Ann Arbor

Davy Rothbart: Professional Fool for Love

One of the fascinating Angelenos featured in L.A. Weekly's People 2013 issue. Check out our entire People 2013 issue here. Davy Rothbart sits at a picnic table in Elysian Park with a Discman in his pocket. Someone actually stopped him on the street recently while he was traveling on a book tour and ... More >>

UCLA Is A Top 5 Value Among American Public Universities, Princeton Review Says

There are times in life when cheaper is not necessarily better: when you're choosing a doctor, a life-mate or, perhaps, an institution of higher learning. In this case, we'll give UCLA props. It keeps scoring big lately: The Westwood campus was recently named one of the best schools in the world by ... More >>

Gerry's Vids

UCLA's International Theater Program Is Back With a French Production of Rhinoceros

The Five Most Overlooked Albums of 2012 So Far

This year deserved praise has been heaped upon Frank Ocean's debut Channel Orange, the Flaming Lips' blood vinyl project and Beach House's Bloom. Meanwhile, overrated works like The Shins' Port of Morrow and Passion Pit's Gossamer have been overhyped Lost in the shuffle have been five superb-but-u ... More >>

Mark Gurman, Apple's Toughest Beat Journalist, is High School Teen From L.A.

Apple has been known to have thin skin when it comes to journalists who expose its secrets. Remember when an iPhone prototype ended up in the hands of a Gizmodo journalist and his home was searched by cops? Yeah. But maybe the behemoth from Cupertino has met its match in the form of a high schooler ... More >>

Alfonso Ribeiro's 'Carlton Dance' Flash Mob Attempts Record (For Dorkiest Moves): VIDEO

Updated at the bottom with crowd estimates. First posted at 5:30 a.m. Alfonso Ribeiro of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air might do the nerdiest, preppiest dance of all time. But that didn't stop hundreds if not thousands of followers from joining him yesterday at Universal CityWalk and other locales in ... More >>

Fanatics! Henry Rollins' KCRW Show Tomorrow Night: St. Louis Blues

KCRW Broadcast #157 for Saturday, March 24, 2012 See also: Henry Rollins: The Column! Memphis on My Mind Fanatics! It's Blues time in St. Louis Missouri! While you listen to our show, that's where I will be. I thought it appropriate that we spend a bit of time with some very pure and direct sounds ... More >>

Henry Rollins: The Column! Is Raw Power the American answer to Exile on Main St.?

​[Look for your weekly fix from the one and only Henry Rollins right here on West Coast Sound every Thursday, and come back tomorrow for the awesomely annotated playlist for his Saturday KCRW broadcast.] See also: *Our review of Iggy and The Stooges at Hollywood Palladium, 12-01-11 *Le Butch ... More >>

Five Artsy Things to Do This Week, Including 'Anti-Rock' Band Destroy All Monsters and Charles Garabedian's Pseudo-Biblical Painting

With the exception of a panel of artists talking economics, this week's recommendations are all old-school, exhibitions and performances of artists working before Watergate. 5. Highbrow Comedy Guy de Cointet is one of those stuff-of-myth artists: He grew up in Paris, was friendly with Yves St. Laur ... More >>

Mayer Hawthorne Is Back: Just Don't Call Him Retro

Todd Cooper​Despite the doo-wop sound of his ditties, his silky old-soul croon, and the fact that he hails from the state that birthed Motown, Mayer Hawthorne swears he's not retro. The voice of Hawthorne may be golden, but it's untrained. In fact, the man born Andrew Cohen in Ann Arbor ... More >>

405 Closure Got You Down? Check Out the Five Craziest Design Ideas for Saving Our Transportation System

Courtesy Van Alen Institute.​ Without harping too much on that inconvenient thing happening on a big road somewhere in West L.A. this weekend, let us begin this modest post by agreeing that transit in L.A., in California, and in the vast majority of the US, could stand a few more efficient alt ... More >>

Henry Rollins: The Column! Henry on What Makes a Great Band Frontman

Timothy Norris​[The one and only Henry Rollins contributes a weekly column and far-reaching reportage to the music section of the LA Weekly. Look for your weekly Henry Rollins fix right here on West Coast Sound every week and make sure to tune in to Henry's KCRW radio show every Saturday eveni ... More >>

Fanatics! Henry Rollins' KCRW Show Saturday Night: Kaoru Abe, Acid King, Pontiak

Timothy Norris​KCRW BROADCAST #111 for Saturday, April 23. Fanatics! It is Friday, early afternoon and I am just now getting a chance to write these brief notes up for you. One of these days I'm going to get some sleep. Just back from Ann Arbor, Michigan where we had a major blast at the Stoo ... More >>

Barack Obama is Definitely Not a Socialist, Says Joseph Kishore, National Secretary of the Socialist Equality Party

Joseph Kishore, an actual socialist.​Socialism returned to the United States in an odd way three years ago when pundits took to the airwaves to scream about gulags and breadlines, but the talking heads never actually explained what Socialism as a political ideology stood for. What better way t ... More >>

Fanatics! Henry Rollins' KCRW Show Saturday Night: Happy Birthday, Ian MacKaye

Timothy Norris​KCRW BROADCAST #110 for Saturday, April 16. Fanatics! It is Record Store Day. It is also Ian MacKaye's birthday. Today, Ian hits the deck at forty-nine years of age. I believe he will be at the Coachella Festival this weekend so we send our greetings and congrats from here. To ... More >>

