Stories | Musician Interviews
Heart-Shaped Pie Pan
By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Oct. 28, 2009
Known to many as Mojo Nixon’s musical sideman from the ’80s, Skid Roper — at 55 — is hoping for his own turn in the spotlight. “I don’t like to think that my time has completely ...
Indiana-Born Juice
By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Oct. 21, 2009
Most tracks on the Best of Daygo City hip-hop compilation are exclusive to the project, a likely factor behind Jake Records picking it up for distribution through retailers, iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby. Among its best ...
The Gothic M.O.
By Michael Hemmingson, Published Oct. 14, 2009
Call Me Alice is in the final stages of completing their new CD How Motivation Killed the Man, scheduled for release this fall. At least, that seems to be the plan. The San Diego techno-goth five-piece ...
Keep Life Punk Rock By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Oct. 7, 2009
Electro-dance-punky quartet the Attack!! was founded in 2008 by singer-guitarist Ivan Tamayo (Kiss Me Katelynn, Suspect Jones) and drummer Bryan Famous (London Ghost Show). After ... More Comment (1)
Glam Updated By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Sept. 30, 2009
Formed in 2003, Roxy Monoxide launch their album Another Day, Another Episode on Friday, October 9, with a release party at Tio Leo’s in Linda ... More Comments (2)
Wages of Art By Michael Hemmingson, Published Sept. 23, 2009
Zack Wentz, primarily a drummer and vocalist, is somewhat of a minimalist with regard to band lineups — Kill Me Tomorrow is a three-man act, ... More Comment (1)
High Notes By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Sept. 16, 2009
The East West Quintet may be Brooklyn-based, but three of the band’s five members are from San Diego and migrated east, hence the band name. ... More Post a comment
Bert's Fan By Michael Hemmingson, Published Sept. 9, 2009
If given a chance for an alternate profession, Brenda Xu would work for Sesame Street, “writing skits for Bert and Ernie. Bert’s such a great ... More Comment (1)
From New York City to Mexico City By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Sept. 2, 2009
“I’m a serial collaborator,” says Christopher Leyva of Blizzard and Revolution 89. In addition to his band projects, Leyva has collaborated with Greg Laswell, Phil ... More Post a comment
I’m a ’70s Girl By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Aug. 26, 2009
Rachael Gordon’s sound, style, and her very life play like something out of the late ’70s. Musically, she says, “I’m into all sorts of things. ... More Comments (3)
Klezmer Gypsy Punk By Michael Hemmingson, Published Aug. 12, 2009
Di Nigunim is a 13-member band, making it difficult to perform on small stages and a challenge to coordinate rehearsals and gigs. The band’s instruments ... More Post a comment
Lindsay White By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Aug. 5, 2009
“When people ask what I’m like onstage,” says Lindsay White, “I tell them to imagine Bob Dylan with a skirt.” The soulful singer-songwriter got her ... More Comments (17)
Retro Electro By Jay Allen Sanford, Published July 29, 2009
Rise of the Speedmen began as Gene Padigos’s one-man stage show, featuring electronic prerecorded music accompanied live by various instruments, from guitar to synth, bass, ... More Post a comment
Big Hair, Big Party By Michael Hemmingson, Published July 22, 2009
Lipstick N Leather is a hard-working hair band that covers the oldies of the late ’70s/early ’80s, when glam rock was, you know, cool. Lipstick ... More Comments (2)
Lick Vocabulary By Jay Allen Sanford, Published July 15, 2009
Since 1967, guitarist Wayne Riker has played just about every musical style, and in an array of musical settings — house parties, coffeehouses, nightclubs, musical ... More Post a comment
A Busker’s Rise By Jay Allen Sanford, Published July 8, 2009
Gayle Skidmore was 11 when she confiscated her father’s 12-string guitar and taught herself to play. By the time the San Diego homegirl moved to ... More Comments (2)
