Recap: AZPunk's Personality Disorder 12" Record Release Party

Celebrating AZPunk's 7th comp on a Tuesday wasn't such a bad idea after all

It's hard to believe that 7 AZPunk comps have come and gone already. It seems like eons ago when Chris, Bryan and I were frantically trying to gather as much new local punk rock as we could, and cram it all into volume 1. One thing is for sure, AZPunk's collection of compilation albums documents a solid diverse collection of the growth (or diminishment - whichever way you tip on the full/empty meter) of local punk rock in Arizona over the last eight years, and our latest evolved installment, the Personality Disorder 12", although is a complete divorce from the standard template of the old "AZPunk comps" of lore, it doesn't stray from it's delivery of the awesome sounds of some of the bands tearing up pubs and house shows around the Valley today. On Tuesday, June 8th, we celebrated the release of our first record with the help of some of our good friends.
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AZPunk Pub Crawl Podcast #1

Mikey Wretch sits down with us to talk about his bands' track record, the closing of the Phix, and help drink a bottle of Jameson

Welcome to the very first attempt at an idea I've had since the early days of AZPunk. Nothing cutting edge, really. Just a couple of dudes siting around a table, and mixing beer, whisky and rum with some chatter about local punk rock happenings. I guess you could say this is our new twist on the old "Featured Bands" segments we used to do, but rather than typing out a bunch of stupid questions for someone to answer, it seemed it would be a cooler idea to ask the stupid questions in person, toss in an unhealthy mixture of alcohol, and just hit record.
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Local Stuff You Should Know #16

AZPunk's 7th Comp release party, free Comic Con tix, and other awesome shit to cram into your week.

It's been a somber week here at the AZPunk studios (my laptop/a park bench), remebering and celebrating the life of our friend Dishonour Dan. He was a true friend, and he'll be missed deeply by many. Come and help us in raising our collective pints to his memory at the next installment of the traditional AZPunk comps, the Personality Disorder 12" Album Release Party on Tuesday, June 8th at The Rogue Bar in Scottsdale. Westley Allen and Erratic! Radio will be there broadcasting live on KWSS 106.7 FM and tearing it up with The Plainfield Butchers. May Cause Dizziness Records and Johnny Volume will be there with us selling the brand new AZPunk comp 12", featuring 14 local punk rock tracks for $12. Come down for good times, cheap drinks, and the soothing sounds of...
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Daniel "Dishonour Dan" Howard: April 20, 1980 - May 8, 2010

The AZPunk.com community loses a true friend.

It is with a heavy heart that we have to say goodbye to a true AZ punk friend. Daniel "Dishonour Dan" Howard was more than a friend that you would see out at shows, or would talk shit with on the old AZPunk message board. He was part of a family. A family that has spent that last eight years riding the roller coaster of life branded with the title "those AZPunk kids". A brand that from the outside perspective of a jaded and segmented music scene has been viewed as a clique, but for those of us who have spent these awesome eight years together thrashing, drinking and laughing, we know it better as a family. Daniel was a huge part of that AZPunk.com family. Daniel has always been a good friend to AZPunk.com, lending a hard working hand whenever we needed the extra help, and was always ready to enjoy the good times with good friends at the drop of a hat. We raise our glass to you today, Dishonour Dan. You are sadly missed by many of your AZPunk brothers and sisters. You went much too fast, buddy.
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Thrash of the Titans 2 Registration

Register now for a chance for a spot in this epic battle-of-the-bands sequal!

