On this week’s episode of Encore I am joined by special guest Jacob Tender. This week we discuss AbsolutePunk.net, SpinMedia, UnderTheGun and a lot of behind the scenes chaos that plagued the music web community over the past few years.
After months of following up with the poor guy, I got Brian "Lion" Leak on the show with me. Initially, when this thing was going to promote Under The Gun and its writers, Brian would have been my co-host. It's...
On this episode of INSIDE MUSIC, host James Shotwell calls returning guest Jacob Tender to discuss the current state of music blogging, the rise of podcasts, and the need for change in the world.
When I was a junior in high school, I wanted to be James Shotwell. Today, I think the only person who would find that more hilarious that James himself would be our late friend Justin, a person I would have...
If there was a band that my girlfriend and I could describe as ours, it would be Lydia. They were the first band we saw together and we've seen them twice since. The latest show was in the same venue...
“I think I’m going to shotgun a Redbull. They don’t affect me like they used to,” said Lydia guitarist Justin Camacho as I walked into the green room of Musica, Akron’s coziest music venue. “Damn, you got...
As is tradition, I lent my love of horror and science fiction to Under The Gun's 31 Days Of Halloween. My piece on Alien 3 was published this week. This year's series is dedicated to the memory of our late...
My late friend [https://jacobtender.net/blog/rip-justin-proper/] Justin Proper of Under The Gun Review [http://underthegunreview.net/] had a running column for several years called “For The Love Of Film.” He once asked me to fill in for him...
My friend Justin was sick when I met him. He was sick as long as I knew him. It was his sickness that brought him to Ohio way too often, where I would visit him at the Cleveland Clinic not...
My second entry in the 31 Days series, a follow-up to last year's column on Ridley Scott's Alien. This was originally posted on Under The Gun Review. Of all the holidays celebrated worldwide, no single day is more loved by...
In my last update, I informed you all that I had ceased employment with Ayzenberg Group and was looking for work elsewhere, ideally in music. Today I'd like to share with you that I've found such work with Substream Magazine.
This was a big one for me. As a long-time Bayside fan, getting to sit one-on-one with Anthony in the Grog Shop green room was really cool. We got coffee after. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In December, I had a last-minute opportunity to...
This review was originally published by Under The Gun Review.
This interview comes with a little background story. At the time, I had recently started talking to a girl who had a few mutual friends. She liked music, so I though it would be cool to take her to a...
This year, I wrote two entries for 31 Days of Halloween. In addition to my love letter to Alien, I also wrote about one of my favorite home invasion flicks, You're Next. Of all the holidays celebrated worldwide, no single...
This was my first entry in the 31 Days of Halloween canon. Because I didn't write anything for the series in 2012, I contributed a second piece on You're Next as well. Of all the holidays celebrated worldwide, no single...
This review was originally published [http://underthegunreview.net/2013/08/31/review-the-1975-the-1975/] on Under The Gun Review. Artist: The 1975 [http://underthegunreview/tag/The-1975] Label: Dirty Hit/Polydor Records (UK) Vagrant Records (USA) Genre: Pop, Rock, Indie Talkhouse, Drive Like...
This review was originally published [http://underthegunreview.net/2013/08/21/review-parachute-overnight/] on Under The Gun Review. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Parachute Album: Overnight Genre: Pop, Rock RIYL: The Cab, A Rocket To The Moon, The Summer Set In 2009, a band...
This review was originally published [http://underthegunreview.net/2013/07/02/review-late-in-the-playoffs-alive-on-your-own/] by Under The Gun Review. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Late In The Playoffs Album: Alive and On Your Own Genre: Pop-punk Label: Unsigned Late In The Playoffs’ new album, Alive...
This review was originally published [http://www.underthegunreview.net/2013/06/18/single-review-john-mayer-paper-doll/] by Under The Gun Review. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Today, John Mayer [http://underthegunreview.net/tag/John-Mayer] did an odd thing. That is to say, John Mayer did something I...
I remember this as my first remote interview, recorded over a frightening array of wires from first iPhone to my 2004 Dell desktop running Audacity. This was also the first time I got the personal cell number of an artist...
This review was originally published on Under The Gun Review. Artist: Fall Out Boy Album: Save Rock and Roll Genre: Pop/Rock Label: Island/Decaydance “We’re definitely writing all the time, so we’re not going to try to...
This review was originally published [http://underthegunreview.net/2013/02/23/review-coheed-and-cambria-the-afterman-descension/] on Under The Gun Review. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Coheed and Cambria Album: The Afterman: Descension Genre: Progressive Rock Label: Hundred Handed/Everything Evil It seems strange to write an...
This review was originally published on Under The Gun Review. Yesterday, one of the most influential bands in my life made a huge return to music after a 4 year hiatus. Fall Out Boy came back, sending my Internet world...
This was the first and only interview that I ever conducted twice. After having a really great conversation with Joe about his work, I realized that I had not properly set up Audio Hijack to record the Skype session. Luckily...
This review was originally published [http://underthegunreview.net/2012/09/07/review-blaqk-audio-bright-black-heaven/] on Under The Gun Review. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Blaqk Audio Album: Bright Black Heaven Genre: Electronic Label: Big Death / Superball Music It has been a long wait for a...
This review was originally published [http://underthegunreview.net/2012/10/11/review-coheed-and-cambria-the-afterman-ascension/] on Under The Gun Review. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Coheed and Cambria Album: The Afterman: Ascension Genre: Progressive Rock Label: Hundred Handed/Everything Evil Sometimes bands don’t hit their...
This review was originally published [http://underthegunreview.net/2012/08/22/review-go-radio-close-the-distance/] by Under The Gun Review. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Go Radio Album: Close The Distance Genre: Power-pop/piano rock Label: Fearless Records In 2007, I was introduced to the velvet...
This review was originally published [http://underthegunreview.net/2012/04/23/review-jason-mraz-love-is-a-four-letter-word/] by Under The Gun Review. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Jason Mraz Album: Love Is A Four Letter Word Genre: Pop/ Soft Rock Label: Atlantic Records It’s been 10 years...
I published this piece on my 19th birthday, just before my mom and best friend came down to my college campus to hang out and eat cake. It wasn't until later that evening that I logged on to check how...
This review was originally published [http://underthegunreview.net/2012/02/21/review-fun-some-nights/] on Under The Gun Review. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Fun. Album: Some Nights Genre: Pop/Indie Some bands are so unique, so distinct, that no amount of effort could ever...
This review was originally published [http://underthegunreview.net/2012/02/01/review-daniel-rinaldi-self-titled-ep/] by Under The Gun Review. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Daniel Rinaldi Album: Self Titled EP Genre: Pop Label: Unsigned I’m a sucker for pop music. Those who know me...
photo: Aj SchweinhagenThis review was originally published [http://underthegunreview.net/2011/11/09/utg-photoslive-review-panic-at-the-disco-11611/] on Under The Gun Review. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 11/6/11 Venue: Bogart’s City: Cincinnati, OH Acts: Panic! at the Disco, Patrick Stump, Foxy Shazam In...