his long-running Bark Bark Bark project from a prominent graphic displayed in a scene from Anchorman (“A La Jolla man clings to life . . .”). I could be wrong,…
Earlier this year, two of heavy rock’s biggest performers, Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson, took to performing on the same stage. It’s a combination that makes perfect sense. Throughout the ’90s and into the 2000s, the two have dominated pop culture with their theatrical blend of heavy metal and pop,…
“On the blue side of evening / When the darkness takes control / You start looking for a reason / To take your lonesome down the road.” These forlorn lyrics, cribbed from honkytonk hitmaker Steve Earle’s 1986 ditty “Down the Road,” might have been rolling through the heads of DJs…
The Sound Strike, the boycott of Arizona by popular musicians opposed to Arizona’s controversial anti-immigration law SB 1070, has been a divisive topic among Arizona music fans. While its intended effects, which include raising awareness of the law and targeting a national spotlight on the topic, are clear, many music…
In 2006, a study by National Geographic revealed that a shocking 50 percent of teenagers were uninformed when it came to geography, many of them even failing to identify New York on a map. Six years hence, we’re willing to bet that members of the 18 to 25 demographic are…
Thursday 27 AZ/88: Black Out Thursdays with Josh 1 (soulful house, lounge) Bobby Q’s: DJ Phlava, MC Focus, DJ Dark Vader, & DJ Skoolboi (hip-hop, reggae, R&B) Cadillac Ranch: Thirsty Thursdays with DJ Chris Villa (Top 40, house) Crescent Ballroom: Discothèque Thursdays with Sean Watson, Hoodwink, & more (disco) Dollhouse:…
Nick Lowe has worn more than a couple stylistic hats in his 40-plus years as a songwriter, performer, and producer. He played ambling country rock with Brinsley Schwarz, ushered in pub rock, punk, and new wave with solo records and production for Stiff Records, and eased into a remarkable career…
You’ve got a lot of reading to do, guys: snuggled tightly in this week’s massive Best of Phoenix 2012 issue is a regular issue of Phoenix New Times. In anticipation of the busiest musical weekend of the year, you’ll find pieces about KUPD’s two-day metal festival Desert Uprising, EDM waterpark…
What’s one to do on a Sunday night in downtown Phoenix? Going to bed early and vegging out seems like an appealing option, but by staying in, you’d miss all the fun Retro Hi-Fi at Sidebar has to offer. Check out the fashionable folks we spotted at Retro Hi-Fi at…
Sondre Lerche @ the Musical Instrument Museum| 9/25/12″Ever since I saw Psycho, I’ve wanted to come to Phoenix.” That’s how Sondre Lerche introduced himself to Phoenix last night at the Musical Instument Museum, and in a time of SB1070 band boycotts, it’s pretty refreshing for a musician to reference Hitchcock…
Citizen Cope @ Marquee Theatre| 9/25/12I understand that going to a concert isn’t like going to the movies. What I want to know is why. Why should it be any different? You pay more for concert tickets. You’re expected to behave in a particular fashion during them. But Citizen Cope’s…
Since 2006, local band Digital Summer has been garnering fans from all over the country, with a Facebook count of almost 50,000 fans. They have a distinguishable style of heavy, melodic guitars and raw vocals that not only comes off as radio-friendly, but also sets them apart from other local…
Pity the Americana singer/songwriter. No matter how in vogue the genre may be (looking at you Mumfords, with a sidewise glare at The Lumineers), it’s tough to stand out among the selvedge denim-wearing crowd. Tattoos? Everyone’s got ’em. Suspenders? Grab ’em at Target. Punk past? Who doesn’t have a Ramones…
In the late ’90s and early ’00s, Limp Bizkit was a juggernaut, and guitarist Wes Borland was the chugging soul of the band. The observant, cryptic counterpart to outspoken rap-rocker Fred Durst, he was responsible for much of the band’s success, with his experimental, heavy riffs and outlandish look (makeup-caked…
What do you get when you mix crime fighting with Brazilian bossa nova/soul/surf? Something as strangely wonderful as Chicano Batman. This L.A. based indie band will be bringing their unique brand of chicano rock to Lost Leaf on Friday, October 19, with their latest EP Joven Navegante. It’s free, so…
Not just anyone can say they used to jam with a highly acclaimed musician like Frank Zappa — but Valley based Latin/funk rocker Robert “Frog” Camarena can — he played in Ruben and the Jets, a group produced by Zappa, and backed the songwriter up. Camarena is 64-years-old now and…
Just in case you didn’t know, Tuesday, September 25, is National One-Hit Wonder Day. It’s the day the nation has carefully selected (or something) to celebrate musical splashes that never go beyond that big single (at least in the ears of most listeners). One-hit wonders are tricky things. They can…
“I love Phoenix,” Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 says excitedly. “Rob [Zombie] and the other guys in the band, they like the colder weather, but for some reason I love the really hot weather.” He pauses, then anxiously asks, “It should be really warm there still when I’m there in…
Are you a musician? Is your group having issues? Critic Jessica Hopper has played in and managed bands, toured internationally, booked shows, produced records, worked as a publicist, and is the author of The Girls’ Guide to Rocking, a how-to for teen ladies. She is here to help you stop…
World-traveled and somewhat of a spiritual guru, blues-folk songwriter Citizen Cope tours incessantly, sometimes pushing 200 shows per year. He’s collaborated with Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Dido and Sheryl Crow and landed his tunes in a few major films, from Accepted to The Lincoln Lawyer to Fracture. See also: Citizen…
