And Even More Freestyle: Q&A With Sa-Fire

Sa-Fire is the singer of the memorable Freestyle hits “Don’t Break My Heart” and “Boy, I’ve Been Told.”José el Rey: Sa-Fire, thanks for being right on time! What are you up to?Sa-Fire: I’m always very punctual. If you’re ever late, you might miss a great opportunity. My new single “Exotique”…

More Freestyle: Q&A With Rockell

Click here to read Crossfade’s Q&A with Judy Torres, here for the Q&A with David from Nice & Wild, and here for the Q&A with Johnny O.Rockell’s “In a Dream” came out a decade after the initial freestyle wave. It was the only new Freestyle song on the radio in…

Steve Bug and Camea Play Space On Saturday

I can pretty much blame Steve Bug for how I first acquired a taste for minimal. I didn’t always get minimal –I used to have a hard time grasping its tedious repetitiveness, the absence of real melody and conventional song structure. Then a couple years ago I heard a compilation…

Kaiser Chiefs Opening for Green Day in Miami August 4

Green Day announced that The Bravery, Franz Ferdinand, and Kaiser Chiefs will take turns opening during this summer’s tour. On August 4 in Miami’s American Airlines Arena, Kaiser Chiefs will be warming up the crowd before Green Day hits the stage. If you’re hoping to see The Bravery or Franz…

Surf Nazis on Ecstasy

Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, Surf Nazis on Ecstasy are a thrash-punk trio who, despite their name, are neither beach bums nor fascists. And they definitely don’t do raves. By their own words: “We’re not artsy. We’re not Nazis. We only play all-ages shows.” It’s an operational ethic that regularly brings…

The Business

Since the late 1970s, Micky Fitz and the Business have been doing their thing — writing songs for the working class, in the tradition of street punk and Oi! Fitz formed the band as a reaction to the arty types co-opting the punk subculture. To that end, he focused the…

Nic Fanciulli

British DJ/producer Nic Fanciulli’s career had an auspicious start in the early 2000s when he piqued the interest of big names such as Pete Tong, Deep Dish, and John Digweed. Thus he quickly went from being a 20-year-old small-town spinner to a globetrotting DJ sensation. Adding to an impressive portfolio…

The Mission Veo

Local fivesome the Mission Veo specializes in a dripping-black variety of dance-rock, shot through with tribal drumbeats, minor-key melodies, and darkwave keyboard stabs. And, sure, plenty of bands these days attempt this kind of dark dance-floor psychedelia, but the Mission Veo has another serious weapon in its arsenal: frontman Jonny…

The Bendy Pastorius Group

When your dad was one of the most innovative musicians of all time, and you’ve got ample ability of your own, it’s only natural you’d carry on in the family business. In this case, the extraordinary paternal figure happens to be the late Jaco Pastorius, an extraordinary bassist who fused…

No Doubt

That Gwen Stefani hasn’t become a caricature of herself is either testament to her utter savvy or to the fact that she basically began as a caricature in the first place — and beat everybody to the punch line. That’s not to say that, back in the day, No Doubt’s…

Steve Miller Band to Play Hard Rock Live on November 17

It seems that contempt for his radio-friendly ’70s tunes such as “The Joker” and “Fly Like an Eagle” drove Steve Miller off the stage in ’80s. He told Rolling Stone in 2008, “Bands like X were the big thing in L.A., and my work was being called unmitigated slop. I…

Countown to Freestyle Invasion II: Q&A with Judy Torres

To read yesterday’s interview with Johnny O, click here. Judy Torres is the singer of the freestyle hits “No Reason to Cry” and “Please Stay Tonight.” She is currently a radio host on WKTU 103.5 in New York City. And there is no doubt that she is the Queen of freestyle!José…

Format: B Play at the Electric Pickle this Friday

For those of you still aching for some ich bin Berliner tech grooves after Phonique’s stellar set last week, Format: B will be in town and throwing down an exclusive live PA at the Electric Pickle on Friday night. This dynamic production duo from (where else?) Berlin have been making…

Philly’s War Pigs Play Tonight at Goo

Somehow I didn’t notice that Pennsylvania’s War Pigs are playing at Goo tonight, Wednesday May 27. Think of if Black Sabbath met Motorhead but they grew up listening to 1990’s HC and post-HC. Amazing shredding, raw intensity, deep riffs – it’s all fucking in there. If you haven’t picked up…

Boys Like Girls To Play Culture Room on June 24

The parade of super clever names continues with Boys Like Girls hitting the Culture Room on June 24th in support of their brilliantly titled upcoming album “Due or Die”. The Boston based pop rockers are touring across the U.S. and seemingly hitting every Six Flags in the nation along the…

Countdown to Freestyle Explosion on Saturday: Q&A With Johnny O

Saturday’s Freestyle Explosion features some of the biggest names in the genre, and Crossfade’s own columnist, Jose El Rey, interviewed most of them. We’ll be publishing one or two interviews a day in celebration of the show, which takes place this Saturday night at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables…