LOCALS IN THE NEWS

Review: Blink-182 is a joke at Shoreline
San Jose Mercury News ... It's not like the San Diego pop-punk trio, which also features bassist-vocalist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker, was that important a band even before ...

Blabbermouth reports: Stone Temple Pilots/ex-Velvet Revolver singer Scott Weiland experienced a mild seizure during an American Airlines flight on Friday.

Sources close to Scott tell TMZ.com he suffered the seizure while flying from Los Angeles to Miami. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

UPDATE: A rep traveling with Weiland tells Rolling Stone that the airplane staff called for medical assistance over the loud speaker and had to administer oxygen to Weiland. Shortly after, Weiland had come to and was "in good spirits" as was taken off the plane for the hospital.
- more on this story

Interview: Making Wavves
Decider Denver ... AVC: What is San Diego's music scene like? NW: Generally speaking, it's wretched playing shows in San Diego. The people think they're too cool to move ...

Veoh Claims Win Over Universal Music
socalTech.com ... Los Angeles- and San Diego-based video sharing site Veoh is claiming a major win today over Universal Music group, saying that a federal judge has thrown ...

Rock 'n' Roll Comics Gets an Encore - Headlines - Broken Frontier
Throughout the 90's, “Rock 'N' Roll Comics”, was a popular staple on the newsstands. Now the title will be receiving an encore as newly-packaged graphic ...

The Outhouse - Comic Book Forum and Fanboy Haven - Bluewater ...
The Beatles Experience comic book will run over 200 pages, dramatizing one of the most compelling tales in pop culture history, drawn from thousands of photos and interviews, meticulously researched and featuring stunning art by Mike Sagara (Rock 'N' Roll Comics)

Band Members Fight for Life After Horrific Cras
NBC San Diego ... A City Serene, a screamo/post-hardcore/rock band based in San Diego, where in their school-bus type vehicle, headed north on Interstate 5 on Sunday ...

Sam Hinton, singer and naturalist, dies at 92
San Francisco Chronicle ... Sam Hinton, folk singer, songwriter, naturalist and San Diego civic treasure who delighted school children and folk-festival audiences for decades ...

HELL BENT FOR SANTA - HALFORD'S CHRISTMAS ALBUM?!?

antiMusic reports: Hell Bent for Santa? You will be this year as Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford drops his version of a Christmas album on fans (Oops, in these politically correct times we are supposed to refer to it as a "holiday" album like his publicist did... but we'll go with Rob on this one). Here is the official announcement:

"Well, I've always said I wanted to produce a Christmas CD," comments Rob Halford. "The Halford band has assembled a fantastic release, and we're excited to have produced a collection of holiday tracks which all of us have enjoyed from a very early age."

Just in time for the 2009 holiday season comes a release that is sure to grab the attention of heavy metal fans worldwide, as legendary singer Rob Halford debuts his first holiday CD Halford III – Winter Songs on his new label Metal God Records distributed globally by ADA Global / Warner Music Group, Fontana / Universal Music Group, Conveyor / Universal Music Canada and Sony Music Japan. - more on this story

 PATHOLOGY SEEKS NEW COOKIE MONSTER

Blabbermouth.net reports:  Cookie Monster-sound-a-like vocalist Matti Way has quit the death metal/grindcore band Pathology. The group states, "We are extremely disappointed and bummed over this. Matti has other stuff going on right now and we wish him the best. Because of this we are canceling a few upcoming shows."

The band continues, "We are once again looking for a new singer. We need someone that will put their heart and soul into this band. And you must be able to play shows/tours, and lives in the San Diego area or be willing to relocate.

"To try out: Try singing any of our songs and e-mail us through MySpace or email: [email protected]."

 Pathology's latest album Age of Onset was released in May via Comatose Music. The CD was recorded at Double Time Studio in El Cajon, California. The cover artwork was created by Pär Olofsson.

WAVVES SAYS "IT'S WRETCHED PLAYING SHOWS IN SAN DIEGO"

Wavves frontguy Nathan Williams is quoted in the new Denver Decider saying "Generally speaking, it's wretched playing shows in San Diego. The people think they're too cool to move around, they don't come out if it's not a party, and there aren't enough places to play besiedes bars, which is a real bummer...but Wavves happened, and I think it sort of shed a light on San Diego."

Asked if he's planning to stick around SD, he says "I'm moving to LA next month. I've had plans to leave San Diego for longer than I can remember, so it's about time that I finally do it." Complete interview: http://denver.decider.com/articles/making-wavves,32777/

Wavves started out as a one-man-band brainstormed by Nathan Williams, a former Music Trader manager who became a record label signee in early 2009 at the age of 22. In concert, Williams is usually accompanied by drummer Ryan Ulsh. Posting songs for free on his blog Ghost Ramp earned him much internet buzz, as well as multiple slots at the 2009 SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas.

MTV.com listed Wavves’ March 8 SXSW performance at Red 7 among their Top 10 South By Southwest 2009 Moments. His album Wavvves on Fat Possum Records earned an 8.1 rating at hipness arbitrator Pitchfork.com. In late April '09, despite having played his first gig less than six months ago, Williams was booked to open for mainstream darlings 311 at the West Palm Beach SunFest.

A subsequent European festival was cancelled, after Williams had a very public meltdown onstage in Barcelona, Spain, seemingly covered on just about every music blog and entertainment 'zine on the planet. Williams blamed the freakout on "Too much drink and drugs."

Yeah, Nathan, thanks for shining THAT bit of light on San Diego. 

Don't let the city limits sign slam your ass on the way out ---------

• Related links

  • Blurt: "More Ink for Psychedlic Horse(expletive)" (April 22, 2009)
  • Of Note: "Anyone With Equipment and a Smidgen of Talent" (April 15, 2009)
  • Blurt: "Injured Reserves" (Aug. 12, 2009)

MORE NEW MUSIC STORIES THIS WEEK

	Swank, Hip, Sophisticated by Jay Allen Sanford We're putting two and a half million dollars into the building," says Ernie Hahn, general manager of the Sports Arena for the past 13 years. "It's been a year since AEG Live became a majority-owner ...
	Cymbals Eat Guitars by Dave Good What did the critics at Pitchfork.com hear when they vetted Why There Are Mountains, the debut album from New York's Cymbals Eat Guitars? They heard the rumbling, screeching, and howling of an electric guitar (front ...
	The Pains of Being Pure at Heart by William Crain Twenty-three years ago, the British music paper NME (New Musical Express) released C86 on cassette, featuring 22 songs by 22 new bands. Soon, music critics started using the term "C86" to describe other bands that ...
	Most Downloaded: Swagger Street by Rosa Jurjevics "Swagger Street" by Mag Flux was the most-downloaded MP3 from SDReader.com during August. Below is an interview with Mag Flux's M.Y.O.
	When I Say "Ocean," You Say "Side" by Adam Crawley Members of North County bands Wanted Dead and Irieside have come together to form Sound System. Wanted Dead is a hardcore street-punk band known for their wild stage presence, anti-authority anthems, and raucous fans. Irieside ...
	High Notes by Jay Allen Sanford 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. "My parents are both members of the San Diego Symphony," ...
	Problems at the Palace by Ken Leighton "It's just sitting there empty," says local reggae radio personality Makeda "Dread" Cheatom of the 1800-capacity Tijuana venue named Iguanas. "We're coming in to reclaim it." Iguana's will have its first headlining show in over ...

Not sher why, but these are the two scariest people I've ever seen...

'Kay, I'm down with rockabilly blasters 'bout sex, lust, fightin', Martians, more sex........but FROGS?!?!

First of all, being a "turntable slave" sounds more like a deviant sexual practice than something to brag about. Also, shouldn't "ZIP" appear in the spot where "ZAP" is placed?? Finally, if the best COVER rhymes this guy can come up with is "Zip Zap Rap" and "Devastatin' Dave/turntable slave," how good can his actual rapping be??

"I'm dreeeeeeeming of a piiiiiimp Christmas...." Man, back in the '70s they let anybody on TV make a music record! Scott Baio, John Travolta, Kristy McNichol, the Brady Bunch, Laverne and Shirley, Shatner, Spock..."Huggy Bear" was the colorful pimp on the Starskey & Hutch TV show. Seems a sure bet this one came out AFTER co-star David Soul had an actual hit record with "Don't Give Up On Us, Baby." 

TV show themes were big in the '70s too, and many compilations came and went, but this one below has to be the worst cover of the lot. Nobody resembles the actual performers, except Farrah's hair - bionic Steve Austin looks like porn star John Holmes, Lamont Sanford has morphed into Jesse Jackson, and what the hell is Special Agent Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks doing on Hawaii 5-O?! 

TV variety show producer Jeff Kutash and the Dancin' Machine, circa 1980 - a disco band that actually makes the Village People look like the Righteous Brothers by comparison. None of the people on this cover play OR sing on their only album (it's all studio players) - hey, wait, is that Eddie Murphy in the sleeveless Tweety jumpsuit?!

Holy crap, Sanjaya's dad!!! And Sanjaya inherited his entire wardrobe, right down to the bead necklaces!!

Oh, to be a fly on the wall as the photog explained his cover idea to this poor bewildered-looking hard rock band, all of whom have since quit the music biz in shame and embarrasment, like Billy Squier after prancing around in lil' silk jammies for his "Rock Me Tonight" video ---

Speaking of silk jammies ---- there is no noise that this sartorially-challenged crew could ever make that I would be willing to subject my ears to - other than the sound of them being devoured by hungry wolverines ---

PREVIOUS WTFs - http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/jul/24/wtf-album-covers---strange-bizarre-and-butt-clench/

WINGS GUITARIST LAURENCE JUBER PRESENTS A NEW MUSICAL

Laurence Juber was a guitarist for Paul McCartney and Wings.  His wife Hope is a TV writer and grew up on the sets of Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch.  This month, they've brought their original play, It's The Housewives!, to San Diego.  A Musical Comedy, it's written and directed by Hope, with music written by L.J. and Hope.

It's the story of 3 suburban housewives who get discovered at a PTA talent show and become a big hit and... well... we don't want to spoil the story.  With clever, catchy songs and great vocal performances from the leads, it's family friendly entertainment that gets you away from the TV and out to see some live theater.

2009 SAN DIEGO MUSIC AWARDS – IT’S A (FISH)WRAP

Some comments about this year’s SDMAs –

 Jason Mraz’s album We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things entered Billboard’s< Top 200 chart at #3 on May 20, 2008,. Fourteen months later, the record wins Album of the Year?! Isn’t there some kind of time limit that an album should be eligible each year – like, say, a YEAR??????

