British funnyman Sacha Baron Cohen, also known as Ali G, Borat and Bruno, is slated to play Freddie Mercury in an upcoming Queen biopic.As you can see, the resemblance means this isn’t much of a stretch. But will Sacha Baron Cohen really make a good Freddie Mercury?I think so. That…
Song: Far East Movement, “Like A G6″Context: Someone told me Far East Movement killed it when opening for Mike Posner last week. This is their big single, currently in the top 25 on Billboard and iTunes. A Google search reveals that “a G6” is either something totally obscure or a…
Most, if not all, people know that Led Zeppelin is an obtusely derivative band. They took popular American blues and folk music and made it their own, without really bothering to give credit where credit was due. The members of Led Zeppelin were, however, simply operating under the standards of…
Michael Jackson’s mother Katherine Jackson is suing AEG Live for hiring Dr. Conrad Murray, the doctor that could have been responsible for Michael Jackson’s death.AEG Live is the company that would have produced Michael’s “This Is It” concert series at the O2 Arena in London.Ultimately, AEG cared more about the…
Luke HolwerdaParamore at Dodge TheatreIt’s no wonder Paramore’s fans are so loyal to the emo pop band. Singer Hayley Williams talks directly to audience members during shows, and the band even brought up three lucky peeps to sing (and dance awkwadly during) their hit “Misery Business” for the show closer…
This week’s music feature is on Corey Busboom, a local who makes quirky instruments and one-of-a-kind synthesizers. He never thought he’d get a call from Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo. Mothersbaugh was enamored with Busboom’s creative products that he called to buy 12 of them. Life got even better for Busboom…
Song: Devo, “Please Baby Please”Context: As reported in this week’s music feature, this is one of the songs from Devo’s new record, Something For Everybody, where you can hear local circuit-bender Corey Busboom’s home-made instruments loud and clear. By the way, I’ll be spinning this song and a few others…
This week, New Times ran a list in our print publication highlighting some of the most interesting posts published at Up On The Sun over the past week. Here are links to those posts.What did Paramore singer Hayley Williams think of our piece about why she cannot leave her boring…
“We learned you can’t force a Menomena record,” says Danny Seim, drummer/etc. of the Portland indie-rock trio, explaining the distance between the release of 2007’s Friend or Foe and this year’s Mines. “When you try, it only makes things worse. One person is really excited to do something and the…
At first, Corey Busboom thought it was a prank. When the local artist and musician answered his cell last January and heard the geeky voice of Mark Mothersbaugh on the other end, he suspected telephonic trickery by his friends. Boy, was he ever wrong. It, indeed, was the lead singer…
I’m 16 years old, working at our family tool shop, and I’m listening to the acoustic guitar introduction of Weezer’s “My Name Is Jonas.” My father and I are at separate workstations, a few feet from each other. I’m in the throes of adolescence and my father has taken to…
Artist: SuperchunkTitle: Majesty ShreddingRelease date: September 14Label: MergeI can’t the say the new record by Superchunk is as great as their seminal first couple of records — released two decades ago, if you can believe it — but Majesty Shredding sure sounds good to these ears. Mostly because the North…
Song: Mavis Staples, “You Are Not Alone”Context: The new Mavis Staples record produced by Jeff Tweedy sounds pretty damn good. Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone by smartleydunn…
A piece from Weiland’s fashion collection.Scott Weiland, the noted drug abuser who also sings songs for Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, will be making an appearance to promote the rough synthesis of an opioid (Morphine acetate muriate) resulting in a mixture of tightly related precursors and metabolites to that…
John Mayer is the type of guy who has better things to do than tweet, so maybe it’s no surprise that social media has gotten him into some trouble in the past.Despite his busy schedule, I’ve always imagined Mayer to be this solo artist who has all day to think…
There may not have been as many handmade signs or as much hysteria at Mesa Arts Center last night as Hanson has seen in their heyday, but the band still managed to pack more than 500 fans in for an intimate show. The guys proved their accessibility to their fans…
Song: Of Montreal, “Sex Karma”Context: False Priest drops today — time to give it a thorough listen. Of Montreal – Sex Karma by rotolo3…
Arizona winemaker/Tool singer Maynard James Keenan is getting his band A Perfect Circle back together.The group, which also includes Billy Howerdel of Ashes Divide, will embark on a five-city tour this fall including a three-night stop at Tempe’s Marquee Theatre…
It’s a sad day for white kids with dreadlocks. Bob Marley’s family has lost its fight with Universal Music Group over what they claim was exploitation of some of his greatest music.The Marleys tried to obtain the copyrights to five of Bob’s albums and claimed that UMG owes them royalties.Light…
A few weeks back, a publicist with what I think was a British accent connected my cellular line with Zac Hanson’s. Mid-morning coffee in hand, I wasn’t sure which one of the three brothers I’d be interviewing, until he answered. The seemingly groggy drummer of the 90s teen sensation Hanson…
I digress — today marks the third album from Quebecois dance/funk duo Chromeo, Business Casual. The hotly anticipated third offering finds the gang working with a new producer, Philippe Zdar — one half of Cassius and the producer behind Phoenix’s commercially (literally) bankable Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. What do the guys do…
Let’s face facts: You’re never going to play that old saxophone again.Sure, you think about it every few months, but your skills are too far gone and your heart’s not totally in it. Honestly, it’s more or less mocking you from the bottom of closet.Why not give it to a…