Henry Rollins! The Column: The Stooges, Michigan's Original Insane Posse

Timothy Norris​[The one and only Henry Rollins contributes a weekly column and far-reaching reportage to the music section of the LA Weekly. Look for your weekly Henry Rollins fix right here on West Coast Sound every week and make sure to tune in to Henry's KCRW radio show every Saturday eveni ... More >>

Jack Johnson: Hit the Ice, Jack

Destination Coachella

L.A. bands take to the desert for three days of music overload

MP3 Exclusive: Madlib Remixes Dabrye and DOOM's "Air," Forthcoming on Ghostly

Ghostly Intl, 'Horizon Line'​For over a decade now, Ann Arbor's Ghostly International has been the gold standard in ethereal, beat-driven electronica. Michigan-based boundary-pushers like the poppy Matthew Dear, the hypnotic Deastro and the rap-steeped Dabrye have become the label's bread and ... More >>

2010 James Beard Finalists Announed: Suzanne Goin, Matt Molina, Michael Cimarusti, Jonathan Gold, Patric Kuh Nominated

James Beard​Twitter is at it again. The 2010 James Beard Award Finalists were announced this morning via the foundation's Twitter account. L.A's Suzanne Goin, of Lucques, AOC Wine Bar, Hungry Cat and Tavern was nominated for Outstanding Chef, while Matt Molina of Mozza and Michael Cimarusti of ... More >>

Will Andrew W.K. Take His Gundam Covers to Anime Cons?

For more quotes from Andrew W.K., as well as Dave Mustaine, Lemmy Kilmister, Vinnie Paul and Zakk Wylde, read our coverage of Revolver's Golden Gods Nominations. After we interviewed Andrew W.K. last fall about his album of cover songs from the Gundam franchise, we have been curious as to whether o ... More >>

James Beard Semifinalists Announced: The L.A. Edition

James Beard​This morning the James Beard Foundation announced the semifinalists for its 2010 James Beard Foundation Awards. Judges will vote to determine the final 5 nominees in each category, which will be announced on March 22nd. The winners will be announced at the Foundation's award party, ... More >>

INCHES reviews Mayer Hawthorne, The Anasazis, Robedoor, and Railcars (MP3s)

In the strange wake of music's digital rebirth, vinyl has experienced a modest boom in popularity, seen by many as a replacement for the awkward middleman that is the compact disc. INCHES reviews the output of L.A.'s healthy vinyl community (artists and labels, indie or other), believing that good m ... More >>

Unlocked Grooves: Breakestra, Mayer Hawthorne, Myron and E.

L.A., Bay Area artists redefine the sound of soul

INCHES011: New Wax from Fool's Gold, Now-Again (Rare Psych!), Samiyam, and Inca Ore ( MP3s, chart)

In the unpredictable wake of music's digital rebirth, vinyl has experienced a modest boom in popularity, seen by many (with delicious irony) as a replacement for the awkward middleman that is the compact disc. INCHES seeks not only to review the output of L.A.'s healthy vinyl community (artists and ... More >>

Mayer Hawthorne: From Motown to Our Town

Soul salvation finds seed in Los Angeles

INCHES002: Five More L.A. Vinyl Exclusives Revealed and Reviewed ( MP3s)

In the unpredictable wake of music's digital rebirth, vinyl has experienced a modest boom in popularity, seen by many (with delicious irony) as a replacement for the awkward middleman that is the compact disc. INCHES seeks not only to review the output of L.A.'s healthy vinyl community (one populate ... More >>

Fucking With "Fucking With Drew Barrymore”

And more thoughts on L.A. People 2009

LA People 2009: Death Becomes Her — Gillian Shure

The queen of Hollywood splatterfests talks eviscerations and paper products

Long Winters' Michael Shilling Hits Rock Bottom With First Novel

Meet the Blood Orphans, Silver Lake should-have-beens that never actually were

Rest In Peace Ron Asheton of the Stooges

Longtime Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton died in Ann Arbor this morning of a heart attack. He was 60. Asheton helped create punk rock with an evil, distorted sound. While Iggy prowled, Asheton growled.

Weiss' Best Reissues & Compilations of 2008

Steve Stein and partner Double Dee, were dropping lessons on kids when Shadow and Cut Chemist were still constructing crates out of lincoln logs. Finally collected on the aptly named, Illegal Art label, Steinski's seminal singles are that rarity--as fun as they are important. Neither The Avalanches ... More >>

Movie Reviews: Jumper, Step Up 2 the Streets

Also, The Killing of John Lennon and Les Claypool's directorial debut

Film Reviews: Angels in the Dust, Hannah Takes the Stairs, Trade

Also The Game Plan, Feast of Love, The Rape of Europa and more

Home Again

The Two Scott Sterlings

Scott Sterling

The Plainsman

George McGovern’s close-up

Post-Convention Blues

Now that Kerry’s coronation is over, swing states look for something real

Electromash

Guys and Dolls

A revelatory all-male Twelfth Night from London

Letters

The Horror, the Horror,

Before American Movie, before Blair Witch, there was Demon Lover Diary

Bring the Noise

All Tomorrow's Parties feeds back to the future

One More Real Cool Time

Letters

Letters

Two Trains Running

Riding the rails in Fillmore

Loco Mosquito

Iggy Pop, time and the American Way

Cabin Fever

Photographer Richard Barnes shoots the Unabomber's shack