Aceyalone, and Dilated Peoples

Both acts trace their origins to early-’90s Los Angeles, but Aceyalone was the first to jump off. He helped found Freestyle Fellowship, which was just starting to get lift when member Self Jupiter was incarcerated in ’93. Aceyalone took it solo, scoring a deal from Capitol for the seminal ’95…

Peter Murphy

Deemed “the Godfather of Goth,” Peter Murphy built the paradigm for surly, baritone-voiced broodfests. When the English singer broke through the London gloom-tune scene in the late ’70s with his seminal band, Bauhaus, he already had the high-cut cheekbones and deep voice of David Bowie, along with the androgynous costumes…

Soilent Green

Louisiana’s Soilent Green has been one of the best things about the wild world of modern extreme metal over the past decade. The band has also remained one of the genre’s better-kept secrets. While that’s partly due to its dense, nonlinear songwriting — which can take some getting used to…

1… 2… 3… 4!!!

Mark LaRue is a double-duty DJ. When the 32-year-old isn’t spinning rump-shaking Nickelback or Wyclef jams for the exotic dancers of Bourbon Street Circus, he’s dropping punk rock, hardcore, and ska songs on Monday nights at the Rose & Crown Pub, 628 East Adams Street, during 1… 2… 3… 4!!!…

It Came from YouTube: MC Bener One represents the PHX

By Benjamin Leatherman Who needs MTV when you’ve got YouTube? Personally, I’ve managed to survive without basic cable for a couple years now, mostly due to the fact that anything worth watching on MTV — or television in general — can pretty much be found on the online video site…

A Q&A with Greeley Estates guitarist Brandon Hackeson

Valley post-hardcore/screamo band Greeley Estates is having a CD release party for their third full-length album, Go West Young Man, Let the Evil Go East (Science) on Saturday, June 7. In anticipation of the show, we recently caught up with Greeley Estates guitarist Brandon Hackeson.

Club Candids: Cadillac Ranch on Thursday, May 29th

By Lilia Menconi Once again, we decided to check out Tempe Marketplace to assess some club worthiness. As soon as we walked up the stairs toward Cadillac Ranch, three drunk dudes ogled and slobbered all over us — we took it as a good sign and headed in for 944…

Hey Bo, You Meant More Than Diddley

Back when I was a young ‘un, I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with a gentleman by the name of Ellas Otha Bates. Mr. Bates was a guitar player and singer of great repute, and when he pulled into town with his band for a gig, I decided to take a shot at interviewing him for the local weekly. I felt that I knew the guy’s groundbreaking music really well, and his history, too, so I was fairly comfortable when I called him up at his hotel room.

You Asked for It: Reign of Vengeance

Local bands who’ve complained that we’re not reviewing their CDs, take this challenge. I have vowed to review every local CD addressed to me (and marked “YAFI”) in the order it’s received. I’m still getting more gripes than CDs, however, so if you’re upset, please put your music where your mouth is and send it to me. I will be honest about my impressions of your music, for better (last week’s Underwater Getdown CD) or worse (this week’s Reign of Vengeance CD).

What’s Selling: Circles Records & Tapes

By Benjamin Leatherman We used to have a feature in the print version of the Phoenix New Times where we pimped the top 10 best-selling CDs at various local record stores. Now the feature is back, albeit in online form. Here’s a list of what’s been selling at Circles Records…

In-Stores for You Today: June 2

As much as it blows having to report to work after a weekend of fun, sometimes Mondays aren’t all that bad. Like this coming Monday (June 2, for all you calendar checkers out there) offers a couple cool-ass events to check out after you’ve clocked out for the day.

Jagermeister Music Tour at Marquee Theater

By Jonathan McNamara Type O Negative and Hatebreed joined forces to salute the gods of rock this weekend at the Marquee via the musical medium known as the Jagermeister Music Tour. Also on hand was 3 Inches of Blood just in case the headliners didn’t bring enough of the heavy…

Still a Sex Kitten: Eartha Kitt with Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Saturday, May 31

Eartha Kitt is 81 years-old. But you’d never know it by the way she sang, joked, teased, and pranced around the stage at Phoenix Symphony Hall on Saturday Night. Perhaps best known for her role as Catwoman on the Batman TV series in the 1960s, Eartha Kitt proved herself to be a consummate performer. And she showed that she can still pull off the sex-kitten shtick with startling aplomb, repeating showing her shapely leg (the slit in her dress was longer than the Wall of China) and grinding her hips like something out of Grandmothers Gone Wild. It was hot; I won’t lie. I know that sounds weird. Eartha Kitt seduced me — she and her 76 wingmen, in the form of the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra Ensemble.

Wanna be in a music video?

If you’ve always had a yen to be in a music video (and don’t have any plans tonight), L.A. pop songstress Lauren Briant will be holding an open casting call for her upcoming video tonight from 9 to 11 p.m. at Jackrabbit Supper Club, 4280 North Drinkwater Boulevard in Scottsdale.

Flier of the Week: Labor Party

This week’s “Flier of the Week” comes from Valley punk band Labor Party, who’re having a CD release show at J-Head’s on June 7. We dig the crazy “pulp” theme going on here.

Seven nights of DJs and dancing

THURSDAY 29 Bar Smith: Peppermint Lounge with DJs Brazilia, & Mara (various) Blooze Bar: DJ El Dedo (rockabilly) Bobby C’s: Willy B. (old-school R&B) Bunkhouse: DJ Doom (dance) Club Forbidden: Lips Thursdays with DJs Domenica, Hill, & MJ (various) Club Mardi Gras: Terminal Thursday with DJ Excell (underground electro-tech) Club Red: The…

Can the perfect pop song be calculated?

A few years ago, a psychology lecturer at a British college came up with the formula for the “perfect” mood-lifting pop song. Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic posited a certain equation involving pitch, positive lyrics, and serotonin levels that, when tweaked in precise amounts, would result in a vastly improved emotional state…

Robert Smith seeks a cure for what ails him

Young bands — New York’s Rapture, most notably and successfully — cite Robert Smith’s London outfit The Cure as a holy source, a development nobody apart from the Cure’s planet of black-clad fans might have guessed. The Cure sold records, claiming and saving lives during the ’80s, when Robert Smith…

Noise Boy journeys across the desert to hear Hanne Hukkelberg

It’s 4:30 on a windy Friday afternoon, and I’ve driven nearly 400 miles across the desert to see a musician no one I know has ever heard of. Norwegian artist Hanne Hukkelberg is performing the final gig on her first-ever U.S. tour at Hollywood’s Hotel Café, and I’m doing my…