FEATURES

How do I even begin to write about David Bowie, who I have claimed as my favorite musician for forty years now? It’s not that I lack things to discuss, it’s that there are too many of them. Do I talk about my favorite albums, the shows I saw, how he connects to most of the music I listen to? Or do I try to write about his genius, all the great music he created? But which great music? Again,...

Regardless of how one attempts to say it, words can not express how over-the-top and musically BUSY 2015 was. Every genre of music seemed to experience a year zero; metal bands (and the labels who historically released their music) bravely began reaching out for sounds which hadn’t historically been part of the genre’s repertoire, for example, and artists of other genres could be found developing new, peanut-butter-and-cucumber combinations too. That meant it was either a really exciting time to be...

 U2 have created a unique music video experience utilizing 360 degree video technology. Harking back to memories of the band’s Rattle and Hum days when they “sang with locals,” this video brings entirely new meaning to “home video” recording and sharing. Song for Someone – 360 Version (follow this link to see the “click and drag” version on U2’s Facebook page) ‘There is a light, don’t let it go out…’ Without leaving their homes, singers around the world...

ARTIST: 2015 Holiday Gift Guide Part Two All the most marvellous gift ideas that Ground Control’s favorite Santa’s helper Ollie Mikse could imagine. DATE: 12-11-15 WRITER: Ollie Ottoman Now Playing: ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas’ by the Eels Hello there!?? It’s the holiday season and time to completely buy into the capitalist society we pretend not to live in. While Bill Adams will keep you covered with the music related-items we think will tickle your gift-giving fancy this year,...

The holidays are a fantastic time of year aren’t they? They’re the time when all the nonsense which may have congested personal relationships is put aside, and everyone seeks to be with those closest to them. They exchange gifts and it’s wonderful. If you’re like me though reader, you have a habit of over-thinking those gifts. Eventually, you find yourself wandering through the mall in a daze; you know you care for the people on your list, but have no...

ARTIST: Ground Control’s Back To School Guide (Part Two) Time is growing short, here is Ground Control’s last cram for the stuff you might need to make life livable after you go back to school. DATE: 08-22-15 WRITER: Ollie Ottoman   Mininch Toolpen If you can see a certain trend in our back to school guide, it’s that practical and space saving are incredibly important to us. Living in a dorm can be the most fulfilling experience of your life,...

ARTIST: Ground Control’s Back To School Guide (Part One) Is it almost that time already? Sure is! You’re bound for institutions of higher learning, but Ground Control studied up and has Cliff’s Notes on what you might need after you get there. DATE: 08-10-15 WRITER: Ollie Ottoman Welcome to our first ever Back to School guide! Ground Control isn’t just about telling you what cool music, shows, comics and movies you should be checking out, it’s also what cool gear...

As contrary to the basic mindset of music journalism as it might seem (most critics like to see themselves as taste-makers with an ear for a hit, a finger on the public’s cultural pulse and a keen eye which recognizes emerging future trends), sometimes there’s just no way to explain how or why a band succeeds or fails to break through and become a cultural icon. It could be argued that it just boils down to dumb luck; sometimes a...

If you see enough “rock n’ roll” movies, eventually you begin to realize that there are always a few key points that are totally unbelievable: the best bands came from nothing (and a lot of them started by accident); their rise to greatness really begins at the moment the hardworking group sticks it to the man and starts doing things their own way, they reach a pinnacle of appeal and creative power at roughly the same time or immediately before...

Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd has a lot of big ideas. Recently, he has entertained the idea of creating a zip-line range at a location where “you can go tearing from location to location in the tree tops, but you can only get to it by boat or if you already know where it is” and developing a concert experience whereat a band (which the bassist has dubbed Forming Policy) will experiment with different sonic frequencies and motifs for the purposes...