Rapper Lunchmeat has been arrested six times on charges such as robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a bulletproof vest. His longest stint lasted five and a half years in the California …

Ricasshay has been involved with hip-hop culture since 1983 and active locally since 1993. The MC/lyricist was a Best Hip-Hop nominee for a San Diego Music Award this year. He's cried foul over the selection …

For over a year, DJ Olivier Dalle has hosted a monthly dance event called Trans-Europe Express (named after the Kraftwerk album). "When I started it, I had people screaming at me because I wasn't playing …

Insiders say L.A.-based AEG -- the country's second-largest concert firm that opened an office here this summer -- will soon announce plans to build a 12,000-capacity outdoor venue. Now, AEG's venue options are extremely limited. …

Local four-man band Pierce the Veil finished their third U.S. tour last week opening for Chiodos, the Michigan band that last month had the number-one record on Billboard's Top Rock Album and Top Alternative Album …

About 700 people saw Eek-A-Mouse play on Saturday, September 22, at the Peter Tosh Day concert in Rosarito Beach; no one saw the reggae star perform the next day at Street Scene even though his …

Grand Ole Party, now on the road, has available for download on iTunes their debut full-length CD Humanimals. But the disc won't be sent to record stores until January. By the time the CD reaches …

Eight local artists -- including Alfred Howard and Wise Monkey Orchestra -- contributed music to Skid Marks, Karl Kozak's comedy about two ambulance companies trying to put each other out of business. What's in it …

"People just sort of stand around and stare," says Mike Pereira of the San Diego Music Awards. "I wanted to do something that wasn't so serious." So, at the awards ceremony, Microphone Mike (a.k.a. Pereira) …

E-Low recently began a new season of The Grimmie Wreck TV Show. Since he was interviewed in "Blurt" one year ago, E-Low says his two-year-old hip-hop show has become profitable. "I'm paying myself back for …

Though they won the Best Alternative album category at last week's San Diego Music Awards, the Bloody Hollies were not at Viejas casino to pick up their statuette. Drummer Matt Bennett says the reason for …

A common complaint about Ticketmaster is that the company charges too much for "convenience" -- the fees that hover around 40 percent of the base price of a ticket. A growing number of local venues …

Pollstar magazine reports that $55 to $95 Bruce Springsteen tickets are selling for $1200 on StubHub. Don't look to buy one of those for a local show, because Springsteen and the E Street won't be …

When Martin Sauerman opened his Over the Border bar in Chula Vista about ten years ago, he figured he could make a lot of money if he brought in accordion-playing norteño bands. "They drink a …

Steve Rohrer booked the bands for "Ranchita Rocks," a three-day event at which 40 bands will play. Concertgoers are encouraged to camp out on the 160-acre Golightly Farms Ranch between Warner Springs and Julian. Rohrer's …

At press time there was speculation that Dynamite Walls, Scarlet Symphony, and Dirty Sweet might be last-minute additions to next weekend's Street Scene lineup. Weeks earlier, the booking of side stage headliner DJ Kid Lightning …

Tyler De Los Reyes says, "I had a good family. We didn't have any violence. We just didn't have a place to stay." He was out on the streets by age 13. De Los Reyes …

Last night, Roses on Her Grave debuted at the Viper Room, the same West Hollywood showcase that rewarded Dirty Sweet with a month-long residency last year. "Dirty Sweet are now in the about-to-be-the-biggest-thing-ever mode," says …

"The radio doesn't play reggae down here," says tijuanense Carlos Garcia, bassist in the Astrorumberos. "The only time we get to play [in Tijuana] is when Pato Banton or Manu Chao comes down here and …

"It pays to have your mom as a GM," says Shey Euphoria guitarist Ian Cochran, 17. His mother Kathleen is general manager at Loews Coronado Bay Resort and Spa, the site of three recent "Jam …

"We don't try and chase everybody around to be everybody's best friends," says Rat City Riot singer Noah Bricker. Though the San Diego band maintains a low local profile, Rat City Riot has national distribution …

In September, Chris Heaney celebrates the fifth anniversary of Club Kadan, the European-style bar in North Park that hosts bands and DJs. Heaney played in bands in Philadelphia before he moved here to do sound …

When "Nigel" works at Coors Amphitheatre as a security guard, he's usually backstage. "The guards up front have to deal with [fans] trying to jump up onstage and getting crushed and escorting people out. People …

Two assailants are serving time (40 years and 21 years) for the June 2005 Oceanside murder of Rusty Seau, a cousin of former Charger linebacker Junior Seau. Attempts to prosecute a third person, rapper Joseph …

Josh Dunn owns nightclubs in Escondido and San Marcos. His busiest night used to be Thursdays at Club Tropics in San Marcos, where he featured hip-hop. Last summer, he discontinued hip-hop at Club Tropics because …

