Coming Full Circle: Prog rockers Spafford return to where it all began
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Valley prog rockers Spafford were the first musicians to host a drive-in show, earning the band national publicity.
Known for its annual New Year’s Eve gigs, Spafford will perform in the Marquee Theatre’s...
Crisscrossing Genres: The West Valley’s Dbait doesn’t want to be pigeonholed
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Eddie Morra tried therapy once, but music is his way of unleashing pent-up emotions and problems.
Under the stage name Dbait, Morra does plenty of that on his cathartic 48-track album “The Phantom.”
“It’s...
A Rebirth: Renaissance Records is enjoying vinyl’s comeback
By Adianna Bermudez
When John Edwards was 15 years old, Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” was released and he was immediately taken.
“It always impressed me, because not only did you get the record,...
In ‘Excess’: Promoter Danny Zelisko recalls career in first book
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Danny Zelisko sits at his desk, surrounded by memorabilia from his 45 years as a promoter. The centerpiece is Billy Cobham’s red drum kit.
Throughout the Paradise Valley home that serves as an...
Music as Therapy: Singer Austin Walashek shares heartbreak through song
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Austin Walashek’s friends have called him the “male Taylor Swift.” His penchant for writing about broken hearts and broken relationships has earned him that nickname.
He’s furthering the cause with his band’s single,...
Rescuing Christmas: For King & Country saves the holiday for the less fortunate
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
For King & Country’s Luke Smallbone didn’t necessarily feel down about the quarantine. It gave him time to slow down.
“Everybody’s situation is different,” Smallbone says. “For me and my household, it was...
From Authority Zero to Record Thieves: Valley drummer’s punk rock ‘supergroup’ to drop debut...
By Sarah Donahue
After playing with Tempe’s Authority Zero for over a decade, Jim Wilcox carried his passion for drumming from the Sonoran Desert to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, where he helped create a...
Rhinestone Cowgirl: Phoenix’s ‘The Voice’ contestant wins over Gwen Stefani
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Tori Miller had Gwen Stefani at “rhinestones.”
“The Voice” contestant who hails from Phoenix was chosen by Stefani, the lone coach who turned her chair.
“You’re my queen,” Miller said to Stefani. “I always...
All Mixed Up: 311 is ready to ‘rock’ in a new, pandemic environment
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Singer Nick Hexum looks at the COVID-19 pandemic as a glass half full. His band, 311, hasn’t been able to perform since February, but the break has had its own benefits.
“I have...
An ‘American Idol’: Songwriting is the heart and soul of Amelia Joyce
By Jacqueline Robledo
Amelia Joyce moved to the Valley five years ago in hopes of turning her musical passion into a career.
Twenty-four years ago, Joyce was born in Jackson, Michigan, with five siblings, all of...
