Hot Topic Inc.

Joan Jett on Her Sunset Strip Glory Days

Joan Marie Larkin got her first guitar when she 13. The Philly-born, Cali-bred musician, known as Joan Jett, was born to rock, and her first band, The Runways, continues to inspire legions of young girls to jump on stage. Her solo career -- highlighted by I Love Rock n' Roll with The Blackhearts -- ... More >>

How 6 SoCal Places Got Their Really Weird Names

There are all sorts of unusual places names in this part of the country we call "The Southland." We have names of historic English derivation, not so unlike what you'd find back in the civilized East (Whittier, Torrance, Hawthorne, Glendale). We have place names of Spanish derivation (Tujunga, Rese ... More >>

The 20 Worst Albums of the '90s: The Complete List

Sure, you had the Bill Clinton blowjob scandal, OJ, Pakistan and India going nuclear, mad cow disease, the Rodney King decision, and Titanic. But what made the '90s truly awful was its music. That's not to say that there weren't bright spots -- early Beck, say, or Ok Computer and much of hip-hop's g ... More >>

The 20 Worst Albums Of The '90s: 10-1

The 20 Worst Albums Of The '90s: 20-11 Sure, you had the Bill Clinton blowjob scandal, OJ, Pakistan and India going nuclear, mad cow disease, the Rodney King decision, and Titanic. But what made the '90s truly awful was its music. That's not to say that there weren't bright spots -- early Beck, say ... More >>

The Gastropub Goes Corporate: What Public School 310 Means for America

Last week, it was finally announced that the owners of The Daily Grill, a chain with 29 locations nationwide, will be opening the first freestanding location of their "gastropub" concept, Public School 310, in Culver City this November. Yesterday, Nation's Restaurant News reported that the company's ... More >>

It's the End of the World as Serj Tankian Knows It, and the System of a Down Frontman Feels Fine

Top Ten Metal Albums for People Who Don't Know Shit About Metal Top 20 Worst Bands of All Time: The Complete List The Top Five Metal Guitarists Under The Age of 30 Remember back in early 2011, when birds plummeted from the sky, and fish died en masse? These dead critters are at the heart of System ... More >>

10 Food-Themed Clothing Gifts

Miss Turkey in her custom-print hamburger bikini.​It's probably too late to purchase most of these gifts in time for Christmas, but that doesn't mean we can't sit and drool at the intersection of food and fashion. Sorry, Miss Turkey's custom-made burger bikini was auctioned off for charity mon ... More >>

'Crazy Cat' Lolita and Other Tokyo Inspired Outfits at Pacific Media Expo's Harajuku Fashion Show

When it comes to Southern California anime conventions, Pacific Media Expo, held annually in November, has carved out a niche for itself with its focus on Tokyo street fashion brands. Over the years, they've brought designers like Takuya Angel and Angelic Pretty to Los Angeles. Last year's fashion l ... More >>

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

​ Yes, it is Valentine's Day Weekend. Couples will be canoodling in a desperate attempt to prove to themselves and everyone else that they still have it; singletons, meanwhile, will be in defensive party mode, making Marrieds jealous, or weeping themselves to sleep after engaging in a helpin ... More >>

Top 10 Musicians Who Should Become American Apparel Spokesmodels

10 Musicians Who Could Save American Apparel (Or Maybe Just Wear It)

Top 5 Music Blog Words To Hate On in 2011 ("Viral" Isnt One Of Them)

Lina LecaroThe word "cocks" did not make this list. ​LSSU's annual list of "words that should be banished" for the new year, always goes "viral" (ironically, this word tops the list). We agree that "epic," "fail" "I'm just sayin," are so 2010 (yeah, using "so" as an adjective is as well). We'v ... More >>

Daktronic's Futuristic 18-Foot Video Displays Will Convert L.A.'s Westfield Topanga Mall Into 'Digital Spectacular Network'

DaktronicsYou'll never have to shop alone again​No one ever claimed we built the Los Angeles mall-topia on rock 'n' roll (except maybe Hot Topic). But here to erase all remaining illusions of quaint grunge in our sprawling "city" is the self-proclaimed global leader in massive outdoor LED disp ... More >>

Which Flamboyant LA Underground Characters Are Infiltrating the Mainstream? And Which One is the Next Cross(dressing)over Star?

