Subject: Van Halen

• Patent Pending

  If we're to believe the idealists out there, rock 'n roll is still (and always was) a hotbed of innovation and creativity. Now, without even getting into details, I can tell you that that is a big, heaping lie. Ever heard Jet? How about Godsmack? Yeah. So, want to fuel your musical cynicism? Take a look at the attached image: that billowing '80s mane, that amorphous physique, those nimble little fingers: that's Eddie Van Halen! On a patent application! Thanks to Google's brand-new and still-in

  January 5, 2007

• Last Night: Death By Stereo at Friar Tuck's

  Review by Waleed Rashidi Death By Stereo at Friar Tuck's Bar and Grille, Pomona February 2, 2008 Better than: Any band whose name contains the word "Death" in it — even the veteran metal band Death themselves. Download: "Entombed We Collide" video. One can never even remotely predict what might happen at any given Death By Stereo show. Case in point: Over the past decade, yours truly has witnessed vocalist Efrem Schulz zip up zippers of jacket-wearing audience members, throw his mic in the

  February 3, 2008

• Last Night: Gigantour at the Long Beach Arena

  Better Than: Watching the American Idol Finals. Download: "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" from Megadeth's Myspace page Shred is still alive and continues to thrive as the Megadeth curated band, Gigantour unleashed the demons of heavy metal at the storied Long Beach Arena. Megadeth is one of the original titans in speed metal and thrash. They headlined a night that included a copious amount of custom guitars and searing solos. First up, sludge-like guitar riffs emanated from Matt Pike (guitar

  May 22, 2008

• Last Night: Pinback and El Ten Eleven @ Samueli Theater

  By Andrew Youssef Pinback, El Ten Eleven at Samueli Theater, Costa Mesa, July 31, 2008 Better Than: Questioning the trade of Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Download: “From Nothing to Nowhere” from Pinback’s homepage [http://www.pinback.com/mp3/From_Nothing_to_Nowhere.mp3] San Diego’s favorite sons, Pinback, brought their intricate melodies to the Samueli Theater for another installment of the Off Center concert series sponsored by Indie 103.1. Kristian Dunn and Tim Fogart

  August 1, 2008

• Quick! Find a Pole!

  June 10, 1999

• Just What I Needed

  December 18, 2003

• Channeling Social D

  April 8, 2004

• NAMM Stories: Reports From the Frontlines

  Photo by Andrew YoussefBY RYAN RITCHIEApparently, scoring a ticket to the NAMM show is like the hair farmer version of acceptance into Disneyland's Club 33. Just ask my friend Brian, who was turned away from the event on Saturday even though I pleaded with the press people using my otherwise indefensible charm. I said adios to Brian and met up with photographer Andrew Youssef, who I bonded with earlier that week over the Jets to Brazil reference in his email address (I'll let the readers try to

  January 19, 2009

• David Spade

  March 5, 2009

• [Sound Guy] The Best Tribute Bands to Never Exist

  January 8, 2009

• Pseudo-Reunions

  December 6, 2007

• Ace of Spades

  December 6, 2007

• Steep Learning Curve

  Don Caballero’s Jazzbo Metal Is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts

  November 29, 2007

• Re-running With the Devil

  Van Halen Reunite—Just in Time for Their Excellent Unauthorized Bio

  October 11, 2007

• The Rasta Fire Next Time

  Nearly 30 Years On, Punk Legends Bad Brains Are Still Burning Twice As Bright

  September 20, 2007

• Joyridin

  September 2, 1999

• Live Reviews

  August 26, 2004

• For Those About to Schlock . . .

  KNAC/DC supply the metal, you shout at the devil

  July 19, 2007

• A Spoonful of Sugar

  Forward into the past at Disneylands Storybook Memories exhibit

  June 28, 2007

• Rage Against Irrelevancy

  Does RATMs left hook still have punch?

  April 26, 2007

• The Boys With the Morrissey in Their Side

  August 7, 2003

• Eight Days

  July 8, 2004

• Keep It Like a Secret

  Frankie the Face, DJ, The Secret Affair

  February 1, 2007

• Diary of a Mad County

  Jan. 3-Jan. 9

  January 11, 2007

• Letters

  'The review of Proof in Santa Ana was the best bar review Ive ever read . . . considering I dont read many bar reviews . . . and Ive been drinking . . . and its noon on Sunday'

  November 23, 2006

• Commie Girl

  Good Clean Trashy Fun: Happy Halloween, y'all

  November 2, 2006

• Gloria Was Covered

  November 16, 2006

• Aural Reports

  February 23, 2006

• Ironys Siren

  May 12, 2005

• It's the Parents' Fault!

  March 17, 2005

• Diary of A Mad County

  December 16, 2004

• The Great Pretenders

  August 12, 2004

• To Tell the Truth

  January 22, 2004

• Zeke/The Ruby Doe

  December 4, 2003

• Best Entertainment, Nightlife and Music

  October 30, 2003

• Paging John Ashcroft

  October 2, 2003

• The Ballad of Broken Bands

  August 14, 2003

• Jew or Not a Jew?

  May 15, 2003

• Undeserved Self-Abuse!

  July 11, 2002

• Textbook Heckling

  March 14, 2002

• Im a Puss

  February 28, 2002

• If I Had a Hammer!

  January 31, 2002

• The Club Crawl

  January 3, 2002

• Rage Against the Radio

  October 4, 2001

• Springboard for Hitler

  September 13, 2001

• Pigs! Pigs! Pigs! They're Porkin It up!

  August 10, 2000

• Straight Outta Boise

  July 27, 2000

• Math-Clup Pop Stars

  March 30, 2000

• Incoming: Jet at the House of Blues Anaheim

  Hey, you remember Jet. Right? Australian dudes? Sound (and look) kind of like a more '70s rock-oriented Oasis? Pitchfork posted a review of their 2006 Shine On album that was simply a nine-second video of a monkey drinking his own pee? Sure, now you remember. Well, the band that spawned all those mid-decade hits ("Are You Gonna Be My Girl," "Rollover DJ," "Look What You've Done," "Cold Hard Bitch") are coming to the House of Blues in Anaheim on July 17, about five weeks before the release of thi

  June 11, 2009

• Legends of Rock Festival

  September 17, 2009