The same thing happened at the 2008, when Slightly Stoopid’s Cronchitis won Album of the Year, and the track "2am" from that album won Song Of the Year – the album had been released since early 2007.

 Anya Marina hasn’t lived in San Diego for over a year, but she wins Song of the Year for “Move You”???

The New Archaic have been around for almost two years, but they win Best New Artist???

The Album Leaf wins Best Electronic two years in a row??? Having added violin, more guitars, live drums, and vocal harmonies to their previously sparse sound, hasn’t it been years since they even qualified for a thus-named award?

Psychedelic electric-soul glam rockers Children of Nova play the city’s Best Hard Rock?!?! Maybe if your idea of Hard Rock is Stryper -----

Well, let's hope videos show up online of The Zeros getting their Lifetime Achievement Award - they were joined onstage by Wayne Kramer of MC5 for a rendition of "Ramblin' Rose," and video testimonials to them included good words from Joan Jett and John Doe of X.

Jimmy Powers (half of the Clasy Pigeons duo) says of his Best Hip-Hop nomination “I don’t feel I should have been nominated for the award. I have only released a limited press EP [200 copies]…I think local artists like Blame One, who hit the top 40 on iTunes this year, should be the ones getting a nomination.”

“[Blame One] charted on college radio at #2, was a featured artist on Myspace Music, was pick by the Editor of XXL magazine as Chairman's Choice for album on the month. Has been making music for 2 decades, [with] 4 critically acclaimed solo albums.”

 Another mostly unreleased hip-hop album, a compilation of local artists called Young Mass Presents: The Best Of Daygo City, was nominated for Best Hip-Hop Album, even though a distribution and promotion deal with Jake Records wasn’t in place until AFTER the 2009 nominations were announced.

In fact, only 100 homemade CDR copies of Best of Daygo City existed when it got the SDMA nod!! The album won't actually be released until November 12!

“I would like to think the Jake Records distribution and promotion deal was scored at least in part on the strength of our SDMA nomination,” says 40oz Chris of Massterpiece Entertainment.

Blame One says “I got nominated twice [in the past]. Second time, I didn’t even bother to show up…those cats don’t intend on helping out, because they have no desire to understand hip hop culture. Only way it would change is if the board consisted of non-biased real hip hop heads.”

Another past nominee Miki Vale says “I never went to the award ceremony any time I was nominated, because I've always believed it to be bozack [ballsack] worthy and that didn't change just because I was nominated…just do what you do and let the music be your trophy.”

“I think the real issue is ... the awards are a popularity contest amongst who? Should I, a person who admittedly knows absolutely nothing about Rock music, be in charge of selecting nominees for a Rock music award? What sense does that make?”

2009 SDMA hip-hop nominees are ridiculed in posts on websites like Yelp.com, accesshiphop.com, and on the Reader site. “MC Flow nominated again,” complains Jen of the lesbian Jewish rapper’s award nod. “Geez. When will people learn? She's terrible. Lame act. Lame weird-ass dancer dressed in American Apparel crap.”

Dotquan says “MC Flow is the reason California voted Yes on Prop 8…I noticed three of the eight nominees were hip-hop BANDS. Deep Rooted, a straight-up hip-hop act, probably got nominated on strength of their crazy live show more than anything else. Of course, I also think SDMA are probably some f-ckazz b-tches who don't even like hip-hop in the first place.”

Change: “That whole f-ckin’ thing is a joke. We don't need to take sh-t back because they never had it in the first place. F-ck SDMA…it’s a non-profit organization that gives themselves salaries and throws a big awards event at the end of the year.”

Adamnt: “From the outsiders, it looks like one big f-cking circle jerk. The groups that have the media backing win the awards, and thus validating all the articles written about them.”

Alowishious1: “How come Mitchy Slick wasn’t nominated? That right there is proof that it’s all bullsh-t…I’m sick and tired of these same lame ass n-ggas getting’ nominated each year. Getting a SD Music Award is like makin’ a shot after the buzzer. It don’t count, b-tch.”

SubBass49: “SDMAs aren't about who has the best music, or even who is most talented...it's a POPULARITY CONTEST. BECOME POPULAR and you'll win.

MarkMyWords: “If the DMV was run by the SDMAs, 12 year-olds without arms and legs would have drivers licenses sent to their house.”

 ... More Comments (16)

The San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project Presents a concert to

benefit La Milpa Organica Farm Well digging fund featuring Steve Poltz and the Cynics Wednesday, October 7th at 8pm

At the Belly Up in Solana Beach.

 The San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project Presents a concert to benefit La Milpa Organica Farm Well digging fund featuring Steve Poltz and the Cynics.

The concert will be proceeded by a dinner at the Wild Note Cafe highlighting produce from La Milpa Organica Farm.

San Diego singer song writer Steve Poltz is best known for co-writing the #2 Jewel song "You Were Meant for Me". He appeared in the video, and has worked with Jewel on many occasions, such as tours, her platinum and diamond albums, and singles.  As a solo artist, he often performs acoustic-only "good old-fashioned sing-along" shows. His songs feature simple, poignant melodies and quirky, satirical lyrics. 

Steve has been awarded the title of “San Diego’s Most Influential Artist of the Decade” at the San Diego Music Awards. What you end up with is one of the most engaging, twisted, and prolific songwriters of our time - Steve Poltz.

There will be a special appearance by La Milpa's own The Wild Turnips farm band as well as special guests to be announced.

La Milpa Organica Farm is an organic haven of vegetables, greens and herbs that provides food to farmers markets, CSA members and local restaurants in San Diego. Located just north of Escondido, the farm provides year-round fresh produce to farmers markets, fine restaurants and community members.

San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project -- a 501(c)3 charitable organization that is working to strengthen the local food system in San Diego -- is hosting “a Concert to Build a Well” to raise funds for La Milpa Organica Farm’s new well. Proceeds from the concert will go toward helping diminish the farm's dependency on piped-in water and continue feeding San Diegans the freshest, ripest, healthiest and best-tasting produce possible.

San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project has been honored to work with the La Milpa farmers over many years. Indeed, the historical roots of La Milpa Organica Farm are the very same roots that begat San Diego Roots: the Good Faith Farm in Jamul, which San Diego Roots tried to save from development. Though that feat was not accomplished, the need to educate the public about the loss of valuable farmland to development, and the need to rebuild a lost local food network was

understood. Roots has been doing this now for almost nine years.

In many ways, San Diego Roots’ mission is closely aligned with La Milpa's: growing high-quality, organic produce, teaching others how to do this, and marketing it exclusively to local eaters. La Milpa Farm's embrace of the community they feed is clearly demonstrated in how their community embraces the farm at monthly open houses and potlucks. La Milpa models the very practices that San Diego Roots advocates and wishes to emulate at the future San Diego Roots farm and education center.

La Milpa Farm offers the farm free of charge for use as a classroom for Roots' Organic Farming Workshops that began last spring and are ongoing. These classes have been met with far greater success than expected. Clearly there is great demand for learning the innovative sustainable agricultural technologies that the La Milpa farmers practice.

San Diego Roots also understands that La Milpa's ability to offer an environment for these classes and grow enough food to meet the demand is threatened by the water rationing that many farmers are currently suffering under. By tapping a well into the underground aquifer, the farm will be able to grow more food and feed more people.

Wednesday, October 7       “Concert to Build a Well”

STEVE POLTZ & THE CYNICS w/The Farm Band & guests                       8pm                        $15 ga

143 S. Cedros Avenue, Solana Beach

Ages 21+ Welcome into the Belly Up. 

For more information please visit www.bellyup.com or call 858.481.8140

www.bellyup.com

http://www.poltz.com/

http://milpaorganica.com/

 CATHRYN BEEKS’ WEEKLY LISTEN LOCAL HOTSHEET  

Saturday 9/19 - Live at Rock Valley House Concert:  The Cathryn Beeks Ordeal unplugged and personal in a comfy living room playing new songs and some of your favorite oldies.  Only a few seats left, contact Carol for reservations and information.

Sunday 9/20 - The Acoustic Alliance at The Brick by Brick.  Our finest acoustic show featuring a dozen songwriters all performing their best 3 songs "in the round".  Frankie the Bull's BBQ is right next door, order dinner during the show!  Doors open at 6:00 with music from Schmooze. 

Set 1 of the Alliance starts at 7pm with Jessica Lerner, Snooze Button, Dave Keefer and Megan Combs.  Schmooze will play during the change over to set 2 at approximately 8:15 with Zank, Lindsay White, Jacqueline Grace and Lisa Pollack.  We'll have hear a few songs Jared Engelmier who's new to San Diego while the 3rd set gets prepared.  At around 9:30, Brad Roth, Deblois, Tori Roze and Podunk Nowhere will take the stage.  Good stuff!  $8 cover, Acoustic Alumni get in free.  
 

MUSIC NEWS

 Artist of the Week:  Smooth Bill are on tour from The Cayman Islands and they're making a stop Backstage at The Bitter End this Wednesday night at 11pm.  Stop in and say hello, there's no cover.

 Link of The Week:  It's true, they were the Link of the Week last week but that was before I knew first hand how TRULY amazing they were... now I speak from experience.  SDCharter.com hooked us up with a kick ass bus for the music awards and a great driver to get us there.  I HIGHLY recommend these guys if you want to transport 40 of your friends to your next gig.  Check out the site and our photos!

 Attn: Girls!  Chick Camp has been moved to October 16th and 17th for the Fall edition.  Only $20 for the weekend, includes your wood, water and smores.  All the info and photos of the last one are here, email me for info on reserving your space!

Steve Langdon of Langdon Studios announces he'll be teaching a beginning guitar class this fall semester at Cuyamaca College on Thursday Evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 - only $40 for SIX 2 hour classes!  

 Shows are posted here, if you missed this Saturday you can hear it at kprifm.com this Friday.  Join The Homegrown Hour Mailing List!

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LOCALS IN THE NEWS

 BEACH BOYS SAN DIEGO ALBUM COVER: The August issue of UK magazine Record Collector #365 / August 2009 has a cover story on the Beach Boys Pet Sounds album, including an alternate album cover photo shot at the San Diego.

CW6-TV will feature Marie Haddad on Tuesday, September 8, and Dave Humphries on Wednesday, September 9. 

