Some bands are legends and some bands are entire civilizations—that’s Redd Kross, whose discography goes back to that first pre-cease-and-desist-call (always a promising sign) EP in 1981. Redd Kross plays with the Melvins for New Year’s Eve tonight at the Alexandria Hotel, and the founding McDonald brothers speak now about blood and mustaches. This interview by Chris Ziegler.

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Wooden Shjips started by making crazy/noisy punk-drone records that they would mail you for free—you just had to ask!—and if they ever invent the extra-extra-extra-long-play record, Wooden Shjips will finally have the space to release their ultimate record. Drummer Omar Ahsanuddin speaks now before the Shjips play the Thrill Jockey anniversary show this weekend. This interview by Chris Ziegler.

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The crowd was moving and grooving at The Getty with vintage R&B musician Nick Waterhouse performing with stellar band The Tarots. Our own fearless leader DJ Chris Ziegler got the party started with an assortment of oldies but goodies. Photos by Debi Del Grande

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Becky growls like a Dangerhouse punk girl who knows exactly where Wanda Jackson was coming from—which she is, I think?—and the push-pull vocals she does with Don Juan are way more Paula and Jeffrey Lee than John and Exene or Mickey and Sylvia.

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When she’s up, she’s angry, and when she’s down, she’s despairing, and although Gizzelle touches other kinds of songs, those are the ones that will stick with you most.

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GET TICKETS HERE!

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L.A. RECORD’s untoward adoration of Roky Erickson is well known, and so we are freaking for his show at the El Rey Thursday! We reprint here our first-ever Roky interview from Halloween 2008. Win tickets here or buy ‘em here! We’ll also DJ an afterparty at the Monty! Like the man says: “We get together for rock music ’bout 12 ‘o clock every night!” This interview by Chris Ziegler.

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Well, we love Roky Erickson. Can’t explain it, don’t care to anyway. Roky’s rok is the rokinest rok that ever rok-ed, and if you got to wake up, make sure to wake up to rok-n-roll! Anyway—of course this means we want everyone to go see him next week! Thanks to the beautiful people at Goldenvoice, [...]

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V. Vale is a founding father of West Coast independent publishing—his ’77 Search and Destroy zine is one of the four secret parents of L.A. RECORD, and his Re/Search books are a decontamination manual for the human mind. He will be speaking with L.A. RECORD alum Henry Rollins at the L.A. Zine Fest on Sunday, which will be followed by a free afterparty with the Allah Las, Cold Showers and Neverever! This interview by Chris Ziegler.

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