Cowboy Bebop and Gypsy Crawl By Jay Allen Sanford, Published July 1, 2009
“I guess I’ve always been an outsider,” says multiinstrumentalist-songwriter Jon Ji. “The hippies called me a punk, the punkers called me a hippie, the Confederates ... More Comments (2)
Freeworld Rockin' By Jay Allen Sanford, Published June 24, 2009
Phil Bellante comes from a long line of politically aware, socially relevant, musically adroit, and vocally unpredictable singer-songwriters like Neil Young, Harry Nilsson, Perry Farrell, ... More Comments (4)
Like Stank on Erykah By Jay Allen Sanford, Published June 17, 2009
“My parents maintained a very musical household,” says singer-trumpeter Tori Roze. “My mom played with Randy Holden, the lead guitarist in Blue Cheer, and she ... More Comment (1)
Instant Groove By Michael Hemmingson, Published June 10, 2009
Incomplete Neighbor’s debut album, Suspended Electric Coma, hit the streets May 9 featuring ten original pieces of art on the cover and inside the CD ... More Post a comment
Hey, Hoochie Mamas By Michael Hemmingson, Published June 3, 2009
In March of this year, Revolt in Style called the Buzzbombs “San Diego’s Favorite Party Band.” The rockabilly trio is all about having a good ... More Post a comment
Not the Loudest By Michael Hemmingson, Published May 27, 2009
In junior high, Kelly Dalton started writing songs and playing in bands and then began gigging, touring, and recording in his teens and 20s. “In ... More Post a comment
Ministerial Cred By Jay Allen Sanford, Published May 20, 2009
“Our music is very lyric driven,” says Eben Brooks. “If I had to choose a genre, I would call it progressive acoustic rock, but by ... More Comments (12)
From Parlor to Parking Lot By Josh Board, Published May 13, 2009
Alison Brown went from playing banjo outside of Shakey’s Pizza in La Mesa to performing with Alison Krauss + Union Station, being named the Banjo ... More Comment (1)
Define Music By Dave Good, Published May 6, 2009
Q: How would you describe what you do? A: “Curator and devotee of experimental, classical, electronic, and improvised music,” says Bonnie Wright. Since 1995, when ... More Comment (1)
Twisted, Mashed, Blended By Jay Allen Sanford, Published April 29, 2009
“‘What Do All the People Know’ was a fun song, and I still enjoy listening to it,” says Rusty Jones, whose San Diego band the ... More Comments (4)
The Musician's Musician By Jay Allen Sanford, Published April 15, 2009
One question that’s often posed in the Reader musician interview is “Favorite local performer?” The most frequently cited is Manuok (pronounced “man-you-okay”), aka Scottish-born Scott ... More Post a comment
Pop Rocks By Jay Allen Sanford, Published April 8, 2009
Wendy Bailey is an old-fashioned pop songstress with a big splashy sound akin to, say, Carole King or Sheryl Crow. “Most of my songs are ... More Comments (8)
Raw, Dirty Records By Dryw Keltz, Published April 1, 2009
Since the late ’90s, Mike Kamoo’s Earthling Studios has been a vital cog in the San Diego music scene. The studio, headquartered in a corporate ... More Post a comment
One Rapper's Reality By Jay Allen Sanford, Published March 25, 2009
“I call my genre of music ‘reality rap,’ ” says hip-hop impresario Kayo. “It describes the things that I went through. It’s reality because I ... More Comments (3)
Still Floating By Jay Allen Sanford, Published March 18, 2009
Singer-songwriter Marie Haddad was five when she started playing piano, but she drifted into other endeavors a few years later. At one point she had ... More Comments (11)
Less Agro By Michael Hemmingson, Published March 11, 2009
Solo musician Derek Papa is a nostalgic fellow. “I would like to see those stage guitar holders come back,” he says, “the ones that don’t ... More Post a comment
The Ultimate Palate Cleanser By Jay Allen Sanford, Published March 4, 2009
Singer-songwriter Kenny Eng is a self-taught guitarist. “I took piano early on,” he says, “but basically picked up the guitar by ear. When I discovered ... More Comment (1)
