Author Archive

MIKE STANDFULL CIRCLE2002 Galaxy 21 MusicPurchase: AltarBoys.comReview by: Steve Ruff
Mike Stand has always put out really good music. Of course The Altar Boys were innovative in the scene, but I really enjoyed his solo work much more. Maybe it was the lyrical content that was very different from the band’s work, I’m not really sure. [...]

CHARITY EMPRESSATHE SKIN OF WHIPPETS2002 Velvet Blue MusicPurchase: VelvetBlueMusic.comReview by: Steve Ruff
I’ll be honest… I bought this CD without knowing anything at all about it. I didn’t know who was in the band or what style of music this was. Not usually the way I buy music, but I bought this because Gerard did the [...]

VIGILANTES OF LOVELIVE AT EDDIES2009 IndependentPurchase: BillMallonee.netReview by: Steve Ruff
This download is the deal of the month for sure. This show was recorded at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA on January 23, 2009. This is straight from the soundboard to tickle your little ears. This one has 14 songs in total and is only $4.50 [...]

PALOMATHE SPOOKY LOOP1999 Devaness RecordsPurchase: Amazon.comReview by: Steve Ruff
This is one of the best discs that you probably have never heard of. I came across this disc about 10 years ago in a Christian bookstore and bought it because the back cover has a picture of a billboard with John Lennon and Yoko Ono on [...]

HIDDEN FROM BLACKOUTBREAKUPS AND FUR COATS2009 Hill Deg Maria RecordsHiddenFromBlackout.comReview by: Steve Ruff
Rick McDonough has finally released Hidden From Blackout’s first album entitled Breakups and Fur Coats. I have been waiting on this for disc for a long time and I was excited when I dropped by the post this morning and found the disc [...]

VIGILANTES OF LOVEEDDIES ATTICDECATUR, GA1-23-2009
I was anticipating this show for weeks! Vigilantes of Love is absolutely my favorite Americana band, I have grown up listening to Bill Mallonee and company in whatever line up was playing at the time. Bill retired the Vigilantes in 2002 after well over a decade of non-stop touring and a [...]

If memory serves me correctly, I first came across Motonaut on MySpace. I think they liked the influences on our music list and mentioned something about Mike Knott. I can’t really remember, but I liked their music and added them to our friends list. Probably about a month later Matt emailed me and asked if [...]

Herb Grimaud Jr. has the best list of musical influences that I have ever seen on MySpace. He has great taste in movies and he’s covered up in tattoos. I was glad to catch up to him and talk to him about several things – including his band The Sound Gallery, his wife Leslie Dupre-Grimaud [...]

All I Wanna Do, Is Find The Place Where I Melt Into You
Photos courtesy of Mike Stand

The Altar Billies (L to R): Johhny X, Mike Stand,  and Chris “Cowbell” Cummings.
Mike Stand really needs no introduction here. The lead singer / front man for The Altar Boys is steeped in history within this music scene, and [...]

This was an email that was sent out to Bill Mallonee’s mailing list. I thought it was a great little write up/story, so I figured it would make a great column this issue. I consider Bill Mallonee and his wife my friends, and I genuinely admire them and respect them for their honesty and integrity. [...]