"They were picking fights before they even got inside"
August 19, 2018
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Stories by Jay Allen Sanford
"Nazi" attendees ousted from City Heights concert
Lost local bands of the 60s/70s - The Brain Police
Self-titled album recorded in La Mesa in 1968 sat on a shelf for over 30 years
August 17, 2018
Coming soon to a music player near you
The debut record from Jonny Wagon & the Tennessee Sons, Feels Good to Be Alive, mastered by Grammy winner Gavin Lurssen, drops August 17 at the Casbah. Regarding the title, “Suicide took the life of …
August 15, 2018
Lost local bands of the 60s/70s - Tim Dawe & Penrod
Zappa almost turned this theoretical nuclear physicist into a rock star
August 10, 2018
This just in
“The Dabbers are still here, just on mini-hiatus while we make and record new jams as Forest Grove,” says bassist-singer Shelby Gubba-Reiner of her new band with guitarist Zack Wentz (Kill Me Tomorrow) and drummer …
August 9, 2018
Jim McInnes booted via Facebook from Jazz 88.3
"I have just found out that, after 12 years, I have 'retired' from Jazz 88.3."
August 8, 2018
Local record release roundup
Americana band Golden Howl (formerly Golden Hour) premiers their debut EP Mighty Mighty, recorded with Jeff Berkley (Berkley Hart), August 1 at the Music Box, where they’ll be joined by new bassist Jeff Johnson (Veronica …
August 1, 2018
Would Mozart do karaoke?
There are currently around two dozen recurring open mic events around town, including at Navajo Live, Java Joe’s, Midnight Jack’s Echo Room, Capri Blue, Spacebar Café, Pal Joey’s, the Merrow, 1st Street Bar, and Mr. …
July 19, 2018
Naughty antics
Local teen band Ignant Benches is already enjoying some lucky breaks, thanks to the producer of their first professional recordings, Brian Karscig, whose group Louis XIV was once named one of 10 Artists To Watch …
July 11, 2018
July's local record roundup
The Donkeys will play a two-night record release party at the Casbah on July 6 and 7 for their album Sun Damaged Youth, produced by Jason Quever, who worked on their debut full-length and covered …
July 3, 2018
People who like rock, dancing, and fun
“Our last album came out before Youtube was invented,” says Dan Nordheim, guitarist-keyboardist for the Blanks. “We got our start in Michigan, during the garage rock revival of the early-to-mid 2000s, and released a few …
June 27, 2018
Breaking local music news
“The robot and I are heading into the studio next month to start recording a series of themed EPs,” says SDSU English department alumnus Michael Buchmiller, aka Professor B. Miller, the mastermind behind the Satanic …
June 20, 2018
Rapper XXXTentacion killed in Florida
From North Park assault victim to Florida murder victim
June 19, 2018
Record roundup - local releases coming your way
On June 20, music teacher and Guitar Player magazine columnist Wayne Riker drops his Blues Breakout EP, which he describes as “a 25 minute-plus, five track instrumental guitar journey through a compendium of blues tributaries, …
June 7, 2018
My Taylor and Telecaster remain friends
“Before the recent eruption, when the trade winds would die down, the smoke from the volcano would wrap around the island, and eventually make it to Kona,” says one-time O.D. Corral guitarist Dusty Best of …
May 31, 2018
Düüns played for tweakers and random desert people
New band pages are added each week to the Reader's Local Music Database. It now numbers over 4900 entries, each with custom written bios, discographies, a local Video Jukebox, over 1,300 playable MP3s, more than …
May 24, 2018
Jimmy Ovadia's concert art
“Highway 70, Utah, miles from anywhere, Jimmy [Ovadia, performance artist] driving and me taking sleep break, and there goes the back left tire blow,” says tour consultant Chris Warner of the May 7 mishap on …
May 16, 2018
What is the sound of one Monroe clapping?
The Monroes are back - well, one of them, anyway
May 9, 2018
Country music was a bad word
“When we started Rank and File, nobody was blending country with anything remotely hip or alternative,” according to Chip Kinman, who says the band he formed with his brother Tony after their punk group the …
May 9, 2018
Record roundup
Panama 66 in Balboa Park will host the release party for jazz pianist Danny Green’s fifth studio album, One Day It Will, which includes contributions from both his jazz trio and a string ensemble. To …
May 3, 2018
Happy Ron Hill's raspy voice
“I’ve been playing this song for years, literally a thousand times, and it’s probably the second most popular of all my songs,” says acoustic troubadour Happy Ron Hill of his new studio recording and video …
April 26, 2018
Meet the Exbats
“The moment we heard them, we loved them,” says Jaye MacAskill, one half of local comedic rock duo Pony Death Ride, of why she and her husband Joe arranged to bring Arizona's the Exbats to …
April 19, 2018
Memorable brushes with fame
We asked several locals to share their most memorable brushes with fame. Dave Gladish (Ristband): “I once met Rickey Medlocke of Blackfoot and Skynyrd in the Fort Myers airport. I told him I was playing …
April 12, 2018
N-E-1 , anyone?
