Local Music Issue

We’ve got more cool bands than Mead Valley’s got meth labs—but how the hell can we take a sample of the local music scene and all the grisly details that make it unique? In alphabetical order, that’s how! So, without further adieu, here’s an A to Z snapshot with all the trimmings of some of the Inland Empire’s up-and-coming, been-there-done-that bands, venues and other music-minded miscreants that make the 909 go to 11 every time.

A

Alien Ant Farm

In the late 1990s, no one had ever really heard of Alien Ant Farm. “Smooth Criminal” changed all that in 2001—and propelled this Riverside band and their Michael Jackson cover song to the top of the pop-culture stratosphere (and the charts). All of a sudden, their major label debut Anthology went platinum. Then reality sunk in—or sophomore slump if you will—and the band kinda fell of the map . . . until this past February when Alien Ant Farm announced that it was back after a seven-year limbo—with the original lineup. Whew. “Where Are They Now” episode averted. (Matt Tapia)

 www.alienantfarm.com.

B

BellRays, The

To put in bluntly, The BellRays are that band that truly lives up to all the hype they’ve generated, including the stuff that the Weekly’s said about them. For example, we recently called them “one of the most impressive punk rock bands to hail from the Inland Empire.” And even if they don’t fit into your predetermined punk mold, it’s still true. Just imagine a Motown-inspired female soul singer fronting the thrashy unpredictability of the MC5 or bluesy Rolling Stones and you’ll have a decent idea about this veteran Riverside outfit, who’ve been blasting stages across the region for nearly 20 years. (George Donovan)

www.thebellrays.com.

C

Coachella Arts and Film Festival

It wasn’t supposed to work. The Coachella Valley is inhumanly dry, incredibly hot, lightyears away from major metropolitan centers and about as pop-culture worthy as a VH1 rerun. But somehow, when the first Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival launched in 1999, the planets must have aligned just so because this thing’s been pure magic ever since. What started out as a small homegrown live-music—that initially lost oodles of money—has become the Godzilla of all SoCal music festivals. Coachella is now the ultimate, can’t-miss destination and ultimate crossover: Its eclectic, diverse lineup showcases both acts only the bloggerazzi has heard of to, ahem, slightly more mature artists (Madonna, Prince) that even your parents can easily recognize. (James Abraham)

www.coachella.com.

D

Death is Eternal 

Look, you’ve just gotta love a metal band whose acronym ends up reading “D.I.E.” Montclair-based foursome Death is Eternal have been thrashing away at eardrums with their potent hybrid of death metal and black metal, which can be found in all of its stick-shredding, fretboard-flying glory on their eight-track release, Unholy Sanctuary, which hit streets a few years ago. Now in their eighth year of operation, Death is Eternal’s opened for a host of metallic greats throughout the band’s career, including Deicide, Six Feet Under, God Forbid and Cattle Decapitation. It looks like D.I.E.’s actually living quite a lengthy, healthy metallic life! (George Donovan)

www.myspace.com/deathiseternaldie.

E

Elements

In this day and age, as far as my weathered ears are concerned, it’s hard to find some tunes that are both unique enough to stand out and similar enough to be accepted by the local scene, but Elements (or, alternately, Elements Revolution) has accomplished just that. Formed by drummer Gary “Big G” Stanionis, Elements released its debut album, Takin’ It Back, during the summer of 2008. With a poppin’ bass line, the key-man slurring, the brass in full swing and just enough electric-porno jazz guitar to get things moving, these instrumental tunes are—as the band says—as smooth as silk. (John A. Waterman)

www.elementslive.com.

F

Folk Music Center

This Claremont mainstay has been a steady supplier of nearly every non-electrified musical instrument on the planet. Need that patch of rubber atop your tablas? What about getting some new strings for that guitarron? From pan flutes to maracas, the inventory here never disappoints. And the store really lives up to its “center” moniker as it doubles up as a museum, classroom and concert venue, with a laundry list of greats who’ve made appearances throughout its years (including Ben Harper, whose family runs the place). Plus, they’re the folks who’ve thrown the awesome Folk Festival for nearly 30 years. (George Donovan)

www.folkmusiccenter.com.

G

Glass House, The

This downtown Pomona venue is arguably the IE’s coolest live music venue the region can offer. Consistently booking top-shelf acts and events (thanks, Goldenvoice!), this all-ages venue is home to all manner of bands; from the KROQ cool to the indier-than-thou. Pop, metal, hip-hop, reggae, singer-songwriter, electro, underground, mainstream—if it plays in the IE, it plays here. (James Abraham)

www.theglasshouse.us.

