Raheem Jarbo has been living with split personalities since 2007. That’s when he started releasing hip-hop as Random, a socially conscious rapper trying to spit his version of truth to power, and Mega Ran, his video game rap- and nerdcore-based alter ego. With Jarbo’s newest record, RNDM, dropping on September…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year or before someone really big stops us, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved…
The blues has always been about regionalism. While feeling, intent, and themes consistently overlap the form, there’s no denying the particular impact of an artist’s surroundings. Forceful Chicago blues will never be mistaken for gritty Texas blues, just as the breezy West Coast blues style stands alone from the rollin’…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year or before someone really big stops us, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved Phoenix band that walked…
The Musical Instrument Museum announced the first details of its second annual MIMFest today. Ozomatli, Victor Wooten, Martha Redbone, and more will headline the diverse lineup, which will include local bands as well, such as Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra and the Sugar Thieves. In total, the two-day festival (Saturday, November 7, and…
For all the songs that have been written about the sun and its subsequent sunshine, the star that sustains life on this very planet is finally making its place in the music video industry thanks to Minneapolis indie-ground hip-hop legends Atmosphere. While their single “Sunshine” was released eight years ago, this…
“We’re not critiquing against God. We’re critiquing against man. That’s one of the most fundamental differences with the critics… when you start going into the mainstream, there’s a lot of talk about God, and that is not exactly what we’re talking about here.”—Nameless Ghoul, interview with New Times, October 23,…
Independent artists have it hard. They are not only competing with the pristine sounds of pop radio, they also have to handle burden of supporting a career. It can be a daunting task, especially in the crowded world of hip-hop. Some believe that the culture is dying in a cesspool…
Mitchell Hillman listens to more local music than just about anyone in the Valley. He presents his picks for best new music in his column, Right Hear, Right Now. The Oxford Coma – “When The Levee Breaks” In covering the local beat, I don’t get many opportunities to write about…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year or before someone really big stops us, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved…
What sort of things is left to be said about a founding member of a band called Slime and the Boobytramps after his untimely death? Raucous stories of house party destruction? Outrageously worded inappropriate jokes meant to offend? Self-described shitty tunes meant to clear the room? Well, yeah, all those…
It’s been a really weird year for Robbie Pfeffer. As frontman and lyricist of scuzz-funk five-piece Playboy Manbaby, the guy is someone you’d expect to be a little weird. After all, this is a band that writes wacko songs called “Falafel Pantyhose” and sings about minivans, neck tattoos, and “Pulsating…
Perusing dobro player and music producer Jerry Douglas’ résumé should make you tired. He’s long been regarded for his superb mastery of the kind of acoustic guitar that features a metal resonator built into its body. It’s a talent he’s not afraid to use; the man is busy. In addition…
Valley pop singer Luna Aura released the playful new clip for her single “Dancing with Your Ghost” today, a jovial romp filmed at a local skating rink whose storyline follows a nerdy, sweet guy who crushes on the popular girl. The song was inspired by the tragic death of the…
Back in September, on the set of the N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton, cameras rolled in the parking lot of the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium as actors playing prudish protesters hoisted signs (“Crap Rap N.W.A”) and ran over a pile of the group’s records with a steamroller. A little later,…
The world is filled with visionaries who made a difference. Steve Jobs created a digital marketplace for music. Dr. Dre launched a musical empire. Al Gore created the Internet. And then, there’s Okilly Dokilly, the world’s first and only Ned Flanders-themed metal band, based on the Simpsons character so friendly…
While upstart bands eye the throne, Captain Squeegee is fervently working to defend the crown as Phoenix music video kings. The Mesa-based atomic jazz fusion ensemble has been steadily producing the highest quality music videos in the Phoenix indie scene with a barrage of videos in multiple disciplines. The first…
Harrison Fjord – “People I Meet” Last week at Revolver Records Harrison Fjord dropped their debut EP Puspa In Space at a First Friday release party. They have one of the more unusual sounds being bandied about town right now. The first single “People I Meet” is an unusual blend…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year or before someone really big stops us, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved…
Injury Reserve enthusiast and fellow Tempe hip-hop artist Will Neibergall (the artist once known as Glass) boldly proclaimed that “these guys are up next” in the press release preceding Injury Reserve’s second video, “Washed Up,” off the group’s new album, Live From the Dentist Office. (Listen to the full EP…
Gunfire erupted inside of a Glendale bar and nightclub over the weekend, resulting in the shooting death of one patron and the injuring of another. An after-hours altercation between patrons in the early morning hours on Saturday, August 8, at the La Sierra Nightclub and Kanta Bar in Glendale turned…
Two years ago, when Heavy Metal Television held its first open auditions for video hosts at Zia Records Exchange, the Internet network was barely more than a year old and always seemed like it could be in danger of being squashed like a bug by Google TV, Vevo, Apple or…
