People from Brooklyn don’t mess around. And Williamsburg may be known more as hipster central, but it’s for good reason: so many great artists and musicians flocking to one part of New York City seeking community and collaboration. And Franz Nicolay might be considered the chief collaborator; he’s been a member of the Hold Steady, he founded a musicians’ collective called Anti-Social Music and now he’s a touring member of Against Me! and working on releasing Luck & Courage, a new solo album.
We recently caught Nicolay long enough to have him answer a few questions about what it’s like to be a musician in Williamsburg, where to get the best huevos rancheros and why he has Dennis Rodman’s autograph. Read on!
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Time for another Stomping Grounds, folks! This time we’re exploring the home of Prisoners, garage rock heroes from Cleveland, Ohio.
True to Cleveland’s blue-collar roots, Prisoners rock out with all the garage energy of teenage glory: noises crashing and colliding in mid-air in that chaotic, don’t-give-a-fuck kind of way that always sounds so good. We got a chance to ask Jason Look, guitarist and vocalist, a bit about what it’s like to live in the rock ‘n’ roll capital of the world. Read on to find out where to get the best burrito, and why Jason has a shirt that used to belong to Will Rigby.
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The summer is hot and so is this print issue of Ghettoblaster! Sha-bang! It’s packed with all the best stuff we could dig up for you. Everything from Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek to Teenage Fanclub and Phosphorescent. Also: Konono No. 1, Cap’n Jazz, Little Brother, Walter Schreifels and a whole crapload more.
If we’ve intrigued you enough, why don’t you ask us to send you a copy? Or, perhaps, subscribe to get four of these bad boys every year? Just a thought.
Also, while we’re at it, head over to the In Print page if you are ever wanting to back-order any old issues. More amazing bathroom reading than you know what to do with.
After yet another brief hiatus, we are back in action, digging up the best new artists and asking them why they love where they live.
Tiffany Carter is stirring up her own special blend of soul from the self-proclaimed “most livable city in America,” otherwise known as St. Paul, Minnesota. Coming from the same stomping grounds as Prince leads to some high expectations, but you can rest assured she’s living up to them. Check out what Tiffany has to say about the other twin city.
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We like to keep it local here at Ghettoblaster, which is why, every so often, we go out and talk to our favorite artists about their hometown and the things they love (or hate) about it.
For this edition of Stomping Grounds, we introduce Matthew Milia of Frontier Ruckus, who is a born and bred Michigander that calls Detroit home but also spends much of his time throughout the rest of Michigan. If you haven’t heard Frontier Ruckus’s unique brand of folk, you should take a moment and check them out. But for now, read on to hear all about the best of Michigan, from Detroit to Ann Arbor to Ypsilanti.
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Twin Tigers are new on the scene, relatively speaking, but they’re already getting the right eyes on them. They’re touring with everyone from The Hold Steady to The Antlers to Interpol. In other words, if you aren’t already a fan, you will be soon.
We got some quick answers to our Stomping Grounds questions from Matthew about their hometown of Athens, Georgia, where a surprising number of amazing bands got their start.
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We like to keep it local here at Ghettoblaster, which is why, every so often, we go out and talk to our favorite artists about their hometown and the things they love (or hate) about it.
Sam Quinn is a folk artist from Knoxville, Tennessee who has a lot of great things to say about his hometown. (You might remember him from his last creative endeavor, The Everybodyfields.) It’s clear that he takes every moment that he’s not making dark, mournful Americana to explore the great city of Knoxville. Read on to hear about the best local Mexican joint, why it’s okay to listen to Gavin Rossdale sometimes, and what the hell that giant golden ball downtown Knoxville is all about.
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In our continuing series, where we show appreciation for the towns our favorite bands come from and all the local spots of note, this week we have Jenn Wasner, singer and guitarist from Wye Oak. The folk-tinged indie rock duo most recently released My Neighbor / My Creator digitally (physical release is June 8), a five-song follow-up EP to their 2009 full-length, The Knot. Both are well worth checking out for fans of Bowerbirds, Shearwater or The Rosebuds.
Now join us as we ask Wasner a few questions about her hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, and all the fine music, fireplaces and crabcakes it has to offer.
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Jaguar Love might not be a familiar name to you, but if you remember the Blood Brothers or Pretty Girls Make Graves, you have a good foundational understanding; Jaguar Love is what started when those bands stopped. If none of that makes sense, just throw some new wave, punk and electronic albums in a blender and give it a spin.
We recently caught up with guitarist Cody Votolato to ask him a few questions about his new hometown of Portland, Oregon. He’s clearly excited about his city and, really, why shouldn’t he be? Portland is a great place to be. Read on to find out a few reasons why.
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Issue 24! Shabang!
Guys! We have another new print issue. I swear, the features get better and better with every issue. This one’s got everyone from Frightened Rabbit to Four Tet, Ted Leo to Titus Andronicus, and of course the queen of soul and funk of the new millenium, Miss Sharon Jones herself!
Check out the In Print page for more information or order your copy right now!