H

Hobo Jazz

Melding traditional boxcar-hopping workers with swing musicians sounds a bit confounding at first. But such a mash-up’s the modus operandi for Hobo Jazz, whose stew of styles, influences and material have left the ears wondering what exactly they just heard. The terrific trio—featuring guitarist/vocalist Matt Coleman, drummer/vocalist Joe Perez and bassist/vocalist Marquis Howell—mesh their bluesy cuts in a strangely synchronized manner, at times cruisin‘ like a sleeper coach gliding along the rails, and in other moments, like a locomotive chugging up a steep mountain pass. But no matter how twisty the train ride, there’s never a derailment. Score one for safety! www.hobojazz.com. (George Donovan)

I

Inhale

Bringing the Hawaiian blues to sunny California, the badfish that make up Inhale have redefined the term musician. For a band that’s named after a not-so-productive pastime they sure are persistent. Rockin’ venues just about every day that ends in Y, they can be found at local venues like Lake Alice, Shamrock’s and Friar Tuck’s, not to mention a handful of spots right near the beach. So if you’re down to chill and catch some tasty waves and some cool rays, switch it over to cruise control, kick up the tunes and Inhale. (John A. Waterman).

www.myspace.com/inhale.

L

Lyman, Kevin

Claremont native, Cal Poly grad and founder of the long-running annual Warped Tour, bringing earnest emo kids and grumpy aging punk rockers together for 15 years. The traveling festival was conceived in 1994, with sneaker manufacturer Vans joining up a year later in a match made in sponsorship heaven. The first installment saw No Doubt, L7 and Sublime; among the names scheduled for this year—with a stop in Pomona on Aug. 11—are All-American Rejects, Face to Face and Riverboat Gamblers. Lyman’s also the co-founder of the Taste of Chaos tour and the heavy metal-focused Mayhem Festival; part-owner of SideOneDummy Records, label home of Flogging Molly and The Gaslight Anthem. (Albert Ching)

M

Moscow

Goth-tinged all-girl post-punk troupe hailing from Riverside, Pomona and Covina. Producing moody rock with ominous titles like “Inferno” and “Love to Hate” since 2007, guided by the haunting vocals of lead singer Vanessa Soto. Influences (unsurprisingly) include Bauhaus, Joy Division, The Cure and Interpol and perhaps a little more surprisingly, The Cranberries. Regular gigs at spots like Characters in Pomona, and venues across SoCal. Released a video for “Spies On the Wall” in fall 2009, combining performance footage with some spooky visuals of the band being chased, with the accompaniment of the catchy closing refrain “We need to break the walls down.” (Albert Ching)

www.myspace.com/thisismoscow.

N

Noble Fiends

A friend of mine always stresses the fact that you can never trust a drug fiend, but what about a noble fiend? Now that wouldn’t be so bad, would it? The Noble Fiends out of Chino might rely on a flawed logic, but they’ve got a happy-go-lucky vibe that’s tastefully mellow. Now, the way in which this rock/alt-rock/classic rock band came to be reads like the story of the one-man wolf pack. Two dudes were alone first in the pack, and then came a few more later to make a five-man wolf pack—except without the strippers and booze; though I wouldn’t put it past ‘em. (John A. Waterman)

www.myspace.com/noblefiends.

O

Ozzfest

Annual heavy metal festival tour founded by Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, which started in 1996 as a two-day festival held in Phoenix and Devore, at the San Manuel Amphitheater—then known as the Blockbuster Pavilion. Highlighted by both featuring some of the biggest acts in the genre and more infamous moments, like intentionally cutting off Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden’s mic in 2005, and the misguided decision of making 2007’s tour free for fans. After taking 2009 off, the festival is back, and opening Aug. 14 with a show at the same venue where it all started in San Bernardino. (Albert Ching)

www.ozzfest.com.

P

Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace

A Morongo Basin venue in an area built as a live-in set for 1940s Westerns may seem like an odd place to see the likes of Peaches, M. Ward, Lucinda Williams and Arctic Monkeys, but that’s the kind of acts drawn to this Pioneertown spot. It may look like an old west honky tonk, but the artists booked are completely progressive. Upcoming gigs include The Sadies, Sleepy Sun and Camper Van Beethoven. Owned since 2003 by former New York folk Robyn Celia and Linda Krantz, the venue’s been profiled in no less of a highfalutin’ source than The New York Times. (Albert Ching)

www.pappyandharriets.com.

Q

Q-Bonkers

I once read somewhere that the pool hall is a great equalizer. In the pool hall, nobody cares how old you are, where you’re from or how much money you’ve got in your pocket; it’s about how you move, and Q-Bonkers—which doubles as a live-music venue—was no exception. The difference is, at Q-Bonkers you’re just as likely to catch a handful of kids skankin‘ around the pit (Buddah Bomb, you know what we’re talking ’bout!) as you are to see cats movin‘ around a pool table—at least that was the case until the decision was made to cancel all shows at the hall until further notice. At least you can still sink your balls. (John A. Waterman)

www.myspace.com/QBonkersBilliards.

