Punk rock fans should be really stoked about their guitar options right now. When I was a kid, the only signature model guitars I could get were by cock rockers like Joe Satriani (and they cost a small fortune). Today, kids can pick up guitars by the dudes from Blink 182, Joe Strummer, Billie Joe Armstrong, and now even Tim Armstrong.

Truth be told, it’s hard to justify a signature guitar for a frontman that hardly strums more than four chords while bouncing around stage, but the actual axe is stunning. It’s a G5191 by Gretsch—pretty much the gold standard of hollowbody guitars. These guys (now owned by Fender) have been producing quality pieces for decades and gorgeous signature models for Brian Setzer and Rev Horton Heat. The downside? Price. This bad boy is retailing for $1,150—a steal for Gretsch fans, but not so nice for poor punks. Read the rest of this entry »

You know, I’ve been receiving advanced CDs from record labels for close to 15 years and I’ve never even considered putting them on the Web for others to steal. While I have no problem “sampling” existing catalog CDs from the Web and checking out albums from bands I don’t know, I really think it takes the wrong kind of balls for someone to upload a record that hasn’t seen the light of day yet and kill a chunk of a band’s income before they even have a chance to make a dime off of it.

I’m sure I sound like a hypocrite—I’ve stolen my fair share of CDs from the Web, but I always make an effort to support a band I like, be it by purchasing their merch, seeing them live, or buying their records.

This evening, I got an e-mail from my buddy Austin at Epitaph Records fuming that the Alkaline Trio’s new record had been leaked well over a month before it was set to come out. I immediately noted that this wouldn’t be an issue (or as big of one) if labels only sent out vinyl records for review.

He laughed (virtually).
Read the rest of this entry »

Life In A Bungalo got a chance to interview Gallows bandmates Laurent Barnard and Steph Carter before their set at the New Jersey stop of the Warped Tour. The band talks about tearing it up on stage, playing the Warped Tour, and their new record “Grey Britain.”

Podcast Video Download (14970)