Recent Articles
‘Let There Be Drums’ Documentary Explores the Beat-Driven World of Drummers
Why do some people play the drums?
Many musicians head straight to the melodic guitar or lead singing and they leave the primal beats to a more rhythmically inclined bandmate. For others, there were no other instruments but the drums.
The Relaunched CREEM is the Cream of the Crop for Rock Journalism
“We’re not chasing a trend; we’re creating a trend. We put content out into the world,” John Martin, the CEO of the newly risen CREEM Magazine, tells me. Less Frankenstein and more reincarnation, the new CREEM isn’t just a quarterly glossy print, but an entertainment brand.
Ohana Music Festival Returns to Dana Point Sept. 29 – Oct. 1
Orange County has been the home of Ohana Festival for the past seven years. The festival builds a community of sun, surf and music like no other. It’s one of my favorite California music festivals: intimate and low-key, with the sounds of the waves crashing on Dana Point’s shore in the background, stage lights and palm trees mingling in the sunset, and the best mix of music new and old.
Newport Beach Independent Newspaper
Soundcheck Columnist
Simone's investigative journalism skills allowed the Newport Beach Independent to be the first publication to break news of John Fogerty's sons landing a record deal with their band, Hearty Har. Her articles are among the most read on the site.
New Orleans Jazz Fest 2022 Celebrates the Legacies of New Orleans and Taylor Hawkins
Accordion hymns skim off the water of Bayou St. John, and confederate jasmine lines the road to the New Orleans fairgrounds. Ancient oaks covered in Spanish moss shade the revelry of the festival, and street parties and jazz bands have taken over the streets.
Brother’s Bond Bourbon is Founded by ‘Vampire Diaries’ Actors and Helps the Environment
Brother’s Bond Bourbon is a bourbon line dedicated to regenerative agriculture. It was created by actors Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder, who starred in “The Vampire Diaries,” which ran for eight years on the CW. The show was based on the books of the same name, which were written by Orange County author L.J. Smith. Wesley and Somerhalder played brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore.
Jefferson Starship Lands at OC Fair Oct. 18
In anticipation for their much-awaited show, Freiberg talked with the NB Indy’s music writer Simone Goldstone about reuniting with former Jefferson Airplane lead singer Grace Slick to co-write the new song “It’s About Time,” playing the famed Monterey Pop Festival, and hanging out with Janis Joplin.
John Fogerty’s ‘Fortunate Sons’ Land Record Deal
Tyler and Shane Fogerty have big shoes to fill, and they just might do it. The brothers, 28 and 29, are no strangers to success. Before the album debut of their band Hearty Har, they’ve already played Radio City Music Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. Most recently, they accompanied their famous father, John Fogerty, a founding member of the legendary band Creedence Clearwater Revival, in playing Dodger Stadium.
Jeff Buckley: An OC Musician for the Ages
Orange County has given us incredible talent, which we have a lot to be proud of.
Artists that broke through social pressure with their wild ingenuity, who hungered for something more than our picturesque sandy shores and amusement parks that drove them to unimaginable success, who grew up with the same groves and beaches we did. We’ve been home to old souls who can write songs that touch our hearts.
Ohana Festival Embraces Musical Diversity
Ohana means family, and that was the theme of the Ohana Festival that took place at Doheny State Beach at the end of September.
From Eddie Vedder performing with his daughter, the collective efforts to protect our environment, and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers stepping in to save the day when Kings of Leon bowed out to mourn a loss, the festival felt like family. Not just any family though, but Eddie Vedder’s easy-going, eclectic, grungy, psychedelic rock family.
OC Band Greer Releases New EP, Launches Tour
OC band Greer is rounding up a great year. After playing with the Flaming Lips at the OC Fair, the Southern California rock outfit performed a stellar set at Ohana Festival in Dana Point showcasing their new tunes.
Getting ready to release “Happy People,” a follow up EP to their previous “Lullaby For You,” Greer is embarking on their first post-Covid tour and it’s one you won’t want to miss.
Noted Newport Musician Stan Frazier Goes From Music to Pizza
Beatles figurines line the shelves above piping hot cheese and spinach pinwheels. A mural with everything from an infamous Shae Stadium concert ticket to the famous psychedelic Beatles portraits taken by Richard Avedon stare down at us from the wall. Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young’s “Woodstock” plays from the speakers, and Bob Dylan quotes line the napkin boxes on the tables.
Author Chris Epting Explores Rock and Roll in OC at the Balboa Island Museum Sept. 16
Elvis Presley learning karate. Jim Morrison’s muse Pamel Curson. The 1960s hit song “Louie, Louie.”
What do these seemingly random placards of music history all have in common? The OC.
