Tag: The Broken Remotes

2010: The Eastside L.A. Year In Review

On December 31, 2010

A few of those great bands: The Deadly Syndrome, Radars To The Sky, The Henry Clay People, and Shadow Shadow Shade (photo by Jason O'Dell)

For those new to ‘musings’… Often referred to as the ‘Silverlake region’, the Eastside of Los Angeles seems to have a ridiculously disproportionate number of awesome bands that call the area home (or at least, that’s where they regularly play). In addition to Silverlake, this also includes the neighborhoods of Echo Park, Los Feliz, Eagle Rock, Atwater Village, Highland Park… These artists comprise many different styles and personalities, having one thing in common – they’re all really good! I happened upon these guys (and gals) after first listening to The Airborne Toxic Event on MySpace back in January 2008, and then deciding to check out their friends’ bands, friends of friends, etc. Very glad I did. Here’s a rundown of those bands that had albums (or EPs) out this year. Some are well-known and touring internationally now; others not (yet).

For those not new to ‘musings’… My last Eastside L.A. update was way back in February, and I announced all these cool things coming up. Then, well, this year happened. What can I say? I lost the plot. Here it is again.

Label Profile: JAXART Records

By julie

On June 9, 2009

In Gigs, Indie Music, Label Profiles

It was one of those odd moments of serendipity. This morning, I was thinking it was high time to begin writing what I’ve been thinking about for nearly a month now – my first “label profile” of a small but wonderful and prolific enterprise out in L.A. called JAXART Records. Since they’ve put out releases by a few of my favorite bands from that astonishing “Silverlake scene” (Rademacher, The Henry Clay People, Mezzanine Owls…), I decided to put on a bit of music to get me in the mood. I plucked out another one of my favorites, “Our Tears Have Wings” by the Monolators. Then I proceed to dig around for some background information. I come across an interesting and informative interview from LAist with JAXART founder Ashley Jex . Reading along, I discover she’s in the Monolators, first joining them on the brilliant “Don’t Dance” album, which has been sitting for a while on my turntable. And that she publishes a blog that I include in my blogroll and regularly frequent, Rock Insider. It was one of those “ohhhhhhhh” moments (stop that chuckling out there; I’m on a computer day and night, so I have short-term memory issues. Sometimes it just takes me a while, ya know?). She’s deeply immersed in L.A.’s local music scene, having done a stint as a KROQ intern, worked at a few indie labels, and even DJ’s and books shows. She started Rock Insider in 2005, and JAXART Records in 2007.