Unknown Korn By Larry Harmon, Published Feb. 25, 2009
Before the Casbah’s month-of-January reunion shows becomes a hazy memory, owner Tim Mays, manager Ben Johnson, and doorman Ben Heynes offer stories about the Casbah’s ... More Post a comment
The Joy of Sax By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Feb. 18, 2009
Saxophonist Keith Jacobson is adept at playing alto, tenor, and soprano. He’s spent many hours taking lessons from Grammy award–winning saxman Eric Marienthal. “Those were ... More Comment (1)
Can't Get Enough Journey By Michael Hemmingson, Published Feb. 11, 2009
What is it about the ’80s that keeps us looking back? Michael Mahin, guitarist for San Diego–based Neon Nation, an ’80s cover band, has a ... More Comments (2)
All Mashed In By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Feb. 4, 2009
Mike Keneally was fronting local band Drop Control when the invitation came in 1987 to join Frank Zappa’s touring band as a “stunt guitarist,” replacing ... More Comment (1)
In Bloom By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Jan. 28, 2009
Singer-songwriter Mary Dolan — a fixture in the San Diego music scene in the ’90s — was off the local radar for several years. “Our ... More Comment (1)
Eventual Rebound Girlfriend By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Jan. 14, 2009
Nam Chi Vu of San Diego’s Riboflavin is a rare multi-threat talent. As a bassist, she’s among the city’s two or three best, comfortable playing ... More Comment (1)
Like an Eagle By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Dec. 30, 2008
“I’ve lived in San Diego all my life,” says singer-songwriter Jack Tempchin, “and I consider it my city — although I don’t mind sharing it ... More Comments (3)
Nuke the Atoll By Michael Hemmingson, Published Dec. 23, 2008
Christmas Island was formed in August 2007. “Lucy [Wehrly] and I had already been dating awhile when we decided to play music together and record ... More Post a comment
We Got Nuthin' By Josh Board, Published Dec. 17, 2008
I saw a band called the Dateless Losers at the Ould Sod on Adams Avenue in Normal Heights. I liked their songs and their sense ... More Comment (1)
Heartfelt and Saucy By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Dec. 10, 2008
Melissa Vaughan writes hopeful, heartfelt piano ballads reminiscent of Norah Jones by way of Tori Amos. “My songs have a lot of genres all crumpled ... More Comments (11)
Cool Clip King By Dave Good, Published Dec. 3, 2008
It turns out that there are thousands of hours of vintage American jazz, blues, rock, and folk performances dating as far back as the ’50s ... More Post a comment
Darkwave Batcave By Michael Hemmingson, Published Nov. 25, 2008
Robin Roth can be heard on Rock 105.3 FM Monday through Friday from 10 p.m. to midnight, but she’s best known for the Friday night ... More Comments (2)
Punk Ethic By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Nov. 19, 2008
“San Diego is definitely a cool place to be from,” says Mower front man Brian Sheerin. “We get a lot of love from local people ... More Comment (1)
Eclectic Electric By Michael Hemmingson, Published Nov. 12, 2008
Matt Resovich is one of those musicians who keeps busy and often commits to many projects at a time. He’s performed with the Black Heart ... More Post a comment
My Music, Real Music By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Nov. 5, 2008
“This is how I rock, this is how I roll Black, Puerto Rican brother with some soul. Though it took a while to accept my ... More Comments (3)
Not Christian By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Oct. 22, 2008
Local record label Single Screen Records was launched in 2007 by Jackson Milgaten (singer-guitarist for the Vision of a Dying World) and Craig Barclift (bassist ... More Comments (2)
S.D. O.G. By Jay Allen Sanford, Published Oct. 15, 2008
“I’ve been a musician since I found out what musicians do for a living,” says guitarist Joey Harris. “I tried being a salesman once, and ... More Comments (4)
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