NEW YORK, NY—It must suck sometimes to be a solo artist who was once in a great band, since I imagine that every time that most of these once had been great artists play live, the audience just heckles for old material, ignoring whatever direction the artist might prefer to…
Interview with Flogging Molly: Float On
Mortality certainly does put a damper on things. The fact that the time we have, not only in our time on Earth but ultimately in everything, has set limits is a very sobering realization, yet ultimately one that makes life very much worth living. If we had all the time…
Interview with Reel Big Fish: “Nothin’ But A Good Time”
Bright colors, fun costumes and music videos, guitar solos, and a laid back fun party atmosphere. Sound familiar? Well, there are two possibilities. One is the myriad hair metal bands that dominated downtown L.A. for much of the 1980s, and the second is Reel Big Fish, another group of California…
Interview with Pete Francis: Wading In An Iron Sea
Dispatch has been disbanded for about four years now. And Pete Francis, since then has been carving his own personal niche in the stone of independent music. His folk-rock style contrasts heavily with Dispatch’s stylized funk/reggae/rock/hip- hop, allowing Francis to draw people in with his old band’s name, but glue…
Interview with 3OH!3: What ‘Chu Want
Colorado electronic/rock/hip-hop duo Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte, a.k.a. 3OH!3, kick ass–period. The enormous, crunk beats, the dance rhythms, the piercing synth- lines, and the abrasive rapping all merge into a surprisingly intoxicating solution, easing itself into a not-often-found niche somewhere between club/house music and crunk hip-hop. Their latest album,…
Rock The Bells @ Randall’s Island
RANDALL’S ISLAND, NY—The gates had only been open for about 10 minutes and already there were over 1,000 people waiting for security to open the main stage barrier to the greatest hip hop acts of today and yester year. Public Enemy, Wu Tang Clan, The Roots, E.P.M.D., Cypress Hill, Mos…
Dispatch: Zimbabwe @ Madison Square Garden
“Could you answer all the questions of the world with just one word?”
—“Elias” by Dispatch
“Welcome to the original first night of Dispatch: Zimbabwe!” shouted guitarist Chad Stokes Urmston. The thousands gathered in Madison Square Garden screamed and cheered, overwhelmed to be able to see Dispatch at their first…
