thelonious monster - Imprint Lab

Aug 29, 2017 Channel 3 with dozens of bands at a hundred degrees at It’s Not Dead 2

by Martin Wong

It's been at least three or four years since I've been to a big music festival. Too hot. Too dusty. Bad food and even worse bathrooms. Don't get to see all the bands I want. All that was true for Saturday's It's Not Dead Fest 2, but how could I not see my pals Channel...

Editorial

Apr 05, 2016 Announcing Save Music in Chinatown 9: California, Zander Schloss, Spokenest, Mike Watt & The Secondmen

by Martin Wong

Since Eloise started attending kindergarten, Wendy and I have joked about her school taking over our lives. These days, we volunteer with valet duties practically every morning, help in the classroom all morning once a week, and make the school yearbook. I also serve on the school site council and, for the last few months,...

Editorial

Oct 27, 2015 Bob Forrest’s Survival Songs

by Martin Wong

The new Bob Forrest record doesn't have layers of self-destructive lyrics and post-punk guitar like Thelonious Monster or the sobered-up and cleaned-up sound of The Bicycle Thief (his old bands). The concept is more akin to the Rick Rubin-produced Johnny Cash records: the raw voice of a well-traveled badass reinventing old songs. Of course, it's...

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Sep 29, 2015 Save Music in Chinatown 7 recap with Rachel Haden, California, Upset, Steve Soto, and Sean Wheeler & Zander Schloss

by Martin Wong

In the months approaching the seventh Save Music in Chinatown fund-raising concert, I decided to make a zine about the first two years. Committing something to print really makes one put things in perspective. What's the story? What is the beginning and what is the end? The beginning is easy: When my wife and I found...

Editorial

Sep 23, 2014 Save Music in Chinatown 4: The Bicycle Thief, Evil Hearted You, My Revenge

by Martin Wong

The upcoming Save Music in Chinatown show on Sunday, October 19 will be the fourth DIY benefit concert that my wife and I have organized to raise funds for the defunded music program at our daughter's elementary school, so I'll try not to repeat everything for a fourth time. Like how L.A.'s Chinatown has had...

Editorial

Dec 10, 2013 Save Music in Chinatown 1 Recap

by Martin Wong

As Sunday's benefit gig to raise money for music education at my daughter's elementary school was wrapping up, a couple of guests struck up a conversation with me. It turned out they are starting up a foundation to help the Chinese community in L.A. as well, and were checking out our event to see if...

Editorial

Nov 05, 2013 Introducing the Save Music in Chinatown Project

by Martin Wong

In this blog, I typically share cool stuff that friends are doing. So please humor me this time as I blab about a project that my wife Wendy Lau and I are starting. In August, our daughter Eloise began attending kindergarten at Castelar Elementary School in Chinatown. It is neither a magnet nor a charter but...

thelonious monster Tag

Aug 29, 2017 Channel 3 with dozens of bands at a hundred degrees at It’s Not Dead 2

Apr 05, 2016 Announcing Save Music in Chinatown 9: California, Zander Schloss, Spokenest, Mike Watt & The Secondmen

Oct 27, 2015 Bob Forrest’s Survival Songs

Sep 29, 2015 Save Music in Chinatown 7 recap with Rachel Haden, California, Upset, Steve Soto, and Sean Wheeler & Zander Schloss

Sep 23, 2014 Save Music in Chinatown 4: The Bicycle Thief, Evil Hearted You, My Revenge

Dec 10, 2013 Save Music in Chinatown 1 Recap

Nov 05, 2013 Introducing the Save Music in Chinatown Project