Stories | Musician Interviews
Jingle Hit
Published May 7, 2008
What San Diego musician can claim the title of Most Local Airplay? Pinback? P.O.D.? Jewel? The honor goes to Leonard Tucker. You many not recognize the name, but odds are you know the voice. Here’s why: ...
Which One’s Steely, Which One’s Dan?
Published April 30, 2008
Hank Easton is the guitarist for the Steely Damned, a local Steely Dan tribute band also featuring members of Rockola. The New York native began playing guitar at age five and was classically trained as ...
The Piano Thief
Published April 23, 2008
Growing up, Greg Laswell says he confiscated his sister’s upright piano after she showed no interest in the instrument. “It was my sister’s 13th birthday present, but she never got into it…I remember waiting for ...
Scaring the Natives Published April 16, 2008
Hellyeah is a rock “supergroup” featuring members of Mudvayne, Pantera, and Nothingface. Their self-titled debut sold 45,000 copies in its first week. Hell Yeah is ... More Post a comment
Fresh Every Time Published April 9, 2008
Young Mass (a.k.a. Fifth Element) is, at age 21, the youngest member of the rap and hip-hop collective Digital Underground. His family moved from Chicago ... More Comment (1)
Stevie Ray, with Feeling Published April 2, 2008
Alan Iglesias says his Stevie Ray Vaughan show is more a “recreation” than a tribute. “Looks, appearances, and body language are extremely important if you ... More Post a comment
Strength in Numbers Published March 26, 2008
Miki Vale hails from Oxnard, California, making her musical debut on The Awakening, a 2004 compilation album from SGM (Sleeping Giant Music). In 2006 she ... More Post a comment
Crazy Enough Published March 19, 2008
There’s been a buzz about Grand Ole Party for a while now. The band recently released their first CD, Humanimals. The artwork was done by ... More Post a comment
Revolutionary Stepladder Published March 12, 2008
Many hip-hop artists describe themselves as activists, but Southeast San Diego native Bennie Herron fits that bill more than most. With a master’s degree in ... More Post a comment
Mystically Influenced Published March 5, 2008
Originally a three-piece band, Merkaba Bandits moved here from Washington D.C. last year and added a fourth member. Their sound is a mixture of contemporary ... More Comment (1)
Rare Attack Published Feb. 27, 2008
The Swedish Models formed in early 2007 after guitarist Andrew Bernhardt, original bass player Mark Wiskowski, and drummer Dustin Paul called it quits with their ... More Post a comment
Pre-Bummer Haight-Ashbury Published Feb. 13, 2008
“Ultimately, this music is our attempt to add a tile or two to the fluid mosaic that is California and its mythology,” says Eric Nielsen, ... More Post a comment
No Rehash Published Feb. 6, 2008
Vegitation is San Diego’s solution to keeping reggae fresh and green. They produce original reggae songs instead of rehashing those Marley tunes that most reggae ... More Post a comment
Techno Pioneer Published Jan. 30, 2008
DJ and recording artist Jon Bishop has been at the forefront of the Southern California techno scene since 1991. His radio show Sounds of the ... More Post a comment
Barely Legal Published Jan. 23, 2008
The Atoms are a young band, barely old enough to play the bars around town. The members came together at Bonita Vista High School in ... More Post a comment
Drawn to Dive Bars Published Jan. 16, 2008
Singer/guitarist Kyle Phelan was honing his rock chops while still in high school, crafting his first album at the age of 17. After graduation he ... More Post a comment
Sinatra Speaks Published Jan. 9, 2008
José Sinatra is a good-time party and music man around town, first as front man for the former José Sinatra and Troy Dante Band and ... More Post a comment
Hunky Dory Published Jan. 2, 2008
Louis XIV formed in early 2003 when former members of alt-country locals Convoy chose sexed-up pop over redneck rock. In January 2005 the Illegal Tender ... More Post a comment
Hear Me Roar! Published Dec. 27, 2007
Jenn Grinels grew up in Northern California before landing at UC Irvine to study musical theater. After graduating she moved to San Diego and began ... More Comment (1)
Paul Has Contributed the Most Published Dec. 20, 2007
Steven Ybarra is a Texas-born Carlsbad resident who began studying music when he was three. He was the front man for 34Below, which released five ... More Post a comment
Daily Rant Published Dec. 13, 2007
'When it comes to politics, sometimes I get a bit carried away," says singer/songwriter and activist Bill Farkas. "I started 'The Daily Rant,' my political ... More Post a comment
The Hi-Lites Published Dec. 6, 2007
Album: Hi-Altitude (2007) Artist: The Hi-Lites Label: self-released Where available/price: Online at hilitesgoska.comfor $10. Songs: 1) Time Has Come 2) Best of Your Abilities 3) ... More Post a comment
Jesus Don't Mind Published Dec. 6, 2007
Adina Tarralik Leger, stage name adiVa, was born and raised in Canada's high arctic in a small town called Coral Harbour, population 800. Her father ... More Post a comment
Love it Local Published Nov. 29, 2007
'I never focused on the music scene until a few years ago," says Alyssa Jacey. "I always listened to music and appreciated everyone who was ... More Post a comment
Great Shot Published Nov. 21, 2007
Hargo got his first taste of fame at the age of 16 when his song "Giving" was selected as official theme song for the 1999 ... More Post a comment
From China, with Guitar Published Nov. 15, 2007
