"When I wrote ‘Rampages Eastward’ I was renting an old converted porch in East Oakland as a bedroom for $350 a month,” says Nika States, who makes music under the moniker Red Steppes. “It was barely 6'x8' with walls made of barred windows, freezing at night and stifling as soon as the sun came up,... Continue Reading →
Interview: Neal Casal of The Chris Robinson Brotherhood
Creativity is so important, more than ever at this point in history. “It seems like freedoms are being taken away from us rapidly, and we consider ourselves freedom fighters, if you will,” laughs the Chris Robinson Brotherhood’s own Neal Casal, who spoke to us on a recent and very rare day at home. On July 21st,... Continue Reading →
Interview: The Show Ponies
Energetic and rootsy five-piece Americana band The Show Ponies, comprised of musicians hailing from Arkansas, Texas, and California, will release a new studio LP, How It All Goes Down, on January 20, 2017. Produced by Andy Freeman (Eisley/Manchester Orchestra, Rocketboys), the album is a follow-up to the band's two LPs and one EP, which to date have... Continue Reading →
Interview: Pony Boy
Singer/songwriter Marchelle Brandanini, a.k.a. Pony Boy, grew up in a town in northern California called Vacaville, a name which literally means "Cow Town." Her hometown was small, but close enough to San Francisco that she could study classical music and opera. One day, she heard the raspy roar of Janis Joplin, thought "Wow! I want to sound like that!"... Continue Reading →