 Earthless just landed at #2 in the Top Ten at UK's huge and influential Mojo Magazine, with "Cherry Red"! It's in the October issue #191- says the magazine, "Groundhogs cover by San Diego's heaviest om-chord psych pummelers, as experienced by a mindchuffed Mojo delegation at London's Borderline." Congrats, guys - other locals recently covered in Mojo include Wavves , Crocodiles, and Jack Tempchin.

 Tape Deck Mountain is written up in the new issue of Consequence of Sound: Climbing Tape Deck Mountain

 Alison Brown in on the cover of the September/October issue of the folk/world music mag Dirty Linen #143, where she talks a lot about her teen years in La Jolla and her early banjo training: http://www.dirtylinen.com/

 Shawne Merriman VS Tila Tequila is all over the news - pics of them downtown at Stingaree (icluding her supposedly giving him a lap dance) are posted at TMZ.com and the Examiner: Photos of Tila Tequila and Shawne Merriman night of alleged ...

Wavves aka Mr. Meltdown Nathan Williams gets some ink in the new LA Times: Live review: FYF Fest at the Los Angeles State Historic Park

ALSO: San Diego singer Laura Roppé celebrates return to the States

SONY MEXICO 'DISAPPOINTED' BY POLICE RAID
Sony Music says it is "surprised and disappointed" by a prosecutor's raid that seized thousands of discs from its Mexico City offices as part of a legal dispute with ranchera singer Alejandro Fernandez...

Puppeteers: Eight powerful San Diegans who don't want to tell you what they do

Abrina Re-Imagines a "Cruel Summer" Secret Assassin by Jay Allen Sanford "The first concert I ever saw was Assassin in early 1985, at Straita Head Sound in La Mesa," says Deep Shag Records exec Michael Reed, who ended up running the band's fan club. "They were ... From New York City to Mexico City by Jay Allen Sanford "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 Solem (the Rembrandts), Steve Poltz, members of Louis XIV ... (Thanx to Bart Mendoza for the compilation assist ---- )

 

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 WHAT I'M WATCHING:

 

LIFE ON MARS season 1 

 Wikipedia synopsis: Life on Mars is an American science fiction crime drama television series which originally aired on ABC from October 9, 2008 to April 1, 2009. Co-produced by Kudos Film & Television, 20th Century Fox Television and ABC Studios, it is about a New York City homicide detective who suddenly finds himself inexplicably transported from 2008 to 1973. The series was adapted from the BAFTA-winning British series of the same name, shown by the BBC. The series tells the story of New York City police detective Sam Tyler (played by Jason O'Mara), who, after being struck by a car in 2008, regains consciousness in 1973. Fringing between multiple genres, including thriller, science fiction and police procedural, the series remained ambiguous regarding its central plot, with the character himself unsure about his situation.^[1] The series also starred Harvey Keitel, Jonathan Murphy, Michael Imperioli, and Gretchen Mol. Life on Mars garnered critical praise for its premise, acting, and depiction of the 1970s, but suffered from a declining viewership after its premiere.^[2][3] ABC announced on March 2, 2009 that it would not be ordering a second season.

 

I remember not being that impressed with the first Life on Mars episode - seemed like no more than a "reverse" Dirty Harry, ie instead of a rogue cop operating amidst PC bureaucracy, the show had a PC future cop in pre-PC 1973. The premise seemed to have possibilities, but that first ep was all stereotypes and occasional inexplicable sci-fi flashes explaining less than nothing about what the hell was going on ----

 

However, I stuck with it, and I'm absolutely astounded at how it paid off!!

 

 I don't want to spoil by revealing specifics, but the show became, as I said, astounding. Nothing is as it seemed in the first ep, and there's actually a reason for that - in particular, Harvey Keitel as the precinct chief, his character is, well, you really should see it. I nearly applauded out loud after a couple of his feature eps, especially over Keitel's story arc - if anyone was actually watching this show, he should be up for an Emmy. Just ---- astounding.

 

 Over subsequent eps, the story began coming together, the sci-fi "explanations" becoming more clear, and - the thing you may like best - they're really conjuring up a VERY authentic 1973! UNlike the first ep, which was painfully obvious about dropping and/or showing cultural touchstones every few minutes ---- as I mention, there's actually a REASON for how simplistic his first day in 1973 seemed, and it wasn't lazy scripting. It's actually an important - and innovative - story element. As each episode progresses, we get more and more of the real world of 1973.

 

And everything from the clothes to the cars, dialogue, and especially the music, is becoming more "real '73" than just about any actual '70s movie I can think of. Especially when contrasted with the lead character's hindsight and inside knowledge about future events.

 

The music is particularly inspired - not at all the predictable radio hits of the early 70s, but really thoughtful choices of songs that perfectly illustrate the scenes they accompany, in surprising and enjoyable ways...like, Lou Reed, Mott the Hoople, Blood Sweat and Tears, the Sweet "Little Willy," 5 Man Electrical Band "Signs" ---- to give you an idea of how off the beaten path I'm talking about, the one Rolling Stones song to turn up was "Out of Time."

 

 Even the show title "Life on Mars" now has some context, again UNlike the pilot, where its only relativity SEEMED to be the David Bowie song by that name playing in the car when it crashed (one of my fave Bowie tunes, BTW, and one I used to do when I was in bands and which I STILL sometimes sing and play here on my old Yamaha keyboard and PA system).

 

 That's the great music that brings back the era for me, and those are the kind of tracks that keep turning up on Mars - the effect is that you suddenly recover a memory when a song starts that you haven't heard in 30 years, at the same moment as you see the guy on Mars undergo a similar 8-track flashback.

 

That would never work if the show soundtrack had been, say "Brown Sugar" by the Stones, instead of "Out of Time" - we've heard Brown Sugar a billion times since it first came out, so it's no longer fixed to a specific time and place.

 

Taken as a whole, the show is an engrossing and fairly brilliant musical love letter to 70s rock, films, and TV, with a finite (and very satisfying) final ep that wraps up pretty much all the mysteries and loose ends (and with quite a different ending than the original UK series, too!) ---

 

 Life On Mars: Season One (the complete series) was released in a DVD box set at the end of August.

 

 MORE "WHAT I'M WATCHING" DVD AND MOVIE REVIEWS, 1970 THRU 2009 - Including S Darko, Futurama: Bender's Game, the Sentinel, Andy Warhol's Bad, Night Gallery: Brenda, Star Trek 2009, Stranger Than Fiction, Cloverfield, Black Ceasar, Forbidden Zone, Cover Me Babe, Final Destination, Wicked Wicked, Watchmen, Coraline, Land of the Lost TV show, more

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/sep/02/what-im-watching-dvd-and-movie-reviews-1970s-thru-/

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THE RETURN OF ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS!

Here's a sneak peek at the first promo art for Rock 'N' Roll Comics: Hard Rock Heroes, a 400 page graphic novel shipping from Bluewater Productions in November, as well as the cover of the 240 page Beatles Experience comic shipping around the same time -

JAS

 

 (colors: Christie MacConnell)

 

What goes together better than comics and rock ‘n’ roll? 400 pages of Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics, going beyond Behind the Music in order to tell the real life, behind-the-scenes stories of rock’s greatest Hard Rock Heroes. With art by Stuart Immonen (Superman: End of the Century), Mike Sagara (Carnal Comics) and others, the cinematic stories are realistically drawn and researched from countless photo and video archives, with an encyclopedic eye toward visual and journalistic accuracy and featuring dramatic flair rarely seen in most biographical comics.

 

Hard Rock Heroes is a book-length pictorial history covering rock’s heavy hitters, with stories featuring Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Rush, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Poison, Megadeth, Pantera, Anthrax, and more.

 

 "Great ideas, like the marriage of rock 'n' roll and comics, have the half-life of Uranium and will always be popular," says series co-creator Jay Allen Sanford, who has worked on over 200 reality-based comic books and thousands of similar cartoon strips for the San Diego Reader, as well as for magazines like Rip, Spin, and Oui. "The folks at Bluewater clearly have their fingers on the same pop culture pulse that enabled the original Rock 'N' Roll Comics to become one of the top-selling indie comics of the '90s. Truth is often stranger than fiction...and certainly much more interesting!" 

 

 

The Beatles are bigger than ever, now available online for the first time digitally, on the Vegas stage in “Love,” and in the new Beatles: Rock Band video game. Now comes the most comprehensive and encyclopedic illustrated Beatles story ever, the Beatles Experience! Over 200 pages, dramatizing one of the most compelling tales in pop culture history, drawn from thousands of photos and interviews, meticulously researched and featuring stunning art by Mike Sagara (Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics) and Stuart Immonen (Legion of Super Heroes, Ultimate X-Men).

 

Covering the Beatles’ lives from birth and beyond their breakup, dramatized in dialogue and scene recreations more akin to a film bio than a mere documentary, the Beatles Experience also includes a Chronolog timeline going down each page, with encyclopedia background and footnotes detailing related events happening at the same time in the world, in music, and in the Beatles’ own tumultuous and extraordinary lives. 

 

  

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DOG TALKER

“I haven’t done too much playing in concert as of late,” says singer/guitarist Dave Gilbert, “so I started the OB Happy Dog Walking Service.”

 

He says the doggie duty requires walking from six to twelve miles each day, making the job more consistent than musician work, despite playing in three local bands at the moment. “Club owners don’t pay their acts much, if anything at all. You can make decent cash playing casinos, but it can also destroy your musical soul if you play strictly for pay.”

 Gilbert launched his canine sideline by posting tear-off flyers around O.B. and Point Loma and, more recently, commissioning promo T-shirts from local poster artist George Davis. “Working with dogs is my Zen,” says the longtime animal lover. “I was born in the Year of the Dog, so I think that gave me a leg up, so to speak. The past few of years of dog walking have taught me a lot about patience and understanding.”  

He says Happy Dog rarely conflicts with his show schedule. “It was a lot harder juggling music gigs back when my day job was working in the automotive industry. Not to mention few gigs are as lucrative and steady [as dog walking]…I really wouldn’t want to be in another tribute act.”

 Some of Gilbert’s dog friends have shown their own musical aspirations. “I recorded my Rottweiler barking on an improvisational piece I was working on called ‘Rockweiler.’ And then I had a dog that didn’t like it when I would jam on my axe. But, when I sat the guitar down, she did a mean Jimi Hendrix-style solo, playing it with her teeth.”

 

“Hahaha, even my dog plays guitar!”