Singer/songwriter Brenda Xu was born in Harbin, China, near Russia's southern border. "I was five years old when I first came to America to live ... More Post a comment
"I Love an Exotic-Berry Wine Cooler." Published Nov. 8, 2007
Jon Shimmin is a hard-working local drummer with a day job; at night, he's at area clubs behind the skins. He has played in several ... More Post a comment
Gone Underground Published Nov. 1, 2007
Mike Stax moved from the U.K. to San Diego in 1981 to join his favorite band, the Crawdaddys. Two years later Stax launched Ugly Things ... More Post a comment
Sucker for Donuts Published Oct. 25, 2007
John Hermsmeier, a.k.a. Josh Herms, is a local drummer for hire. "I came to San Diego in 1996 to begin my freshman year at Point ... More Post a comment
The $180,000 Fender Published Oct. 18, 2007
I was at 'Canes watching local tribute band Cash'd Out doing Johnny Cash tunes. They recently won $20,000 in a battle-of-the-bands contest at Viejas. Near ... More Post a comment
Invisible Man Published Oct. 11, 2007
'I play for a myriad of artists in a variety of venues," says Brandon "the Sideman" Walters. Walters can be seen all over San Diego ... More Post a comment
Get Out of Here! Published Oct. 4, 2007
When Deep Purple played 4th&B on August 16, I hoped they wouldn't play "Smoke on the Water," which I consider one of the worst songs ... More Post a comment
Flow with It Published Sept. 27, 2007
Hip-hop artist MC Flow -- a.k.a. Abby Schwartz -- raps about politics and women's issues. She grew up in New York City and moved to ... More Post a comment
Bad-Luck Band Published Sept. 20, 2007
A Scribe Amidst the Lions used to be called Split Infinity -- the band changed the name after discovering it was claimed by several other ... More Post a comment
Things to Say to a Girl Published Sept. 13, 2007
Steve Serrano, drummer for Dynamite Walls, says that the first night of their first national tour was, unbeknownst to the band, spent in a home ... More Post a comment
Stay Human Published Sept. 6, 2007
Since forming in 2005, the CHI Club have been playing shows around San Diego wherever they can. Whether you run across the band rocking on ... More Post a comment
My Little Moog Published Aug. 30, 2007
AntiQuark is a San Diego electronic music duo with an international feel and flair. Ant Dakini is originally from Torino, Italy, and when she is ... More Post a comment
Ferrell Laughed Published Aug. 23, 2007
Several months ago, I went to the Sunset Strip in Hollywood to see Slash and a few of the members of the Doors play at ... More Post a comment
Sounds Like a Blizzard Published Aug. 16, 2007
Some of the Beatles' first recordings -- before they became "The Beatles" -- were collaborations with English rocker Tony Sheridan. Today Sheridan frequently appears at ... More Post a comment
Happy Kid Published Aug. 9, 2007
Sacha Boutros attended the University of San Diego on an athletic and academic scholarship. "I played soccer growing up; I learned how from hall-of-famer Jean ... More Post a comment
Tilted Published Aug. 2, 2007
Singer/songwriter J.D. Boucharde's four-album project Contra Mundum (Latin for "against the world") is a biographical odyssey about his experiences with addiction, abuse, and depression. He ... More Post a comment
Hot Couture Published July 28, 2007
May Jacob is 24 and lives in Golden Hill. She is the producer of Maystar's Fashion Whore Discotheque and Fashion Show, which runs the second ... More Post a comment
Across the Line Published July 26, 2007
Negative Filter is a three-piece hard-rocking band that began playing gigs in Tijuana and music festivals across the state of Baja. They now live in ... More Post a comment
Spunk Published July 19, 2007
'The band started out as a one-off thing, to play a Halloween party with our friends in the band Three Piece Unit," says Dave Howarth, ... More Post a comment
Heart in the South Published July 12, 2007
Singer Kitty Baudoin moved to San Diego in the summer of 1994 after spending five years in Hawaii and has lived here since then -- ... More Post a comment
Poised in Amber Published July 5, 2007
June 23, Saturday afternoon, a celebration of fun, sun, food, tunes, jewelry, junk, and groovy funkinabulation on the planet Obie -- a cluster-funkinabulized vibefest of ... More Post a comment
Playback Published June 14, 2007
Few bands reunite, especially two decades later. The Playground Slap, originally from Jamul, is now based in Cardiff-by-the-Sea and back in the game. When they ... More Post a comment
Provider Delivers the Goods Published June 7, 2007
'A really good friend of my family's has been U2's tour business manager for about 20 years, so I got to meet famous people," says ... More Post a comment
Cruel Mistress Published May 31, 2007
'The great thing about San Diego is the musicians and their willingness to reach out to each other," says guitar player Matt Silvia. "There is ... More Post a comment
The Tiara Chronicles Published May 24, 2007
'I wanted an organized way to document the music I see," says Rosey Bystrak, who chronicles, lists, and discusses all things music and San Diego ... More Post a comment
Astra Plus Malcolm Published May 17, 2007
She was born in Marvel, Arkansas, and delivered by Dr. Wise," it says on Astra Kelly's website. "Early interest in music was fueled by family ... More Post a comment
We Do Death Published May 10, 2007
'Three out of four band members live in TJ," says Fabian Tamayo, rhythm guitarist in MinusOne. The only stateside resident is the band's drummer, Pierre ... More Post a comment
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