Grandfather Nick Razor, 50, has been fronting a local punk band since 1989. “We started as Manticore, then I changed the name to G.F.I. It doesn’t stand for anything. It’s just three letters I threw …

On March 25, the Union-Tribune ran a story by George Varga titled “Street Scene is set to go home.” The article implied that the next annual music fest will be staged downtown for the first …

A local performer who appeared at last Saturday’s San Diego Indie Music Fest was pleased to be one of the local artists selected to play the 12-hour, seven-stage showcase for singer/songwriters. About half of the …

Drummer Justin Olsen moved to San Diego five years ago for the weather. “I was struggling with issues from slight brain damage. It’s so depressing in Washington in the winter because it’s so gray. Living …

Louis XIV is on tour supporting Slick Dogs and Ponies, the band’s second Atlantic album. Released January 29, Ponies has yet to break into the Billboard Top 200 album chart. One insider says that being …

In February, Lil Niqo played an international rugby tournament at Petco Park that included teams from 16 countries. The rapper – a third-grader at Pepper Drive elementary in Santee – has had a few good …

A February 22 4th&B appearance by country artist Blake Shelton was sponsored by KSON, which means its competing station, U.S. 95.7, had no connection with the show. The day before the concert, U.S. 95.7 DJ …

Since forming 18 years ago, the Bay Area—based Tommy Castro Band has played over 30 gigs in San Diego. Last Friday’s Belly Up show was in peril because guitarist Tommy Castro had his 1966 Fender …

“For so long, people have told us that we were just a novelty,” says Matt Hensley, accordion player with Flogging Molly. “They didn’t give us any credit. They told our manager that what we did …

Guitarist Joe Wood, a member of seminal Orange County punk band TSOL, moved to Leucadia last year. He says he legally acquired the TSOL name with drummer Mitch Dean in 1988 or ’89, as other …

After living in Northern California for four years, blues singer Earl Thomas is moving back to San Diego to join Ike Turner’s band, the Kings of Rhythm. (Turner died in San Marcos on December 12, …

“I need a hero to come in and save me,” says Alma Felan, owner of the Hot Monkey Love Café. “To buy [the café] and continue what we have done. I don’t want to sell …

Not a Bad Battle? Sixty-four local bands paid $70 each to participate in the Emergenza Music Festival. The first of eight preliminary battle-of-the-bands competitions began at O’Connells on February 23 (eight bands on eight separate …

After one semester, Lou Smart, 20, decided not to return to SDSU. He asked his two brothers to move to San Diego and join him on the streets; since September, the three have been supporting …

"I grew up with the Circle Jerks, but I never got to see them. Finally, I got to," says Erik, who was at the band's January 5 House of Blues show. Erik, well over 21, …

Petra O. was at the Beauty Bar December 10 with her friend Charles Crisp. "It was a Monday night," says Petra. "It was pretty packed. There was a black female hip-hop MC. She asked the …

Paul Devitt opened the Beauty Bar in late 2005 after launching other salon-themed nightspots in New York, L.A., San Francisco, Austin, and Las Vegas. Erica Jessup ran the Beauty Bar as general manager until vacating …

The annual "Mods vs. Rockers" scooter rally rolls out next weekend. The two archetypes were portrayed in the 1979 British cult film Quadrophenia (based on the Who's rock opera of the same name). The sharply …

Longtime Encinitas singer/songwriter Jack Tempchin did well when the Eagles released his "Peaceful Easy Feeling" in 1972 and "Already Gone" two years later. Both were top 40 hits. Every time the Eagles rereleased the songs …

Jess Reed, singer/songwriter/guitarist with Diamonds of Rome, says, "If a band is starting up, you have to do everything you can do to promote. Competition is really fierce. If you really believe in your music, …

Will the Union-Tribune be cutting back on its music coverage? Earlier this month, a memo from U-T management to employees said that 43 editorial positions were going to be eliminated, including 3 "critic" positions from …

San Diego musicians did not have a major impact on the national album charts in 2007. Angels & Airwaves' second Geffen album, I-Empire, debuted at number 9 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart when it …

Al Guerra began hosting local-music radio shows 16 years ago at Rock 102 (105.3's predecessor). During the past 3 years, he's been the talent behind Loudspeaker, the all-local two-hour program on 91X. Last week his …

The Dago Braves -- rappers Mike "Odoe" Allen, 18, and Terrence "Poodeezy" Brown, 19 -- are cousins who live on the Sycuan reservation near Alpine. "We are both three-quarters black and a quarter Native American," …

Against Me! played 91X's "Nightmare Before Xmas" concert at Cox Arena. Uniformed Marines were at the December 9 show to collect donations for the Toys for Tots campaign. "[Against Me! front man Tom Gabel] told …