Related links

• Use Everything You’ve Got feature article

• OB Happy Dog Walking Service

• Musician Interviews
• Dave Gilbert MySpace page

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FIRST SAN DIEGO BAND INVITED TO CMJ 2009?

September 2009: Lady Dottie & the Diamonds applied to CMJ 2009 using its Sonicbids account and was invited to showcase. (Note: I didn’t say “confirmed.” What is confirmed is that they’ve been invited!) www.sonicbids.com/LadyDottieandtheDiamonds

 Lady Dottie & the Diamonds -- including former members of GoGoGo Airheart -- perform covers of songs by Etta James, Muddy Waters, BB King, Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, the Staple Singers, Sam and Dave, Ray Charles, Howling Wolf, Danzig, the Rolling Stones, Leadbelly, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, the Sonics, Chuck Berry, Nazareth, Ike & Tina Turner, Billie Holiday, Little Richard, Guitar Slim, Otis Redding, T-Bone Walker, Skip James, Stevie Wonder, AC/DC, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Foghat, Sam Cooke, Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, Huey Piano Smith, and the Clowns,.

Originally a gospel singer, Dorothy Mae "Lady Dottie" Whitsett's early career included performing with Kool and the Gang and Clarence Carter, among others. Back then, she called herself Miss Dynamite, moving around from residences in Alabama, New Jersey, Portland, Seattle, and Atlanta.

After moving from Atlanta to San Diego in 1984, she eventually formed a jazz duo after meeting keyboardist Joey Guevara in a local piano bar. They were joined by Guevara's bandmates from Operator X, Stephen Rey (bass) and Brian "Nucci" Cantrell (drums). Rounding out the band are two guitarists, Isaiah Mitchell and Nathan Beale (of Dirty Sweet), as well as Joey's brother Dan Guevara on horns.

 The band won two 2007 San Diego Music Awards, for Best Blues and Best Blues Album, as well as landing Best Blues again in 2008. They're signed with Hi-Speed Soul Records, a label launched by local music store M-Theory Records.

Upcoming Shows

• Brick by Brick, Saturday, September 12

Related links

• Blurt: "A Vietnam Vet Walks into a Bar..."
• Blurt: "Boys Hook Up with Blues Mama"
• MySpace page
• Blurt: "Black Naugahyde Chapel"
• Of Note: "Lady Dottie and the Diamonds"

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GUITAR WHIZ WAYNE RIKER TURNS HIS BACK ON PRIVATE TEACHING, TO HEAD UP WORKSHOPS INSTEAD

"The final curtain has come down for me as a private guitar teacher, after thirty seven years of lessons," says local guitarist Wayne Riker. "However, I'll be starting an exciting series of on going four hour workshops,every fifth to sixth Sunday,at Old Time Music in North Park. It'll be an excellent social network to meet other guitarists,both electric and acoustic, focused on playing strategies over ten tunes,all various styles,with handouts for each on chord positions, scales and licks for improving your overall fretboard knowledge."

"Although I'm excited about this new project, I'll very much miss one on one teaching for now. Other than musical rehearsals, road gigs and funerals, I never took a day off or called in sick - here's the link for the full details to the upcoming Fretbook Workshop(s), beginning on September 27th." http://waynerikerguitar.com/teach_sched.htm

 Since 1967, Riker has played just about every musical style, and in an array of musical settings — house parties, coffeehouses, nightclubs, musical theater, cruise ships, arena rock concerts, and stadium festivals.

As a member of the Guitar Institute of Technology, Riker cohosted workshops around the world with A-list jazz and blues cats such as Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Marty Friedman, Dave Grissom, and Duke Robillard.        

Upcoming Shows

• Old Time Music, Saturday, October 17

See Past Shows

Subscribe to this band's/performer's events: iCalendar | RSS

Audio Clips

• Wayne Riker: "Tumbleweed Trot"

Related links

• Hometown CD Review (Aug. 27, 2008)
• As I Hear It (Feb. 18, 2009)
• Musician Interviews: "Lick Vocbulary"

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News footage released of Cattle Decapitation 'body farm' killer

Gauntlet reports: News footage has surfaced from the body farm that was unearthed yesterday in San Diego, CA. It is being reported by Channel 12 News in San Diego that The Harvest Floor CD by Cattle Decapitation was discovered in the killer's room. The CD contains a track title "A Body Farm." The news footage is below.

 As previously reported by The Gauntlet, authorities in San Diego County have confirmed that the remains of several bodies have been unearthed in the backyard garden of a coastal San Diego home on Wednesday.

Authorities found the bodies after an anonymous tip led them to the location.

For much of the day Sunday, neighbors tried to catch a glimpse of what was going on as a number of detectives were digging in what appears to be a vegetable garden of the home, located just off Interstate 5.

Then around 9 p.m., they watched as several body bags were rolled out on stretchers from behind the home. Those body bags were then driven away by San Diego coroners.

"I thought there was just one. I was surprised to see they kept bringing them out," said neighbor Josephine Wagacknyk.

After witnessing the disturbing scene, dozens of neighbors were left with even more questions.

But the one thing that was obvious to everyone Sunday night was a strong foul odor which seemed to emanate from the home.

"The stench. [It's a] real bad smell. If you've never been around a dead dog or something, then you wouldn't know. But I've been around dead animals so I know it's pretty bad," said Wagacknyk.

Although police aren't releasing the name of the owner of the home, neighbors tell Channel 12 News that the suspect spends much of his time working in the vegetable garden while listening to heavy metal music.

 Upon further investigation, authorities found a CD which contained a song titled "A Body Farm" in the suspect's home; a song from an album that was released by local band Cattle Decapitation. Authorities are looking into this tragedy as being a possible "copycat crime" based on the band's disturbing music and lyrics.

Channel 12 News attempted to contact the band, but the band's representatives declined to comment.

The sheriff's office isn't expected to release the victims names until the coroner finishes the identification process and the next of kin are notified which is expected to be lengthy due to the advanced state of decomposition the bodies were in.

Related links

• MySpace page
• Blurt: "Decap Recap"
• Blurt: "Travis Says"
• Original story:

  Followup: News footage released of Cattle Decapitation 'body farm ...

   

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THE RETURN OF RIP MAGAZINE (or "Why I Got Fired By Larry Flynt")

Rock writer Lonn Friend, former MTV host and publisher of the terrific '90s music mag Rip, is announcing an online archive of the magazine! Rip is where I first launched the Rock Tales comic strip before it ended up at Spin Magazine.

 

After around a year of the two-page Rock Tales strips, I turned one in mocking Courtney Love called "12 Steps to Stardom" - little did I know that Rip publisher Larry Flynt had just arranged for Love to play his wife in the movie The People VS Larry Flynt.

Flynt took one look at my Love strip and fired me on the spot (it finally saw print years later in Real Deal) - Rip continued for several years before finally falling victim to the same low circualtion killing most newsstand mags.

So here's a message from Lonn Friend and the RIPpers -----

 Dear Friends and Fans of RIP Magazine & Lonn Friend: We are excited to announce that the long-awaited on-line home and 'resting place' for the archives of the iconic RIP Magazine has been officially launched at theripfiles.com/

We are launching this great site with just a small fraction of the archival photos, videos and audio files from back in the day with a great deal more content to follow!

 We are also building a bibliography of all of the issues, scanning them and getting them up on the site. As requested, we are bringing back the vaunted 'RIP Girls'! We have begun our search for our 2010 'RIP Calendar Girls' with a contest that is now under way. Please Send us a current picture and enter now ladies! You could win $1,000! www.theripfiles.com/rip_girls

We also invite you to JOIN the site as a 'member'. This will enable you to access the exclusive content that is being added daily. Come back often to browse or leave us a note. Our objective of the site is to build an active on-line RIP community of the true fans, past and present. Also, we are interested in seeing the next generation of hard rock/heavy metal fans step forward, grab the torch and shout it out loud.

 The RIP Store is now OPEN! Time to step up and wear the RIP shirt and headgear again! www.theripfiles.com/store

Published between 1986 and 1996, RIP magazine was heralded as the finest hard rock/heavy metal publication of its day. RIP's coverage of the bands that ruled, tooled and fueled the decade of decadence earned it the nickname "Bible of the Bang" and was hailed by fans and artists alike.

My own favorite RIP memory involves a concert they threw in L.A., featuring Stuttering John's metal band, Entombed, members of Metallica and Gn'R, and headliners Pantera. The company I ran, Rock 'N' Roll Comics, had bought a piece of the sponsorship package, and we were there giving out free schwag to attendees and hanging out backstage with the bands.

My mom in Georgia - who passed away in 2004 after a long bedridden illness - took her last real vacation then, around 1993, where she finally got all the way to CA and to Hollywood for the first time ever. A longtime theater actress on the east coast, it was a journey she'd been planning and dreaming of all her life 

It was nighttime when we drove her around Hollywood, before the concert, and she wanted to stop at the Ripley's Believe it Or Not Museum (she was into Fortean Times mag and strange phenomenon) - on the sidewalk, a very colorful "bum" tried to hustle money out of us with some fast crazy meth rap none of us could understand.

 She laughed about it, but later on she told people back in GA her favorite part of the trip had been the VIP lounge of the heavy metal concert and watching the mosh pit from an upstairs lounge, comparing it to an Indian tribal ritual --- (She did enjoy Grauman's/Mann's Chinese Theatre and the footprints) ---

Tho Pantera was the headline band, she could never recall their name after the concert - I'd get several calls a year from her asking "Who was that Panther band I saw?" -

 Usually when she'd call, I could hear nieces and grandkids and other youngsters in the background, oooing and awwing to find out this almost-70 year old lady had actually hung out at a Hollywood party with Pantera! The band dubbed her "Hard Rock Grandma" that night, as later emblazoned on a custom T-shirt for her.

 So thanks for that, RIP Magazine! Even if I did almost get beat up by roadies for whipping out a mid-eighties glam-era Pantera photo and getting Dimebag and the boys to sign it for my mom --------

---

Here's the comic strip that got me fired by Larry Flynt --------------

 

  

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HANDS FREE - TROPHY WIFE WILL MARKET ANYTHING FOR A BUCK!

From producing Viewmaster reels to scratch-N-sniff flyers and custom Wheaties boxes, the self-marketing requirements of today’s music biz can result in some offbeat promo endeavors.

 

“We sell what we call a ‘hands-free cell phone device’ on eBay,” says Trophy Wife singer/guitarist Joe MacAskill, “which are really just headbands to hold the phone against your ear, with our band logo hand-drawn onto it.” The “devices” sell for $5 to $8.

