Maynard James Keenan is one of those guys who is at home in a world all his own. Currently, he fronts three bands: Tool, A Perfect Circle and his most recent project, Puscifer. Puscifer’s latest album, Conditions of My Parole, was quite an improvement over the band’s 2007 debut, V…
During the late ’70’s, FM radio was at a definite low point. Hell, that’s why punk came along in the first place. Every once in a while, a song would come across the airwaves that reminded folks of the pure joy of power pop. “Isn’t it Time” and “Everytime I…
Hailing from Israel, Asaf Borger (aka Borgore) is one of the true wildcards in the dubstep genre. Incorporating death metal into the typical electronica thump, Borgore creates dense and loud compositions that push the boundaries of sound and, sometimes, good taste. Songs such as “Nympho,” “Glory Hole” and “Act Like…
Guy Cramer is (another) one of those restless local musicians who seem to jump from project to project, always looking for the perfect fit. Thankfully, The County Fringe may finally be the project that Cramer has been looking for. And all it took was working with his wife. Image that…
At 62, singer/songwriter Nick Lowe can justifiably claim to have just about seen it all. From his days fronting the pub rock band Brinsley Schwarz in the ’70s to his heralded production work for Elvis Costello to his fascinating, recent solo efforts, Lowe has always maintained a remarkable commitment to…
Sitting around the house waiting for Turkey Day to roll around got me to thinking about all the things I’m thankful for. Of course, I’m lucky to have my family and friends and, these days, I am very thankful to have a job. But musically speaking, the Dallas scene has…
If known only for his guitar playing and production work with Dwight Yoakam, singer/songwriter Pete Anderson would still be a legend in both the country and alt-country genres. There is much more to Pete Anderson than the stellar licks on such Yoakam hits as “Guitar, Cadillacs” and “Streets of Bakersfield.”…
Corey Taylor is one busy dude. Not only does the guy front two metal bands, Slipknot and Stone Sour, but Taylor somehow founds time to write an autobiography and do a quick stint as a guest lecturer at Oxford. Seven Deadly Sins, Taylor’s unconventional memoir, came out this summer and…
Guitarist/singer-songwriter Tab Benoit is Cajun to the bone. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but raised in the small town of Houma, Benoit was brought up on a steady diet of Hank Williams, George Jones, B.B. King and John Lee Hooker. It’s no wonder that Benoit’s songs echo the influences of…
Hailing from Toronto, Zeds Dead is a hip dubstep duo who has been sampling and remixing singles under various guises since 2004. The band’s most recent EP, Rumble in the Jungle, came out last month on the seminal Mad Decent label and features a variety of electronic styles and bass-heavy,…
In various incarnations over the course of three decades, New Jersey’s The Misfits have made a mark in the history of punk rock. Starting way back in 1977, singer Glenn Danzig and bassist Jerry Only had a vision of combining punk rock’s roar with imagery from horror movies. What they…
Hailing from Los Angeles, Five Finger Death Punch is one of those in-your-face hard rock acts that revel in just about every foul rock cliché in the book. Profane, sexist, volatile and surprisingly hook-laden, the songs of Ivan Moody and the rest of this rather unwashed five-piece sound like early…
Douglas “Clay” Cook is the secret weapon in the Zac Brown Band. Not only did Cook earn his country rock credentials with two stints in the Marshall Tucker Band, the guy also has proven songwriting chops care of several collaborations with John Mayer. Although Cook was enjoying a moderately successful…
Guitarist and songwriter Jimmie Vaughan was born and raised in Dallas. In the early 1960’s, Jimmie, along with his brother, Stevie Ray, helped usher in one of the best eras of music in North Texas. Although their father introduced the Vaughan brothers to country music, the two would soon find…
The duo of Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter has been performing in upstate New York under a couple of monikers since 2007. Originally called Charlie Everywhere, Barthel and Carter decided a more serious name was needed once they actually started recording and attracting a few fans. Phantogram became the new…
Sticking out in the busy musical environment of Los Angeles is not an easy endeavor. Just ask Jeremy Bolm of Touché Amoré, a hardworking post-punk outfit trying to make a mark for itself in the highly competitive City of Angels. By choosing an unusual name and by mixing the sounds…
Guns N’ Roses, The SwordGexa Energy PavilionSaturday, November 5 Better than: I could have ever expected in weather that was damn near perfect. Mike AlvesDo those jeans make Axl look fat? But somehow, perhaps because expectations were so low, a rather healthy-looking Rose and his current collection of sidemen put…
When Tommy Stinson joined Guns N’ Roses way back in 1998, there were many people who didn’t have a clue who he was. Stinson’s career path just hadn’t taken the route that one would think might lead to playing on stage with Axl Rose. Starting out in the Replacements when…
At 72, keyboardist Ray Manzarek has just about done it all. Best known at the keyboardist for the Doors, Manzarek has stayed busy as a performer and producer for the past three decades. Joining forces with renowned slide guitarist Roy Rogers in 2008, the duo have recorded two critically acclaimed…
Tom Rush The Kessler Theater October 26, 2011 Better than: sitting at home waiting for it to stop raining in St. Louis. At 70, Tom Rush is the elder statesman of the singer-songwriter era that began in the late 1960s. Known as the person who introduced audiences to the songwriting…
For three decades, Anthrax has been one of the most consistently interesting bands to emerge from the thrash metal heyday of the early 1980s. Founded by guitarist Scott Ian, Anthrax has always stood out among the sweaty throng. The band was one of the first metal bands to incorporate rap…
Despite being just 21 years of age, country singer-songwriter Lydia Loveless has the world-weary demeanor of someone twice her age. After leaving home at the age of 14, Loveless found solace in, of all places, Columbus, Ohio, and that city’s underground punk scene. Like a lot of punks, Loveless then…
