Contributor Limelight: Maggie Zukowski

Contributor Limelight: Maggie Zukowski

Maggie Zukowski is a motorcycle ridin’, cat fosterin’, pink-hair rockin’, kick-ass SLUG designer. … read more

Book Reviews – June 2012

Book Reviews – June 2012

The Dream Factory: Fender Custom Shop by Tom Wheeler, How To Sharpen Pencils by David Rees, Maximum Rad: The Iconic Covers of Thrasher Magazine  and Seeing The Light: Inside the Velvet Underground by Rob Jovanovic are reviewed this month. … read more

Movie Reviews – June 2012

Movie Reviews – June 2012

The Avengers, Battleship, Dark Shadows, The Dictator and Safety Not Guaranteed are reviewed this month. … read more

National Music Reviews – June 2012

National Music Reviews – June 2012

New releases from Allah-Lahs, Andre Williams & The Sadies, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Burzum, Dntel, Gossip, Here We Go Magic, Hot Water Music, Jack White, Marduk, The Melvins, Sleep, Ty Segall & White Fence, and many, many more are reviewed. … read more

 
 
Torche Song Trilogy: Drummer Rick Smith is Homeless and Happy

Torche Song Trilogy: Drummer Rick Smith is Homeless and Happy
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Beginning with 2008’s Meanderthal and continuing with the band’s newest release, Harmonicraft, Torche has steadily written material that has more in common with Led Zeppelin than with Black Sabbath. “We get a lot of shit for not being as ‘heavy’ as we used to be,” says drummer Rick Smith. “Not everyone is supposed to like your band.” … read more

Localized – Staks O’Lee, Puddle Mountain Ramblers and Ugly Valley Boys

Localized – Staks O’Lee, Puddle Mountain Ramblers and Ugly Valley...
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Roots music has always had a strong foothold in Salt Lake. With our rural history and independent spirit, folk, bluegrass, blues and country have all found a home here. We’re lucky enough to have the rough and gruff, down and dirty Ugly Valley Boys and the cotton lickin’, finger pickin’ Puddle Mountain Ramblers on June 8 for Localized this month at Urban Lounge with opener Staks O’Lee. … read more

The True Skateboarders Behind Blood Wizard

The True Skateboarders Behind Blood Wizard
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There are people who ride skateboards, and then there are skateboarders. It sounds redundant, but it’s true. Toad is a true skateboarder. Toad’s been around since the “back-in-the-day” days and still skateboards. Toad is the kind of person skateboarders want to run skateboard companies. Luckily for us skateboarders, in the year of our lord 2012, we have Blood Wizard Skateboards. … read more

Local Reviews: Despite Despair / Gunner

Local Reviews: Despite Despair / Gunner
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Squealing guitars and gritty breakdowns dot the mathcore landscape of this local split, which showcases two bands with similar influences to create undeniably different, but thematically similar music. Despite Despair begins with “Elohim,” a short track which starts slow and somber, with twangy, dissonant grooves reminiscent of Pelican’s Australasia. … read more

Birdbrain Press: We Can Do It… So Can You!

Birdbrain Press: We Can Do It… So Can You!

The Alt Press Fest is a yearly celebration of local zinesters, printmakers and artists who embrace the DIY ethic of creating and sharing their work. SLUG asked Alt Press Fest participants Birdbrain Press to share their creative process with us. They can do it… so can you! … read more

Local Reviews: Dirtbags Don’t Die

Local Reviews: Dirtbags Don’t Die
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Dirtbags Don’t Die reminds me of those Hellcat Records compilations, Give ‘Em the Boot, which were full of all sorts of punk, hardcore, ska and a ton of other genres. Dirtbags Don’t Die can blast out top-notch punk rock, like on “Suckerpunch,” and the next thing you know, they’re seamlessly slipping into a laid-back ska tune like “I Remember.” … read more