 

“We’re just trying to market different, goofy things. We’ll sell them at our shows, maybe throw one in as an incentive to purchase a CD. It would be great to see someone driving around town with one on their head. I’m assuming the cops can’t give you a ticket, but I’m not brave enough to try it myself.”

 

Among the band’s other promotional ideas, “We bought a bunch of candles and put a picture of our album on them. We’re shooting a video soon, and we’re auctioning off guest spots in the video, and we also have Christmas cards we’re working on for this year.”

 

“At shows, we occasionally sell other bands’ old T-shirts or CDs.”

 

To help finance recording, MacAskill says “We have a program where people can invest. $25 gets you a CD before its release date and a pass to get into shows. For $100, you get to sing backup vocals on a song, and you get a mention in the credits. Let’s just hope those people can sing in key, or that they don’t make us look bad by singing better than we do.”

 

“We did try to auction off a date with Trophy Wife, but nobody bid! If CD sales don’t pick up, you may see us standing on the corner with Trophy Wife Car Wash signs.”

 

Formed in 2002, Trophy Wife have released an EP and two full-length albums, Kissing Hands and Shaking Babies (2005) and Rose-Scented Cuddle Moments(2008). They've opened for performers like White Denim, the National, Steve Poltz, the Farmers, and Flogging Molly.

 

Trophy Wife appears Saturday, September 26 at Java Joe's at Café Libertalia . Subscribe to this band's/performer's events: iCalendar | RSS

 

Related links

• As I Hear It: Trophy Wife
• www.myspace.com/trophywifemusic

 

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HAPPY RON'S HAREM - LOVING SAN DIEGO'S MUSICAL LADIES

“Most of the women were involved with someone else, so I had to behave appropriately,” says Happy Ron Hill of the video shoot for his song “Pitter Patter,” which featured nine different San Diego women singers playing potential love interests. “Sometimes, I hate behaving appropriately.”

 

Dressed in a pimp-like purple suit and porkpie hat, Hill is seen in the video professing his love to all nine women, including Marcia Claire (as MC Bassalicious), Cathryn Beeks (Catastic Beats), Laura Kuebel (Laura Fab), Brooke Mackintosh (Brooklyn), Marie Haddad (The Marrying Type), Elizabeth Abbott (Tipsi Holiday), Alyssa Jacey (Alyssa Jacey Blue), Nancy McCartney Mestyanek (Sister Linkun), and  Jenene Lambert (Neener). “All the women were at the shoot at the same time,” says Hill, “though many were late.”

 

“At one point, the cops drove up, saw the purple outfit and the women, and said ‘What are you doing?’ I felt awkward for a second, and then I realized we weren’t actually doing anything wrong.”

 

 Happy Ron Hill debuted the video August 20 set at Lestat’s. The album it sprang from, Terribly Happy, has been nominated Best Local Recording at the 2009 San Diego Music Awards, to be held September 10 at Viejas.

"The announcements were made on Tim Pyle’s radio show live at The Casbah," says Hill. "I happened to be there and was shocked when they said they were going to announce the winners. I spent the next two hours being a nervous wreck and made so much noise when I got nominated that Tim interviewed me right there on the spot. Wish I got that on tape."

 

As for how he rounded up so many prominent local musicos, Hill says “As a native San Diegan I know lots of local women, and I know the most beautiful women in the world are here...the hard part is it they had to be beautiful AND SINGING women.  Lots of women are beautiful, but singing - not so much.” 

 

Asked about women who declined his invitation to appear, Hill doesn’t name names, but he does provide the top six excuses for NOT showing up:

 

“My car got stolen the day before.”

    

“The dolly to carry my harp broke.”

 

 "I was too sad that day to be in a Happy video".

    

"I forgot"

    

"I had to work."

    

And finally ----- “I’m gay, not happy.”

 

(PHOTO L to R: Cathryn Beeks, Laura Kuebel, Elizabeth Abbott, Marcia Claire, Marie Haddad, Alyssa Jacey, Brooke Mackintosh, Nancy McCartney Mestyanek, Jenene Lambert - photo by Richard Pollard)

 

 

Upcoming Shows

• Swedenborg Hall, Sunday, September 20

See Past Shows

Subscribe to this band's/performer's events: iCalendar | RSS

Custom Radio Station

Listen to music by Happy Ron Hill

Free MP3 downloads

• Pitter Patter - Add to playlist

Related links

• Blurt: "Happylicious" (Jan. 14, 2009)
• Blurt: "Record Release Roundup" (Feb. 18, 2009)
• MySpace page
• www.happyron.com
• Blurt: "In the Woods" (Sept. 3, 2008)
• Happy Ron on YouTube

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Cathryn Beeks AKA  "Catastic Beats" www.cathrynbeeks.com

Laura Kuebel  AKA Laura Fab         www.laurakuebel.com

Elizabeth Abbott AKA Tipsi Holiday  http://www.sandiegotroubadour.com/

Marcia Claire AKA MC Bassalicious  www.myspace.com/marciaclaire

Marie Haddad AKA “The Marrying Type” www.myspace.com/mariehaddad  

Alyssa Jacey AKA Alyssa Jacey Blue  www.alyssajacey.com

Brooke Mackintosh AKA Brooklyn www.reverbnation.com/brooklynmack  

Nancy McCartney Mestyanek AKA Sister Linkun www.myspace.com/foldingmisterlincoln  

Jenene Lambert AKA Neener  www.myspace.com/neenersplace2

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WEILAND'S WIFE IS TELLING ALL (to anyone who cares, anyway)

 Blabbermouth and AntiMusic reports: Mary Forsberg Weiland, the estranged wife of Stone Temple Pilots/ex-Velvet Revolver singer Scott Weiland, will publish her memoir, Fall to Pieces, on November 10, 2009 via William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. A description of the book reads as follows:

"A visceral, rollercoaster ride inside bipolar disorder, rock 'n' roll, celebrity culture, and the competitive world of modeling from a rock star wife and recovering drug addict

"On the surface, Mary Weiland had a fairy-tale life. She was a highly paid fashion model married to successful rock star Scott Weiland, the notorious frontman for Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver. Then came the rampage in a Burbank hotel room and the resulting media frenzy that revealed to the world her bipolar disorder and drug abuse.
- more on this story

Related links

• Blurt "Stone Temple Crises"
• Blurt "Big Bad Band"

FLASHBACK REPORT: 4-5-07 - Famous former neighbor Scott Weiland and his wife Mary will face charges for allegedly wrecking their room while arguing at Burbank’s Graciela Hotel March 24. The couple is alleged to have “ripped alarm clocks and phones from their sockets and threw them, made dents and gauges in the walls…there was even blood found on some of the linens afterward,” according to TMZ.com. “The police were called, and the hotel is pressing charges for the damage caused.”

A few hours after being booted from the hotel, Weiland’s wife was arrested for burning her husband’s clothes in front of their Toluca Lake home. She posted $50,000 bail and was released. Online reactions to the story posts include:

“Don’t they live in L.A.? Why would you be checking into a hotel in [nearby] Burbank unless you were going to do drugs.” SouthernCaGurl4Opri

“I’m getting this vision in my head of Mary getting a phone call, tipping her off to the place she can find her husband.” JaneSays

“Hope they put them both to cleaning toilets for the next six months.” Katie

“She needs some ghetto lessons…put [his clothes] in a big garbage bag and pour a bottle of Chlorox in the bag.” mybestguess

“Since when is it illegal to burn clothes?” Just A Thought

“I was thinking of Scott today. I was wondering why he is alive and Anna Nicole and her son are dead, he’s taken so many more drugs.” Michelle

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Recent Blog now only found in the "archive" section: Comic-Con 2009 - Final Wrapup, with more costumes, costumes, costumes!

 

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MUSIC AND DESIGN WORKSHOP SEPTEMBER 12 - 13

WORKSHOP INVITES LOCAL ARTISTS, MUSICIANS to DESIGN AFFORDABLE LIVE/W

On Friday night Sept 11, and Saturday and Sunday, Sept 12-13, a design workshop will be held at the New School of Architecture. The overall objective is to involve the greater San Diego arts & music community in developing prototypical designs for future affordable work/live space for artists and arts organizations.

 

DATES:
Friday September 11, 5:30-9:00 PM All participants invited to workshop designs
Saturday, September 12, 10 AM-6 PM Architects and Designers, but all interested are invited
Sunday September 13, 10 AM-2 PM Brunch and display of completed designs
LOCATION: New School of Architecture 1249 F St Downtown San Diego

The project of sdspace4art, initiated in 2005, is to develop and build specific key sites in San Diego for affordable live/work spaces for artists and arts organizations. The process for establishing live/work space will involve local architects, artists, designers, arts organization and neighborhood residents. Through a series of design workshops (called charettes) and community built projects by members of the local arts community, unique, one of a kind solutions will be realized which will reflect and preserve the diversity and culture of the people of the neighborhood.

Approximately 25 local architects will each lead different design teams on Friday night to brainstorm ideas for designs for six specific San Diego building sites. Teams will be comprised of artists, musicians, designers, developers, arts organizations, contractors and arts supporters. Saturday the architects will draw up blueprint plans based on Friday’s design ideas, and Sunday’s program will involve presenting the the drawings to all participants who are interested in continuing to attend through the weekend.

The result of the collaborative design process will be unique building designs responding to the needs of the artists, musicians, and organizations who will live and work in the buildings. The construction phase of the project aims to also include the community in a series of volunteer-built projects.

Artists, musicians, writers, and arts organizations interested in participating in the workshop are invited to attend. Please help by filling out the survey at SURVEY Thanks!

This event is sponsored by Synergy Art Foundation, a non-profit foundation, together with the New School of Architecture.

Contact Cheryl Nickel, 858-243-1312
Email: [email protected]

 

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   BANDS WANTED FOR FILM SOUNDTRACKS

SNOW PRODUCTIONS is looking for local bands looking to sell music for film soundtracks. We don't have the info RE pay and other details, but bands can submit songs for Grazia or other film and TV productions to [email protected].

Some info is posted at www.snowproductions.net and info about the Grazia film being scored by the company are at www.graziafilm.com

 "We will be filming next month and editing Grazia from October to November," says Snow Productions. "We also have industrial and misc. short films coming up."

