Browsing Tag

Los Angeles

Musicians

The Slightlys

November 30, 2015
FInneas O'Connell and The Slightlys

Since his acting debut in the 2011 hit comedy Bad Teacher, starring alongside Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel and Justin Timberlake, actor and musician Finneas O’Connell has had the sort of career that most performers dream of. In 2013, he had a recurring role on Modern Family, and in 2015, he was cast as Alistair on FOX’s Glee.

Aside from acting, however, music has long been one of O’Connell’s true loves, and in 2012, when O’Connell joined forces with other Los Angeles-area musicians, The Slightlys were born. Consisting of O’Connell as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist, along with Robby Fitzpatrick (lead guitar), Darius Dudley (bass) and David Marinelli (drums), the band has played both the Warped Tour and the Santa Monica Pier Twilight Concert series, and their song “Is There Anybody There” appeared in an episode of ABC Family’s Switched At Birth. READ MORE

Musicians

Boroughs

November 5, 2015
Boroughs

Over the course of the past year, Boroughs has gone from a newly-formed musical collective to one of the most exciting up-and-coming bands in Southern California. Blending elements of country rock, folk and soulful Americana, the band has meticulously crafted a sound reminiscent of Neil Young, Ryan Adams and Wilco.

Consisting of singer-songwriter Kyle Neal, guitarist JD Carrera, bassist Derrick Wong and drummer Tyler Johnson, the band’s songs explore themes of heartbreak, confusion and love, and in November, they will release their debut EP, which was mixed by John Spiker of Tenacious D.

For more information about Boroughs, follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and visit their website at boroughsmusic.com.

How did you initially become interested in playing music?

Kyle: It started at a young age. My mom signed me up for kids choir at the church I grew up in, and I spent most of my younger years singing. When I was about 10 or 11, I started talking to my parents about taking up an instrument. It was either going to be guitar or piano and we didn’t have room in our house for a piano. I was very much an “indoor kid” who lived outside his school district so none of my friends lived close by. I didn’t spend much time running around with other kids. Instead I spent my time playing guitar and singing and eventually writing my own songs. READ MORE

Musicians

Aloha Radio

September 4, 2015

Keeping one foot on the beach and stepping the other into the street, Orange County-based band Aloha Radio has crafted a unique sound that, via heavy grooves and catchy melodies, definitively captures the soul of Southern California. Featuring guitarist Alex Barnett, bassist Andrew Russell, and drummer Chris Hori and, along with the lush, seductive vocals of Lauren Mulderrig, Aloha Radio seamlessly blends elements of surf rock and modern pop into a bold, infectious musical concoction.

In July of 2015, the band released a pair of albums — Stoked and Broke and California Scheming — on independent label iSeed Records. Featuring a total of 30 new songs that explore a variety of genres including surf rock, reggae and indie rock with hints of hip hop and electronic elements, the albums complement one another like an ice cold beer and sand between one’s toes. READ MORE

Musicians

Josh Stevens

August 26, 2015
Josh Stevens

Singer, songwriter, producer and engineer Josh Stevens was raised in Los Angeles, where he got his start in the music world as a member of Mental Advisory, a hip-hop group in which Stevens went by the name Speratic. The group released their debut album, Only the Few, in 2004, and Speratic released a solo album, Come Join the Circus, in 2008.

While attending the Los Angeles Recording School, Josh interned under Grammy Award-winning producers Tom Weir and Niko Bolas and later worked as a mix engineer at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church. After two years, Josh found himself wanting to get back into studio work, and jumped at the opportunity to be a personal engineer for Warren G. Through this relationship, Josh was offered the chance to work with LMFAO, co-writing, engineering and touring in support of the group’s immensely successful sophomore album, 2011’s Sorry for Party Rocking. Josh appears in the video for “Party Rock Anthem” and served as the recording engineer for the second single, “Champagne Showers.” In addition, he co-wrote and engineered “Reminds Me of You,” featuring Calvin Harris. READ MORE

Musicians

Island Apollo

August 24, 2015
Island Apollo

Formed in 2007 in Irvine, California, the indie rock band now known as Island Apollo quickly established themselves as one of the hottest musical acts on the west coast, earning airtime on KROQ, winning Orange County’s “Best Pop Artist” at the OC Music Awards, performing at legendary venues such as The Roxy and The Troubadour, and opening for Capital Cities and Third Eye Blind. Their songs appeared on FOX Sports, CBS and VH-1, and in national marketing campaigns for Sobe Drinks and Sprint.

Then, in the summer of 2014, the band underwent a bold transformation. Changing their name to Island Apollo, the band has also embraced a new musical direction, one that blends the old with the new, displaying hints of Arcade Fire, Weezer, Queen and Billy Joel. On their debut EP, lead vocalist Ryan Kilpatrick’s soaring vocals explore themes of age, love, trust and perseverence while guitarist Heath Farmer, bassist Addam Farmer, keyboardist Austin Farmer and drummer Matt Champagne craft slickly precise rock melodies that are fun, playful and danceable. READ MORE

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