“I’m actually of Syrian descent, which as of now is still on the U.S. list of terror-encouraging countries,” says singer-songwriter Malek Zavaro. “Which is B.S.” The 30-year-old Usher-inspired crooner was in grade school when his …

“We were originally called Kitten’s Pharmacy back in the ’90s,” says singer Kathleen “Kitten” Johnson of Pharmacy, the reunited power-pop band she cofounded with bassist Sean Siever. “Sean had a lot of music history and …

“I say a lot of crazy shit that pisses people off,” says Tha Core front man Crhymes, “so regular radio isn’t gonna play my shit. DagoSD.com goes out totally uncensored to around 60,000 hip-hop peeps …

“Drugs used to do for me what a phone booth did for Superman,” says Gary Lee Ernst, singer and guitarist for Christian rockers In the Midst 777. “I was in and out of jail about …

Euro futurepop duo VNV Nation picks up where New Wave left off, but the VNV approach adds weight and heft to the otherwise limp-wristed dreck that pop radio drowned in back in the ’70s and …

“My music has no boundaries,” says multi-instrumentalist Brian Ellis, whose two solo albums cover all the musical bases, from free jazz to psychedelic, world, and experimental electronic music. “I use computer programming and multitrack recording …

“Frank Sinatra gave me my first singing job, Bob Dylan encouraged me to pursue a recording career, and Buck Owens told me, ‘Cut your damn hair,’ ” says Temecula’s Michael Chain, whose turn at ’60s …

Beatleholic Dave Humphries debuts his fifth album, Hocus Pocus on Joker Lane, at Humphrey’s Backstage on April 10. “The title came to me after my wife met this interesting guy while in her art studio …

“Music tunes people,” says singer Sabira Woolley. “If my music appeals to you, then my tuning is attuned with yours. I write songs that come from my truth, with the intention of bringing listeners into …

“Young Mass is booked at the City of Las Vegas Detention Center for a domestic issue and for giving false info to the police,” says 40oz Chris at Massterpiece Entertainment. The local hip-hop artist — …

“3against1 split in 2008, after playing for seven years,” says guitarist Arnaud Lemaire. “Each member was personally evolving, whether it was a need to make some money, planning for marriage, or bringing a child into …

“The strippers were breaking it down next door and kept us all very entertained when the band wasn’t onstage,” says Caustic Felon guitarist Matt Arbaugh of playing the VIP room of the Pure Platinum strip …

Anti Citizens are Mr. Ridley (rhymes and beats), Bazerkowitz (rhymes), and DJ Artistry (turntablism). Their song “Effortlessly” (featuring Ras Kass and Apathy) was the most-downloaded local MP3 from SDReader.com during February. Ridley provided some background. …

“Many of our tribute acts look like the original artists in their hungry glory years,” says Brent Meyer, co-owner of Music Zirconia, “not the tired, uninspired versions that might have last toured, if the original …

“The bass player and I hooked up on Facebook, and I made a joking comment about how I guess we’ll be getting back together,” says singer Mark Copeland of the long-defunct band Sanctuary. “Well, long …

“Last year we were just four childhood friends, reuniting in our home town of Poway for a jam session,” says Johnny Airplane, singer-guitarist for Monkeys in Space. “We realized we’re all still young — in …

“SDGossipScene is more than understanding when it comes to respecting other’s requests,” says website operator Felicia Canales, “but we find it mind-boggling that photographers, who all supported SDGossipScene, would pull out all at the same …

“Vinnie Udo did not start Diatribe,” says guitarist Julius, who cofounded the influential all-vegetarian, antiwar punk band with bassist Sean in 1984. “[Vinnie] provided vocals for the band for approximately one year.… He was fired …

Twenty-year-old coloratura soprano Alize Rozsnyai has been singing since age two, graduating early from Rancho Bernardo High School in 2006 with an album entitled Sweet Sixteen already under her belt. “I still live in San …

Phone messages posted January 31 on YouTube are alleged to be recordings of promoter-performer Willie Carter Tuckerson, aka Willie Psycho, threatening rival promoter Captain Sid of the San Diego Pyrate Punx. A few excerpts: “If …

“We try to capture the musical variety and spiritual energy of a Dave Matthews concert,” says singer-guitarist Mike Myrdal of his tribute band Stepping Feet. The group has jammed with Matthews associates such as harp …

“760” by Escondido’s hard-rocking hip-hop crew (760) was the most downloaded local MP3 from SDReader.com during January 2010. Bassist Mark Swanger provided some background. The song opens with police and ambulance radio calls. That was …

Flautist Holly Hofmann debuts her new CD Three’s Company with a performance at the Athenaeum Wednesday, February 10. Gregory Page’s release party for Heartstrings happens February 13 at Oasis House Concerts. Angels and Airwaves will …

“This album was supposed to come out last December,” says Lualta singer Michael Roger Hernandez, “but, when we were in the studio fixing up the kinks, we all had different opinions and ideas about how …

Before moving to North County, singer-songwriter Spud Davenport drummed for various L.A. and San Francisco bands, the most successful of which was Toymuzic. After learning how to play both guitar and keyboard, he penned the …