Lina Lecaro Rebel's a hot tramp​In this week's Nightranger column (out tomorrow), we cover some of LA's most flamboyant polysexual characters and performers (nothing new), but ya know what is? Many of them are suddenly infiltrating the national pop mainstream in a big way. Ryan Heffington -a ... More >>

From Disney Store to Tiffany's, The New Santa Monica Place Aims For Happiest Mall On Earth

For beachside locals, Santa Monica Place provided the quintessential mall experience throughout the '80's and '90's. (Fun fact: it was featured for mall scenes in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Pretty in Pink and Beverly Hills, 90210). At some point, though, it started to seem comparatively shabby n ... More >>

Nightranger: Once Bitten, Twice Buy

Once Bitten, Twice Buy: The Cobrasnake's Cobrashop Opens at Hollywood & Highland

Girls with homeless-hag hair and pricey designer bags, boys in fugly (desperate for irony) t-shirts, and cartoon characterish cliques grooving geekily (yet self-consciously) to tunes spun by Shepard Fairey (M.I.A., The Go-Gos and The Beastie Boys). Last Tuesday night's grand opening of The Cobrashop ... More >>

Search and Destroy: The New Iggy and The Stooges Documentary on the Raw Power Box Set

Shepard Fairey​Last night, while Iron Man 2 had its world premiere a few blocks down on Hollywood Boulevard, Morgan Neville's new doc Search and Destroy: Iggy And The Stooges' Raw Power was unveiled to a packed house of invited guests at the Egyptian Theater. The juxtaposition between mass-ma ... More >>

Wait. What? Goth Photog Floria Sigismondi directed 'The Runaways'?

Wait. What? Goth Photog Floria Sigismondi directed the Runaways?

Valley Girl Ke$ha to Sign and Greet at Hollywood & Highland Hot Topic Tomorrow

2010's most successful Valley Girl (so far) Ke$ha, who recenlty admitted to breaking into Prince's house, will be signing copies of her debut CD, Animal, tomorrow at the Hollywood and Highland Hot Topic store from noon to 2 p.m. "True, I did sneak into Prince's house," she told someone somewhere th ... More >>

Slayer Signs Guitars, Kids, Shark-Eaten Feet at Hot Topic

Slayer Signs Guitars, Kids and Shark-Eaten Feet at Hot Topic

Slayer to Appear at ... Hot Topic at Hollywood & Highland? Really? Yes.

It has come to our attention that next Tuesday Slayer will be meeting its fans not in Hell, Hades, or even some burning lake of fire. Nope, Rather, they will appear at HOT TOPIC at Hollywood and Highland. Details, and reactions, after the jump.

Best of L.A.: Shopping

Division Day Gives "Visitation" Rights

Division Day Gives Visitation rights

Thirst: Park Chan-Wook's Take on Vampires

New Skin For the Old Ceremony

Weiss' 25 Best Non Hip-Hop Songs of 2008 (A-L)

Graffiti originally spotted on Bedford Ave., Williamsburg in 2002--soon followed by copycat crimes on Silverlake Blvd. and San Francisco's Mission District. Now playing at a Hot Topic near you. For spread-the-wealth reasons, this list was restricted to songs from albums that did not make the Top ... More >>

Juxtapalooza

The Lowbrow sickness continues to spread, from Burbank to Laguna

Northwest Passage: Seattle's Fleet Foxes Make Languid, Woodsy Rock

Can a flutist be far behind?

Hot Topic? At Hollywood & Highland, Perez Hilton Unveils His New Fashion Line

I see Perez underpants

Tiger Army, Wiltern, 11/17

Tiger Army Wiltern, 11/17 I love the stand-up bass. It's a ridiculously big, bulky instrument that looks cool as hell, especially when painted dark blue like Tiger Army's or sea green like the one used by the Guana Batz. Not the laid-back, smoky jazz club stand-up bass - those are great too - but ... More >>

Death Makes a Holiday

What to do in Los Angeles this week

Rock PIcks

For the week of Nov. 24 - 30

Best Shop to Get Bratty In

Hot and Bothered

Music Picks

Music Picks

For the week of March 24-30

Agent Provocateur

Vive La Diffs!

Bubblegum Hip-hop and a Band With three Test Icicles

Live in LA

Nightranger

Outisde Looking In

Before Bling

Hip-hop’s storied past

Behind the Blue Door

Legs McNeil gatecrashes the Other Hollywood

Gimme Sheltered

Post-revolutionary Patti

Like Goths to the Flame

Fashionation

Gloria Ohland on the dog days of fashion

Not Fade Away

Ding-Dong Electro-Song

Edited by Kateri Butler

Life’s a Beach

A Dope Show

Edited by Kateri Butler