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Stories by Jay Allen Sanford

Ain't Seen Nothin' Like a Fresh-Baked Muffin

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 …

November 9, 2006
Survivor’s Song

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

November 9, 2006
The Cure, for Drunk Women

"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 …

November 2, 2006
MMMBop! (Sing It!)

"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 …

November 2, 2006
A Trifle Too Messianic?

"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 …

November 2, 2006
Appalled, I'm Sure

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 …

October 26, 2006
Pints for the Pirates

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 …

October 26, 2006
Remasterful

"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 …

October 19, 2006
Music Heals

'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 …

October 12, 2006
Karaoke Conquistadors

"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 …

October 12, 2006
Rap Knockers

"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 …

October 12, 2006
Restless Natives

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 …

October 5, 2006
Get Dio!

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 …

September 28, 2006
Hippies Love Their Money

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 …

September 28, 2006
From Punk to Pop

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 …

September 28, 2006
San Diego's hip list

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' …

September 21, 2006
Crude and Dangerous

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 …

September 21, 2006
Marked for Deletion

"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 …

September 14, 2006
Sharon Stone, Fire...F-Yeah

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 …

September 14, 2006
Name That Tool

Several local bands are among the 100 performers competing in NBC's mostly online Star Tomorrow talent contest, including Big Toe, Tubby, and Stolen. While practicing for the competition, "Tool's production management tried to get us …

September 14, 2006
Life’s a Game

'The Atari Lounge is there so you can take a break from the band or get away from someone you don't want to talk to," says Casbah owner Tim Mays of the club's back room …

September 14, 2006
Will Record for Massage

"Since it's O.B., bartering with people seems pretty natural," says O.B. Cooperative Records owner Jose Maldonado, whose recording studio and record label are based in his soundproofed Brighton Avenue garage. "A lot of the equipment …

September 7, 2006
No Props for Tourism

"San Diego isn't all swimsuits, sunburns, and palm trees," according to hip-hop website BallerStatus.net. "It's also Dickies suits, burners [handguns], and pounds of trees [marijuana]. That's the 'Daygo' the City doesn't want you to hear …

September 7, 2006
Getting Down in Old Del Mar

"That crowd was freaking insane," says concert photographer Jennifer Hewett of the August 18 Alice in Chains show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Hewett says guitarist Jerry Cantrell was struck in the face by what …

August 31, 2006
Not-So-Sporting Hollywood

Sandjacket drummer Ric Root says his band's recent Hollywood performance is available at liveatthegig.com. However... "We did not hook up with the website. We hooked up with the club, the Gig, which broadcasts the set …

August 31, 2006
MegaDisappointment

Again, Dave Mustaine is having trouble with Gigantour, which last summer played to half-empty venues and was booked at locales unable to accommodate both stages. The September 7 tour opener at Cox Arena has been …

August 31, 2006
What Would Bob Say?

Elan, a female Latin performer based in San Diego, has filed an 11-count lawsuit against Wailers singer Elan Atias, who recently began using only his first name for solo recordings. "This is the kind of …

August 31, 2006
Use Everything You’ve Got

'We recorded one of our live shows at Lestat's and mixed two video feeds along with audio," says Big Toe singer/guitarist Dave Gilbert of the tape that landed them on NBC's Star Tomorrow on July …

August 24, 2006
In the Thick

"They didn't knock. My girlfriend and I were still in bed when around 20 cops came busting in full-force with guns and a search warrant," says Thicker Than Thieves singer Jamin Hazelaar of the recent …

August 24, 2006
He-Mahn vs. Skeletor

"They didn't like my appearance because I didn't dress in 1983 Metallica fashion," says guitarist Chris Knowles of his brief stint with Skeletor (named after the villain in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe …

August 24, 2006
Hey, Man, It Wasn't Me

"There was an article in [the Reader] about a guy living in a trailer who was supposed to have been the drummer for Strawberry Alarm Clock," says Randy Seol, the band's drummer in the heyday …

August 24, 2006
"First Gangs -- Now Cults!"

