311 Interview with SA Martinez
All else aside, it’d be difficult for me to find a band that influenced my youth more than 311. On the way to buy tickets to see White Zombie, my buddy Brandon popped in a copy of their first release on Capricorn Records, “Music,” and it was all over… Fandom can strike mighty hard, and this was one of those times. After a few years, they broke through the mainstream ceiling with their self-titled “blue” album, and every college kid around the country fell in love. I hated it, but you can’t keep a secret like 311 quiet for long.
Pilfers Interview with Coolie Ranx
I gotta say… It’ll be a cold day in Hell when I stop thinking about the insanity and amusement of my many experiences watching The Pilfers perform. Formed when members Coolie Ranx, Vinnie Nobile, James Blanck, Anna Milet-Meyer, and Nick Bacon left their spots in The Toasters, Bim Skala Bim, Skinnerbox, and The Erratics (respectively), the 5-piece unit was a beacon of the Ska scene from their very first recording.
P.O.D. Interview with Sonny Sandoval
Nu-Metal has essentially come and gone at this point. Any band thinking that they will be able to sustain a musical career by performing Rap-Rock Mall Metal in a public environment are going to have a very difficult time grasping the fact that the scene is virtually over. The only exception to this rule would be the groups that managed to break into the music business at the right time, with the right track. Enter Payable On Death.
Edna’s Goldfish Interview with Brian Diaz
Let it be well known that a band doesn’t have to be around very long to have a tremendous impact on their genre. From 1997-2000, Edna’s Goldfish set the Long Island Ska scene on fire with their infectiously poppy, ridiculously energetic live performances. Touring with many of the heavyweights of the genre, the group exploded in popularity and captivated listeners far and wide.
The Toadies Interview with Clark Vogeler
It must be an unwritten rule of pop culture that bands from 20 years ago are destined to get popular again. Can anyone out there explain this phenomenon? Is it because old folks (like me) want to remember their youth, or the youth who weren’t born yet the first time around need to somehow seem credible in their fanhood? A bit of both, perhaps? Doesn’t matter to me all that much, especially when bands like The Toadies team up with a band like Helmet to do a co-headlining tour. Kudos whoever thought this one up!
