Southern California

RIP Slayer Guitarist Jeff Hanneman: Does This Mean the End of Slayer?

As a lifetime die-hard Slayer fan, I had to do a double-take when I got a text from RFT Music editor Daniel Hill asking if I'd like to write a piece on the passing of Jeff Hanneman. "Fuck yeah I'd like to write something about Slayer," I thought. But wait a minute... WHAT? I had not yet heard of h ... More >>

Lee Fields and the Expressions, Pac Div, Afroman and More Show Flyers

Little James Brown, Lee Fields, continues his prolific career with a stop at 2720 Cherokee on March 27. Southern California rap trio, Pac Div play the Gramophone tonight. Believe it or not, Afroman is still making music and will be performing at 2720 Cherokee on March 29. More show flyers below:

Team Kerouac: Kristen Stewart and Garrett Hedlund chat about the film version of On the Road

Ten Bands You Never Would Have Thought Used to Be Good

It's a common cliché by now: Some snobby, balding guy with glasses in every bar across America rants and raves about how he only likes "the old stuff" by every band. "I liked the first record," is his creed. This character floats around, bumming everyone out and sucking all the fun out of a karaoke ... More >>

Releasing Records and Touring: The DIY Approach in Practice

Are you a musician? Is your group having issues? Ask Fan Landers! Critic Jessica Hopper has played in and managed bands, toured internationally, booked shows, produced records, worked as a publicist, and is the author of The Girls' Guide to Rocking, a how-to for teen ladies. She is here to help you ... More >>

Rage Against the Machinima: As YouTube becomes increasingly wealthy, its stars and the networks who contract with them battle for money and creative control

Mark McGwire Gamble Paid Off For Cardinals; Will Successor Prove The Same?

So apparently it's become like a thing now for Cardinals sluggers to leave the team in the offseason and head for Southern California. Last year it was Albert Pujols, aka the Second Greatest Cardinal (and who will never, ever reach number one on that list), leaving the Redbirds and taking his talent ... More >>

Busch Unbottled: Divulging secrets from the sudsy to the sordid, a new book pops the top off St. Louis' beer-brewing dynasty

Game Changer: Chris Kluwe is prying open America's last closet: major league sports

PHOTOS: Wayne Gretzky's New St. Louis Home

Hockey's "The Great One" has returned to St. Louis. Wayne Gretzky, who played briefly for the Blues during the 1995-1996 season, recently purchased a home in Frontenac. Real estate records show that Gretzky and his wife, Janet, paid $500,000 for the four-bedroom home on July 31. Janet grew up in Bri ... More >>

The Mug Shots of Hudspeth County: Nelly's Bodyguard, Fiona Apple, Willie Nelson

Nelly's tour bus was stopped this week in Sierra Blanca, Texas, where authorities found 36 bags of heroin, ten pounds of weed and a loaded handgun. Much, much more information here. His bodyguard, Brian Keith Jones, claimed ownership of everything, and he is currently awaiting arraignment in Texas. ... More >>

Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet a Royals Fan (Cardinals Hatred Explained)

In ABC's hit comedy Modern Family, Eric Stonestreet plays the role of Cameron -- a gay dad in Southern California who is constantly defending his home state of Missouri to his partner, Mitchell. "You know, Missouri's more cosmopolitan than you give it credit for, Mitchell," says Cameron in one episo ... More >>

Cambodian Weed

The invasive plant water spinach is banned in some states — and essential to Asian cooking. In a small village outside Houston, relocated Cambodians are growing and selling it across state lines, up North, out West, hoping to get rich.

Have You Illegally Downloaded the Porno "Total Black Invasion 2"? Beware this Lawsuit!

Yesterday, in our esteemed federal court, the Southern California-based company, West Coast Productions -- "Your Premier Source for Interracial Porn!" -- filed suit against 71 unnamed people living in eastern Missouri. The accusation? That they infringed copyright by downloading "Total Black Invasio ... More >>

Bunk Beds From Mass Suicide For Sale on St. Louis Craigslist

On March 26,1997, authorities entered the mansion of the Heaven's Gate religious cult near San Diego to find the bodies of 39 people dead from a self-induced cocktail of phenobarbital and vodka. The deceased wore identical sweat suits and Nike sneakers and lay neatly arranged on bunk beds in the bel ... More >>

Janiva Magness Got Through the Death and Loss of 2011 with This Year's Stronger For It

When you hear Janiva Magness sing, you're hearing a life: a tough one, a lucky one, a damn hard-fought one. The Detroit-born, Southern California-based blueswoman has a near 30-year career in music behind her, and who knows, maybe 30 more years ahead of her. Whatever happens, she's unlikely to make ... More >>

Ask a Mexican: Snopes Problem: Why do Mexicans have so many urban legends?