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VIDEOS WANTED FOR SCREENINGS - SKOPE & ICN WANT TO FEATURE YOUR MUSIC VIDEOS

Skope has partnered with the Independent Coffee Network and we are currently looking for music videos for airplay. The Independent Coffee Network consists of 42" flat screen TVs placed in independent coffee shops around the country that are programmed with video content, news, music, and much more. We are looking for a diverse line up of indie coffee shop friendly music to rotate all day and weekends on this ad-supported network.  Independently owned coffee shops across the country outnumber the chain stores 3-1. This is a great opportunity to have your artist seen and heard in a growing digital out of home market. To see a sample content reel from the Independent Coffee Network click the link: http://www.worldwidearts.com/download.php Password: icn1234 If you are interested in having your video featured contact Gary Jacobs at [email protected] for selection process info, release form, and video mailing instructions. AD Rates, Questions, Comments, Etc: Gary Jacobs [email protected]

Skope: Diverse Music Media For The Digital Age Skope Online - www.skopemag.com  Skope Merch - www.skopemag.com/category/merch Skope TV - www.youtube.com/skopetv Skope Radio - www.skopemag.com/radio.html Skope Live - www.skopemag.com/category/skopelive Skope On Twitter - www.twitter.com/skopemag

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 LOCAL BUSINESS PROFILE: KING TET PRODUCTIONS, AUDIO RESTORATION

“Although I started on the banjo as a child I am a multi-instrumentalist today,” says Eric Van der Wyk, aka King Tet. “I also play jazz/blues guitar and guitar synthesizer.  I play hand percussion including the Roland HandSonic hand-controlled drum sets which I use with a looper to create what I call the one man drum circle.  One instrument isn't favored over another - the challenge is keeping in practice on all instruments while running a full-time home business.” 

 

 Banjo is his first love, however, and recently Van der Wyk landed an endorsement deal with Goldtone Banjos. “This month, they selected me as their Artist of the Month and if you visit www.MySpace.com/goldtoneinstruments  they are featuring some of my music and videos.  One of the videos you'll see there is my electric banjo/tenori-on duet called ‘Eric's Breakdown.’"  

 

In addition to performing, Van der Wyk’s home business King Tet Productions is enjoying its 12th year providing audio restoration services online at www.CustomAudioCDs.com   “I provide professional quality vinyl, cassette and reel to reel to CD conversion services,” he says.  “This business which started as an idea 30 years ago when I was a street musician and began 12 years ago with one computer and one tape deck has been growing every year.” 

 

 “The work is very interesting as I receive rare and unusual recordings daily.  Of course much of the work I do consists of personal family recordings, interviews, weddings etc.  Much of it is live and studio music recordings from amateurs and professionals.  The most challenging work would be the 60+ year old 78rpm acetates that people used to record for their loved ones.  There are many institutions with libraries of tapes that I am currently working with to preserve their priceless recordings for the 21st century.” 

 

Tape to CD services start at $25.  78s are $7.50 per side, 45s are $4 per track.  LPs are $40.  All prices include full cleanup services.  Every customer gets a sampler CD of Van der Wyk’s Sounds of Our Planet series of pure nature recordings.  www.SoundsOfOurPlanet.com (featured on NPR)

 

 Here’s a King Tet performance video from a recent Friday night at Ladera Ranch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl3v6xyqhV4

 

Related links

What Do You Tenori-On? 

“I heard about the Tenori-On when it was being test-marketed in the U.K. in 2007,” says Eric Van der Wyk, aka King Tet, reportedly the ninth person in the U.S. to obtain the experimental Japanese ... More

• Blurt: "Remasterful"
• http://CustomAudioCDs.com
• http://RecordRescuers.com
• http://Ree lToReelToCD.com
• http://CustomDVDs.biz
• http://KingTet.com
• http://MySpace.com/kingtet
• http://WebsForASong.com
• http://SomeGuyInCalifornia.com
• http://SoundsOfOurPlanet.com

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 LISTS-FAVE LINDSAY WHITE: THE INTERVIEW

 

“I'm currently recording my first full length album with the extremely talented producer Alex Zander,” says Lindsay White. “He plays keys for local band Echo Revolution. He is helping bring my songs to life in the way I would envision playing them with a full band.  I'm hoping to have it ready for release by next summer.”

 

(I.am.lost.photography)  Given the influx of comments after Lindsay’s recent Lists article ( Musician Interview ), we decided to do a full length interview with the shoe-crazy chantreuse:    

 

SDR: Perhaps you could tell us a bit about your current sound and your band?

 

LW: Even though I've been singing and playing music so long, I never had proper guitar or vocal training, so I kind of just think out a song in my head and then try to find it by ear on the guitar.  The sound really just depends what kind of phase I'm in mentally.  Sometimes it's pop/rock, sometimes it's blues, sometimes it's so folk it almost turns into old school country.  Lately I've been through a hurricane of family problems, so I've been writing one gut-wrencher after another.  I'm looking forward to my next "fun" stage.

 

Joel Mendoza started playing percussion for me about two years ago.  He is the bee's knees, as a performer and as a friend.  When we play out, people are always amazed by his talent.  They come up really close to the stage to try and figure out how he's making all those different sounds.  On top of his music skills, he is the nicest and most positive person I've ever met; I feel so lucky to be his friend.  He recently celebrated 1000 days of remission from Leukemia with a trip to Ireland! Suck it, cancer!

 

 I do envision adding more members to my band when the time is right, but I don't want to force anything.  I need to make sure I have the time and energy to put into a full band first.  Until then, Joel and I will continue to be a pretty bad ass duo.

 

 (Hayley White)

 

SDR: Do you see San Diego as kind of a hotbed for "chick rock" right now?

What other local female performers inspire you?

 

 LW: I see San Diego as a hotbed of musical talent, male and female alike, and we all support each other.  I think it's great to be a part of a music scene where women are admired because of their talent, not because of their sex appeal (although sex appeal never hurts).  There are so many local female performers whose music I love.  Off the top of my head, some of my faves are Allegra, Cathryn Beeks, Jasmine Commerce, Veronica May, Anna Troy, and Brenda Xu.    

 

SDR: Who do you peg as the best bet for a career surge in the near future (and why)?

 

LW: I wish I had the self-promotion skills to lie and say my music is the best bet for a career surge in the near future.  But I have no desire to "make it" in a household name kind of way.  I hope that my music career will surge in the sense that I can actually call it my only career.  If I could make a modest living writing music, that would be the ultimate career surge for me.

 

Someone who I do see going "all the way" is Nova.  I saw her perform a few weeks ago, and she blew the roof off the place.  I have never witnessed a more polished local act. She has everything the major music leaguers are looking for: amazing voice, musical ability, very talented band, radio-friendly tunes, great following, and gorgeous to top it off.

 

 What's the first thing you'd do if you could suddenly read minds?

 

Wouldn't that be awful?  I think I'd lock myself in a room alone.  I have a hard enough time reading my own mind! 

Worst movie you've seen (and why was it so bad)?

 

 Mr. Magoo.  I used to love the cartoon, but the movie was AWFUL! When I watched it, there were only three other people in the theatre.  I should have taken that as a cue to leave. 

 

Magazine subscription you always renew?

None.

 

Do you workout in a gym or at home (no, that’s not a pickup line)

 

I have a home gym, kind of. I use a video workout called Wii Fit. It's silly and fun, and an easy way to get in a little workout if I'm too lazy to go on a run.

 

Most visited websites?

 

1. yahoo.com (I'm addicted to checking my email)

2. facebook.com (although I hate the way they keep changing everything around, this networking site has allowed me to keep in contact with distant friends and relatives)
3. myspace.com (this site is definitely more user-friendly for musicians).

4. wamu.com (this is where i go every day and pray that i didn't overdraft)

5. perezhilton.com (I know, it's so trashy but i have a weird obsession with all things pop culture)

 

 Mac or PC (and why)?

Mac, although sometimes mine outsmarts me and it takes me a million years to do what would take me 2 seconds to do on a PC.

Favorite quote from Spinal Tap?

 

"It's like, how much more black could this be?...And the answer is none...None more black."

 

 (Moises Orozco)

 

What’s the best thing you’ve ever won?

Once I was so broke and desperate for cash I entered my sob story to KGB's "Grand A Day Everday Giveaway."  And much to my surprise, I actually won!  I wish that would happened to me on a monthly basis! 

What’s your drink of choice?

 

Widmer with Lemon. Get in my mouth.

 

First book you remember reading?

 

When I was 4, my parents taught me to read using Dick & Jane books. Then I moved on to deeper literature, like Dr. Suess and Shel Silverstein. I still read Shel Silverstein to this day.

 

Lindsay White MP3s

• Intervention

More on Lindsay White

web: http://web.mac.com/lindsaywhite

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Lindsay White Lists

“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 local start playing open mikes around town at venues like ...More Comments (16)

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EX-PLAYMATE/EX-WIFE CALLS THE COPS ON TRAVIS BARKER - but he has an explanation....

antiMusic reports: You may have read some trash media reports on Tuesday that Blink-182's Travis Barker was threatened with arrest outside his ex-wife's home on Monday night. These reports of course were based on sensational "insider" testimonials from unnamed sources. But a quick read of a report from a real news outlet, who based their story on the police report, tells quite a different tale: Barker was just being a concerned dad to his kids.

The gist of the story was that Barker was dropping off his two kids with his ex-wife, (former Miss USA/ reality show star, Shanna Moakler), but he refused to leave the kids with her without a certified nanny present because the car of someone he says is a pedophile was parked at her house. Apparently this person is in fact barred by court order from being near the children, according to WPRI's report (see below). An argument ensued and she called the cops.

According to WPRI, who obtained the police report from the Barrington RI. Police department, "Moakler provided the officers with the couple's court order that explained the children's visitation schedule. That order did not require that a nanny be certified, but did state that a particular person was not allowed near the children. The person's name is redacted from the police report. The report says that a vehicle registered to that person was parked outside the building. The officers said that person wasn't there at the time, but his wife was."

That's quite a different story than the one reported by the tabs, but you can read more details based on the actual police report and not unnamed trash media sources - here. - Cops Called On Travis Barker, But It's Not Quite The Story You Read In The Tabs

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 MEET THE BLINK BUNNIES

Blink-182 has teamed with an artist by the name of Acorn (http://www.myspace.com/5035061) to create this limited edition blink 182 toy bunny which will be available on the band’s upcoming tour. The bunny is 3 inches tall and full of fury. There will also be a 40cm tall version to follow, limited to only 250 pieces. http://pickrset.com/bands/blink182/ 

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Aspiring Comic Creator Jake Tinsley, 14, Seeks Justice for Unsolved Murder in His Latest Book

  ComicsAlliance.com reports: Fictional murders and detective stories have become increasingly popular in comic books, yet at least one new comic is addressing a very real unsolved murder. In the upcoming comic "Amber Hagerman Deserves Justice," 14-year-old Jake Tinsley writes about a murder that captured the attention of the nation and spurred the creation of a new program to rescue abducted children.

