Los Angeles, 1968. High above the city, in the countercultural hotspot of Laurel Canyon, in what can safely be described as an act of divine convergence, three musicians named David, Stephen and Graham sit down to play music together for the first time. Some say it happened in Joni Mitchell’s cabin, others swear it was at Cass Elliot’s place, but specifics aside, it was in this moment that Crosby, Stills & Nash, one of many musical legends that would call Laurel Canyon home, was born.
Articles by Cat Johnson
To Green A Scene
Random thoughts on making a domicile more eco-friendly.
Gospel According to Griffin
Patty Griffin was genuinely surprised by the invitation to record a gospel album. “I’m not a gospel singer,” she says from her home in Austin. “My voice just doesn’t have the power for it.” Thinking it would be a good challenge, though, she agreed to the project under one condition: that Buddy Miller produce it. The resulting collaboration is Downtown Church, Griffin’s seventh and most recent album, which meanders gracefully through sacred song tradition, speaking to gospel fans and the Patty Griffin faithful alike.
A Santa Cruz Band Makes Good
At one of Man/Miracle’s first shows, people were jumping around, breaking glass and generally going crazy. “Who knows what the genesis of that was,” lead singer and guitarist Dylan Travis says, “but we decided it was the most fun we could have within the context of a rock band.” As they continued to play, becoming regulars in the Santa Cruz indie music scene, they found their audiences getting bigger and wilder. “Suddenly, people were making us crowd surf at our shows,” says Travis. “It was then that I finally realized what punk was all about. The energy was amazing.”
The Best of Overheard at the Record Store’
“Dude, the new Whitesnake kicks ass. It seriously kicks ass, bro.”
“Sir, I know what a train is. Please stop.”
“I smoke outside. I don’t care about my lungs but I don’t want to ruin my records.”
