Originally from the college town of Claremont, California, singer/songwriter John Darnielle formed the Mountain Goats in 1991. The Mountain Goats have evolved, matured, and experienced many changes over the years. A lot of talented folks have passed through the Goats’ ranks as members or collaborators – including Kaki King, John Vanderslice, Annie Clark, Franklin Bruno, and many others – but Darnielle has remained the band’s only constant member. The group came to prominence with the release of the [...]

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Glen Hansard is an Academy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and musician. He began his musical journey at the age of 13 when he left school and became a busker on the streets of Dublin, singing songs for spare change. After many years of perfecting his craft, he formed a group by the name of The Frames in 1990. The following year, the group released their debut album, ANOTHER LOVE SONG. However, Hansard [...]

Although Alternative Rock band The Drums is now a musical solo project for singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Johnathan ‘Jonny’ Pierce, the origins of the group began in Brooklyn, New York in 2008. Pierce and guitarist / keyboardist Jacob Graham, the duo initially came together as Electropop act Goat Explosion. After the band’s split, Jonny Pierce formed Elkland, another Electropop outfit who released one album, GOLDEN, in 2005. After Elkland’s split, Pierce reunited with former Goat [...]

Formed in Toledo, Ohio in 2009, Citizen is an Alt-Rock band founded by vocalist Mat Kerekes and brothers Nick Hamm (lead guitar) and Eric Hamm (bass). All three had exited their previous band, The Sound of Glory (where Kerekes played drums) and formed Citizen a short time later. The band also included rhythm guitarist Ryland Oehlers (who exited the band as a full-time member in 2020) as well as drummers Mike Armstrong (2009-2012), Cray Wilson [...]

Formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 2015, Slow Pulp is an Indie / Alt-Rock band formed by Alex Leeds (bass / vocals), Henry Stoehr (guitar), and Teddy Matthews (drums). The group began to create a buzz with the release of EP1 in 2015. However, the group’s sound gelled with the addition of singer / guitarist Emily Massey, who made her recording debut on EP2 in 2017. The buzz around the band began to grow into a [...]

DAVE RAYBURN: Your brand-new album, JULIANA HATFIELD SINGS ELO, is now upon us, so let’s begin with some nostalgia. What was the first ELO record you ever had, and what else were you listening to at that time? JULIANA HATFIELD: Before I had any of their albums, I was mostly just listening to songs on the AM pop radio of the time (the 1970’s)—whatever was happening and popular. With ELO there was a string of [...]

Japanese quartet Chai is comprised of twin sisters Mana (vocals/keyboards) andKana(guitar) plus bassist/lyricist Yuuki and drummer Yuna. Formed in Nagoya in 2012, the four musicians came together to create music that would exist outside of the formulaic J-Pop music that infiltrated the charts. Their own musical tastes were drawn towards experimental Pop and Hip-Hop and they embraced a style that reflected all of their individual tastes. With songs written by Mana, Kana, and Yuuki, Chai released three singles between 2013 and [...]

Although some may not realize it, trumpeter Herb Alpert changed the course of music in the 1960s and 1970s, paving the way for thousands of musicians that followed in his wake. And while he may best be remembered for the series of hits with The Tijuana Brass (TJB), he was – and is – so much more than that. He was the co-founder – alongside the late Jerry Moss - of A&M Records, the label [...]

Without British Blues multi-instrumentalist and vocalist John Mayall, we would never have had RUMOURS, one of the most successful albums of the 1970s. And while that Fleetwood Mac album remains one of the most beloved Classic Rock albums in the US, John Mayall’s connection to the band can sometimes get lost in the mists of time. It all began when Mayall, already a well-known Blues musician in London, formed The Bluesbreakers with bassist John McVie [...]

Acclaimed Punk and Alternative singer / songwriter Jeff Rosenstock - born in Long Island, New York – is now best known as a solo artist but his career reaches back nearly 30 years when he formed his first band, The Arrogant Sons of Bitches, in 1995. The group issued a series of releases – including BUILT TO FAIL (1998), PORNOCRACY (2000), and ALL THE LITTLE ONES ARE ROTTING (2003) – before splitting up in 2004. [...]