Behold! The second coming of the infamous AZPunk.com Thrash of the Titans battle will descend upon the masses towards the end of 2010. In the meantime, there is MUCH for us to accomplish. If you missed the first round of TOTT in December of '07, you missed out on the greatest battle of the bands-type event Arizona has ever seen. I know what you're thinking, "battle of the bands shows are for leprochauns and babies" (I know that's exactly what you're thinking, too). BALDERDASH! This isn't your run-of-the-mill collection of random crappy local bands, desperately seeking relevance and a quick $1000 prize. NO! This is you're complete UN-run-of-the-mill collection of random artists from crappy (j/k) local bands desperately seeking fun times and a quick prize of a personal sense of accomplishment, and maybe even the possibility of creating an entire new band out of nothing! Still sound stupid? Tell that to our last Titan winners, BroLoaf. Three years, 2 EP releases, an upcoming full length album, multiple member swaps and an spot on this year's San Diego's North Park Awesome Fast event, BroLoaf is still raging stronger than they day they first hit a beer bong on stage.
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Local Stuff You Should Know #15

Select Shows (Fucked Up / Goatwhore / X / Bastard Noise)

Being a promoter, I rarely get the opportunity to see a lot of the bands I would like to see, unless I'm working with them that night. Of course, if the situation arises efforts can be made, but that's not something that I would ever want to make habit out of. I've become familiar with forcing myself to believe that I will see them (whatever band it may be) the next time they come around. This is one of the many reasons I've decided to slow down, and to only do shows for bands I like. The older I'm getting the less I want to help out people who I cannot artistically understand. For that, my personal effort(s) to come out to shows or the desire to do shows is decreasing. Some call this "elitism" and other call it "getting old in the scene", but I like to call it what it really is... lack of finances to support music I feel should and could be supported in Arizona. Regardless of what may exist in my bank account, I've come to terms with a couple of things in my life... we are all creatures of habit, and I have an addiction.
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Local Stuff You Should Know #14 (New AZPunk 12" Vinyl Comp!!)

Music, free music, and a contest for more free music

First off, we want to send out a huge thanks to Dario and RadioPhoenix.org for having us by for a couple hours last night, and giving us an opportunity to play some tracks from our brand new AZPunk comp, Personality Disorder. This comp isn't like the usual comps we've done in the past. We figured that with a new rethinking of the website, the comps could use a good restructuring as well. So, if you haven't spent a measly $3 to buy one of our original AZPunk.comps vols. 1-6, then hop to it, because once they're gone, they're gone forever...
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AZPunk Guest DJs on RadioPhoenix.org 4/15 from 6-8PM

Playing selected tracks from upcoming AZPunk/MCD/DJJV comp Personality Disorder

When my good buddy, Dario Miranda, isn't balls-deep into rocking out to some random indie or jazz band in the Downtown Phoenix art scene, or slingin' records over at Stinkweeds, he's hosting a weekly local music radio show on RadioPhoenix.org. The other day, I got a text from him, "Call me, fool. We gots business to discuss". Dario invited AZPunk down to talk shop on his radio show next Thursday April 15th for two whole hours from 6pm to 8pm. The timing for this couldn't be better...
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Review: Landmine Marathon Video Shoot

Still photos and a chance to win a copy of Sovereign Descent

Local metal brethren, Landmine Marathon, recently returned home from a SxSW, where they got the word from their label, Prosthetic Records, that they had less than two weeks to get a video shot. "We were made aware of an end of March deadline WHILE we were on tour until March 22nd." says guitarist, Ryan Butler. BlatantLocalism.net got a heads up from Ryan a week before their Monday deadline to try and draw as many people as possible...
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Local Stuff You Should Know #13

Too much radical to write about on a Friday afternoon

We wanted to send out a HUGE thanks to Sarah Ventre and the whole Blaze 1330AM team for inviting us over the guest DJ the radio show this last Tuesday. Unfortunately, if you missed it, you're pretty much in the same boat as us being s.o.l., because their computer fried destroying all of the recordings of that day, so no MP3 copy for us. Wah wah :/. That does, however, mean you're off the hook for not listening. But if you did happen to tune in, you would have heard us play some killer local punk rock, and talk a little bit about some of the pretty cool things AZPunk has in store for 2010...
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Can A Punk Get A Friggin Drink Around Here?

