Eugene Weekly

Before discussing indie-rock siren Frankie Rose, one must ask: Which Frankie Rose are we talking about? The founding member of garage-rock acts Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls or Vivian Girls? Or the Brooklyn-based songwriter rumored to be related to legendary hard rocker and mouthpiece for Guns ‘n’ Roses, Axl Rose?  The answer is both. “Why, yes. In fact [Axl] is my great grandfather,” Frankie Rose tells EW. “I only met him once backstage when his band was headlining a Metallica-Motorhead concert.”  Continue reading →

United Nations is a punk-rock super group of Ronald Reagan-mask-wearing banditos. Not just any band could get away with standing up to both The Beatles and the actual United Nations. But see exhibit A: the cover of the band’s 2008 debut featuring The Beatles’ famous Abbey Road image (this time with The Fab Four engulfed in flames and crossing right to left). And exhibit B: The real U.N. sent the band a cease-and-desist letter for unauthorized use of the name and U.N. logo on Facebook.  Continue reading →

At this point it’s a local tradition: “We play a costume party in Eugene every year,” says Miss Alex White of the Chicago-based rock ‘n’ roll brother-sister duo White Mystery. “White Mystery loves the people of Eugene, its punk-rock spirit and great food.” White Mystery also loves Halloween: “Halloween,” White jokes, “means White Mystery Airheads, group costumes and my half birthday.” Continue reading →

From Ella Fitzgerald to Sleater-Kinney to Beyonce, women have been rocking the music world for as long as their XY counterparts. Too often the accomplishments of female musicians are overlooked, but in November, they take over Eugene once again for the Grrrlz Rock festival — a month-long concert series celebrating and showcasing Eugene’s rising female artists. For the full lineup visit wkly.ws/1u2, but be sure to check out these five kickass acts: The Elena Leona Project Continue reading →

If you like artists whose genre is tough to peg, then Caravan of Thieves should be right up your alley. Not only does the band combine elements of gypsy jazz, swing and folk music, but they also add a bit of Vaudevillian theatricality to their live shows. A Caravan of Thieves concert is sure to be something you have never seen before — even if you have seen them before. Continue reading →

It’s hard to say exactly which member is the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, but there’s no doubt that supergroup Deltron 3030 is the Holy Trinity of alt-rap.  Continue reading →

Katie Goodman looks the part of the cool kid next door, but she’s a bona fide nerd. Her song “Storm’s End” is a Game of Thrones reference, as revealed in a recent “Ask Me Anything” Q&A on Reddit. “When we made that song, I thought it sounded like an evil surf song, which would be perfect for the Ironborn,” Goodman writes. In the Reddit session, Goodman also tells a fan who’s a physicist that she has a physics education masters and “wrote a physics-related love song called ‘Space Time.’”  Continue reading →

I’ve never been to Austin, Texas, or Athens, Georgia. But one day I hope to, and when I do I think the music of Alejandro Escovedo and Peter Buck — two musicians closely associated with these cities — will soundtrack my trip.  Alejandro Escovedo embodies Austin’s reputation as the indie-est of indie music havens. Building a career around a Texan take on punk-edged three-chord bar rock, Escovedo is a rock ‘n’ roll survivor with a loyal following, a songwriter whose work recalls greats like Dave Alvin or Elvis Costello.  Continue reading →