'A really good friend of my family's has been U2's tour business manager for about 20 years, so I got to meet famous people," says Brendan Concannon, drummer for Big Provider. "When I was 12, …

"Not only am I banned from Winstons in Ocean Beach, but recently I've been banned from playing Lestat's," says Clifford M. Jomuad, who -- performing solo as "Clifford" -- sometimes lights himself on fire. "Depending …

"I woke up in the tour van in the middle of a field at about 5:00 a.m. to see a sign that said, 'No trespassing, unexploded mines,' " Revenge Club singer Amy Paddack says. "We …

On a new episode of his Mind of Mencia TV show, comedian Carlos Mencia aired P.O.D.'s first new music video to feature returning guitarist Marcos Curiel. The song is not from their upcoming new album; …

"I found this band in Sardinia, on an island off the coast of Italy," says former Dream Theater singer Charlie Dominici, who for the past four years has been a La Mesa auto-finance accountant. "They …

'I wanted an organized way to document the music I see," says Rosey Bystrak, who chronicles, lists, and discusses all things music and San Diego on her blog, sddialedin.com. "I'm an Internet addict," she says. …

"Jewel lived in her car, so she should know the rules," said Ashton Kutcher, introducing a new Punk'd segment last month. Jewel's boyfriend Ty Murray sets her up by moving an orange parking cone that …

Thirty-eight years ago today, the Jimi Hendrix Experience played one of its final gigs at the Sports Arena. Ticketless fans rushed the doors en masse, resulting in local headlines the next day reading "Police Arrest …

"Two sober gothic couples were followed, harassed, and assaulted in Old Town on a Friday night by a drunken Navy SEAL," according to James Howard, president of the San Diego chapter of Goth Help Us. …

Loss of Control has been accepted to perform for American troops in USO-style tours with the Armed Forces Entertainment Program. "You send an application along with some audio, video, and a list of past gigs," …

"We were illegally carrying this monster 16-mortar firework cube, 'Deep Impact,' for thousands of miles," says Johnny Verruto of the High Rolling Loners. While in North Carolina on a recent cross-country tour, the band received …

"We were treated like terrorists," rapper Nas says of why he cancelled his May 2 date at downtown's House of Blues. "We came to the club, all excited," he told Z90.3 FM last week. "Couldn't …

Sonance Records is suing former Saved by the Bell star Dustin Diamond; the local label has a contract with Diamond's band Salty the Pocketknife. The suit seeks $200,000 and claims Diamond agreed but failed to …

In December of last year, new Web celeb Rex Hermogino won $50,000 and his own Internet show in the Yahoo! Talent Show, an online video contest. Hermogino's homemade pilot landed him among five finalists, and …

Thirty-four years ago today (4/26/73), Elvis Presley appeared at the San Diego Sports Arena. He came to perform in San Diego five times (six, if you count his 4/3/56 set on the aircraft carrier USS …

When Monsters from Mars play their cover of Britney Spears's "Toxic," that spacey-sounding instrument is a theremin, an electronic musical device popularized in the 1951 sci-fi film The Day the Earth Stood Still. "It sure …

TRENDS STUNNA SHADES: "Stunnas" refers to the type of oversized sunglasses that make the Terminator's wraparounds look modest by comparison. Worn 'round the clock, indoors and outdoors, and most especially behind the wheel, where nobody …

Folk Arts Rare Records owner Lou Curtiss was recently awarded $35,128 by the Grammy Foundation Grant Program to preserve 400 tapes of concert performances. "It only covers a fraction of my collection, but it's a …

"I heard the sirens, but I had no idea that she'd just been [allegedly] murdered by her son," says Clay Colgin of Sagebomb and Clownsitterz. His Chula Vista neighbor, EastLake High Assistant Principal Diane Carpenter, …

"All I heard is people complaining all night about how long it takes to get a drink," blogs Casbah bartender and Bunky singer/drummer Emily Joyce of one recent shift. "End of the night, this guy …

"You put ten personalities in one room, especially with more than one girl, and there's going to be some shit," says guitarist/keyboardist Joey Guevara, whose Afro-funk band ¡Society! includes go-go girls, dual percussionists with painted …

"There are legal issues with mash-ups and bootleg remixes because of their unauthorized nature," says DJ Riko, a.k.a. Erik Battenberg, of M*A*S*H*up Unit 619. "When we do a live gig, I spin mash-ups on records …

'Music allows me to express myself, while acting allows me to get away from myself," says Amber Ojeda, who plays a recurring role in the TV show Veronica Mars, shot around San Diego. "I originally …

"There have been wedding receptions at the Casbah, but apparently this is the first actual wedding ceremony performed there," says Rookie Card singer/guitarist Adam Gimbel. Last month, with Lady Dottie and the Diamonds as the …

"I've been asked by many musicians how they were onstage and what improvements they can make to their performances," says Sound Guy Dave, who works the mixing board at the 710 Beach Club and the …

