"Maybe Guns [N' Roses] canceling the two local shows is why we're getting a bigger turnout lately," says Dust N' Bones singer Richard Gwaltney. "[Last month] we were contacted through MySpace by this indie record …

"I didn't really know what I was doing," says Seventh Soldier singer Hyun Soo of his recent attempt to book a tour for his band. "I found this guy on MySpace, Captain Grind Me Booking, …

"I was driving on my own to a gig in Colorado when my tour van skidded on some black ice," says singer/songwriter Astra Kelly. "When the wheels hit the dirt, the van started rolling over, …

"I don't know what's going on, but 'Neo-Conservative Blues' suddenly jumped to number 88 on Neil Young's Living with War website," says Mark DeCerbo. A week earlier, the song -- cowritten with comic book and …

Carlsbad-based Van Halen tribute band OU812 concentrates on the Sammy Hagar years. "Plenty of bands do David Lee Roth, but we don't think anyone wants to see us in Spandex," says bassist John Osmon. OU812 …

Last week, a song by the reunited Sassy MoFoS was ranked number 3 (of around 6100) on the alt-punk chart at www.soundclick.com. "It's called 'You Smell Like Something I Wouldn't Want to Touch (But I'm …

"I've been a fan of Jimmy Gnecco since Distorted Lullabies, the first Ours album," says local singer/songwriter Simeon Flick, who caught Gnecco's solo House of Blues performance in December. "Jimmy, about three quarters of the …

All those flyers you find on your car after a concert are the result of illegal activity. "It's considered littering," says Steven S., who used to "paper" parking lots for several local bands. "If someone …

"I just got named the national music director of the Paul Green School of Rock and will be opening a San Diego branch of the school early next year," says guitarist Mike Keneally. "I've come …

"Our band revolves around a purple electric guitar, drums, and a multicolored toy xylophone that cost $14 at Target," says Tragic Tantrum Cabaret singer/guitarist Zeph. "We aren't afraid to venture into the territory of melodicas …

"The dude [onstage] was wearing a strap-on dildo," says local scenester Dammit Dan of an unnamed band seen at Scolari's Office. "So he's wearing that, and he sprayed Zippo lighter fluid all over [it], and …

Bunky singer/guitarist Rafter Roberts releases his solo album Music for Total Chickens next month, and he'd like you to make a video for it. "There are mp3 links to four songs on YouTube, and pretty …

'I saw Tony Levin playing a Stick at the 1997 NAMM trade show in Anaheim, and I bought one that year," says Tom Griesgraber. The 12-stringed Stick (popularized by Levin during stints with King Crimson …

How would singer/songwriter Colin Clyne describe his music? "Imagine the love child of Mike Myers's Fat Bastard and Neil Young." Originally from Stonehaven, Scotland, and raised in the U.K., Clyne frequently takes jobs aboard fishing …

"All three of us really are monks, though we don't perform with shaved heads and robes," says Monk Party keyboardist Sujantra. "I spend about two months a year studying with our spiritual meditation teacher, Sri …

"The .45 Clash is one of our top sellers," says Globe Shoes marketing director Michael Marckx. Remaining Clash members gave consent for a shoe to be manufactured with the band's logos and imprinted lyrics to …

Fifty on Their Heels (named after a Max Brand pulp western) recently got a break. With only one small-press CD under their belt, the band landed two songs on the soundtrack to Sony's Playstation 3 …

"You're My Li'l Puta is an audio/visual musical satire about a medical cannabis activist and his ex-girlfriend," says video artist Tony Mindcontrole of the "popumentary" DVD he's working on with the Swollen Monkeys, a local …

"We were signed to Elektra on my 15th birthday, but the record was never released," says Lindsey Troy of the album she and her sister Anna recorded as the Troys in 2002. "They kept pushing …

In a recent report, SD police chief William Lansdowne said around 87 gangs with approximately 3500 members operate within San Diego. Many are referred to -- if not represented -- on MySpace pages. 2-11 Nayb4hood …

Iraqi-American rapper Timz is riding the anti-Bush wave with "Iraq," the first single off his new CD Open for Business. At this writing, the song is the number four most-added track on CMJ's College Pop …

When Ludacris appears at the Z-90 Jingle Jam at ipayOne Center on Saturday, December 2, "at no time shall Ludacris be without his assigned ground transportation and driver." His dressing room requirements include a large-screen …

'Rockaltcountryindiepopcatchycore" is the word singer/guitarist Adam Gimbel has coined to describe the music of Rookie Card. "I'd rather be unfocused than play the same song ten times in a row," he says. Despite their name, …

"There's no big breakup story," says singer Brandon Welchez of the soon-to-disband Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower. "We're all still friends and still doing various band projects together." Recalling offbeat tour experiences, Welchez …

"It's Not Easy Being a Chick Rocker," says VV Loveland of Scary Mary. "One time at Scolari's, this guy shows me his penis while I'm onstage. He was drunk and dancing and jiggling it around …

