Unpublished interviews.

I have a handful of interviews I did for modern fix that never got printed. Some of them were too outdated for print because I took too long to transcribe them, the magazine took too long to put out the issue, or they just didn't have room for it in the issue. Unfortunately, rock music interviews don't have a whole lot of shelf life.

Bands that really should have gotten the exposure when it counted:
Dios (Malos)
Tera Melos
The Robot Ate Me

I think I have a couple more. I'll be posting them intermittently.

Planes Mistaken For Stars at the Tower bar. 9/21

Tonight I will be going to see the mighty mighty Planes Mistaken for Stars. The first (and only) time I saw PMFS, they were opening for Converge at the Che Cafe. I'm pretty sure this was in 2001 after "Jane Doe" and "Fucking Fight" had just come out. I forgot who else played. The show was sold out, so a small group of us watched the show from an open door to the side of and just behind the stage. We got there a couple of songs into their set, and they were already shirtless and covered in sweat. I was fucking mesmerized. They put everything they had into playing. I was blown away. Later the door man let us inside for the Converge set after a few people left (fools). Converge was equally mind blowing. I had up until then just sort of dismissed the whole metal-core genre as a whole. I listened to punk before I listened to hardcore, not metal. Even though the floor looked more like a fucking martial arts exhibition than a pit, which was a little disconcerting, it was fun. Jacob Bannon is hell of a front man and an amazing artist. He and Gared O'Donnell are my fucking heroes. I interviewed Gared a couple of years ago for Modern Fix after the release of "Up in them Guts." I spoke with him for more than a hour, and transcribed about 6 times more than the magazine's interview format called for. They printed it on a page and a half, and posted the interview in its entirety online. Their online format changed, and I don't think it's online any longer. As soon as I get home I'll post the full interview, and review tonight's show at the Tower Bar in San Diego. I'm still in Riverside, but leave today. I have tomorrow off, and then I'll be working in Orange county for the following week. yay for me.

Sessions Fest and the not so distant future.

Tomorrow morning I head off to Rosarito Beach in Baja California, Mexico, for a wedding. I'm staying in Mexico til Saturday, and hopefully returning to San Diego in time to catch the Sessions Fest in Golden Hill. Then on Sunday I have to drive to Riverside, Ca where I'll be spending the week doing some work for the Sd County office of Ed. Yay. The week after that it's Santa Ana for another week. I get back the day before Batwings' first show in alomst 3 months. Easily the longest we've ever gone without playing a show. Hopefully we don't suck total dick.

Here's the complete set list for the Sessions Fest, which is Scott Cat Dirt's baby, with a little break down of the bands I'm familiar with.

12:15 to 12:45 - The Corvinas

I genuinely really like this band, not just because they are all good friends of mine. They're fellow Imperial Valley Rats now based out of San Diego. My band shares a practice space with them, I work with the singer, and the second guitarist used to live two blocks from me and introduced me to my first girlfriend in High School. All coincidence... They are a rockin' three piece garage punk band and sorely underrated. Get there early.

1:15 to 1:45 - Wild Weekend

All girl Zeros cover band. I saw their first show at the Coffee House on Broadway (or CHOB). I give them credit for it being their first show, but they definitely could have been a lot tighter, and maybe more enthusiastic on stage, but it's not like I couldn't recognize the songs or anything. Maybe it's too bad that more of their draw/appeal might be a matter of the other bands that these girls that have been in (members of the Atoms, and Squiddo) and the simple fact that they are cute girls, and not the fact that they are playing Zeros songs. I really couldn't say why people were there. There was a pretty decent sized crowd (including one of the members of the Zeros). However, it didn't seem like there were as many people who were familiar with the songs as I would have thought. This will be their third or fourth show. I'm sure they tightened up and are maybe a little more comfortable stage, so I'm looking forward to seeing them again. I love the Zeros and I had fun at their first show. I'm pretty sure that the singer is dating one of the members of the Zeros, and that he's now joined her band Squiddo. My band played a show with them at the San Diego Sports Club about a year ago, but I don't think they stuck around to see us play. It was kind of a lonely night for both bands as far as attendance was concerned. SDSC is kind of a shitty venue to begin with, but wednesdays can be rough anyway.

2:15 to 2:45 - Red Pony Clock
3:15 to 3:45 - Kite Flying Society

Haven't gotten a chance to see this band live yet, but always hear lots of good things. Pretty and delicate pop ala Shins, Rogue Wave...

4:15 to 4:45 - Habitat Sound System
5:15 to 5:45 - Pizza!
6:15 to 6:45 - MC Flow
7:15 to 7:45 - Atoms

You like Devo or the Dickies? They do too.

8:15 to 8:45 - Fifty on their Heels

Singer Junior Metro is another Valley rat. We went to the same high school, even attended at the same time, but have never really met. He is a few years older. He's been in bands since I was in jr. high. If you haven't heard Fifty on their Heels yet, get your ass out there. Dancey, kinda of snotty, and well versed in all your favorite punk and new wave bands.

9:15 to 9:45 - The Prayers

Ex members of Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower. The only time I've seen the Prayers was at a house party and I couldn't hear shit. I am, as of yet, undecided about whether or not to believe the hype.

Sessions Fest is in Golden Hill Park, 25th Street & Russ Blvd., north of the Turf Supper Club, parking on the street and in the park.

Inspired.

Starting a blog is something I've always wanted to do, but never thought I had the time for. I go out to see a lot of live music, so I fugured why not write about it. I have Cullen and Scott Cat Dirt to thank for motivating me to do it. We'll see if I can keep this up.