Star Slinger Talks New Album, Remembers Notorious B.I.G.

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Star Slinger

Darren Williams' life as polymath producer Star Slinger is a series of genre-defying leaps and bounds. One day, he's working on a track for Stunnaman and Lil B, the next he's producing R&B, and somehow, before night falls, he manages to churn out a collaboration with Bay Area club rap weirdo (we know, there are a lot of them) Chippy Nonstop. Growing up in Manchester, artistic inspirations for this UK beatsmith include grimy Golden Age rap, Three 6 Mafia and The Beach Boys. Interested yet? You should be, because Star Slinger's profile is becoming stronger by the day and his debut album is just a few months away from the finish line. 

This weekend, Star Slinger brings his style-shifting take on music to Orange County when he hits the stage at The Do Lab's Lightning in a Bottle festival in Silverado. Just a few days before his performance at this year's LiB festivities, we caught up with the British producer to discuss his methods, influences and more. 

 OC Weekly: Recently you've produced for a wide range of artists, from Juicy J and Lil B to indie rock acts like Deerhunter and Mount Kimbie. Where does this eclecticism come from? 

 Star Slinger: I used to own a top Virgin 1000 album book, which got me into digging out old releases and different genres. I have never really been content with listening to one genre. It's melody that drives my love for any type of music. Star Slinger: I used to own a top Virgin 1000 album book, which got me into digging out old releases and different genres. I have never really been content with listening to one genre. It's melody that drives my love for any type of music.
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Vans Warped Tour's Kevin Lyman: 'I think the brand-new bands like Matt Toka, Hyro Da Hero, Tomorrows Bad Seeds, and this great little band Cherry Bomb are the ones to look out for'

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Matt Oliver


At the Vans Warped Tour official kick-off party and press conference at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles last week, creator Kevin Lyman marveled, "It's really cool--18 years and people still care!" Back in 1995, Lyman started the Warped Tour and showcased bands such as No Doubt and Sublime. Today, it's America's longest-running festival concert tour featuring punk, alternative, hip-hop, ska, pop, punk, electronica, alternative rock, reggae, emo, hardcore and more.  This year's installment features The Used, Falling In Reverse, Matt Toka, Dead Sara, It Boys, Tomorrows Bad Seeds, Vampires Everywhere, Justina, Cherry Bomb and Forever Came Calling. The tour will also be making its way to Europe, starting in London on Nov. 10.


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Social Distortion Shares Two Rare Songs on Facebook

Categories: Artists We Love
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John Gilhooley/OC Weekly
This week Social Distortion shared two rarities on their Facebook page. One is a live version of "Prison Bound," from a BBC Radio 1 recording, and the other is a B-side entitled "Shame on Me." You can hear both songs on the band's Facebook or buy them when the link actually starts working. 
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Bahamas is Already Yours

Categories: Artists We Love
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Dave Gillespie
Afie Jurvanen, who takes on the stage name Bahamas when he's playing his sparse, beautiful compositions, is poised to take on the world, one love song at a time. As we caught up with him over the phone, driving home from his mother's house in Toronto, we talked to him about his songwriting similarities with Feist, being Canadian, getting on Jack Johnson's label and loving a woman with really big teeth. 


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Burgerama This Weekend: Not Bill Murray-fied, But You Can Still Pogo Til You Puke With Wavves, OFF!, Strange Boys and More

Categories: Artists We Love
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John Gilhooley/ OC Weekly
The Burger Records guys from the Weekly's cover three years ago
There's a very special moment in a musical career that happens only to the luckiest and generally most righteous people--the kind of thing that confirms not only that you've arrived, but that you're headed to even better places in the future. This is called the Bill Murray moment, because it's when Bill Murray, arbiter of the everlasting spirit of rock & roll, comes to your show. And at his Saturday night SXSW show with 73 extremely amplified bands and thousands of panting denim-jacketed teenage freaks at his side, Burger's Sean Bohrman had his Bill Murray moment. More >>

Lex Land Eliminated from 'The Voice,' Vows to Keep on Singing Anyway!

Categories: Artists We Love
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If it weren't for Lex Land, who was born and raised right here in Orange County, I wouldn't have bothered watching NBC's 'The Voice.' The sultry, dynamic singer made her presence known making an appearance on the show in late February and impressing the coaches with her rendition of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" before ultimately choosing to be on Blake Shelton's team.

Lex Land was back on the program Monday once more for something called the "battle rounds" (seriously I'm no regular viewer, so if I fuck anything up, tell me!) She displayed more confidence and let everyone know that her singing is not solely defined by its compelling honey-sweet wispy vocals. Ultimately unswayed, Shelton selected singer Charlotte Sometimes to continue on.
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Le Castle Vania on Evolving as a DJ: "I got it in my head that if I was a DJ I would get hooked up at all the clubs"

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Dylan Eiland, known to fans as Le Castle Vania got into music early. As a teenager, he played in bands and found electronic music at raves in his Atlanta hometown. His remixes quickly got into the right hands and he has made a career out of playing and producing music since. Having just flown into the states from a tour in Italy and France, Le Castle Vania is ready to take on Orange County at the Yost Theater in the downtown Santa Ana Art District tonight. I caught up with Dylan for an interview about how he got started as a DJ, how his music has changed over the years and what we should expect from his upcoming album.

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Ikey Owens in Jack White's Band: Watch the Surprise Appearance on Saturday Night Live

Categories: Artists We Love
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Yep, that's Ikey Owens of Free Moral Agents playing the keyboards for Jack White's solo project over the weekend on Saturday Night Live. White guested on SNL to promote the release of his first solo album, Blunderbuss, and it marked his first-ever solo appearance in front of a TV audience. (Lindsay Lohan hosted.)More >>

New Hirax Record Coming Soon

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Local thrash heroes Hirax announced last week that they are hitting the studio in June to record the band's fourth full-length album. Joining the five-piece will be producer/engineer Bill Metoyer, whose resume includes working with Slayer, Morbid Angel and Armored Saint.


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Thrice Announce Farewell Tour

Categories: Artists We Love


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Andrew Youssef/OC Weekly

Well, this is it. Irvine prog-rockers Thrice are really doing it--taking a break after 13 years together. Singer/guitarist Dustin Kensrue, guitarist Teppei Teranishi, bassist Eddie Breckenridge and drummer Riley Breckenridge (our 3hree Things columnist) will go on tour on May 4 in San Diego and end up in SoCal in June.

It's great that they're touring once more, but the words "Farewell Tour" sound so ominous and...final. If the band are just on hiatus, as they announced last November, shouldn't it be called something like a "Farewell For Now Tour"? The band will also be recording live audio along to the tour for a live album slated for release in late 2012. Animals As Leaders will open for them on all the dates.

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