“I once watched Norton play a blazing version of ‘Turkey in the Straw’ at a party on a piece-of-shit toy harmonica that was about one inch long,” says local musician Greg Douglass of Norton Buffalo, …

“We filed a claim today against the city [of San Marcos] on nine different counts,” says Matt Hall, operator of the Jumping Turtle since February 2003. The lawsuit alleges harassment, intentional and negligent infliction of …

“Nobody is safe from getting something snuck into a drink,” according to Syndicate bassist Tim Nelson, who says someone surreptitiously slipped band vocalist Chase Shelton a “roofie” before a Ken Club gig. “Chase and I …

Family Wagon have a new EP they’ll be playing and selling October 31 at Side Bar’s Acoustic Halloween show, while the Robin Henkel Band is bringing in a horn section for the release of Steel …

Said ya can’t dis the homie for free/ If anyone’s gonna talk shit, it’s gonna be me “Somebody suggested that the song might not be such a good idea because I might burn a bridge,” …

“Imagine the Spice Girls singing Beatles songs,” says bassist Nam Chi Vu of the Penny Lanes, an all-female Fab Four tribute that also includes singer-guitarist Vanja James. “I based the name after the Beatles song, …

“There seems to be a lot of folks around town who believe Superunloader is a Led Zeppelin tribute,” says band manager Jason “Yogi” Peretson. “Although they’ve been known to do a show or two of …

“So far, Deicide is the only show I haven’t been able to move up here,” says Joe Troutman, who last week walked away from his four-year job booking the Jumping Turtle in San Marcos to …

Most tracks on the Best of Daygo City hip-hop compilation are exclusive to the project, a likely factor behind Jake Records picking it up for distribution through retailers, iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby. Among its …

“I played a song in my after-school dance class, a job that I had for five years [and] this song mentioned the name ‘Christ,’ ” says former Lemon Grove arts teacher Kathy Villalobos. “This name…seemed …

Before Barry Manilow plays the Sports Arena on Sunday, October 18, “Barry’s fan club shows up at 11 a.m. to decorate his dressing room.” Security must be manning hallway doors by 3 p.m. because “Barry …

“I moved to Paris to pursue my own music as a composer,” says San Diego singer-guitarist Nick Norton (a Park Tradition, Honest Iago), who last year was awarded a scholarship by the European American Musical …

Electro-dance-punky quartet the Attack!! was founded in 2008 by singer-guitarist Ivan Tamayo (Kiss Me Katelynn, Suspect Jones) and drummer Bryan Famous (London Ghost Show). After playing their first gig at L.A.’s Viper Room, they were …

“We’re not an Apple licensee, so we have to be careful how we market them,” says Digital Group Audio president Erik Groset, creator of the portable Livespeakr system, designed (but not licensed) for iPhones and …

Formed in 2003, Roxy Monoxide launch their album Another Day, Another Episode on Friday, October 9, with a release party at Tio Leo’s in Linda Vista. “We’ll definitely be throwing a few surprises in there …

Thirty-nine years ago this week, on October 4, 1970, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention played the Peterson Gym at SDSU. The newly formed Mothers featured former Turtles singers Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan, …

Honest Iago’s album-release party for Straight on ’Til Morning happens Thursday, September 24, at Dream Street. “People can expect a lot of instrument switching with horns and electronics and such,” says singer-guitarist Nick Norton, who …

“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 …

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,” …

“I don’t feel I should have been nominated for the award,” says Jimmy Powers of his Best Hip-Hop nomination by tonight’s San Diego Music Awards at Viejas. “I’ve only released a limited-press EP.… I think …

Before Kansas plays Valley View Casino on Saturday, September 12, they need an “articulate female volunteer for merchandise sales” who must be “available one hour prior to doors opening and to remain one hour after …

“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, producer …

“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 …

“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 …

Rachael Gordon’s sound, style, and her very life play like something out of the late ’70s. Musically, she says, “I’m into all sorts of things. There’s some garage rock, some power pop, and some folk. …

F.u.z.z. will have their Tentacle CD-release party at the Ruby Room on Saturday, August 29. “Expect Tim Felton [Genius of Soul] to be sitting in on keys,” says the band, “plus some projected visuals, and …

“After seven and a half years hosting Lestat’s open mike,” says MC Isaac Cheong, “I stepped down so I could take an opportunity to work in Sydney, Australia.” Performers who cut their teeth at Lestat’s …