Royalty Share says it helps bands get paid by tracking digital music sales through services such as iTunes, Rhapsody, and Napster. "As labels shift more of their revenue to online outlets, ringtones, traditional downloads, and …

Some excerpts from Simeon Flick's tour diary... St. George, Utah, the One and Only Bar: "The towns [in Utah] are only allowed so many bars per capita, and for the longest time St. George only …

"We must resist this attempt to smash free speech and allow our community to have our own media," reads a newly circulated announcement from unlicensed radio station 106.9 FM. "The FCC is trying to shut …

Thirty-eight years ago today (3-29-69), Janis Joplin appeared at the Sports Arena for one of the first West Coast concerts with her new group, the Kozmic Blues Band. "Janis was flirting with a lethal combination …

I heard it on the news today/ 39 people dead they say/ A madman had led them astray... Triangles on their faces and money in their hands/ he told them they would venture to faraway …

"I knew the sound guy's stress level was rising [after] one of us said a microphone should go on one side of the stage and then we changed our mind," says Matt Rhea of Manganista, …

When 16-year-old guitarist Ted Friedman founded the Gravedigger V in his parents' garage in the early '80s, little did he know it would become one of San Diego's most influential bands. "We didn't feel too …

"The Longboard Grill wanted to introduce live-band karaoke to San Diego," says bassist Rob Renovales, whose group Pickford's Party plays the PB venue's "Rock Out Karaoke" each Wednesday. "We knew a bunch of covers already, …

"The tour is about inspiring people to make space in their own hearts for peace," says Carlsbad musician Jerry Leggett, who is touring the U.S. in a yellow teardrop-shaped trailer he calls the Peace Bubble. …

"Marc and his group of scary-looking punk-rock friends [would] cruise the streets of downtown San Diego wearing armbands which read F.O.N.O., Friends of No One," recalls aspiring filmmaker Carl Schneider. He refers to punk artist …

The song that played during 19-year-old snowboarder Hannah Teter's gold-winning halfpipe run at the 2006 Winter Olympics -- "Communicate" -- is by local band Strive Roots. Singer/guitarist Eli Lieberman is Hannah's boyfriend. "We got 150,000 …

Local performers whose MySpace sites include references to illegal drug use: Cheez and Mac Jabronie from El Cajon post songs with titles such as "Big Phat Bluntz" ("Grab the fire and burn one down"), "Stoner …

"We manage to sneak some humorous covers in, even if people rarely notice," says Paper Moon guitarist Daniel Dever. "The theme from Borat works great in a Gypsy jazz format, and nobody in the crowd …

"I wanted to get out of Brick By Brick [because of problems with] one of the partners," says former Brick co-owner Chris Heaney. "He wouldn't let us buy him out, plus we always had to …

When the Who plays ipayOne Center tonight, Roger Daltrey's private dressing room requires six bottles of tonic water, a bottle of Belvedere vodka, a jar of honey, two packs of Throat Coat lozenges, and a …

When Christina Aguilera appears at ipayOne Center tomorrow, March 2, her dressing room should have an assortment of Power Bars, Cliff Bars, and Balance Bars, a half-pint of fat-free small-curd cottage cheese ("Knudsen or Clover …

"With the resurgence of Bill Shatner's acting career, there's been a lot of interest in his music," says Dan Lederman, a.k.a. ShatMan, the One-Man Shatner Tribute Band. "I started doing karaoke shows to discs of …

Top Five Gems from recent posts on the San Diego Musicians webpage at craigslist.org: "CD artwork...can provide samples on speculum." "Metal guitarist looking to form or join group...not into Cookie Monster sounding vocals." "Death metal …

Kiss bassist Gene Simmons is working with local comic publisher IDW on a horror anthology comic to be titled Gene Simmons House of Horror. The first issue is scheduled for a July release, with Simmons …

"Everyone was either fighting, puking, or making out," says Two Word Name guitarist Dag Stylez of the "party bus" to and from the band's January 25 gig at L.A.'s Whiskey a Go Go. For $35, …

'Mike Chartrand bailed for a lot of reasons," says Off Track drummer Jared Hren of the band losing its longtime bassist. "We've been friends since the high school marching band, but now he wants to …

"We'll be filming at Mardi Gras and several clubs downtown from February 19 through the 21st," says XL Staffing and Security owner Joe Mackey of the still-unnamed reality show being produced about his firm. "It'll …

With their Kiss-like makeup and occult lyrics, Crimson Moon released their first recording 12 years ago, though they never performed live until 2006. Core members Scorpios (bass, vocals, lyrics) and Nocturnal Overlord (guitars, keyboards, drum …

Twenty-seven years ago today (2-1-80), eccentric punk pioneer Gary Wilson played downtown's Skeleton Club along with locals Four Eyes. "Gary Wilson had tape and stuff wrapped around him and there's flour being thrown all over …

"The Fabulous Rudies have been picked up to play the entire 2007 Vans Warped Tour," says singer Tom Voris. "We were the second band announced, right after Bad Religion, and we're already getting label and …