Art Collective The Residents Creates its Own Mythology

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It’s hard to know where to start with The Residents. The band’s press release claims that they neither exist nor play any instruments, and yet they have released more than 60 albums, a smattering of videos, DVDs, and short films, … Continue reading

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Blues Revival: Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite Get Down to ‘Get Up!’

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Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite Get Up! (Stax) There’s always been a bluesman bottled up inside slide guitarist Ben Harper. Subtle elements of the blues can found even in his most hook-laden rock songs. With harp virtuoso Charlie Musselwhite, Harper … Continue reading

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Jimmy Webb, Musical Instrument Museum, February 1, 2013

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It’s always interesting hearing an alternate version of a popular song. That’s one of the appeals of live music. But that version is especially worthwhile when it’s the original version by the original artist. Such is the case at a … Continue reading

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North Mississippi Allstars Continue Bluesy Rockin’ Ways; Play Phoenix Feb. 5

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Listening to the North Mississippi Allstars‘ debut album, Shake Hands with Shorty, in 2000 was like getting hit in the face with a giant blues paddle. I mean, where did that sound suddenly come from? The music was loud, aggressive, and up front, and … Continue reading

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Songwriter Jimmy Webb Scored Big Hits — For Glen Campbell, That Is

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By the time he gets to Phoenix, Jimmy Webb expects to be over the flu that’s been dogging him recently. The consummate songwriter of such iconic hits as “MacArthur Park,” Up, Up and Away,” “Galveston,” Wichita Lineman,” and “By the … Continue reading

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Trampled By Turtles — Where Fast is the New Slow

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Punk rockers don’t die, they just go acoustic. While that’s not exactly a great T-shirt slogan (and certainly would elicit some scowls from old-school punkers still plying their trade), it is something of a recent trend within the bluegrass realm, … Continue reading

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Mergence: Phoenix Band has a Good Thing Going On

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Mergence is one of those Phoenix bands that garners incredible local hype for its talents while simultaneously admitting that such popularity would be considerably less likely in New York or Los Angeles. While the plaudits of the critics generally are … Continue reading

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Greg Brown Exposes the Midwest One Song at a Time

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Singer-songwriter and folk troubadour Greg Brown is more than just another guy with a guitar and resonant voice. Brown’s ability to forge a musical style that melds Appalachia, folk, and blues with lyrics that capture the spirit of the land and the people … Continue reading

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Gregg Allman is Not Just Another Midnight Rider

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On “Just Another Rider,” from 2011′s Low Country Blues, Gregg Allman’s first non-compilation album since 1997, raw emotions well up on this heavy Southern-blues tune as he sings, “Just another rider on that train to nowhere.” And nowhere was where the Allman … Continue reading

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The Oxford Coma Wouldn’t Mind Taking Over Rock Radio

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The Oxford Coma doesn’t sound like any other band you’ve ever heard, and that’s the idea. With thumping, funky-to-furious bass lines mixed with propulsive drumming and searing guitar action, the band blurs the distinctions between modern rock, alt-metal, and punk. … Continue reading

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Garland Jeffreys to John Lee Hooker: ‘I Ain’t Ready to Go Yet!’

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Garland Jeffreys, Dec. 7, 2012, Talking Stick Resort, Scottsdale, AZ  “Playing music in front of friends and new acquaintances is the best thing,” Garland Jeffreys declared, kicking off his Talking Stick Resort concert with a rousing version of the lead … Continue reading

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Bob Weir’s Acoustic Adventures Flourish in Phoenix; Jackie Greene Shares Third Set

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Bob Weir with Jackie Greene December 11, 2012 Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, AZ Bob Weir says he likes to perform the occasional solo acoustic tour because it allows him the opportunity to get at the root of the song, to hear … Continue reading

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Man at Work: Neal Casal: ‘There was No Rulebook for This.’

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Neal Casal isn’t exactly a household name, though the guitarist has worked with a diverse collection of artists including The Jayhawks, Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams, Phil Lesh and Rufus Wainwright, spent four years as lead guitarist with Ryan Adams & … Continue reading

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Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead: ‘The Music Is Working Out Just Fine’

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In this week’s issue, we chat with with former Grateful Dead and current Furthur guitarist Bob Weir. We ended up with more material than we could fit, so please enjoy another installment of Outtakes, where we sweep up all sorts of good … Continue reading

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Bob Weir Is Still Painting Cinematic Scenes

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Bob Weir is a restless soul. Already fully engaged with Furthur — his latest and perhaps most true-to-form post-Grateful Dead venture — his solo band Ratdog, assorted musical projects at his TRI Studios, activity in various political and environmental organizations, plus … Continue reading

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