Notes from the smoking patio
Local. Music. Gossip.
San Diego's Too Much Top Notch Ent. (MS/2TooMuch) has one of the hottest tracks on the airwaves right now. The track, "Pink Diamonds," featuring a cameo by Too $hort and produced by DJ REK, has a south type of beat with a chopped and screwed hook that fits in the mix of what's hot on radio. He plans to drop his full-length, The Best is Yet to Come, in September.
J-Loone, aka Jaws, is on the rise with his single "Sharkin'." Produced by Dave Moss, this youngster has plenty of energy and major swagger. He's opened up for major touring artists on their San Diego stops, but the West Coast hyphy single could get him on the lips of even bigger industry faces. MS/jloone.
If you have any questions or some good news about San Diego hip-hop, hit me at FingKong20052aol.com or MS/djfingaz.
-DJ Fingaz
Notes from the smoking patio
Aside from kicking some big-time Latin ass (homeboy Karlos Perez can sing like no one's business), B-Side Players' new album, Fire in the Youth, is also getting some major Latin attention. Last week, the song "Nuestras Demandas" ranked No. 1 on iTunes' Alternative Latino Singles Chart, while the album came in at No. 10 on the Alternative Latino Album Chart. True to their socio-political form, their video for "Nuestras Demandas" is a response to the cops beating the crap out of pro-immigration demonstrators in Los Angeles on May 1. The band will play back-to-back shows at The Casbah on Aug. 16 and 17. www.bsideplayers.com.
Our street fair can beat up your street fair. Case and point: the Adams Avenue Street Fair-set for Sept. 29 and 30 in Normal Heights. Headliners so far include pelican-loving, bass-pulverizing, bearded punk mystic Mike Watt, The Blasters and human rockabilly empress Wanda Jackson. San Diego jazz icon Charles McPherson (Mingus' saxman) and Candye Kane also play, along with reunited Tell-Tale Hearts. There will also be carnival rides, beer and we're pretty sure someone will sell cheap sunglasses near someone else selling corn. Both days are free and all-ages. www.adamsaveonline.com.
Ocean Beach's wife-beater-wearing dub heroes, Slightly Stoopid, will release their fifth album, Chronchitis, on Aug. 7. It'll feature cameos by bong-toting compatriots, including G. Love, Guru, Angelo Moore (Fishbone) and honorary Beastie Boy Money Mark. Stoopid kicks off a 22-city U.S. tour with G. Love and Ozomatli on Aug. 3 at Lollapalooza. The band has sold more than 300,000 albums to date. MS/stoopid.
Looking like one of those Wild West photos you took with your family at Disneyland (you in the fake 'stache, mom in that slutty flapper outfit), The Silent Comedy will hold a release party for their debut album at Beauty Bar on Aug. 3. MS/thesilentcomedy.
Unbearably cool leather-and-pouts rockers The Prayers have recorded a cover of "Cherish" for an upcoming tribute album to Madonna titled Through the Wilderness. The album's due this fall on Manimal Vinyl Records and also includes tracks from Giant Drag and Winter Flowers. The band is currently looking for a drummer "who plays decently in a clever way, isn't a showoff or John Bonham wannabe" and is willing to tour. MS/the fuckingprayers.
Bitchin' punk throwbacks The Power-Chords will release two versions of their debut album this fall-a domestic release on Mean Buzz Records and a European edition on significant German indie label, Screaming Apple. MS/the powerchords.
The latest edition of Spanish fanzine Ansia de Color includes a feature on former Rocket from the Crypt frontman John Reis, plus a 21-track CD featuring garage-rock numbers from the likes of The Electric Prunes, Plasticland, The Loved Ones and locals The Loons and The Morlochs. MS/ansiadecolor.
Is it just us, or was this a down year for San Diego's megastars? Either way, the nominees for the 2007 San Diego Music Awards (Sept. 17 at Viejas), will be announced via its website on Aug. 6. Fans can vote on select categories on the SDMA's website. Performers confirmed for the ceremony so far include Jason Mraz, Reeve Oliver, Buck-O-Nine, Lady Dottie & The Diamonds and The Truckee Brothers, with more acts to be confirmed. (Note: CityBeat is a major sponsor of the event). www.sandiegomusicawards.com.
On Sept. 14, Claire de Lune Coffee Lounge will host the "SDMA Acoustic Music Fest." Beginning at 7:30 p.m., 31 acts will perform short sets on two stages, with all proceeds going to The San Diego Music Foundation. Performers include Candye Kane, Greg Friedman, Sven Erik-Seaholm, Anna Troy, Mario Escovedo, Steph Johnson, Dave Humphries, Matt Curreri and Michael Tiernan.
The Cascades, best known by fogies for their '60s hit "Rhythm of the Rain," will call it quits after four decades with an eight-date farewell tour of The Philippines beginning on Aug. 3. Though they only had one hit, it was a massive one. According to BMI, it's the ninth-most-played tune on radio in the last century, with more than 6,000,000 spins. MS/classiccascades.
In related mid-life-crisis news, another popular '60s combo, Sandi & The Accents, will reunite for a show at the Scottish Rite Hall in Mission Valley on Sept. 15. Keyboardist Gabe Lapano originally left The Accents to join The Cascades in 1966. www.sandiandtheaccents.com.
Got tips? E-mail our music editor at troy@sdcitybeat.com.