“We were good, and we joined lots of people having fun in SoCal back in the early ‘80s,” says sax player Eddie Croft of vintage new wave-ska rockers N-E-1. “There was a scene that we …
April 5, 2018
Boredom births "Big Booty Butt Cheeks"
“We were the dumbasses who showed up late and missed the presentation of our award,” says Edgar Alminar of electronic hip-hop duo Jumbotron, this year’s San Diego Music Awards winner for Best New Artist. Based …
April 5, 2018
Record Release Roundup: Spice Pistols, Teenage Burritos, more
The release party for Punchcard’s new full-length, Making It Great…Again, takes place Friday, March 30, at Til Two. “The album focuses on the idiocracy of the American public,” says singer-guitarist Chris Vanoli, “allowing Donald Trump …
March 28, 2018
Well Well Well - $6 cover art
“We plan on releasing two EPs this year, with a couple of songs premiering every month until May,” says guitarist Seton Edgerton, one half of folky synthpop duo Well Well Well. The Poptimism EP was …
March 22, 2018
The easiest instrument in the world to play
“Ukulele is the easiest musical instrument in the world to learn and play,” says Ukulele Ray, Fender’s first sponsored ukulele artist. “With a single finger on a single string, one can create a chord, with …
March 15, 2018
Alex scores!
“I’m producing and scoring the music for my first ever indie film short as part of the 60 day San Diego Film Con Challenge,” says multi-instrumentalist Alex Guillen. “It’s a timed competition called True San …
March 9, 2018
Earthless sings of Black Heaven
“Heaven is thought of as this beautiful paradise in the clouds, which may very well be true, but all I see is black,” says Earthless guitarist Isaiah Mitchell of the title to the band’s upcoming …
March 7, 2018
Promises of paralysis and LOUDness
Earthless will return to the first stage they ever played for a two-night release party at the Casbah on March 2 and 3, to launch their Black Heaven album. “Expect a sensory overload,” says guitarist …
February 28, 2018
Dude, the official Zappa band is going to happen
“The image of Frank won’t be onstage the entire time,” says guitarist Mike Keneally of the just-announced Frank Zappa Hologram Tour, featuring Keneally and other former Zappa band members. “The concept as Ahmet [Zappa, Frank’s …
February 21, 2018
“Jungle Love”? Racist? Aw, man...
“Jim Cooper appears to be a nasty sexist pig who, if what his accusers are saying about him is true, should be driven out of office on the next livestock car,” says onetime Steve Miller …
January 31, 2018
Imagery Machine recasts
“We’re going to be releasing a new song every month in 2018,” says Imagery Machine singer Jennie Lynn. “We call the project the Monthly Machine…. The band came to the conclusion that trying to put …
January 24, 2018
It's good to be King Taylor Project
“The band started as something Josh and I joked about when we got engaged, that we were starting a ‘King Taylor project’ together,” says singer Sandi King of her collaboration with singer/guitarist Joshua Taylor. The …
January 17, 2018
Brazilian imports by the Salton Sea
“We’re three foreigners playing punk-rock music in America,” says Fernando Nepo of O.B. trio Sameland, who all grew up in São Paulo, Brazil. “Back in 2010, I had just finished college and I wanted to …
January 10, 2018
Violinistic rock
“I moved to San Diego from Philadelphia, and nothing really changed for me besides the weather,” says classically trained violinist Alex DePue. “I spilled out of the airplane with a suitcase and a fiddle and …
December 20, 2017
Stalking Pete Best
“We were shooting a documentary about the Beatles and [original drummer] Pete Best’s first journey to Hamburg about a year and a half ago,” says Christopher Leyva of how he came to be outside Best’s …
December 13, 2017
Broke San Diego musicians
With paying gigs becoming scarcer, and the economic outlook not too bright, we asked several current and former locals to share their best “I was so broke...” stories. Marcia Claire (Coyote Problem): “In 1986, I …
December 6, 2017
Record Roundup, month 12
The new EP from Miramar-based pop-punk rockers Hard to Hit, Better Than I’ve Been, drops on December 1 at Soma. “This is our first show since March, as we had a lineup change, losing both …
November 29, 2017
Unapproved by Country Dick (22 years ago)
“It seems to me, Ocean Beach has long been a place for songwriters to feel creative and free,” says drummer and bandleader Chris Giorgio, whose upcoming album as Jackslacks, Earthling Sessions, includes an ode to …
November 15, 2017