Charlie Quinn, operations manager of new radio station Sophie 103.7, put Anya Marina's "Miss Halfway" into regular rotation (which means it's played about every other day). Marina has been a DJ on FM-94/9 since 2002. …

Slow ticket sales are the likely reason Live Nation moved Street Scene from the Del Mar Fairgrounds to Coors Amphitheatre and its parking lot. Why the slow sales? Live Nation hasn't yet sold single-day tickets; …

"We open at 2:00 every afternoon," says Morena Club owner Steve Billings. "But sometimes the bartender lets in regulars a few minutes earlier." The front door was open at about 1:45 p.m. on Sunday, August …

Muslim Jew Love doesn't have any lyrics about world harmony. "Sometimes people think we're a hippie band about peace and love," says guitarist Toofun Golchin. "We don't have any lyrics at all." Inspired by the …

Gasoline Chicken singer/guitarist Chris Crow says he has dealt with the demons that led him to get into eight fights at Scolari's Office (four during Gasoline Chicken gigs). He says his "almost a year" of …

The Good Charlotte's sold-out August 1 show at the Wave House indicates the viability of a second music venue at Belmont Park. 'Canes is the other Mission Beach venue capable of hosting national touring artists. …

Why did Viejas Entertainment move the September 18 White Stripes show from the bayside Embarcadero venue to Coors Amphitheatre? Theory #1: The booking flew in the face of a decibel-limit agreement Viejas Entertainment made with …

The SDPD was trying to contact Marc Shannon last week. The vice department wanted him to know that he could not use a North Park building at 3926 Ohio Street -- once a 99-cent store …

The future of Long Live Logos looks bright. The Escondido band, including three brothers and their best friend, has recorded songs with producer Brad Wood (Smashing Pumpkins, Liz Phair, Say Anything, mewithoutYou). MTV2 will air …

Everyone points out the irony to Marco Collins: the former VH1 programmer, record label honcho, and radio exec lost his last full-time job due to drug abuse. He had to leave 91X last year when …

John Reis (Rocket From the Crypt, Hot Snakes) becomes the latest rocker to enter the world of local bar ownership. Reis, his wife Ami, and two other couples formed a six-person partnership to purchase a …

Posters advertised an "all-day rock festival" at Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday, July 15. Tickets were $20 to see some 20 metal bands play in a fenced-off area of the Qualcomm parking lot. The bands, including …

Armada guitarist Dennis Rohde can tell you about hell. "I've been at practice rooms. I leave and go outside and vomit and go through all kinds of hell. But I know I have to go …

Best known as Tom Waits's alma mater, Hilltop High's current rock scene is identified by its two active camps: you have the fashion-conscious emo kids and the always-aggro hardcores. No One Home, nicknamed the "Hispanic …

The Union-Tribune has shrunk its weekly eight-page "Street" section from eight pages to one. Over its 21-month history as a pull-out section in "Night and Day," Street had featured local-music types such as Michael Horvath …

When Brian Witkin opened his Love Juice Labs last year, he scoffed at those who dismissed the discount recording facility as "McStudio." He maintained there were three other successful Love Juice Labs, all franchised by …

"Our days are numbered," says Vince Campise, owner of Atlas Tickets, a ticket resale company of nine employees. "If it wasn't for the fact that we have a successful football team, we'd be out of …

Guitarist Rene Romero spent his teen years in El Centro, where there was one Top 40 radio station and no live-music venues for kids. "I learned about the Velvet Underground and MC5 from a book …

Plans are afoot to resurrect Fox Rox, a weekly rock TV show on the local Fox channel. "Yes, we are trying to figure out a way to make it work," says Richard Doutre-Jones, station manager …

Three weeks ago, the Federal Communications Commission fined Donald J. Payne $750 for the operation of FRSD/Free Radio San Diego, the local "pirate" station that has broadcast sporadically on 96.9 FM since October 2002. In …

The Hi-Lites didn't play their scheduled Warped Tour kickoff show at the Pomona Fairgrounds last Friday. Five members of the eight-piece ska band left the group due to a falling out with bassist James Trent, …

Carlsbad resident Carlos "Numbiz" Rodriguez performs as a solo artist and with Latin rapper Blaze in a group called LPLD. More lucrative are the hip-hop lyrics and beats Rodriguez composes and sells to producers for …

For about a year, David "DJ Faded" Casillas and his partner Hector "DJ Kieto" Topete have promoted hip-hop nights on Fridays at Club Mystere in Tijuana. "We hardly have any problems down there," says Casillas. …

Local club DJs have been switching over to Serato Scratch Live, a digital system that allows DJs to use turntables in conjunction with laptop computers. With a Serato system (about $500 retail), the DJ uses …

"We're a rock station now" is how one station staffer describes the new direction of 91X. Employees of Finest City Broadcasting who operate 91X have lately been telling others in the industry that the station …