Drummer Sharie Hall, 31, says she and her three bandmates in Unloaded share 29 years of "clean time." They all met in recovery and have been a band for two years. She admits they have …

"It's cool if you're a punk rocker and you have to walk with a cane, but if you're just doing it for looks, like the Droogs from Clockwork Orange, it's kind of played out." Shot …

The Escondido recording studio that played a role in the careers of New Found Glory, Unwritten Law, blink-182, and Ike Turner closed its doors last month. In 1989, New Yorker Don Lithgow founded DML Studios …

Liar's Club regulars and employees found the Mission Beach bar and restaurant closed on November 21. A liquor-license-suspension notice was posted on the front of the building. A state Alcohol Beverage Control board (ABC) spokesman …

RTX, an Orange County grindcore/speed-metal band, had a little trouble after they played Scolari's Office November 23. "We had just gotten off a tour," says RTX bassist Kurt Midness, "and our agent told us about …

San Diego's most publicized band at the moment admits it doesn't have much of a hometown buzz. "We're still building our name," says guitarist John Moreaux of the Material, an emo band often compared to …

Blackout Party front man Brian Holwerda is grateful to Rockit Entertainment, the local booking company that set up five shows for his band in Memphis and Nashville. (Holwerda's folky six-man band includes lap steel, cello, …

"They tried to be too upscale, too downtown for that area," says a former employee of Dolce in Bonita. "That's why they are boarded up now." The restaurant and dance club -- which abruptly closed …

Any chances that San Diego's pirate radio station will sign on again appear to have been snuffed. During its years of operation (2001--2006), Free Radio San Diego used the 96.9 FM frequency to broadcast its …

A blogger named GMike is not happy with Z90. The station's morning DJ, "Chino," was replaced last month by the Big Boy's Neighborhood show, a syndicated program out of L.A. "They need to keep the …

As environmentalist Jim Bell prepares to launch his fifth run for mayor, he says local bands will continue to play a role in his fund-raising efforts. "If you're trying to save the world and you're …

Drummer Josh Olmos played music with singer Caleb Wilborn when the two attended Rancho Buena Vista High. In 2004, four years after high school, they formed the pop/reggae band Free to Burn, which played regularly …

The upstairs tenants who forced Twiggs to cease live music in February have left the building, says Twiggs' former music coordinator John Ciccolella. But the music won't be coming back to the University Heights coffeehouse. …

"I'm breaking up with you guys, dumping you in the gutter, and jumping your sinking doomed ship on its destined voyage to hell," wrote Poway High teacher Luke Wientzen to 91X. He feels his costume …

Sophie 103.7 FM switched from an all-talk format to an adventuresome "hot AC" (adult contemporary) format in June. The latest Arbitron ratings indicate the station is 28th in popularity among all local listeners. Those sluggish …

Bassist/songwriter Eric Verniere says the latest, local incarnation of the Wrecking Dead is "...a psychobilly band, but we don't do that whole silly zombie thing." Born in the U.S., Verniere moved with his family to …

Live Nation's major competitor, AEG, has consummated an agreement that will allow the concert company to open a 12,500-capacity outdoor venue on the grounds of the Chargers summer training facility at 4020 Murphy Canyon Road. …

A month of moved or canceled shows at 4th&B (among them Big Head Todd and the Monsters, the Black Crowes, the Tragically Hip, Ghostface Killah, and Rakim) has culminated in some type of resolution. Insiders …

"Our deal [with U.K.-based Inka Records] started out as a CD," says Greaser, guitarist for garage/surf-rock trio Thee Corsairs. "We said we wanted vinyl. They came back and suggested a picture disc. They only made …

"I knew I wanted to move to California since the fifth grade," says singer/guitarist Jared Andrews. "It's the promised land of music. There is no real scene in Indiana." Andrews says Sublime interested him in …

Richard Aguirre says he is serious about running for the 2010 gubernatorial seat. His new band is scheduled to play Humphrey's Backstage at his campaign kickoff on December 21. The singer/guitarist has disbanded the Karl …

"We were the first band to play at Dreamgirls," says bass player Chuck Holiday. His band Two Word Name played at the Kearny Mesa topless bar last month. "We just were looking for sponsorships. We …

In March, longtime DJ Mike Soul announced that he'd become general manager at Heat nightclub on Fifth Avenue. Soul promised to expand the Gaslamp's cultural reach by bringing Latin bands and dance music to the …

Singer/guitarist Matt Lamkin and guitarist Matty McLoughlin front the Muslims. They didn't think about playing music when they both went to Torrey Pines High School in the late '90s. "I didn't feel the need to …

Jason Nascimento, 31, knew other local Portuguese restaurants had come and gone when he opened Portugalia in Ocean Beach five years ago. "They only marketed to local Portuguese," says Nascimento. "We market to everyone." Yet, …