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Volume 9 of the ongoing local band compilation series Staring at the Sun will feature twenty-two bands and performers, including Neon Cough, 321 Stereo, Skid Roper, Red Fox Tails, Gregory Page, Lights On, Echo Revolution, Colin Clyne, Death on Mars, Marie Haddad, SO3, and more.
"The cover is drawn by Lee Kohse of local BloodFire Studios," says Blindspot Records mainman Bart Mendoza, "with characters from his Kindergoth comic."
Staring at the Sun has been a semi-annual San Diego tradition for over a decade. "Copies are sent to radio, TV and press, both here and internationally," says Mendoza, who also fronts the Shambles and Manual Scan. "We generate a fair amount of media coverage for the bands, particularly with DJ Tim Pyles [FM94.9], who's a sponsor and will host this year's event as well."
As for the comic book-style cover art, it ties into Mendoza's long association with the comic industry. "I worked for Diamond Comics Distribution [in San Diego] and wrote a few things for Rock 'n' Roll Comics, but my main claim to fame in comics is as a background character in an issue of Ed Brubaker's Lowlife comic book."
In addition, "I've attended Comic-Con in San Diego since I was a kid...the coolest connection of many for me was befriending Dan Clowes and having him do the infamous Manual Scan sketch" (above).
For the September 16 all-age release party at Lestat's, Scott West will be one of six artists performing. "This is my first return to Lestats in over nine months, since we've been playing larger venues this past year," says West, whose song "Cowboys & Aliens" appears on this year's CD. The $10 cover for the all-age includes a copy of the album.
Also performing will be 321 Stereo, Scott Mathiasen, Marie Haddad, Wendy Bailey, and Joey Harris, whose bandmate Mighty Joe Longa is battling cancer and will receive some of the event proceeds to apply toward his medical bills.
Volume 9 of the ongoing local band compilation series Staring at the Sun will feature twenty-two bands and performers, including Neon Cough, 321 Stereo, Skid Roper, Red Fox Tails, Gregory Page, Lights On, Echo Revolution, Colin Clyne, Death on Mars, Marie Haddad, SO3, and more.
"The cover is drawn by Lee Kohse of local BloodFire Studios," says Blindspot Records mainman Bart Mendoza, "with characters from his Kindergoth comic."
Staring at the Sun has been a semi-annual San Diego tradition for over a decade. "Copies are sent to radio, TV and press, both here and internationally," says Mendoza, who also fronts the Shambles and Manual Scan. "We generate a fair amount of media coverage for the bands, particularly with DJ Tim Pyles [FM94.9], who's a sponsor and will host this year's event as well."
As for the comic book-style cover art, it ties into Mendoza's long association with the comic industry. "I worked for Diamond Comics Distribution [in San Diego] and wrote a few things for Rock 'n' Roll Comics, but my main claim to fame in comics is as a background character in an issue of Ed Brubaker's Lowlife comic book."
In addition, "I've attended Comic-Con in San Diego since I was a kid...the coolest connection of many for me was befriending Dan Clowes and having him do the infamous Manual Scan sketch" (above).
For the September 16 all-age release party at Lestat's, Scott West will be one of six artists performing. "This is my first return to Lestats in over nine months, since we've been playing larger venues this past year," says West, whose song "Cowboys & Aliens" appears on this year's CD. The $10 cover for the all-age includes a copy of the album.
Also performing will be 321 Stereo, Scott Mathiasen, Marie Haddad, Wendy Bailey, and Joey Harris, whose bandmate Mighty Joe Longa is battling cancer and will receive some of the event proceeds to apply toward his medical bills.