Welcome!

Welcome to my new music blog! For those of you who know me personally you know that I've had a passion for music all my life. This is a long time coming and I hope all of you find it at the very least somewhat interesting and at best a source for all things music; with a focus on Southern California. If you don't know who I am, here's a little about me.

I live in the Coachella Valley area. I'm a desert rat out of necessity. Although I have grown to like it out here. San Diego is like a second home to me. The Inland Empire and Riverside county are like old buddies from high school to me; you used to hang out all the time but these days you only see them on special occasions. Orange County is one of those places I wish I knew a little more about. LA was the place you went to when you were just a kid because that's where all the cool, scary, and exciting things were. It was always an adventure to go to LA. But the desert is my home.

Although I live in the Palm Springs/Coachella area, I won't be covering just the Coachella Valley. That's already being done. I will be doing more of a general music blog, with a heavy focus on Southern California artists. Don't get me wrong, I have a passion for the Valley. I've been in the local scene for a long time and have seen more acts from around here come and go. I remember the days of the old punk and ska shows at the Palm Springs Bowling Alley, Aloha Billiards, and the old fast food Italian restaurant in Cat City on Hwy 111. I remember the days of the Iron Gate generator parties and was privileged to have played one of the very last ones alongside Fatso Jetson before they uprooted and moved to Pasadena. And I still have a love for the desert. I just feel that we live in a vacuum. And rarely do good things exist in a vacuum. That is why I have equally a passion for artists outside the desert.

You need outside influences to grow. You need to experience new things in order to find your way. One of my best friends, Ana, posed a question to me once. She asked me "what do you think our purpose in life is?" A deep question and one that can be answered in a multitude of ways. Yet, before I was able to phrase my response she interrupted me and gave me her answer. She said "Let me tell you what I think. I feel that one of the reasons we're here is to inspire one another." That statement has stayed with me to this day. And I believe it.

My mission is to expose the talent of the Coachella Valley to the world and bring the world to the Coachella Valley. To help create a dialogue amongst artists here in southern California and beyond. I will criticize honestly and without prejudice (a bit of an oxymoron, I know). I will bring music lovers a variety of music beyond what is on the radio, TV, and major trade publications. To encourage music fans to go see a show in a DIY arthouse, storefront, warehouse, house party, public park, museum, coffee house, or art gallery that is out of the way or in a place you've never been to. Chances are you will gain something from that experience if you're willing to open yourself up to them.

There you have it. If you're in a band and you have a CD/LP/cassette that you'd like me to review, email me and I will send you the information on how to get it to me. If you've got a show somewhere here in the Socal area, send me the info/flier and I'll post it here on the blog. I hope you keep reading.