As a middle finger to the major labels, Modern Art Records has formed a strategic partnership with Epic Records to mine deep into Phoenix's underground music scene. "[Epic] recognize that independent labels is the only business model that's making money on the label side of things," Modern Art Records co-founder and Chronic Future lead guitarist ...

After four-and-a-half years of work, Fountains of Wayne bassist Adam Schlesinger was nominated for two Tonys for his involvement with Broadway's 'Cry-Baby: The Musical.' "It's very exciting and also very surprising," Schlesinger tells Spinner. "We were a bit of a dark horse so everybody involved with the show is really excited about it. It's a ...

When the rock band Filter visited Kuwait earlier this year, lead singer Richard Patrick was determined to put a human face to the word "troop." "I think a lot of young people in this country hear the word 'troop' and they don't even understand what it means," Patrick tells Spinner. "It means 'human being.'" One way in which to do that was to invite ...

An outspoken opponent of the war in Iraq, Everclear singer Art Alexakis will bring his band to controversial Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba on Memorial Day to honor U.S. troops guarding militant combatants captured in Afghanistan and Iraq. "I want this war over," Alexakis tells Spinner. "It has become this generation's Vietnam. I'm old enough ...

Former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone has a new side project of sorts -- but it's not the musical kind. He and 'Rock of Love 2' participant Destiney Moore have teamed up with the Minneapolis, Minn. sex education company Ready Two Go to promote healthy loving among sexually active youths and young adults. "The world has lost too many people to STDs ...

In a move made public to bring awareness to organ donation, Valient Thorr singer Valient Himself is giving a kidney to his father who has been ill since 1988. "I feel like anybody would do it for somebody they love, whether it's their dad, their mom, their bandmate, their worker, their best friend or even a stranger," Himself tells Spinner. ...

Punk veterans Social Distortion aren't exactly known for soft numbers. But change is healthy, or so it's suggested. To that end, singer/guitarist Mike Ness reveals to Spinner that he and his band are planning an acoustic album for 2009. "I think it could be really, really neat," he says. "It's almost like a Bob Dylan/Bruce Springsteen/Johnny Cash ...