"First Gangs -- Now Cults!" reads a flyer circulating at El Cajon locales near the Crystal Ballroom. Neighbors of the for-rent hall at 414 North Magnolia Avenue complain that the venue has attracted gangs and …

August 17, 2006
Nightmare Before Splitsmas

On August 7, 30-year-old former blink drummer Travis Barker filed for divorce from Shanna Moakler, a former Miss USA (1996) and Playboy's December 2001 Playmate of the Month. The filing comes soon after pagesix.com alleged …

August 17, 2006
Elaborate Show

Billing themselves as "the Jesters of Rock," Collage Menage has gone through two dozen members since forming in 1988, with identical twins Hans and Fritz Jensen as the constant core. "To fit in with this …

August 10, 2006
Offend in Every Way

"Parkway Plaza's slightly overzealous mall security apparently thinks there's something dangerous about guys handing out free CDs and flyers," says Duff-O-Cide bassist Jay Sassin. "We were giving out our Don't Munch a Duff EP, and …

August 10, 2006
The "Waitress" and "Hilary" Correlation

"Gave her the song on a Friday and she got canned the next Tuesday," says Superdoo singer Christopher Dale of "Hilary," his musical tribute to the recently fired 91X DJ (sample lyric: "Yeah, you're the …

August 10, 2006
Where's the Dogg?

Over 100,000 people attended this year's Comic-Con, and Snoop Dogg almost wasn't one of them (he didn't arrive until after his scheduled appearances). The rapper missed a panel to promote his upcoming movie and comic, …

August 3, 2006
Endorse THIS Message

"Meeting Maxine Waters, Al Franken, Marc Maron, and DNC chairman Howard Dean was a hoot," says Jeff Berkley of DemocracyFest, a three-day political festival that took place July 14--16 at SDSU. His band Berkley Hart …

August 3, 2006
MegaNews

Dave Mustaine has announced that the second edition of his multi-band Gigantour will launch in San Diego on September 7. Megadeth, Lamb of God, Opeth, Arch Enemy, Overkill, and others will share the bill. The …

August 3, 2006
Yodel Power?

After much rescheduling, Jewel's "Punk Rock Angel Girl" cartoon shorts will begin airing on Nickelodeon around Halloween. According to a production assistant, "We had to wait for her script revisions, and she gets final approval …

August 3, 2006
Shhh...

"We are being 'hush hush' because if word gets out, this could muster competition and that would be bad," says Todd Urick of his hope to launch "a local community radio station. Not a pirate …

July 27, 2006
Fabulously Grotesque

'I haven't gotten any heat from the Gabor estate yet," says one-man band Zsa Zsa Gabor, who doubts anyone will mistake him for the Hungarian-born socialite whose name he co-opted. "What I do is perform …

July 27, 2006
No More Crime at Scolari's

"They don't even let you load in from the back door," says Crime in America bassist Eric Marcrum about Scolari's. He says the band will no longer play the North Park bar because of inconvenience, …

July 20, 2006
Happy Leads to Gnarly

Jason Mraz told a Canadian newspaper details behind his collaboration for the single "Geek in the Pink" with hip-hop honcho Scott Storch ("a guy on more rappers' speed dials than a weed-selling jeweler operating out …

July 20, 2006
Enter the Octajohn

Local singer/songwriter Michael Tiernan performed in Texas at the 34th annual Kerrville New Folk Songwriter Contest over Memorial Day weekend. He competed against 32 other songwriters. "It's pretty much the American Idol of the folk …

July 13, 2006
No Hot Spot

Music Trader district manager Darren Fionda was arrested in May at the chain's SDSU store for allegedly selling "pirated music." In a sting orchestrated by the Recording Industry Association of America, 195 discs were seized, …

July 13, 2006
Floydian Slip

'The first Four Eyes album, recorded for MCA in 1982--1983, remains unreleased," says Mark DeCerbo. The guitarist/bassist/singer for Rockola and the Steely Damned founded Four Eyes in 1979 and revived the group late last year …

July 13, 2006
Field of Screens: Drive-in theaters in San Diego

The first drive-in theater I snuck into in San Diego was also the first one built here, the Midway, on the northwest corner of Mission Bay Drive and Sports Arena Boulevard. It was December 1979, …

Intermission

1932: Richard Milton Hollingshead Jr., a chemical engineer and oil and grease salesman, conducts his first experiments in outdoor viewing by nailing a bedsheet between two trees and putting a 1928 16mm movie projector on …

Gods Need Their Space

Benedictum played Italy's Gods of Metal festival over the first weekend of June. Def Leppard, Whitesnake, and Guns N' Roses were the bigger acts on the bill. "On the first days, each band had their …

July 6, 2006

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