'I'm just trying to keep real punk alive and keep rock and roll dangerous," says Tim Raldo. "I'm doing shit a lot of people wish they had the balls to do. I've cut myself onstage, …

"In the midst of setting up our equipment, [bassist] Travis [Du Bois] was being escorted outside by a campus police officer," says Suffer the Heat singer Brandon Barclay of the band's Halloween gig at MiraCosta …

After becoming one of three finalists in MySpace's "Stomp the Yard" music contest, local rapper Kevin "Juice" Orange has been disqualified. "The contest rules stated, 'The song must be composed, written, and performed solely by …

Bassist Rob "Noxious" Durham of the Shitgiveits had a heart attack November 4. "His aorta blew out and collapsed all his arteries," reads a post on the band's webpage. "He went under a ten hour …

"Kids spend a lot of time listening to the radio and DJs are considered role models, so it's a major issue when DJs flat-out promote marijuana use," says Dannah Hosford of the Youth Advocacy Coalition. …

"Some people tell me, 'No way I'm hanging out in a fag bar to see a punk rock show,' " says Davit Buck of the Homeless Sexuals, who appear at Hillcrest's Brass Rail tonight. "I …

When Aerosmith appears at Coors Amphitheatre tonight, "under no circumstances will the purchase of alcoholic beverages be allowed as a show expense." They want the hospitality room stocked with chicken tikka pieces with yogurt and …

Reno wrote his newest song, “I Still Love You, Pluto,” with his six-year-old daughter Mandy.

"Tribute bands like Atomic Punks [Van Halen], Super Diamond [Neil Diamond], and Dead Man's Party [Oingo Boingo] can make upwards of $5000 for a single-set show, depending on the venue," says Zippy Twombly, front man …

"I've used portions of practically every paycheck to fund my artistic adventures," says singer/songwriter Eddie Ray, whose day job is at the Ramona Kmart. He recently started a line of T-shirts. "I took phrases my …

"We were one of the first Messianic Jewish rock bands," says David Kasdan, bassist for Netzer, which formed in 2001. "All the members are Jews who believe Jesus is the Messiah, and a lot of …

More local performers with content on their MySpace sites some might find objectionable: Bands with misogynistic names include "Dig a Ditch and Bury the Bitch" and "Snuff That White Bitch" (the latter band featuring photos …

Jimmy Buffett, who appears at Coors Amphitheatre tonight, requires in his dressing room a case of Coronitas beer and four Balance Bars. He wants another half case of Corona at stage left, and the band …

"Every time I open my mail, someone has sent me the most important recording in their home," says audio-restoration specialist Eric Van der Wyk of his King Tet Productions. "People send me cassettes, reel-to-reels, and …

'With clinical improvisation, patients make spontaneous music, and then we do some therapeutic processing," says Colombian-born Alfonso de la Espriella, who has a degree in music therapy from the Berklee College of Music. "Sometimes treatment …

"We want to conquer every San Diego karaoke bar with our costumes and choreography," says Danie Caw of the Leo-TARDS. In spandex, corsets, sequins, and fur, the karaoke quartet incorporates into their act dancing, air …

"We hung out with different crowds at Crawford High and hardly ever spoke, so I don't know why all of a sudden he's badmouthing me," says rapper Professor K of the "diss track" by DJ …

Local performers have posted the following content on their MySpace sites: The Death Squad's page header reads, "I Will Slaughter Your Family," and graphics feature photos of Hitler and swastikas. At this writing, tracks such …

It was billed as "Hell and Heaven United," with Satan-loving Slayer co-headlining with Christian rockers Stryper. However, the September 23 Monterrey Metal Fest in Nuevo León, Mexico, was derailed "due to Slayer not wanting to …

Thirty-eight years ago today (9-28-68), Big Brother and the Holding Company were scheduled to play a sold-out show at downtown's Community Concourse. The afternoon before the show, Janis Joplin announced to the press her intention …

Back when singer/guitarist Steven Bradford was in Waiting for Autumn, it looked like the power-punk band was about to break big, with write-ups in Alternative Press and a tour opening for Underoath. Many were surprised …

BEST LOCAL PERFORMANCE ON YOUTUBE -- ROOKIE CARD AT THE CASBAH Somebody filmed Rookie Card's record-release party at the Casbah, where they took to the sidewalk in front of the club to perform the Beatles' …

Chris Doolittle says the all-percussion Procrastinators (who met in SDSU's Drumline) formed in 1999, when they built their first drum kit. "We bought barstools at Wal-Mart and, using a lighter, we melted holes into the …

"I guarantee there are more offensive MySpace pages than the Resevior Tips'," says Rowland Bluntz. His band's Web page was recently deleted by MySpace administrators. "Sure, we had sperms swimming across the page, but I …

Near downtown L.A., around 70 bands played Echo Park's three-day Fuck-Yeah Fest in late August, including locals Sleeping People. "It was pretty well run, as far as festivals go," says guitarist Kasey Boekholt. "We were …