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In 2010, Justin Maurer’s band CLOROX GIRLS fell apart and he found himself living in his uncle’s attic and working as a dental supply salesman in Long Beach, California. He was inspired after seeing James Carman’s band IMAGES play a killer set at notorious longshoreman dive Harold’s Place in San Pedro.  Harold’s bartenders were known to deal trucker speed from behind the bar as well as brandish a sawed off shotgun if any of their patrons got out of line. Being the diviest of Pacific Avenue’s drag of working class dive bars, they allowed locals to throw their own punk shows.  Justin made the pilgrimage across the Vincent Thomas Bridge to check out one of these shows and was blown away by IMAGES, a local band who took equal inspiration from late 70s LA punk as well as poppier UK punk like THE BUZZCOCKS.  The vocal harmonies were great and a particular lefty drummer who played his snare and floortom with his arms crossed - one James Carman - was singing lead vocals and backing vocals and harmonies in a way that caught Justin pleasantly off guard.  A few weeks later Justin bought a round of $1 beers for the IMAGES boys at Fern’s, one of Long Beach’s diviest on East 4th Street, but before taking their first sip they were chucked out by the doorman because every single member of IMAGES was all under 21.  Justin soon produced a music video for the boys (“Frustration”, directed by Vim Crony), and also asked James if he would be up for joining a new band.  







Back in Long Beach, Justin and another new friend Cezar Mora, who had played in local bands THE SWITCHUPS and THE BAD MACHINE, were working on a project called LOS LONG BEACH BOYS, a Beach Boys cover band that sung in Spanish.  They hoped to rake in the big bucks at swap meets and lowrider car shows.  Translating and harmonizing an entire Beach Boys set in Spanish proved to be quite the challenge, and Justin and Cezar decided to write originals instead.  







James invited his childhood friend Johnny Reyes to audition on bass at LA DRUGZ’ first band practice at his parents’ house in Carson.  The guys liked his yellow BUZZCOCKS t-shirt, his sense of humor and his mod hairstyle, so he was in.  They celebrated with homemade pancit and lumpia from James’ mom. At practice, James mentioned that the best music was like a drug and the name LA DRUGS was pitched.  They looked it up and it seemed there was already a band called LA DRUGS from Boston. And they sucked. The boys decided to differentiate themselves by spelling it with a Z as an homage to THE PLUGZ. 







LA DRUGZ began to gig around the South Bay, Orange County and Los Angeles playing spots like The Redwood, The Continental Room, Harold’s, The Observatory, Alex’s Bar and Vince Lombardi High School (VLHS). They recorded the OUTSIDE PLACE EP with Kid Kevin of CALIMUCHO  in San Pedro and approached Tim and Mark Janchar at HOVERCRAFT RECORDS in Portland, Oregon about releasing it.  The brothers dug it and said yes!  A westcoast tour was promptly arranged around the release of the record and would take the boys north to Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle.  In Seattle, Kurt Bloch of THE FASTBACKS joined them onstage for a raucous cover of “You’re Gonna Miss Me” by 13th Floor Elevators. 







The following year of 2015 took the boys out on the road with London’s FAT WHITE FAMILY where they kicked off at storied L.A. Venue The Troubadour,  and toured all the way out to  Austin, Texas.  After ripping it up at the final show of their tour at The Chapel in San Francisco, both bands' vans were broken into at the Travel Lodge Motel on Market Street and Valencia where over $20K of gear was stolen along with both bands’ suitcases of clothing.  FAT WHITE FAMILY flew back to the UK all wearing LA DRUGZ t-sh...

Vancouver’s Stephen Hamm Theremin Man has just released his sophomore album Songs for the Future with the accompanying video “Planet Earth”. Following the critical acclaim of his debut album, Theremin Man, this latest offering promises a thrilling journey into the realms of electro-rock. Songs for the Future explores themes ranging from isolation and hope to science fiction and fantasy. Each track invites listeners on a cosmic voyage through sound and emotion, with a nod to interdimensional and intergalactic entities. Building on the sonic landscapes established in the first album Theremin Man, Hamm's new album expands his artistic vision. From ethereal melodies to pulsating rhythms, each composition is meticulously crafted to transport audiences to new dimensions. "I’m excited to share Songs for the Future with everyone," says Hamm. "This album represents a new chapter in my creative journey. Unlike the first Theremin Man album, which was a solo effort, I also had some great help with this new album from Shawn Mrazek (Flash Bastard, The Evaporators) on drums and Felix Fung (Pointed Sticks, Colleen Rennison, Mode Modern) on guitar and production.”







Stephen Hamm has been a pivotal member of the Vancouver Music and Arts scene for over 25 years. He’s played bass, keyboards and sang in bands like Slow, Tankhog, Canned Hamm and Nardwuar And The Evaporators. Today, Stephen is Theremin Man, a space traveler and storyteller who sends waves of good vibes and dance beats out to his followers, affectionately known as “The Space Family”. Since stalking the Pacific Northwest with his legendary rock bands, Stephen has shifted his focus to mastering the Theremin, an early electronic instrument that one does not touch but plays by interacting with magnetic fields around two antennae. In recent years Stephen has studied under the tutelage of German Theremin virtuoso Carolina Eyck and New York based Thereminist Dorit Chrysler. Stephen’s solo show, based around Theremin and Synthesizer is a psychedelic electro musical journey into new abstract dimensions of sound.







