US10 On Spitfire Radio: 4th Of July Edition

Independent radio is a good thing for obvious reasons, but no reason so obvious as loosening music fans from the narrow lanes of restricted listening and limited music discovery. Major radio stations have their painfully structured playlists of songs that you'll hear repeated every hour on the hour with little room for deviation. And then there are free spirits like Spitfire Radio across the pond in  Birmingham, England who are all about being a quality alternative and a source for amazing music that you may not otherwise find. That's where Barry Tomes (a Brit) and Brooke Henderson (a Yankee) come in as hosts of the program, US10 which showcases 10 of the BEST new and emerging bands/artists from the US. Isn't it lovely how we Americans and the English have been able to get along despite that nasty American Revolution-thing?

Now being given the opportunity to select 10 of my favorite artists for this week's edition of US10 was a pretty honor, yet a really difficult one. Why difficult? Because although 10 may sound like a lot of artists to choose, it's barely scratches the surface due to the abundance of good shit out there just waiting to be discovered by ears like yours.

My US10 turned out to very LA-centric and, if you know me, there will be a few familiar names: it wasn't intentional, I'm just very fond of much of the music growing in my own backyard. So check out the show (with adorable and witty banter courtesy of Brooke and Barry whom I thank for indulging my selections), dig into the music and perhaps turn yourself on to a new band.


Bands featured:
The Last Internationale
X Ambassadors
Big Black Delta
Finish Ticket
Terraplane Sun
Irontom
Dead Sara
American Royalty
The Features
Sabrosa Purr

Dead Sara Rock Jimmy Kimmel Live With "Weatherman"

You know that feeling when every ounce of faith that you've had over the years in something or someone comes to full bloom right before your eyes? Yeah, that's what happened last night at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood when Dead Sara made their national television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

When their manager asked if I was coming to the show, I told him that it had been on my calendar for two weeks. Over the past three years I've watched this band evolve and revolve around itself, but never once did I doubt their ability to put a much needed beautiful hurt on music. That hurt went a little something like this:

And this....

Emily Armstrong, Sean Friday, Siouxsie Medley, and Chris Null are Dead Sara, they are on the cover of our Spring issue of High Voltage Magazine, and if they don't reinforce your faith in good music- real music- then nothing will. 

Dead Sara "Weatherman" Video Premier

Here's their new video for "Weatherman", a song that is a history lesson unto itself; a call to arms, a dare to sort yourself out.

One thing that I know about Dead Sara is that they are a musical force to be reckoned with. Equal parts XX and XY chromosomes have never fused into quite the perfect storm that Emily Armstrong, Siouxsie Medley, Chris Null, and Sean Friday have.

They are one of the best and hardest rocking bands on LA's current scene; potential unlimited, hand picked to share the stage with Buckcherry at the recent Sunset Strip Music Festival in West Hollywood, rolling out as the opening band on tour with Bush. Their self-title debut album is due out in October and is nothing short of ferocious and beautiful and perhaps a new standard of what a young rock band can and should be capable of. Punk and rock fearlessness, folk and soul, indie angst and metallic blues...all things valid and represented under the Dead Sara flag.

LA Spotlight: Dead Sara's Debut Album Out In October 2011

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this is one of the finest examples of a band of badass proportions which you need to file under: “Holy sh*t!”. It’s Dead Sara and they make me believe in the future of quality, unadulterated music.

A foursome of equal parts XX and XY chromosomes, Los Angeles' Dead Sara is a much welcomed and much needed injection of pure talent, intensity, and passion at the cellular level that can raise the hair on your arms. It tastes like punk fearless and honest soul; like indie angst and metallic blues, all set on fire by a voice that even brought an iconic rock legend by the name of Grace Slick to The Viper Room on July 7th, 2011 just to see them perform.

Dead Sara’s debut album will hit the streets in October, and here they are teasing us with what they have to offer:

Chris Null on bass, Sean Friday on drums, Emily Armstrong on vocals and guitar, and Siouxsie Medley on lead guitar. Rock with cojones the size of Mount Everest, people.

If you happen to be in the immediate Los Angeles area on Sunday July 24^th, Dead Sara will be playing at Hemingways in Hollywood.