An (expanding) list of local punk-friendly bars and pubs

Many moons (and roughly 3500 gallons of alcohol ago), I had this idea for AZPunk. It was to make a list of all of the punk-friendly bars I could find throughout the state, and start a re-occurring segment called the "AZPunk Pub Crawl", where we would travel to one of these listed bars with a local band, kick back with a trough of drinks, and just bullshit about local music and whatever else a trough of drinks happens brings about. Each segment would feature a different bar, and a different local band. Kind of like an upgrade to the "Featured Bands" of AZPunk lore. Well, that idea never really got much further than the inside of my skull, but it did get me off my ass to start making a list of the right bars and pubs you should be supporting all throughout Arizona...
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Local Stuff You Should Know #12

Punk rock zombies reclaim control of their territory!

With all the hooha on the big 2012 apocalypse scare and people freaking out over the end of the world, AZPunk is here to let you know that we're all going to die. We have difinitive proof that we are all nearing the end of days, because the dead are definitely clawing their way back up through their graves in this state. The weekly spelunking of local shows has unearthed the fact that punk rock is anything but deceased in our broad, dysfunctional little local music scene. Throughout the months of March to May, Arizona old school punk rock is back on track and playing shows all over the place. From National acts like Bad Brains, to classic Arizona Oi like Fatskins, and as always, new local and traveling acts trudging their way to and from SxSW, if there was ever a list of shows that should get you to you grab your friends, gas up the ride, and head out of town for some good ol' punk rock fun times, this is it.
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Facebook: Connected!

Comment on articles and shows via Facebook

I've been noticing on some of the design websites and blogs that I frequent, webmasters have enabled the ability for visitors to connect via social networks likeFacebook. Well, after a little mining and pillaging on the good ol' innerwebs, I found out how. It's pretty simple, actually. So we're gonna test drive this Facebook comment thing for a bit and see how it all works out for the time being. So go ahead, sign in via your Facebook profile, and comment away on any of the articles or show postings. Like I've said before, AZPunk is a social web experiment, so we're always testing out new gadgets and web shits. If something doesn't work, or you have any ideas or desire to help out, hit us up. In the meantime, this seems like as good of a place as any to start!
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AZPX Records JFA/Dephinger Apache Split 7"

Bringin the shred to the Rez, and a record to a lucky winner

For eight years, AZPX Skateboards has been thrashing across the desert from border to boarder spreading the gospel according to griptape. AZPX Owner, Rob Locker - the brains behind the board, is continuing his mission on Saturday, March 27 at San Carlos Apache Boys & Girls Club Skatepark with AZPX's 5th Annual Apache Skate Blast and JFA/Dephinger Apache Split Release Show. This day-long skateboarding competition will complete with a good ol' fashioned Rez punk party featuring JFA, Dephinger and some of their friends celebrating the new Apache Split record. I sat down with Rob over the innernets to ask him some hard hitting questions about the record, geriatric skating and when the hell I'm gonna get my hoverboard.
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AZPunk Guest DJs on ASU Radio 3/23 from 1-2PM

Listen live online @ blazeradioonline.com

This morning, we received an email from Sarah Ventre, the music director of ASU's student radio station (KASC The Blaze 1330 AM) asking if AZPunk would like to take part in their guest DJ program running throughout the month of March. Our response was quick and firm; "HELL YES!!!" Chris and I are stoked to help out with this great opportunity for us to play some new local punk rock (and most likely some old favorites), and also be given a chance to talk about some big things in the works with AZPunk for 2010. And what IS it exactly that AZPunk has in store for the local punks of Arizona this year? A new compilation? New website features? Some massive musical rematch? We're not telling! Well, at least not until March 23rd at 1PM. If you're not by a radio, then you can listen online at blazeradioonline.com. Tune in punk!
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10 Free Innerweb Must-Have Resources for the Local Band

Useful tools that will help you get down to business

Everybody is different when it comes to organizing the ins-and-outs of your band. For me, I've always been the detailed oriented guy who likes to keep info within arms reach (who said that drummers were the laziest people in the band anyway?). Luckily, the glorality of the innerwebs offers some kick ass tools for you to use for free. Sure, you already use the standard social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace (does anyone even still use MySpace besides us?), but what if you need to design a flyer and can't afford Photoshop? Or if you want to record a simple demo and don't have the cash to pay an engineer? Don't worry, AZPunk's got you covered. We've comprised a seriously resourceful list of 10 web tools that have been huge help to AZPunk in the past, and will no doubt make your band life a hell-of-a-lot more organized.