R

R.O.C.K. 

The neatly dubbed R.O.C.K. stands for the Regional Organization of the Creative Kind and it’s co-directed by musician Micah Justice and photographer Robin Perry. The org has hosted several types of events, including successful songwriter showcases and open mic nights at local hotspots like the Mission Tobacco Lounge, and welcomes those willing to share their artistry (in all forms) in an effort to establish a community that offers reciprocated support. The objectives include fostering relationships between artists and creating a central hub for those seeking the arts, furthering chances for professional opportunities. Sound like something interesting? (Waleed Rashidi)

www.riversiderock.com.

S

Spiderworks

We’ve been waiting over 20 years for Riverside’s Spiderworks to catch their national break. And, well, they haven’t. The experimental rock/metal act, which last released an album 10 years ago, always seemed moderately to substantially edgier than the rock radio fare of its time, sounding closer to Tool or the Melvins than the mainstream Seattle sound that soon dominated the airwaves during the band’s early ’90s heyday. Spiderworks could pack local clubs with ease, but they couldn’t hang long enough to really dominate the States, initially imploding in the mid-’90s. Spiderworks has since sporadically reunited, intermittently feeding the appetites of their extremely patient IE fanbase. (George Donovan)

www.myspace.com/spiderworksmusic.

T

Tyron, Erica 

With a sea of corporate-owned commercial radio stations blanketing the area’s airwaves, it’s nice to know that there are moments of non-dollar-driven clarity on the local radio dial. And nowhere is this staunch independent spirit more alive and well than at college stations like KSPC (88.7FM), which is run by the Claremont Colleges’ students and community volunteers, and has been headed by Erica Tyron for the past 18 years. Thanks in large part to Tyron’s efforts (a Scripps alumna and former KSPC DJ), a glorious sonic alternative exists for listeners who’ve grown tired of insipid radio programming (or even those blasted commercials). (Steve Samuels) www.kspc.org.

U

Unforgiven, The

Pre-dating both the Clint Eastwood film and the Metallica song (and the two subsequent, befuddling sequels), this country-rock crew from Claremont/Pomona was formed in 1985, released a self-titled album on Elektra Records in 1986 and disbanded in 1988. The band flirted with mainstream success, even playing a Farm Aid benefit show, but was ultimately short lived. Guitarist and Redlands native Johnny Hickman went on to play with the band Cracker, known for their 1993 hit “Low,” and released a solo album in 2005. Drummer Alan Waddington ended up in Claremont band Savage Republic, which released 1938 in 2007. (Albert Ching)

www.roverpack.com.

W

Wire, The

Nestled amongst a collection of historic buildings in downtown Upland, The Wire’s something like the Inland Empire’s answer to Anaheim’s Chain Reaction, or perhaps a more scaled-down version of Pomona’s The Glass House. But this cozy all-ages indie music venue (which opened doors in 2006) offers more than just a sweet spot to catch a few bands. There’s art all over the walls which one can admire and there’s even a studio on the premises that’s tracking quality recordings for local acts. Venues like these are rare east of the 57 Freeway, so we’re glad to have this one within close proximity. (George Donovan)

www.thewire247.com.

X

X103.9

The static comes in slow and you crank the madness up to the max while you’re mashin‘ down the 91 listening to the voices on the X break it all down. X103.9 is the IE’s alt-rock station, and if you’re down for tunes with the guitar rockin‘ the forefront this is where the dial should be tuned to. The X marks the spot with music news, cool concerts (such as last year’s A Very Merry X-Mas Party at CSU San Bernardino), and enough tunes to make even the most avid music collector’s head spin like an LP. (John A. Waterman)

www.x1039.com.

Y

Yard Sale

There’s no doubt that the Inland Empire’s packed with an array of cover bands. But ask some of these acts to provide proof of educational credentials and you might just draw puzzled stares. Well, enter Corona-based Yard Sale, a solid hit-playing ensemble whose website states that “each member currently holds or is pursuing a Bachelors or Masters Degree from major universities.” In fact, Yard Sale’s site boasts a battery of reasons why they’re the better cover band alternative: horns, look, fans, song selection. Yes, these pros have both the academics and the artistry in place, and that’s quite the weekend bargain find! (George Donovan)

www.yardsaletheband.com.

Z

Zombria

So, you’ve got doubts about Zombria’s death metal credentials? Hell, let song titles like “Tower of Satan,” “Modern Messiah” (Why do I get the feeling this track isn’t about that Son of God dude?) and “War That Slayed the World” eliminate all doubts about how truly brutal this Riverside band’s brand of proggy thrash really is. Better shred than dead. (Matt Tapia) 

www.myspace.com/zombriademos, www.myspace.com/13dan666.