Although the kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Amber Hagerman in 1996 lead to the creation of the national Amber alert system for abducted children, her murderer was never caught. When Tinsley recently learned that the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute was reexamining Hagerman's murder, he decided to bring attention back to the unsolved crime by featuring it in a self-published comic.

"Amber Hagerman Deserves Justice," which comes out in October from Tinsley's own Wham Bang press, revisits the details of Amber's disappearance in a superhero comic featuring Tinsley's superhero Night Owl (not to be confused with the Nite Owl of "Watchmen" fame), a defender of justice devoted to protecting children.

Like most comics today, however, Tinsley's book is not intended specifically for children, but rather to inform a broader audience about the crime. Even Sheryl McCollum, the Executive Director of the Cold Case Investigate Research Institute, has hopes that it may spark new leads in the case, telling NBC that "a number of people are going to pick that up and go, 'Oh yeah, what did happen to her?' We're going to start this conversation that's not going on right now. Somebody knows something."

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Strawberry Alarm Clock Vet & Dave Navarro Join Smashing Pumpkins  MTV News reports: Billy Corgan announced on the Smashing Pumpkins' official website yesterday that he has officially hired a new drummer, and today he reveals more news regarding the band's immediate future. It looks like Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro will be heading out on tour with the Pumpkins at the end of this month, along with Mark Weitz of '60s psychedelic rock band from San Diego, the Strawberry Alarm Clock.

In an official statement Corgan released on the band's site, he shares the details. "Some exciting news to add as well, as Dave Navarro and Mark Weitz have joined the tour. Dave sadly can't play San Diego with us, so hopefully we can find an Ace up our sleeve somewhere to fill in. It's gonna be crowded onstage, that's for sure with Mike and Kerry on drums, Mark on bass, Dave and I on guitar, and Mark #2 on keys. Whoa..." Corgan wrote.

Navarro began expressing his enthusiasm for the Pumpkins' song "Superchrist" via Twitter, tweeting that it is "awesome on so many levels." That message clearly stuck with Corgan, who has invited Navarro out on the road for a set of intimate club dates, taking place at the end of August in Southern California.

Could this meeting of two alt-rock icons usher in a full-on early '90s nostalgia trip? We'll have to wait and see. One thing is for sure: Corgan seems to have a lot of tricks up his sleeve. It will be interesting to see what's next for this musical three-ring circus — and whether or not those two famously cantankerous performers can actually share the same stage.

(Sleeve design for a single for local punk rockers The Bugs)

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 SWOLLEN MONKEYS DO NYC

(well, they did in 1981)

Tony Villodas aka Tony Mindcontrole emails to say “I have  released  Jeb Tone records production of Swollen Monkeys Live at Hurrahs ‘81 on YouTube.”

 YouTube - Swollen Monkeys Live at Hurrah - "I Can't Come"

“It's our 30th anniversary and it's rumored of a possible Swollen Monkeys regrouping. If so, I would like Nelson Bragg (of Brian Wilson, Big Noise) and Hal Wilner in it. If Hal, Ralph Carney (of Swollen Monkeys, Tom Waits, B52s, etc) and/or an other Swollen Monkey(s) join, I will match 50% of the travel expenses. Then, I m willing to put up for  a studio CD as well as a live DVD.”

 

Okay, former Monkeys, the (swollen)ball’s in your court ----

 

Mindcontrole also recently discovered the music of kindred forebearer, Larry “Wild Man" Fischer, one-time Frank Zappa protégé and a former San Diego street figure. “Just found Larry Fischer's MySpace" and Zappa radio, nice. Larry's songs  are the best mood elevators one could buy for a dime. I wish him well.”

 

Mindcontrole cites Zappa himself as one of his main influences - he says he got to know Zappa through his "mentor," former Zappa sideman Jimmy Carl Black.

"Jimmy couldn't even use his own name for a while, due to litigation with Frank over the Mothers of Invention characters. Frank and I didn't get along at all.... One day, before the recording of Zappa's Bongo Fury LP with Captain Beefheart -- around '75, '76 -- I sparked up a doob as Frank and his band rehearsed, and he stopped the song mid-tune, spun around, aimed his guitar at me, and snarled. I love his music, but it sure was hate at first sight with me and him. He hated pot and I hate cigarettes."

Related links

• Blurt "Fright Noise"
• Blurt "Inspired By Frank"
• Celeb Interviews - Wild Man Fischer

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CATTLE DECAPITATION LOSES A MEMBER

Metal Blade reports: An update from Cattle Decapitation front man, Travis Ryan: "It is time to announce a few things that have been going on in the Cattle Decapitation camp. First off, we have officially parted ways with bassist Troy Oftedal due to musical and personal differences. There is no bad blood and we wish him the best of luck. Filling in on upcoming tours will be our friend Rahsaan Davis. You may have seen him on our recent tour as Troy left tour early due to a physical ailment."

  Cattle Decapitation has been keeping busy throughout 2009 supporting what has been unanimously declared by press and fans as their best record, The Harvest Floor. This fall will be no exception. San Diego's finest death/grind torch bearers have just confirmed an October tour with legendary metal acts, Soulfly and Prong.

 Travis Ryan comments, "We'll be hitting the road in late September with Soulfly, Prong and Mutiny Within for a US tour! Starting in our neck of the woods, the tour will lead us across the country, along the east coast and back home. We have a handful of dates already and there are more on the way! We here at Cattle Decapitation are all about diversity. So when we were asked to do the Soulfly/Prong tour we said "why not!?" I for one am very excited to see Prong. I've never seen them live and when I was in 7th and 8th grade they were one of my favorite bands! True, a very interesting lineup, but that's awesome as our last couple albums have proved we definitely like to switch things up to keep things interesting. - more on this story

The Harvest Floor also contains an enhanced portion which sports an iPod-ready documentary titled “Pandemic: The Damnation Epic - The Making of The Harvest Floor,” which pretty much makes the new production an apocalyptic multimedia epic.

 

The song "A Body Farm" is available for streaming here: http://www.myspace.com/cattledecapitation

The new CD features guest vocal appearances by Ross Sewage (Impaled) and Dino Sommese (Dystopia). There is also a special appearance by Jarboe of Swans, lending her haunting voice to the death-dirge title track. Jackie Perez Gratz (Amber Asylum) graces a couple tracks with her electric cello.

 Related links

• MySpace page
• Blurt "Beating Meat"
• Blurt "According to Travis"
• HELLO SATAN: DARK METAL IN SAN DIEGO,
• "Cattle Decapitation Brand Veggie Burgers" 

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TOM WAITS IS THE DEVIL

The final installment in Heath Ledger's career, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, won't make it to U.S. theatres until Christmas, but you can score a peek at the trailer for director Terry Gilliam's hotly-anticipated film here. The film also stars Tom Waits who plays the Devil.

 

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SAN DIEGANS ON SWEDISH POP COMP

Sweden's, Wall of Noise Records, has just released Souvenirs - Little Gems of Pop - a compilation featuring 21 Rickenbacker packed power pop and jangle tracks, taken from rare vinyl.

"After the success with the three volumes of "Home Runs", we´re back with another powerpop compilation in pretty much the same style, "Souvenirs - Little Gems of Pop." It´s great North American pop from 1975-95."

Two San Diego artists, circa the mid eighties, appear on the album. Just in time for The Zeros to recieve thier Lifetime Achievement Award on Sept. 10, bassist Hector Penalosa has two tracks included, one with Flying Color; "Through Different Eyes" and a solo song, "Hurt So Bad." Also included is Manual Scan with "She Said It's Late."

www.soundasleeprecords.com

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MAXAPALOOZA COMING TO TOWN SEPTEMBER 26

First annual fundraiser to raise money for treating those with Neuroblastoma, an overlooked cancer which claims the life of one child every 16 hours.

What if in the span of a few hours you could be front row, dancing to the music of The English Beat; learning how to skateboard from actual pros fresh from competing at the X Games; sitting inside a real World War II fighter airplane; and also cruising in a classic hotrod? Oh, and meeting, Darth Vader, Clone Troopers and Chewbacca from Star Wars, too.

 

Not only will we be celebrating Max's life and everything that made him so special, including his love of LEGO, but we'll also be partnering with our friends within the wider business community of Carlsbad and helping to raise awareness and funding for this hugely important area of pediatric cancer research.

Well, get your calendar out now. That's because the first annual Maxapalooza is going to rock your night away on Saturday, Sept. 26 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event will be hosted within Premier Jet's private aviation compound at McClellan-Palomar Airport, 2100 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad.

The proceeds from Maxapalooza will go to finding more effective, less toxic therapies for kids with advanced Neuroblastoma, an overlooked pediatric cancer that forms in the nerve tissue in infancy or, in some cases, even before birth. It is the most common solid tumor cancer affecting children today and has the lowest survival rates, and currently, no cure. Almost 50 percent of cases occur in children younger than two years old.

Maxapalooza is inspired by Max Mikulak, a courageous inspiration who was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma at the age of three. Max passed away in late August 2008 at the age of seven after battling hard against the disease for four years. He was known to those who knew and loved him as always "living life to the Max."

"As any parent of a child who has died at an early age will tell you, there is a desire to create a legacy from the tragedy that took their child from them. With Maxapalooza, the legacy we are creating is part celebrating childhood, and part funding the research that will help to make sure that in the future, parents do not have to lose a child like we have to a common yet overlooked disease," said Max's father, Andy, who along with his wife, Melissa, founded Max's Ring of Fire, a non-profit organization, to raise money to treat Neuroblastoma.

Funds raised as a result of the event will directly support the research of Giselle Sholler, M.D., at the Vermont Cancer Center, who is a pediatric oncology specialist dedicated to finding treatment alternatives for Neuroblastoma and Medulloblastoma which claim the lives of one child every 16 hours.