“We haven’t played locally for over six months,” says Kristofer Towne, singer-guitarist for a Scribe Amidst the Lions. “We’ve been busy working on the first in a concept trilogy of releases.” The Last Sting Trilogy …

“The Jumping Turtle is not going out of business,” says owner Matt Hall, despite having lost his most recent appeal to keep the City of San Marcos from revoking his venue’s entertainment permit. “City Hall …

Long-gone locals reuniting to play the Casbah this week include the Dave and Deke Combo (January 22), the Dragons (January 23), and a triple-reunion bill on Saturday, January 30, with new-wave pioneers the Unknowns (1979–1982), …

“On the Loose” by hip-hop duo Clay Pigeons (featuring guest performer Main Flow) was the most-downloaded local MP3 from SDReader.com during December 2009. Songwriter Jimmy Powers provided some background. If you could sum up the …

“I’ve known film director Jeromy Cox for 20 years or so,” says Trophy Wife singer-guitarist Joe MacAskill, “and when he suggested I wear a horse costume for the video [“Move to the Desert”], I pretty …

Alan Silva plays mostly acoustic songs in a variety of styles, from indie to folk to country blues. “I take inspiration from many sources in music, as well as from literary figures,” he says. “Compare …

Founded in 1977, Forecast specializes in what regional radio used to call “lights-out jazz,” a progressive sort of lounge sound almost verging on rock and roll. Mining the same smooth ground as locals Fattburger and …

Acoustic minimalist Drew Andrews, between Via Satellite and Album Leaf projects, debuts a new solo CD at the Casbah on January 13. The dual record-release party includes Boomsnake, plugging their new EP and 7” Re/Visions, …

“After being in the local scene for two years, I’ve seen a lot of people come and go,” says singer-songwriter Kenny Eng, who cites three factors that he feels are most responsible for failing at …

“I used to sell 78s to Robert Crumb,” says Folk Arts Rare Records owner Louis Curtiss of the cartoonist and musician whose Book of Genesis: Illustrated currently tops the New York Times’ hardcover graphic books …

Pathology’s newest singer, Pascual Romero (Strangled by Strangulation), marks the metal band’s third vocalist this year; Mason Gregory left in early ’09, and Matti Way departed in September, coming after the previous defection of singer-guitarist …

“It seems like we don’t fit in with what’s going on in San Diego and everyone hates us,” says John Wayne Gacy Daycare singer Davit Buck. “Maybe it’s our name,” he says, referring to the …

“I was married in Virginia when I was 23, with a career and a business suit, but I gave it all up to play music in Southern California,” says singer-songwriter Megan Combs, who arrived in …

Experimental electric-soul songsmiths Children of Nova came together in summer 2007, featuring members of Atlas of Id and Temperature Delete. After releasing a three-song EP, they bought a van and spent much of 2008 touring …

When Michelle Branch plays the Star 94.1 Jingle Ball at Anthology on Sunday, December 13, the band dressing room requires a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts (“plain glazed only”), a pack of flip-tab tuna in water …

The Ambassador is the stage name of singer-guitarist Stephen Gabriel Lewis. “I adopted the title because of the passion I have for travel abroad,” he says, “and because of something my mother used to say …

“About a year ago, I decided I wanted to form a country band,” says Tim Raldo, best known for his confrontational and scatological stage antics fronting the punk band the Filthy Fuks. “The Ramblin’ Outlaws …

“There were maybe two venues in Harrisonburg for people to play,” says Inside Switch singer-guitarist Peter Hicks, who with bandmate and brother David Hicks (bass) moved the entire band from Virginia to San Diego last …

“In my show, you touch and are touched,” says one-man-band Jeffrey Beringer, aka Mono Mono, whose cheeky act crosses KC and the Sunshine Band with the Jim Rose Circus Sideshow. “The music is electronic and …

Crown City Sessions is the second full-length from the Riders, whose studio posse included Dire Straits producer Guy Fletcher and saxophonist Buddy Leach (George Thorogood and the Destroyers). “It was recorded on a rented mobile …

“I’ve done a lot of wild rock-star interviews,” says Kaos Tom, who hosts The Kaos Nation Show, a live video broadcast program at aiiradio.net. Regarding Metal Mike Saunders of the Angry Samoans, he says, “I …

When Fox TV airs tonight’s episode of its new hit Glee (over two million songs sold online), you may recognize some local ladies in the tough-looking Jane Adams School for Delinquent Girls band, including Emily …

“I am the author of The Source and one of Father Yod’s 14 wives,” announced Isis Aquarian in an email to me last year. She was inquiring about a “Blurt” concerning High Mountain Tempel, whose …

The Nervous Wreckords — founded by former Louis XIV front man Brian Karscig and Anthony Saffery of the U.K. band Cornershop — have just returned from their first U.S. tour opening for the Killers and …

“I play acoustic rock with a twist of country and a dash of the blues,” says Eddie Jason Coven, who arrived in San Diego in 2004 after a two-year stint as a musician-for-hire throughout Northern …