Music

Through The Past, Darkly Currently touring in support of his second solo album, former Soundgarden/Audioslave wailer Chris Cornell spoke with New Times about the environment, the thought process behind choosing which songs to include in a career-spanning setlist, art versus audience perceptions of it, and the consequences of a positive…

Max Bemis, frontman for the New York-based band Say Anything, was diagnosed three years ago as bipolar. This, he says, made absolute sense — it explained his manic episodes. In fact he attributes the lyrics of the band’s 2004 debut, … Is a Real Boy, to the disorder. If that…

On this mostly pan-Latin compilation, DJ Raul Campos, the host of Nocturna, a popular program on Santa Monica’s KCRW-FM radio station, brings together tunes from artists both new and well-known. He hooks the listener right from the opening track, “Shine,” a tune by DJ Bitman, which successfully blends into Nortec…

New York-based DJ DB has always known how to throw a good party. Years after his first events (notably the groundbreaking, historic NASA parties), the veteran electronic music persona is still breathing new life into the city with his monthly Secret Art of Science nights. A cofounder of the pioneering…

The idea of a collaboration between Prince Paul and Bernie Worrell — with guest appearances by George Clinton, Shock G, and others — is a self-fulfilling prophecy, right? The quirky hip-hop producer and the P-Funk keyboard wizard are going to make some sort of Dope Dogs ’07, because, well, that’s…

Viva subterfuge and theft that doesn’t harm anybody who doesn’t deserve it. But holy Girl Talk, Batman; at a certain point, one gets the sense that powerful music-biz suits aren’t the only folks falling prey to sample-happy activist-composers. To be more concise: If you simply must taunt copyright lawyers, flip…

When Bryan “Birdman” Williams walks through the doors of North Miami’s Hit Factory Studios on a recent Friday night, he cuts a commanding yet calm figure. The spray of diamonds dripping from his neck, wrist, and ears is almost blinding, but then there’s his understated swagger. Williams exudes successful music-exec…

Most hip-hop MCs are hungry, but LMS is starving like a late dinner guest to the Last Supper. You can feel it in his delivery, you can see the look in his eyes, but most of all you can hear it in his words. “Knowing the power of words, you…

Since their inception in 1977, the Village People have sold more than 85 million albums and singles. With omnipresent hits like “YMCA,” “Macho Man,” and “In the Navy,” the group has become universally known for catchy disco hits as well as distinct onstage costumes. Ray Simpson, who plays the policeman,…

Shine opens its Sleepless Night festivities Friday with an appearance by steamy DJ Colette. With her doe eyes and demure presence, Chicago native Colette is the very essence of postmillennial house music. Her sweet but sultry voice has been called “angelic” so many times it’s a wonder she hasn’t grown…

The Hawaii-born trio Pepper is based in Southern California, played this year’s Warped Tour, and mix in Jamaican rhythms with a little punk rock ‘tude. But don’t call ‘em any variation of s-k-a. Rather, they look a little further later in the history of Caribbean beats, mixing in a classic…

Although the band originally about ten years ago in Minneapolis, Minnesota, things really started picking up for Motion City Soundtrack within the last few years. A booster: a big helping hand from Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus, who fell for the band’s high-powered, punk-inflected, Superchunk-y rock. Hoppus later produced the band’s second…