Photo Credit: Ryan M. Clark







D I S C O V E R







Website:https://stephenhamm.ca/homeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereminmanFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephen.hamm.7 Bandcamp: https://thereminman.bandcamp.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTILaNOR-MdEeyXOs_uWj7A







UPCOMING LIVE DATESSaturday July 6, The Wise Hall opening for Roots Roundup







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Ken Tizzard and Music For Goats In St.John’s in 1982 he cut his teeth playing bass with local skate/punk bands who wholeheartedly embraced the DIY model of the punk rock culture. SNFU were the first band I had ever seen who had taken this model to a national level. After touring with the Watchmen, Thornley and Big wreck, Ken changed his life and his musical direction to be closer to home both with the musical style and his proximity to his family. In the Podcast, we talk about Music for Goats and the new album the Dagg Sessions and it importance in Ken's musical growth. Hardly any covid talk and one of the great classic episodes of the podcast







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Michael Crusty is a content creater and freelance Video Editor. Michael is resposible for the Mikey and His Uke Series on YouTube for all of the video editing and project managment. Michael also plays in the anti-queens playing bass and production. a wonderful conversation and a classic epidoe of the Apologue Podcast!







Mikey And his Uke: https://www.youtube.com/@MikeyAndHisUkeAntiQueens: https://antiqueens.com/Crusty Media: https://www.instagram.com/crustymedia/?hl=en







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Recorded in the dead of winter in a newly constructed studio at the former residence of controversial Edmonton photographer Con Boland, the month-long project was the result of what the sound might be if there was a collaboration between Elliott Smith and Massive Attack. Long gone are the bluesy-punk sounds of Sparrow’s first band the Murder City Sparrows.







Sparrow tells the story. “Eight records in fifteen years… Some came easy, others were a struggle. ‘Hard Eight’ is a little of both. I fell in love and found the woman I am to marry since my last record came out in 2020. You can hear a little of what that sounds like in some of the songs. The act of writing music feels like sitting under an attic hatch far above your body, you close your eyes and the hatch opens, falling through the crack are particles of dusty creative moments, if I am positioned correctly with instrument in hand, they land on me, some I even reach out and catch. They aren’t mine, I don’t know where they come from but if I am ready and available, I can usher them into existence. I make music because I have to, the rest of life is elective."







Photo Credit: Cooper & O'Hara







Written by Jay SparrowProduced by Mike SchlosserMixed by Brad SmithMastered by Reuben Ghose at Mojito MasteringArtwork by Mike Egan100% Canadian Content







Website: https://jaysparrow.comSpotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/5wXiFRSqLuSrRXWVSN3Sr5?si=fKytFjuZRG2VBiII2qLB5A







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The Anti-Queens, Toronto's premiere punk rock 'n' rollers, have just announced their latest LP, "Disenchanted," with an advance single and video for the track "Doomed Again". The new album will appear worldwide on digital and vinyl formats via Stomp Records on May 17th, 2024. For over a decade, The Anti-Queens have been a prominent force in Toronto's music scene. The Anti-Queens are led by the fiercely talented and dynamic duo of Emily Bones and Valerie Knox, who bring a punk-rock energy that challenges the male-dominated music industry. Known for their electrifying live performances, they've gained a reputation for their unstoppable energy and powerful stage presence. Their latest album, "Disenchanted," continues their tradition of crafting infectious, hook-laden anthems that will surely delight fans of Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, The Distillers, Hole, L7, Lunachicks, and The Warning. The advance single “Doomed Again” embodies the essence of blistering 1977 punk, infused with just the right touch of Bad Religion and Green Day to keep it fresh and driving. The Anti-Queens skillfully pay tribute to their enduring punk roots while injecting enough energy to keep it from feeling derivative.Featuring lyrics that intertwine defiance with sincerity, razor-sharp hooks, and a musical style that epitomizes the essence of "rock 'n' roll," The Anti-Queens are back with a vengeance.







The music video for the advance single "Doomed Again" showcases the band immersed in a passionate performance, accompanied by two wild ghost figures driving around town before landing in a rehearsal space to join the rock-out session. Directed by Emily Bones and Michael Crusty, and produced by Crusty Media and Stomp Records, the video captures the energy of the song. Filmed by Michael Crusty and Sarah Mathieson, with editing by Michael Crusty and performance lighting by Jefferson Sheppard, the video stars Valerie Knox, Emily Bones, Michael Crusty, and Sara Fellin. The lyrics of "Doomed Again" resonate with the struggle and resilience of pursuing dreams amidst life's challenges, reflecting on the enduring nature of aspirations formed in youth. Despite facing obstacles, the song encourages perseverance and embracing life's journey, recognizing that setbacks contribute to memorable narratives. Band member Valerie Knox said, “Doomed Again is a love letter to all the bands out there who never stop doing the grind. There’s almost always something that can and will go wrong, but it’s never dull being in a rock n’ roll band”. They filmed the music video in Ajax and Oshawa, Ontario. The jam space is one of the actual places they rehearse, jazzed up with added lights and a slew of Easter eggs in the background—old show flyers, banners, photos, stickers, and merch. “While we did our best to plan everything, we still ended up crafting our ghost costumes until 4 am just before the jam space shoot, all while a massive blizzard swept through. Very on brand for the title of the song”







Photo Credit: Riley Taylor







D I S C O V E R







Twitter:https://twitter.com/AntiQueensTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@theantiqueensFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/TheAntiqueens/Instagram:a href="https://chad_norulespr_com-dot-mm-event2.appspot.com/em_U42ZRY4a3dkCcGdhH7iv?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.