heART on CenterGimme my Rolling Stone with a lil' bit of whisky.
Out of more than 1,000 entries, local band Rochelle, Rochelle is one of 10 finalists in the “Band of the Year” contest put on by Rolling Stone and Jim Beam. The Jim Beam Rock Band Search kicked off in January. Every week, contest organizers selected five bands to feature, and fans voted for whom they thought was the best of the bunch. Monthly winners advanced to the finals.
RR was band of the month for June. If they win, they'll get $10,000 to blow on black t-shirts and guitar strings, and an invite to play on the 2003 “Road to the Rackhouse” tour (which Nickelback headlined last year). The “Band of the Year” will also get to play the “First Look” party held in New York in December.
It's not the first time RR has been recognized as an up-and-comer: last year, CMJ named the band one of the “Top 50 Unsigned Bands in America.” So now it's time to do your part and make sure that $10,000 is spent in the local economy: log onto www.jimbeammusic.com and vote for the homeboys. Voting ends Nov. 30.
It seems Little Italy is the newest San Diego burrough to be infected by gentrification. Patrons will notice signs at the Casbah that warn of a series of noise complaints from new neighbors. The Casbah has been on Kettner Boulevard for years, and when Little Italy was a low-rent urb, no one complained. Now that it's becoming chic, the new yuppie tenants are calling the club-and the cops-about their beauty sleep being interrupted.
This year, we've already lost the Juke Joint because of pressure from noise-averse newcomers. Our advice to people who don't like noise: Move to Fallbrook, not next to a rock club, and leave our culture centers alone. Or better yet, recent census reports claim a thriving economy in Salt Lake City...
U.K. filmmakers were in San Diego last weekend to shoot a documentary on blink-182. The polite Brits interviewed fluf frontman and scene icon “O” (who produced blink's first album), Michael Halloran (who was responsible for blink being added to 91X way back in the day), Len Paul (for a look back at the SOMA days) and yours truly (for a geeky scribe perspective).
Interestingly, the documentarian, Paul Nash, hadn't been able to locate original drummer Scott Raynor for the film. When informed that Raynor was Paul's partner in SOMA, Nash said Paul hadn't revealed that info to him. Paul's silent protection of his partner seems to confirm what has been the rumor-that Raynor likes to let that history stay in the past. Which, of course, is his gold-album given right. The documentary will only be shown in the UK.
The CD-release party for icy local art orchestra Ilya was sold out at the Casbah on Saturday night, a pleasant surprise for everyone involved (especially considering it's their debut album). The band celebrated with a small after-party on the rooftop of an undisclosed downtown building with Courvosier and cheap beer.
Also, the kickoff for the “Can You Hear Me Now?” tour-a traveling San Diego music and art show that features Ilya and Tijuana's Loopdrop-drew more than 800 people last Thursday night. Organizers Holiday Matinee gathered more than three truckloads of toys that they donated to the Toys for Tots charity. For more info on Ilya, check www.ilyamusic.com.
Rookie Card, fronted by Adam Gimbel, has released their debut EP, titled First Day of Class. The band gets the award for best marketing gimmick. Instead of lame scenester buttons to pin on your soiled rocker jean jackets, RC is issuing laminated rookie cards of famous musicians and pop culture icons. Among them: Menudo, Michael Jackson, Donnie Walberg and other freaks of nature (www.rookiecardthemovie.com).
Strong new local band alert: Floods of Fury. Though they only have a demo out, these guys play some swarming guitar rock that wouldn't be out of place next to Fugazi or Sunny Day Real Estate's more rocking fare. To download their slinky, bass-driven song “Landlord” and a few other tunes, check out www.floodoffury.com.
We've got a star drummer in our ranks. Ilan Rubin, the young skinsmith for pop punkers F.O.N., was featured in two national magazines last month. DRUM! Magazine ran a small article on Rubin within a larger article on blink-182's Travis Barker. Alternative Press also ran a full page feature on the tyke for their “up and coming” drummer special (www.fonland.com).
Local pop punk bandLucky 7 has been tapped by super-pop-star Pink-yes, that Pink-to tour Hawaii. Lucky 7's song “California Girl,” from their self-titled debut, has been the No. 2 most downloaded alternative song on MP3.com for the past few months. Lucky 7 will play at the Epicentre with Sum41 on Nov. 30 (www.feelingluckypunk.com).
