Introduction: keep watching; the future's on its way.
Screw the radio. No, really -- just forget about it, because it's pretty much worthless. Okay, maybe that's not strictly true everywhere, but here in Houston, radio's a barren, desolate wasteland populated by way too much generic alternametal, "classic" rock, warmed-over '80s pop, and wretched pop-country. A handful of decent college/indie stations aside, it's bad out there, folks -- and don't even get me started on all the loathsome talk stations... [more]

Here to Stay: Arthur Yoria fights anxiety disorders, jaded crowds, and Austin-Houston animosity, and comes out on top.
There are a ton of good bands and musicians in Houston. It's not an exaggeration; they're out there, believe me. Unfortunately, even out of that crowd of talented people, only a handful ever really manage to stand out -- most burn out and drift back off into "real" life, giving up on their dreams. There're a few, though, who stick it out, work their asses off, and their talent and tenacity makes it pretty much guaranteed that they'll make it. That description fits Houston indie-rocker Arthur Yoria perfectly... [more]

The Oceanic Rhythms of Fugazi
I got the chance recently to talk to both Brendan Canty and Joe Lally of Fugazi -- if you're not real familiar with the band, they're the guys back behind, on drums and bass, respectively. Seeing as how there's enough out there about Fugazi "frontmen" Ian MacKaye and Guy Piccioto, I thought it was time for someone to ask the rhythm section of the band something a little more specific to them... [more]

Heavier Than You: Talking with High on Fire
With the release of Blessed Black Wings, San Francisco-based High on Fire have served notice that they are one of the heaviest bands on earth. Their two previous releases, The Art of Self Defense and Surrounded by Thieves, were almost instant classics and showed fans and critics alike that they were capable of making music that sounded like a bulldozer crashing through an elementary school. It would be safe to say that they have created a masterpiece worthy of Tony Iommi's respect... [more]

Michael Haaga's The Plus and Minus Show: The depraved poetic genius behind Houston legend Dead Horse makes a record even your girlfriend will sing along with.
The Plus and Minus Show is an eleven-track masterpiece that Houston deserves to be gifted with. After hearing it, I wanted to discuss the transition of songwriter Mike Haaga from death metal to pop rock mastermind. After some quick CD shopping at Sig's Lagoon, we headed out past the Continental Club to the Ensemble/HCC Metro Rail station for a jaunt to the Museum District. We paid our two dollars and boarded the clean, quiet train without even so much as a glance from other passengers... [more]

Inside "The Blues" with Ian Parker
I have a real affinity for the blues. To me, there is little better than hitting a random, darkly-lit bar somewhere in New Orleans late at night and being overwhelmed by the blues. There is just so much soul and heart; you can feel it coming through the lyrics, the voices, the guitar. These musicians have a way of making a guitar not only sing, but cry, as well. I'm sure that for a lot of people NOLA would be the place you'd associate most with the blues (and probably voodoo, too, but that's neither here nor there). What people may not realize, though, is that there's another place for great blues music; it just happens to be across a very large pond. About a year or so ago, I was lucky enough to stumble onto a blues-inspired musician named Ian Parker... [more]

Getting Back to the Tree Line: Cub Country's Jeremy Chatelain
Cub Country is Jeremy Chatelain. You might recognize Jer from his stints as the frontman for Handsome, or the bass player from Jets To Brazil. Cub Country finds Jeremy exploring his rootsy singer-songwriter tendencies, and those explorations culminate in brilliant songs about love (both the lost and found variety), life on the road, New Jersey, New York, and yes, even Utah. If you are a fan of Son Volt (or Farrar's solo stuff, for that matter), The Mountain Goats, The Weakerthans, or other like-minded bands, and you haven't picked up Cub Country's High Uinta High, or the latest album, Stay Poor, Stay Happy, you're doing yourself a huge disservice... [more]

Live -- Baby Calendar
I recently had a chance to see Baby Calendar play at Super Happy Fun Land. This trio really made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Aric (sorry about the misspelling), Tom, and Jackie really made an impression on me with the bounce in their step and their smiles all around. It's nice to see a band that really enjoys playing together and are not afraid to show it. They really put out the effort, and it didn't go unnoticed by the crowd that stuck around to see them... [more]

Live -- Helmet/Totimoshi
Let's say you're back in your hometown from wherever you currently live, and you go to a party. You're moving through the crowd, saying hello to people, joking with those you know and trying to be friendly to those you don't, when you spot an old friend from back in high school standing across the room. He was one of your best buds back in the day, but you guys lost touch not long after graduation, and you haven't seen him in years. Happy to see him, you head on over, give him a hug and ask him what's up, eager to hear how his life's been going. And then, as he talks, you realize that he's saying the same damn things he said back in the 12th grade... [more]

Live -- Slipknot: The Power of the Masked Men
On March 26, 2005, the moment finally came for me to be exposed, live in concert at the Reliant Arena, to one of the most talented, heaviest bands of our generation. The graphic videos, the darkly crazed crowd, and the animated tactics of Slipknot filled the arena with a vibe found in very few other places. Even just the audience was well worth the time spent by any who attended, just because of the spectator sport of being in the middle of such a show... [more]

Live -- Streetlight Manifesto/Voodoo Glow Skulls/MU330/Secret Agent Bill/The Blue Lights
Renowned surrealist Salvador Dali once said, "Have no fear of perfection -- you'll never reach it." Dali obviously never saw Streetlight Manifesto live. Through the pursuit of art, man has made his most valiant attempts at perfection -- Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel, Bogey in Casablanca, the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper -- but few artists of late have come close to perfection in their respective field. Enter Streetlight Manifesto... [more]