I have this friend from Venezuela, and he is the most reliable person I know when it comes to music suggestions. Toward the end of 2017, he recommended this band to me, and I’ve been obsessed with them ever since. … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Ex People (or; How Two Ladies and Two Gents Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Doom)

What do you do when you start a band, but everyone you start a band with sucks? You just go without. Hailing from Portland, OR, guitarist and vocalist Max Dameron had met up with drummer and vocalist Sam Ford. The … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Wizard Rifle (or; Purveyors of Art F_ck Scrap Metal and Psychic Trash)

There isn’t a lot on this band out there, back in the wild west of the internet there were more interviews and things, but it seems they’ve all been nuked. This will be short, but this band should have a … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Dessau (or; The Post-Punk/Industrial Band That Never Made It)

Part 1 here. Part 2 here. Part 3 here. Part 4 here. When we last checked in with the band, Joe Perry was on his way to try and make amends with Steven Tyler… Done with Mirrors (1985) Former and … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Aerosmith 1973-1993 (or; A Field Guide on How to Squander Goodwill) [Part 5 of 5]

Part 1 here. Part 2 here. Part 3 here. When last we left the bad boys from Boston, guitarist Joe Perry had struck out on his own after years of drug abuse and he and singer Steven Tyler being at … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Aerosmith 1973-1993 (or; A Field Guide on How to Squander Goodwill) [Part 4 of 5]

Part 1 here. Part 2 here. Last week, Aerosmith had finally achieved commercial and critical success that had avoided them… Draw the Line (1977) After the release of Rocks, Aerosmith was riding high… on drugs, fame, money, and sometimes even … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Aerosmith 1973-1993 (or; A Field Guide on How to Squander Goodwill) [Part 3 of 5]

In writing these pieces, usually the artists fall into one of three categories. The first ones are groups that are marginally popular in a cult way, that flirt with mainstream success, but that they are culturally important in their influence, … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Course of Empire (or; We’re Doomed, But the Show Must Go On)

Part 1 here. Last week, Aerosmith released their debut album to little notice at all… Get Your Wings (1974) In October 1973, Aerosmith continued their nearly non-stop touring by opening for Mott the Hoople on a US tour. While the … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Aerosmith 1973-1993 (or; A Field Guide on How to Squander Goodwill) [Part 2 of 5]

Where does one start? How about with the guy The Times of London called a “glamourous stick insect”, Steven Tyler. Steven Tyler (Tallarico) was born in Harlem in 1948. Tyler’s grandparents immigrated from Italy in the late 1880’s and were … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Aerosmith 1973-1993 (or; A Field Guide on How to Squander Goodwill) [Part 1 of 5]

Part 1 here. Part 2 here. Part 3 here. Part 4 here. Part 5 here. Part 6 here. In Excelsis EP (2010) / Absolute Dissent (2010) After bassist Paul Raven left the band, he joined up with Ministry (he had … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Killing Joke (or; How to Compose the Soundtrack to Every Apocalypse) [Part 7 of 7]

Part 1 here. Part 2 here. Part 3 here. Part 4 here. Part 5 here. Killing Joke (2003) In 2002, guitarist Geordie Walker and vocalist/keyboardist Jaz Coleman came back together to reform Killing Joke once again. Coleman cited the Invasion … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Killing Joke (or; How to Compose the Soundtrack to Every Apocalypse) [Part 6 of 7]

Part 1 here. Part 2 here. Part 3 here. Part 4 here. Laugh? I Nearly Bought One! (1992) Because there are so many compilations, I’m largely ignoring them, but this one has an important place in the band’s history. Guitarist … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Killing Joke (or; How to Compose the Soundtrack to Every Apocalypse) [Part 5 of 7]

Part 1 here. Part 2 here. Part 3 here. The Courtald Talks (1989) When last we left Killing Joke, they were still broken up, for the second time. The Courtald Talks isn’t really a real Killing Joke album, there’s no … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Killing Joke (or; How to Compose the Soundtrack to Every Apocalypse) [Part 4 of 7]

Part 1 here. Part 2 here. “Birds of a Feather” (1982) / Ha! EP (1982) After the return to the UK of vocalist/keyboardist Jaz Coleman and guitarist Geordie Walker, the duo was set to put Killing Joke back together. Drummer … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Killing Joke (or; How to Compose the Soundtrack to Every Apocalypse) [Part 3 of 7]

Part 1 here. What’s THIS for…! (1981) Six months after the release of Killing Joke, the band showed up at the studio to record the follow up. Singer/keyboardist Jaz Coleman, drummer Paul Ferguson, guitarist Geordie Walker, and Walker’s guitar cabinet … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Killing Joke (or; How to Compose the Soundtrack to Every Apocalypse) [Part 2 of 7]

Back in the long-ago days when Industrial was starting to gain some traction in the mainstream, music magazines weren’t just content with articles on Ministry and Nine Inch Nails. The alternative magazines, and even the metal magazines, were doing these … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Killing Joke (or; How to Compose the Soundtrack to Every Apocalypse) [Part 1 of 7]

I don’t know how to break this to you, but Kurt Cobain committed suicide in 1994. Yet, two years on, three years on, journalists are still asking Krist Novoselic about Cobain’s suicide. In 1996, Novoselic did an interview with Rolling … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Sweet 75 (or; How To Tank Major Label Expectations)

Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5. Part 6. Part 7. Part 8. Part 9. Part 10. Crystal Fairy – Crystal Fairy (2017) The relationship between Melvins and Le Butcherettes began with their 2015 tour. “We really … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Melvins (or; How To Leave Town Before the Gold Rush) [Part 11 of 11]

Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5. Part 6. Part 7. Part 8. Part 9. King Buzzo – This Machine Kills Artists (2014) “If you look at somebody like Bob Dylan, who was heavily influenced by Woody … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Melvins (or; How To Leave Town Before the Gold Rush) [Part 10 of 11]

Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5. Part 6. Part 7. Part 8. Bulls & Bees EP (2012) For some reason, the Scion brand of Toyota decided to market their brand to a young audience by getting … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Melvins (or; How To Leave Town Before the Gold Rush) [Part 9 of 11]