Email Author Kristina Benson

2011 Stories by Kristina Benson

• White Arrows Singer Mickey Schiff Was Blind, But Now He Sees (Literally)

  published Sep 07, 2011

  Born legally blind, Mickey Schiff experienced his surroundings as though they were a Monet landscape -- all colors and shapes and softness. When he was 11 his vision was corrected, turning the word in... More >>

• Nick Waterhouse: The Young Man Who Makes Old R&B

  published August 25, 2011

  Until you step through the very-hard-to-find door of cult-famous Costa Mesa recording studio the Distillery, you're safely in... More >>

• Foster the People

  published June 30, 2011

  It was about 10:30 p.m. on a Monday night in February when I first heard of Foster the People, and 10:31 when I realized that... More >>

• Interview: Thundercat, Brainfeeder's Bass Master General

  published Jun 21, 2011

  Thundercat - Daylight by BRAINFEEDER When L.A.'s world-class beat/electronica crew Brainfeeder takes over the Fonda later this week, you'll spot one guy up there making music the (comparativ... More >>

• Five Awesome Things to Do This Weekend in L.A.: Make Music Pasadena, Swervedriver And More!

  published Jun 17, 2011

  It's summer and yet it's temperate out, so we get to enjoy all the shows and fests that come with the season without melting in 100+ degree temperatures. Who said that global climate change had no u... More >>

• R.I.P. Gil Scott-Heron

  published May 27, 2011

  Musician and writer Gil Scott-Heron passed away Friday afternoon in New York. He was 62. Gil Scott-Heron was born in Chicago, but reared in Jackson, Tennessee. He spent his teens in the Bronx and l... More >>

• Five Reasons Why Silver Lake Jubilee Is Not Just for Hipsters

  published May 20, 2011

  The Silver Lake Jubilee is back again in its full glory, with an impressive roster of bands, comedians, artists and writers performing to benefit a variety of local causes. Think it's just for hipster... More >>

• Inside Seal's Rich and Famous Life: House For Sale

  published May 19, 2011

  Celebrities--they're just like us! Living at the mercy of the real estate market, subject to the whims of the Kuznet cycle, only at a higher plateau. Seal and Heidi Klum bought a foreclosed home at an... More >>

• Chicano Batman: Los Superheroes

  published May 19, 2011

  Chicano Batman is not just another band from L.A. The tropicalismo-influenced ensemble is composed of three guys, an... More >>

• Rhett Miller (Old '97s) Redoes Bob Dylan Tonight at the Autry ... If You're Lucky

  published May 04, 2011

  You've probably heard Rhett Miller with his Texas alt-country band, the Old '97s, even if you didn't know it--the Old '97s rewrote that infectious Chili's song, made an appearance in the Vince Vaugn/J... More >>

• Lollapalooza Lineup: L.A. Bands Make a Strong Showing

  published Apr 26, 2011

  Is it already time to think about summer music festivalsr Indeed, with SXSW and Coachella firmly behind us, we must now turn to the upcoming festival of festivals that has come to mark every summer.... More >>

• Amoeba Talks Henry Rollins and Record Store Day Special Events!

  published Apr 14, 2011

  You all know Amoeba Music--that towering Mecca of music on Sunset Blvd filled with rows of vinyl, precious vinyl. We love Amoeba so much we stay the f*ck away from it, lest it drain our wallets and ... More >>

• Does Winning an Election Make Men Watch More Pornr Can Porn Cause Relationship Problemsr Science Weighs In!

  published Mar 18, 2011

  We just got our hands on the most recent edition of a journal we like, Computers in Human Behavior and it came out with a fascinating article called--readyr---Pornography-seeking behaviors following m... More >>

• The Secret Day Jobs of Indie Musicians

  published March 17, 2011

  Before the White Stripes' colossally rich and famous Jack White was Jack White, he was John Anthony Gillis, a furniture... More >>

• Top 5 Things to Do This Weekend in L.A.

  published Mar 11, 2011

  The weather is doing that weird thing we hate wherein there is a forty degree swing in temperature between noon and midnight. Advice: dress in layers if you're going to go out after work on Friday, ... More >>

• SXSW Bands from A-Z: M-Q

  published Mar 09, 2011

  Here we are once again, with our servicey enterprise that's both informative and educational. A mix of genres awaits you at the jump as we go through awesome bands in M-Q playing SXSW official showc... More >>

• R.I.P Former Alice in Chains Bassist Mike Starr

  published Mar 08, 2011

  We are sad to report the death of former Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr, whose body was found earlier today in a Salt Lake City home. Via TMZ: Police tell us Starr's body was found in a Salt... More >>

• SXSW Bands from A-Z: I - L

  published Mar 08, 2011

  As SXSW gets ever closer, we figured we'd continue being servicey and give you a guide to some of the highlights of the official showcases, alphabet style. Yesterday we gave you E - H, today it's I ... More >>

• SXSW Bands From A-Z: E through H

  published Mar 07, 2011

  As SXSW approaches, we figured we'd be a little servicey and give you a guide to some of the highlights of the official showcases, alphabet style. Last week we gave you A through D; today it's E-H. ... More >>

• Top 5 Things to Do This Week

  published Mar 07, 2011

  OK so it rained a teeny bit this weekend. But before that, it got up to a gorgeous 75 degrees and spring was here. The spring makes us feel all outdoorsy and infused with a certain get-up-and-go tha... More >>

• Five Myths About Female Gamers Debunked

  published Mar 04, 2011

  WeDare and the ensuing controversy got us thinking about girls and games. While we're at least happy that there are going to be female characters in video games we're a little disappointed that yet ag... More >>

• Five L.A. Bands to See at SXSW

  published Mar 01, 2011

  Tis almost the time for SXSW, a festival in Austin that brings together luminaries from music, art, film, and culture for a days-long descent into a fantasy world filled with record swap meets an... More >>

• Top 5 Things to Do This Weekend in L.A.

  published Feb 18, 2011

  "L.A. proved too much for the man," sang Gladys Knight, "So he's leavin' the life he's come to know, He said he's goin' back to find [Ooh, said the Pips] what's left of his world, The world he left... More >>

• 

  Top 5 Things to Do This Weekend in L.A.

  published Feb 04, 2011

  "L.A. proved too much for the man," sang Gladys Knight, "So he's leavin' the life he's come to know, He said he's goin' back to find [Ooh, said the Pips] what's left of his world, The world he left ... More >>

• Public Radio Music Under Attack

  published February 3, 2011

  It's 8:30 a.m. in Santa Monica, and KCRW general manager Jennifer Ferro is cleaning up the jumbled mess of papers in her... More >>