If everyone's seeing Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, you might want to be left behind

Beltran Goes All Berkman; Cards Win in the Desert

Ladies and gentlemen, I have discovered the secret to the Cardinals' success. Actually, I shouldn't say success in general. Rather, I have discovered the secret to the St. Louis Cardinals beating the Arizona Diamondbacks on the road in Arizona. In order to win in Chase Field, the secret for the ... More >>

Albert Pujols' Cars Well-Suited for Southern California, Even If Slugger Is Not

A lot has been made about Albert Pujols' struggles at the plate this year. After 28 games as a member of the Los Angeles Angels, Pujols is hitting just .196 with seven RBI's. (He did hit a home run yesterday, ending his longest drought without a homer.)Still the questions persist: Is Pujols putting ... More >>

Ask a Mexican: Why do Mexicans paint murals on lowriders?

Best of Coachella Day One

Day one of The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival brought something more unusual than ironic outfits or that poor guy who couldn't get his flip flops on for the life of him: this year there was rain. The festival held in the Southern California desert is known for scorching, sometime ... More >>

Great Moments in Mexican-American Restaurant History: Casa Gallardo

Sharp Threads and Sharper Words Color Alexander-Maidana Press Conference

​Their fighting styles are about as different as their fashion styles. This became clear on Friday as Devon Alexander and Marcos Maidana appeared at Scottrade for their fight's first press conference. On one side of the podium sat Devon Alexander, the St. Louis hero, smiling and shining, a maroon ... More >>

Shelby Lynne Still Knows a Good Song When She Hears, Sings or Writes One

To begin simply, Shelby Lynne is one of the major voices in American music. She has nerves of silk and steel and a voice and instinct to match. And she can surely hear the nerves on the other end of the line as the interview begins. "Give it your best shot," she says on the phone from her home in ... More >>

The 2011 Unreal News Challenge

Oh, don't be such a cynic. Matt Damon needs your love in We Bought a Zoo.

Albert Takes the Money and Runs

Something tells us Pujols ornaments will not be a hot seller this Christmas. ​You know, there are a couple of things that really bother me about Albert Pujols bolting for the coast. I'll get to those in a moment, though. First, let me tell you what doesn't bother me about this. I am not angry ... More >>

Perv and Protect: Dozens of teenage Explorers have been sexually molested by cops. Should the Scouting program share the blame?

David Freese's High School Coaches Reflect on Former Player's World Series Heroics

David Freese was great in high school, but did anyone foresee a World Series hero?​When all is said and done, David Freese's performance in Game 6 of the World Series might go down as one of the greatest postseason performances of all time. At bat in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and down ... More >>

Ask a Mexican: Why do Mexicans want to redistrict political boundaries in their favor?

The Raincoats and Grass Widow at the Double Door, Chicago, 9/19/11: Review and Setlists

The Raincoats. Photo by Mike Appelstein​The Raincoats | Grass Widow The Double Door September 19, 2011 After three decades of sporadic activity, it's about time the Raincoats played the Midwest. This legendary late '70s/early' 80s London band toured the East and West coasts during its init ... More >>

A-Game gets one step closer with his new mixtape

Magic City

Les Animaux Épouvantables
Tower Groove Records

Too Hot To Live Winter Music Mix: Ten Songs To Lower Your Temperature

Refreshing! ​Finally, we seem to be on the other side of this week's bout of soul-shredding heat. Summer's all well and good, but the Beach Boys weren't singing about an endless summer where it feels like 115 degrees. Their summers were a good 30 degrees cooler than what we've been experiencin ... More >>

Don Perry and Bonnie Spinola on the Thrill of the Hunt

Jon Scorfina​ Often, the most sincere record collectors have no professional associations with the music industry. Their collections stem from nothing but a love of music. We met this week's Last Collector Standing through Anna Zachritz of Euclid Records, who suggested two of the store's most ... More >>

Pho, Watermelon and Kebabs You Can't Afford

House of AnThis pho costs more than your first car.​Food costs continue to rise, and they're not coming down. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development issued a grim report that predicts a 30 percent rise in food costs over the next decade. Oh, screw it! Let's buy crazy expe ... More >>

¡Ask a Mexican!

Yeah, Pomplamoose sold out to Hyundai, but this indie duo just might revolutionize the music business

Story of the Year vocalist Dan Marsala reveals the secret history of the band's breakthrough LP, Page Avenue

Under the Radar: Why do AeroMexico flights take off in any kind of weather and Mexican mistranslations go uncorrected?

Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett steps out of the band's shadow with an excellent new solo album

Delta Spirit

8 p.m. Monday, June 21. The Firebird, 2706 Olive Street.

Yo Gabba Gabba!'s co-creator talks about the show's success (and hometown boy DJ Lance Rock)

Double Talk: The Watson Twins get comfortable stepping into the spotlight

Drink of the Week: Horchata

Lily's
4601 S Kingshighway
314-352-1894

Shackle Up

Stir Crazy Café and SanSai Japanese Grill make it OK to embrace a corporate trend