As San Diego’s Nathan Williams of Wavves recovers from breaking his wrist in a skateboarding accident, another local, who says skateboarding nearly killed him, is vying for an opening slot on the local Warped Tour …

“I wrote a song that became a children’s book,” says New Archaic singer-violinist Alicia Previn, who will perform “The Earthworm Song” at an August 9 release party for The Earthworm Book at Escondido’s Stone Brewery. …

“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 …

Rise of the Speedmen began as Gene Padigos’s one-man stage show, featuring electronic prerecorded music accompanied live by various instruments, from guitar to synth, bass, and drums. “I got most of my gear with insurance …

When Badfinger appears at Humphrey’s HippieFest on Sunday, August 2, the band (discovered and launched by the Beatles in the late ’60s) will be fronted by the sole surviving member from its glory days, singer-guitarist …

Scott Wilson’s video for his song “Too Tired” matches the tune with an animated film by Takeuchi Taijin, Stop Motion with Wolf and Pig. The video, uploaded to YouTube in April, uses 1300 sequentially shot …

“I placed fourth at Pechanga’s Ultimate Elvis Tribute contest,” says Oceanside impersonator James Kruk, “but then I rallied and won first place at the [Del Mar] Fair, beating the second- and third-place contestants from Pechanga. …

“Most indie artists don’t even make the chart,” says Blame One, whose self-released Days Chasing Days charted at number 39 on iTunes’ Best-Selling Hip-Hop Albums in early April. At the time, nobody seemed more surprised …

X1FM, the local digital broadband radio station also known for its Open Door Concert series, has purchased defunct Long Beach nightclub the Vault 350, due to reopen in January 2010. In partnership with local Medina …

The late Michael Jackson had several San Diego connections, aside from performing and recording with once-local bassist Nathan East. The official Michael Jackson Moonwalker 3D comic book, based on a long-form 1988 video, was published …

Since 1967, guitarist Wayne 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 …

Gayle Skidmore was 11 when she confiscated her father’s 12-string guitar and taught herself to play. By the time the San Diego homegirl moved to England to study at Oxford University, she was experimenting with …

“We got a cease-and-desist letter over the title of our album The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Morality,” says Aaron Spaulding of a Conscious Few. “The CD came out last October, and we just got the …

“I was stationed in London, England, for eight years and played in a band over there called Fuse,” says Navy retiree Lando Martinez, aka Fat Lando, front man for Hocus. “I was the token Yank …

The debut album from headbangers Wolves of Eden features guest guitarist Anthony LoCoco of Deeper Purple, “a longtime friend and mentor and the best damn shredder in San Diego,” according to guitarist Jason Getzel. Rough …

“I guess I’ve always been an outsider,” says multiinstrumentalist-songwriter Jon Ji. “The hippies called me a punk, the punkers called me a hippie, the Confederates a rebel…and the girls an angel, the devil, and a …

Phil Bellante comes from a long line of politically aware, socially relevant, musically adroit, and vocally unpredictable singer-songwriters like Neil Young, Harry Nilsson, Perry Farrell, Bruce Springsteen, and their deep-thought freeworld-rockin’ brethren. Think Edwin McCain …

“I’ve always considered my career in the defense industry to be my plan A,” says rapper Jimmy Powers, who by day is an administrative security engineer with a Department of Defense contractor in Torrey Pines. …

“I call it a Sludge Opera because the music is thick and lugubrious,” says one-man band Zsa Zsa Gabor (real name Samuel Lopez) of his elaborate sci-fi stage production The Blind Dead. “The opera part …

“My parents maintained a very musical household,” says singer-trumpeter Tori Roze. “My mom played with Randy Holden, the lead guitarist in Blue Cheer, and she opened for groups like Canned Heat and Three Dog Night. …

“When I did a short tour of New York City a couple of years ago, this guy at Verve Records told me that I’m going to die in obscurity in San Diego,” says Brazilian jazz …

“I was just given the history of the Homegrown brand yesterday by Jeff Berkley,” says Cathryn Beeks, new host of Saturday night’s Homegrown Hour on KPRI 102.1. “He broke out original Homegrown vinyl...I got goosebumps.” …

“San Diego stands poised to rival such musically friendly cities as Austin, Texas,” says Rafter drummer Andy Robillard, who recently took over booking the Ruby Room. “Now if only we could get those archaic cabaret …