Scheduled "look, touch, and ride" activities will include:

• Live musical performances to include a headline appearance by The English Beat; local San Diego bands to include A Dull Science, Jason Lee & The R.I.P. Tides, Modern Rifles, Critical Me, and Bayou Brothers
• Special skateboarding demonstrations by Grind for Life founder Mike Rodgers and other world-class professionals such as Bucky Lasek, Cara Beth Burnside, Mimi Knoop, Paul Luc Ronchetti, and Jean Postec
• Be at the helm of one of the vintage World War II aircraft on display to include P-51 Mustangs, a Stearman Biplane, and B-25 Mitchell Bomber
• Hop in and take a spin around the perimeter of the event in one or more of the cool low-riders and classic hotrods on display courtesy of Los Peligrosos Car Club
• Get close to Darth Vader, Storm Troopers and Chewbacca as The San Diego Star Wars Society will be on hand to capture guests in up close and personal unique photo opportunities

Silent and live auctions items to include:

• A "one-of-a-kind" Lego Masterpiece courtesy of LEGOLAND® California Resort
• A special evening of relaxation for 10 at Casa Blanca Salon & Spa in Fairbanks Ranch
• One full year of free, no-time-limit, parking anywhere in Del Mar
• Wii suite of games from EA

"We at LEGOLAND California are honored and thrilled to be supporting this very special event," said Peter Ronchetti General Manager of LEGOLAND California Resort. "Not only will we be celebrating Max's life and everything that made him so special, including his love of LEGO, but we'll also be partnering with our friends within the wider business community of Carlsbad and helping to raise awareness and funding for this hugely important area of pediatric cancer research."
For a complete list of the auction items available at the event, please visit Maxapalooza.com.

Maxapalooza tickets are $250 and include VIP admission to all activities, special cocktails and hors d'oeuvres along with special brews provided by Stone Brewery. To purchase tickets and/or make a donation to support the fight against Neuroblastoma, visit Maxapalooza.com. Maxapalooza is a 21 and up adult only event.

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Win Travis Barker's Vintage Caddy

Antimusic reports: Blink-182 tour Sponsor State Farm announces the launch of their exclusive and one of a kind promotion that will enable a lucky fan to drive away in a 1966 vintage Cadillac Coupe DeVille previously owned and customized by drummer Travis Barker.

Now through September 21, fans can participate by visiting http://www.theretown.com/Blink182 to register for the sweepstakes or visit the on-site State Farm booth at any of the Blink-182 concerts and complete an Official Entry Form (while supplies last). The winner will be announced on September 22, 2009, and will receive an all expenses paid trip for two to see Blink-182 perform in Charlotte, NC on October 1, 2009, along with a cherry red 1966 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, valued at over $80,000 US dollars. For prizing details please visit www.theretown.com/Blink182.

Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has allowed State Farm to give fans this unique opportunity to win a car that holds significant value to him. "As much as I enjoy giving it to you, I'm really going to miss it," B arker said. - more on this story

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THE DAY BIG JAY McNEELY GOT ARRESTED IN SAN DIEGO FOR PLAYING SAX IN THE STREET

Jazz sax symbol Big Jay McNeely shares this tale in the new issue of All About Jazz - after being asked about his wildman stage theatrics, he says "It felt incredible. One time it got out of control, and I got locked up."

AAJ: Where?
Big Jay: In San Diego [circa mid-'50s]. I didn't have a wireless microphone for my sax. So I walked up the aisle playing but then kept going straight out the door onto the sidewalk with everyone following me. I was outside the club blowing my horn the way I was inside. A cop saw this and called the station house. More cops came and arrested me. They had some law that said you couldn't play outside like that.

AAJ: Was your exit something new?
Big Jay: Nah. I had done that at Birdland in Seattle and the Band Box. But it wasn't allowed in San Diego. The funny thing was the band inside on the stage was waiting for me to come back into the club. But I was in jail. So someone in the band came running down and bailed me out so I could finish the set [laughs]. The kids went nuts.

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=40261

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MOWER VIDEOTAPES BACKSTAGE PARTIES (DON'T WORRY, SCOTT STAPP AND KID ROCK WEREN'T THERE)

(www.antimusic.com reports) Mower have taken the insanity of their backstage antics and captured it on film for their new video "The Party", which can be seen online.

The video features two elements that are synonymous with the band; wild women and outrageous parties. "The Party" is the lead track on Mower's new album Make It a Double, which hit stores on July 28th through Suburban Noize.

"The video shoot for 'The Party' was the most fun out of all our videos. We had one night to call a bunch of girls and invite them to the shoot. We bought as much booze as we could, threw a party and filmed it. No script, no acting, just a bunch of people getting drunk, singing and listening to the same song 100 times and we had a blast," says Mower frontman Brian Sheerin. "It's a whiskey drinkin', Jager shooting rock n' roll song about the good times we've had partying up the coast in Los Angele, and a great way to kick off our new album Make It A Double."

Mower's Make It A Double is the group's third studio album for Suburban Noize Records and features guest appearances by Rob Caggiano (Anthrax), Mikey Doling (Snot), Roy Mayorga (Stone Sour) and Fernando Apodaca (Mad Juana). The effort was recorded in Los Angeles, CA with producer Eddie Wohl (Anthrax, 36 Crazyfists) and includes nine new Mower tracks that harness the band's explosive live energy and six songs by Mower's jazz lounge alter-ego, Slower, that experiment with creepy riffs and hazy, mellow tones. The album is available for pre-order at www.SubNoizeStore.com and comes with a limited edition autographed.

The party video can be see at www.MySpace.com/Mower ---

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THE ROCKETEER AND OTHER FAMOUS '80S COMICS BEGAN RIGHT HERE IN SAN DIEGO - Here's a detailed history of local Pacific Comics, who recruited comic superstars like Jack Kirby to create one of the first successful indie comic book lines. Pioneers in the fight for comic creators' rights and royalties, former employees and operators reveal how they did it, and what went so terribly wrong...

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/08/pacific-comics-the-inside-story-jay-allen-sanford

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THE KOMPLETE KISS KOMIX KRONICLES - Comprehensive collection of stuff I’ve done about working with Kiss on a comic book series in San Diego, along with a bunch of never-before-seen artifacts from the Kiss Komix archives AND an article by Kiss comic author Spike Steffenhagen, offering his own very-different take, ala Rashomon, on the same events I describe in my essay...

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/12/komplete-kiss-komix-kronicles

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ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS: THE INSIDE STORY - In 1989, San Diego's Revolutionary Comics ("Unauthorized And Proud Of It") launched Rock 'N' Roll Comics, featuring unlicensed biographies of rock stars, most of which I wrote. Some performers, like Frank Zappa and Kiss, were supportive, while others like New Kids On The Block considered our comics akin to bootlegs and sued. In June 1992, publisher Todd Loren was found dead in his San Diego condo, brutally murdered...

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/12/rock-n-roll-comics-the-inside-story

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NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK VS REVOLUTIONARY COMICS - The inside story of how a hugely successful boy band tried to sue local-based Rock 'N' Roll Comics over an unauthorized biography of the group, sparking a court case that established, for the very first time, first amendment rights for comic books. Illustrated by comic superstar Stuart Immonen (Superman, etc.)...

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/13/new-kids-on-the-block-versus-revolutionary-comics

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OVER A MILLION CARNAL COMICS ARE IN PRINT - Here's how and why we made some of the top-selling erotic comics of all time, right here in San Diego, including what Gene Simmons has to do with it all, backstage tales of porn stars, and more confessions of a comic pornographer...

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/08/carnal-comics-the-inside-story-jay-allen-sanfor

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COMICS AND CENSORSHIP - DON'T BE AFRAID, IT'S ONLY A COMIC BOOK - A local-centric history of comic book censorship, and the fight for the rights of comic creators...

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/06/comics-and-censorship-a-local-centric-illustrated

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TWILIGHT ZONE AND STAR TREK WRITER GEORGE CLAYTON JOHNSON PRESENTS - The inside story of a local horror comic book series featuring Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, plus sci-fi king Larry Niven, Zap Comix co-founder Spain Rodriguez, Matthew Alice artist Rick Geary, Vampire Lestat painter Daerick Gross, yours truly JAS, and many more...

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/05/deepest-dimension-terror-anthology-twilight-zone

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THE BIRTH OF IMAGE COMICS: INSIDE STORY OF A LOCAL PUBLISHING POWERHOUSE - Illustrated tale revealing how Spawn creator Todd McFarlane and local comic artist Jim Lee (the Punisher, etc.) conspired to create the ultimate creator-owned comic books...

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/03/the-birth-of-image-comics-an-illustrated-history

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 Down the Slippery Slope - Arrested For the Crime of Viewing Manga

On March 30, 2004, when Dwight Whorley found the Japanese website of Fractal Underground Studio via Yahoo and clicked on a couple of the thumbnail images... ( http://comipress.com/special/miscellaneous/down-the-slippery-slope-the-crime-of-viewing-manga )

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"Before It Was The Gaslamp: Balboa's Last Stand" - Cover story 6-21-07: In the late 70s/early 80s, I worked at downtown San Diego's grindhouse all-night movie theaters, for the owner of the Pussycat Theatre chain, Vince Miranda - this detailed feature recalls those dayz, the death of the Balboa Theatre, etc.

More Before It Was the Gaslamp

 

"Battle Of The Peeps" - feature article about a weird gig I had in the mid-'80s, running a strip club called Jolar, for the nation's second biggest pornographer, Harry Mohney (Deja Vu Showgirls founder).

More Battle of the Peeps - An Insider History of San Diego Porn Shops

"Field Of Screens" - Cover story 7-6-06: Complete theater-by-theater history of San Diego drive-ins thru the years, including a few which screened X-rated fare for awhile.

More Drive-In Theaters in San Diego: Complete Illustrated History 1947 thru 2008

  

"Pussycat Theaters - When 'Cathouses Ruled California" -- for the first time, the detailed inside story of the west coast Pussycat Theater chain of adult moviehouses, which peaked in the '70s but later died out. Told by those who actually ran the theaters!

More Pussycat Theater History: When Cathouses Ruled CA

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Today's Top MP3 Downloads

• Bill Travis - 4 Hands
• (760) - (760)
• Causing Problems - A Box, and in it Your Picture
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Like this blog? Here are some related links:

OVERHEARD IN SAN DIEGO - Several years' worth of this comic strip, which debuted in the Reader in 1996: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/overheard-san-diego/

FAMOUS FORMER NEIGHBORS - Over 100 comic strips online, with mini-bios of famous San Diegans: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/famous-former-neighbors/

SAN DIEGO READER MUSIC MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/sandiegoreadermusic

JAY ALLEN SANFORD MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/jayallensanford