The CD arrived in a plain brown wrapper, slipped stealthily onto my desk by an unknown associate. Perhaps, I thought, it would be the answer to the upcoming months of barren sonic landscape in South Florida. And I can reveal, my socks were knocked. What I heard when I dropped…
A few years ago, many people were shocked when Judas Priest lead singer Rob Halford came out of the closet. They shouldn’t have been — after all, Halford had long been roaring onto the stage on a motorcycle looking like the biker in the Village People. But then, you couldn’t…
Near the Earth’s core exists a subterranean conference room, replete with comfy leather chairs, chilled carafes of water, and delicately perfumed air. Recent meetings there have resulted in low-rise jeans, Wal-Mart’s underwriting of NPR, and Jimmy Kimmel. In the corner, Hot Topic founder Orv Madden enjoys a sandwich from Burger…
Face it: Whether you love or loathe the Darkness, the group’s songs are catchy. It’s been scientifically proven that once you hear “I Believe in a Thing Called Love,” from Permission to Land, it stays in your head for at least 1.5 hours. The exact notes lead singer Justin Hawkins…
The following conversation took place between two co-workers at Elwood’s (301 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach) during happy hour: Co-worker number one: “I loved Huey Lewis! I spent most of the ’80’s throwing up Jagermeister, so I couldn’t tell you exactly where I was the first time I heard them…
The time has come — now that Spandex pants, high kicks, and leg splits are back in vogue — for dormant local legend Stickshift Lover to emerge from its metallic cocoon and stalk the Earth. This fivesome unloads guitar solos and drum fills like a dump truck dropping a pile…
“We don’t have tattoos on our necks. We don’t write songs about feelings and stuff. And we certainly don’t scream enough. We’re probably going to get eaten alive.” Such were the recollections of Matt Armstrong, the scared-shitless bassist for the Bloomington, Indiana, quintet Murder by Death. That was two years…
It’s not easy being the furrowed-browed, pompadoured patron saint for all of the shy guys, shut-ins, and sexually ambiguous folks out there. For the better part of the 1980s and 1990s, Morrissey has carried you all on his shoulders, crafting beautiful pop songs that have served as therapeutic lullabies. Romanticizing…
Hot Water Music It has taken Gainesville, Florida, punk quartet Hot Water Music ten years to get past anonymity, a breakup, and some sonic transitions. Along the way, it grew from hardcore roots toward more likable pop punk while still hovering just under the radar. The band’s 1996 debut, Fuel…
Heavy-metal assassins Radar O’Reilly answer the morbid yet thought-provoking question: What songs would you like played at your funeral? Righteous Richard: The Who’s “A Quick One While He’s Away” Death Metal Douglas: Mission of Burma’s “Einstein’s Day” J.Germeister Jeremiah: AC/DC’s “Sin City” Asked about the choices, Jeremiah explained: “They’re just…
Open Deck Wednesdays Hey, Mister DJ. MOZ challenges you to a duel. Do you accept? Memo to aspiring DJs: You’ve annoyed the neighbors, neglected your significant other, and become a beat-matching, cross-fading, tone-tweaking legend in your own mind. Now you can share your so-called talent with the world. Every Wednesday…
RJD2’s 2002 album, Dead Ringer, was a pitch-perfect mix of soul-filled, funky instrumental hip-hop and a showcase for guest rhymers like Copywrite and Blueprint. But the Columbus-based producer seems determined to prove that he can succeed without help — and with a wider array of styles than just his trademark…
Arrive at the party after midnight and the dancers look dull and bored. Same old music. Slip the hostess The Venezuelan Zinga Son, Vol. 1. Suddenly everyone is as beautiful as the girl from Ipanema, as ba-a-ad as Superfly, and as fab as a shirtless boy shimmying at Paradise Garage…
Roni Size and Goldie may have the celebrity market cornered, but it is Dieselboy who has the hardcore following. On his eighth mix CD, The Dungeonmaster’s Guide, the junglist pursues a fantasy theme narrated by Peter Cullen, the voice behind Venger from the animated series Dungeons & Dragons (as well…
Have you seen that new commercial on TV where shit like stray basketballs and clumsy bicyclists and spurts of water from hoses start hitting the sides of a car? All those random thumps start speeding up and blurring together until they coalesce into a funky, polyrhythmic symphony of percussion. It’s…
The official story of the Legendary Pink Dots’ name mentions a keyboard player who needed nail polish to remember the notes. Yet leader Edward Ka-Spel has picked up the kaleidoscope dropped by Syd Barrett and brought it blazing into the 21st Century with a distinctly Pink Floydian hue. Not the…
While helping customers pick out dance singles during his day job at Karma Records (821 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park), Corey Malloy flashes a mischievous grin and heavily tattooed arms that hint at the existence of a somewhat sinister alter ego. But the shop manager’s business card says it…
Overheard The following conversation took place in the men’s bathroom at Jester’s Bar and Grill (801 E. Cypress Creek Blvd., Fort Lauderdale), an after-hours joint. It was 3 a.m. on a Saturday, and the Zeta-friendly tunes washed over the patrons. Time was running out. Man number one: Have you found…
Like a mixture of Postal Service and Iron and Wine, singer/songwriter Bill Cruz pens quiet, acoustic ballads that have an electronic kink in them. It’s rustic music with a coffee buzz. A close listen to the lyrics, however, reveals Cruz has a real soft spot for the Man Upstairs. The…
The Wildhearts and hair metal harbingers the Darkness perform at 8 p.m. Sunday, June 6, at Mizner Park Amphitheater, Federal Highway and NE Mizner Boulevard, Boca Raton. Tickets cost $25. Call 561-962-4109.
AWK kicks out the jams at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 5, at the Culture Room, 3045 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $10. Call 954-564-1074.
In the intimate practice space of the Seventh Circuit in North Miami, six guys with varying amounts of facial hair tune their instruments. A fog machine sits on the floor coughing puffs of smoke into the air. On a large screen behind the stage, geometrical shapes and slides from vacations…
