Grammatical B No Longer a 1-Man Band
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/apr/07/22407/ Comedic rapper Grammatical B is now backed by a DJ crew: Grand Marceny, Hype Woman Extraordinaire, and newest addition DJ Dub Baloney. Grammatical B is the alter ego of Ben Johnson, longtime Casbah bartender and member of Hostile Combover, …
San Diego Record Show April 21 - plus The Day I Sold My Albums to Off the Record
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/apr/07/22405/ The San Diego Record Show is only two weeks away, set for Saturday, April 21: it's either time to unload or stock up on vinyl, all 'pending just what stage of wax addiction you're currently suffering from! @ THE …
P.O.D.'s Murdered Love: 1st Studio Album in 4 Years
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/apr/05/22271/ P.O.D.'s first studio album in four years, Murdered Love, is set for release this summer, with a preview track called “Eyez” (featuring guest singer Jamey Jasta) now streaming online. Shortly before its release, they’ll play the Rocklahoma music fest …
The Day Elvis Made History in San Diego - 56 Years Ago Today
Research into Elvis Presley’s first-ever California concerts, over the first week of April 1956, has yielded new material about the San Diego dates, including unpublished photos of the rock icon backstage at the long-gone San Diego Arena at Eighth and …
DJ Jim McInnes Recovering from Tumor Surgery
"I will be laid up until June following surgery on March 27th to remove a substantial tumor from the space between my eyes and my brain, which had already caused me to lose most of my sense of smell," legendary …
Gimme DeCath - Wayne Riker's All-Star Local Guitar Decathlon
“All of these players I’ve either heard of over the years, or I’ve played with, and they’re all guitarists that have a high musical IQ,” says Wayne Riker, whose new full-length Guitar Decathlon features ten tracks, ten styles of music, …
Backstage Rider: He Removes the Brown M&Ms - 50 Rockstar Contracts
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/mar/28/21736/ Brian Lewis didn’t hire the entertainment while serving as venue manager for Humphrey’s bar and concert showcase on Shelter Island. However, he feels the experience he gained there prepared him for booking and marketing jobs at several pivotal San …
Ratt Loses Another Member - Is This Band Even Still "Together"?
Ratt bassist Robbie Crane chose his Facebook page to announce his departure from the band, after spending around 15 years as part of its epically fluid lineup. "Hey all, Just thought I would let you know that as of a …
Beatles vs. Stones April 4 @ Anthology
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/mar/24/21520/ For decades, the battle has raged: Beatles or Stones? Through their heyday, fans accused London’s Rolling Stones of stealing ideas -- even entire albums – from their Liverpool counterparts. At the same time, the Beatles secretly envied the Stones’ …
Confessions of a Local Concert Bootlegger
CONFESSIONS OF A LOCAL CONCERT BOOTLEGGER http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/mar/24/21508/ “I was probably responsible for starting up more record labels than David Geffin, Berry Gordy, and Suge Knight combined!” At first, Tracey thought I was an FBI agent. I’d been bidding on his …
Walking Dead Season 2: More To Hate, Enough To Love?
Back when I essayed at length on my problems with season one of this downbeat drama that so many people love to hate and hate to love ("Does the Walking Dead Stink, Or ???"), my POV landed pretty firmly on …
Dark Shadows 1970 - 2012: Reboots Don't HAVE To Suck, Mr. Burton!
The trailer for the upcoming Johnny Depp/Tim Burton reboot of the '60s/'70s gothic soap opera Dark Shadows is finally out (see Matthew Lickona's Big Screen blog post today for a look-see). I don't know WHAT to make of the trailer: …
Local's "Mac and Cheese" Makes Int'l Competition Finals
A song called “Mac and Cheese” by North County musician David Rees ( FreeMartin ) has been announced as a finalist in the 2011 International Songwriting Competition, in the children’s music category. "The song is kind of Randy Newman meets …
Incomplete Neighbor, "And Then There Were 3"
The new five-song EP from Incomplete Neighbor, Flowers and Dinosaurs, dropped March 15, featuring their current lineup as a trio. Currently based in Chula Vista and University Heights and about to go on a northwest tour, they decided to release …
Jason Mraz's Favorite This 'N' Thats
Ever wonder what Jason Mraz's favorite yoga school is? Jivamukti Yoga School in New York City. His pick for weekend breakfasts and Yerba Mate lattes? That'd be Jitter’s Coffee Shop, right here in San Diego. What about best place in …
John Reis Brings Swami Sound System to Slacker Radio
Swami Sound System, which debuted March 7, is a new Slacker station featuring obscure tracks and monologues from former Rocket From the Crypt frontman John Reis. "I am charged by this opportunity to unchain neglected and primitive hits and unleash …
The Day Led Zep Played San Diego: March 10, 1975
3-10-75 – On tour behind their Physical Graffiti album, the mighty Zep played a 14-song set at the San Diego Sports Arena, with no opening band. Doors for the sold-out concert opened at 3:00 p.m., and seating was unreserved, with …
"Better Than You'd Think" - Old Porn Movie Soundtracks
I recently watched an old video from Jim Holiday's Only the Best documentary series, chronicling the bios of various stars from the "golden age of erotica," which I haven't seen in some 15 years. It was striking how GREAT some …
Local Legends Profile: DJ Jim McInnes, Homegrown Hero
When Jim McInnes was fired by Clear Channel/101.5 KGB FM in 2002, after 28 years with the station, he had spent most of disc jockey career ["And over half my life!"] at KGB. JM in the PM on the FM. …
Itai Faierman Says Goodbye Mashtis, Hello New Mu
“Just wanted to let you know the Mashtis are no longer together,” Itai Faierman tells the Reader. “I have a new psych-rock project in the vein of late-era Syd Barrett. We start recording our first EP at the end of …