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Cut Throat DVD Release Show Review

PBRs and fire, shit gets heated!

The night was Friday February 26th and after an exhausting week at my job I was ready to let loose and have some fun. Thankfully I ditched out on the Pigeon John show at the Hidden House (I love hip hop, but the venue didn't seem fitting for such fine talent) and headed to Chasers to see mainly 2 acts. Bro Loaf and Cut Throat Freakshow's DVD release. Upon arriving, Chasers was filling up, I counted roughly 45 people around 9:45pm. I showed up kinda late with my good friend Funky Monkey. We caught the last 4 songs of the opening band, and due to last minute changes in the line up I have no idea who they were, but I think it was Canyon Animals. They did, however, have a piñata in the middle of what would have been the pit if the place had been packed. Inside the piñata was your normal, every day punk rock shenanigans. Some penis pills, rubber eyeballs, candy and other assortments. As for the band, they were alright, mostly screamo/metal with hints of punk, I am pretty sure at one point they covered a Misfits song, but I could be mistaken.
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Local Stuff You Should Know #11

Awesome upcoming shows for punks of all flavors

The recent scouring of the innerwebs and additions to our shows calendar have pointed towards some seriously awesome local shows coming up. And by seriously awesome, I'm talking about opening your fucking calendar and marking this shit down in red right now. Hardcore pioneers, sideshow freaks, local favorites, and controversial house shows that will destroy lives and create more scrutiny than your mom's sex video we've been glued to all week.
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Happy Birthday AZPunk

Here's to 8 years, technically...

And what an 8 years it's been, eh? A little more low-key, but still D.I.Y. & dedicated to local punk & hardcore; love it or hate it, if you're any fan of the music, there's a chance AZPunk's played into either some part of your show-going experience, or online entertainment at one point or another. And in celebration of the good, the bad, and the fugly, the old, and the yet-to-come of this giant dysfunctional AZ underground music website, AZPunk is gathering a shitload of local stuff, packaging it up in a brown paper bag, and giving it to you. We're digging into the stockpile of comps, cds, stickers, and other random shit that we just can't stand looking at anymore, and putting it up for grabs.
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The Return Of The Nile Basement

The Mantooth Group announces the re-opening of the Nile Basement as "The Underground"

One flight of stairs below the historic Nile Theatre there is a basement but not just any basement, a basement that helped shape the state of live music in the valley for almost ten years. "The Nile had been one of the local staples for quite some time when I started performing as a wee young lad, and I was quite stunned when the place shut down. To hear that it's reopening is great news for the city of Mesa, and the state of Arizona. Not kidding. Some amazing bands have played there, and I'm positive that with the great promotion companies out there in Phoenix, many more bands will come wanting to play there for years to come," commented Wes Volcom of former local band Rondo Vega.
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Bropacalypse Now!

A BroLoaF retrospect

Back in late 2007, local punk geezer, and Father Figure, Tom Reardon, came to us with an interesting show challenge; can several randomly picked local musicians organize a punk band, write a 30 minuteset's worth of songs, and work together with musicians you hardly know, all within 2 months? The answer to this challenge would be played at the Hollywood Alley on AZPunk's Thrash of the Titans show. 24 musicians from local punk bands all around the Metro-Phoenix area took two months to organize six separate punk bands to compete for the title of AZPunk Titan and a spot on the AZPunk.com Volume 6 album. The battle was bloody and long, but as the night drew to a close, there was no doubt in neither the crowd, nor the judges that the undisputed AZPunk Titan was the frat-boy brohamness of BroLoaF.
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