Saturday, April 18, 2026
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MUSIC NEWS

FEATUREDMUSIC NEWS
Jason Shrum

Sly Stone, Sly and the Family Stone Frontman, Dead at 82

“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved dad, Sly Stone of Sly and the Family Stone,” his family said in a statement on Monday, June 9. “After a prolonged battle with COPD and other underlying health issues, Sly passed away peacefully, surrounded by his three children, his closest friend, and his extended family. While we mourn his absence, we take solace in knowing that his extraordinary musical legacy will continue to resonate and inspire for generations to come.”

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ALBUM REVIEWSFEATUREDINTERVIEWSMUSIC NEWS
Jason Shrum

The Journey with Inclement Weather Department

I met Cam, Joey, Trevor, Brian, Connor and TJ before even knowing that they were a band. I co-owned a small batch brewery in north Seattle, in a neighborhood know as Ballard (don’t let anyone tell you it was Fremont).  About 2 blocks up the road, in Fremont, sat an unmarked building, with no windows and no plaque out front even though it was once the home of Reciprocal Records until the early 1990’s.  Why is that important?  Well, it is where Nirvana, along with producer Jack Endino laid down the band’s first album, Bleach.  Other bands like Soundgarden, Death Cab For Cutie, Green River and Tad, among others, would also record here.  I didn’t know this at first and I soon realized that I near a pretty special place in music history. 

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B SidesFEATUREDMUSIC NEWS
Jason Shrum

There is an Assassinate Attempt Being Made on Public Media 

Several years ago, in Seattle I discovered Independent Radio (and yes, I am capitalizing because it’s important), funded by the listeners, and it changed my life for the better.  That radio station was KEXP and it became my everything.  DJs can play whatever they want, any theme, without algorithms or pay-to-play formats.  They are both educational and spin a heavy rotation of local music as well as classic indie gems. I had never heard anything like it before.  You might catch Public Enemy, followed by Joni Mitchell and then some small independent artist follows that track. Each radio host did their own thing as well.  John Richards was the host that I first caught onto, and his music knowledge floored me.  I like to think of myself as having a refined palate of sound logged in my craw, but this dude buried my grasp of music, and I learned so much from him.  I am forever indebted.  I got to meet him once and as I trembled terribly inside, I think I played it cool. 

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FEATUREDINTERVIEWSMUSIC NEWS
Cretin

RIP Mike Peters – Love, Hope, Strength Defined 

I slipped “68 Guns” onto the turntable, and my musical life changed forever. The song is filled with slick guitars and powerful rhythms, but the key was this long-haired Welshman belting out the killer vocals.  Mike Peters was it!  Raw, passionate vocals that made the listener take notice, and the lyrics were great.  I remember that moment in the dingy WUVT studio, and the power of that music as if it happened yesterday.  Mike Peters and The Alarm helped me slip into this new Modern Rock / New Wave world where I soon dug into their peers: REM, The Cure, Pretenders, etc…  I stuck with the DJ gig, and it made me a bunch of money, and directly led to me meeting my wife. 

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FEATUREDMUSIC NEWS
Jason Shrum

Free Gaga! Yes Please

Lady Gaga isn’t going anywhere and nor should she. In fact, she may be doing her best work most recently. I have seen Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta AKA Lady Gaga in concert twice and she is nothing short of stunning. It wasn’t until I first saw her in Orlando, Florida years ago that I realized what an amazing singer and talented musician she was. I knew she was an artist. I knew she was a performer. I knew she had an act. However she has all the depth to back than up and she is showing that side more and more. Her new album, Mayhem, is a prime example of that. If you haven’t heard it yet, you are doing yourself a major disservice. Another toss-away descriptor, but I am lacking otherwise- it is brilliant. Her seventh studio album is what the kids would consider to be a banger. It is a maximum effort of all things Gaga, if that is at all possible. To date, however, I feel, its is her best work. You can hear all the knowledge that she has absorbed over the years poured into this record.

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ALBUM REVIEWSFEATUREDINTERVIEWSMUSIC NEWS
Jason Shrum

Sweet Mylo Just Got Sweeter

Sweet Mylo was a band I bumped into as I was just starting to check out the local Nashville music scene.  I went to see my friend Ian Brice of Loose Bolts play in East Nash and this is where I met the duo.  Sweet Mylo is an indie-pop band formed by husband-and-wife Kevin Jones and Grace Melody Jones.  I was mesmerized by the group from beginning to end. This week they will be releasing a new album (officially their first, as I would learn).  The band will also be playing a live show at the Historic Stonewall to promote the project.  Historic Stonewall, in the heart of Gallatin, Tennessee’s downtown district, has been standing iconically since 1831. This architectural wonderment has been a silent spectator to the evolution of the community around it for almost 200 years and serves as an event space and music venue.  Almost one year ago to the day I got to ask the band about their formation, their process and the future of Sweet Mylo.  Enjoy! 

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