Elvis learned karate in Westminster from resident Mike Stone. Pamela Curson, the heir to Jim Morrison’s estate, grew up in Orange and is buried in Santa Ana. “Louie, Louie” was composed in Anaheim.
Duran Duran and New Order Tribute Bands Bring 80s Era to the OC Fair
The lights dim with the neon backdrop of the carnival. Screams and shouts cut the air as patrons are tossed halfway to the Orange County sunset on sky-scraper thrill rides.
The sweet sugar smell of candy floss and Dole-whip swirls around in the cool, California breeze.
It’s the Orange County Fair, and tonight two 80s tribute bands are determined to bring the decade back to life in the Hangar.
Newport’s Leslie Ledezma Creates Dreamscape Music and Ethereal Poetry
“Windy nights, balconies at sunset, and tower bells blazing all year round,” are the sights and sounds that Newport Beach resident Leslie Ledezma evokes with her idiosyncratic music and poetry.
Unique and inimitable, Leslie’s inventive dreamscape songs and poetry books are contemporary classics inspired by the best writers of literature and icons of old.
The Surfaris Plan to ‘Wipe Out’ in Concert at Campus Jax in Newport Beach on June 16
If the surf music from the 1960s had one defining sound, it would be the opening drum roll and familiar guitar melody from the Surfaris’ 1962 hit song “Wipe Out.”
Known as the most important instrumental song of the decade and featured in films such as Dirty Dancing, “Wipe Out” was written and recorded on the spot in a little recording studio in Cucamonga by a group of high school students who had formed a band called The Surfaris.
OC Band Greer Breaks Down Societal Constructs with Music
Fresh-faced Orange County band Greer appeared on the Southern California music scene in 2018. Since then, their sincerity and musical vulnerability has helped them secure a record deal with Epitaph Records, sell out a nationwide tour, and become a need-to-know up-and-coming band.
The Side Deal Rocks Bayside Restaurant
Bayside restaurant hosted the eclectic but successful mix of musicians that make up Newport Beach-based Supergroup the Side Deal. Comprised of Train’s Charlie Colin, Sugar Ray’s Stan Frazier, and PawnShop King’s Joel and Scott Owen, the Side Deal gave Newport Beach an afternoon to remember during a midday lunch concert at Bayside Restaurant on October 10, presented by the Irvine Barclay Theatre.
Soundcheck: NAMM Believe in Music Week Rocks the Virtual World
Performances by the Go-Go’s and Cherie Currie? A look at Gibson Guitar’s Coachella house complete with a guitar-shaped pool? Exclusive interviews with Jackson Browne, Mel Brooks, and Peter Frampton?
It could only mean one thing: The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and their virtual take on the traditional convention (held in Anaheim every January) with their Believe in Music Week.
A Busking Life for Newport Native
Lightening splits the Louisiana sky, its thunder a familiar chorus to Joe Marx and James Gaudreau. Joe, a Newport Beach native, and his friend James have been rolling the dice with their passion for busking on a cross country “On the Road” adventure, singing on sidewalks and taking cover from downpours on doorsteps.
NB Film Fest – Music Videos Offer Melody and Mystery
The 2020 Newport Film Festival includes a showcase collection of music videos that span several genres. Each song is accompanied by a music video that excels in some form of cinematography, storytelling, or creativity. While all the videos are worth a watch, three stand out above the rest.
Artscapes: The Future of Music Venues in the Age of COVID-19
In mid-March, the music industry came to a screeching halt.
While artists and labels scrambled to find solutions, music venues were left floundering in the wake of the virus. With no concert tickets to sell, many independent venues were left with no way to pay rent and the prospect of shutting down.
(Awards Focus) Emmy Nominee Christopher Hargadon on Designing The Umbrella Academy’s Costumes
Costume designer Chris Hargadon is having a standout year, Emmy nominated for Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes category for his work on his work on Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy. The hit adaptation of the popular Dark Horse Comic centers around seven-super-powered-siblings. The gifted children, adopted by wealthy eccentric Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore), were specifically trained to use their powers to save the world.
Merry-Go-Round Magazine
Music Writer
Simone created an invaluable relationship between Merry-Go-Round Magazine and Forged Artifacts Records. Simone's widely popular interview with Howler's Jordan Gatesmith was the band's top search result on Google for over 4 months. After the article's success, Forged Artifacts had the magazine review several other artists, including a feature on the label itself. This resulted in the Merry-Go-Round Music Editor writing a review of a Forged Artifact's band for Pitchfork. None of which would be possible without the relationship Simone created.
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Crossfader Magazine
Music Editorial Intern
During Simone's time at Crossfader Magazine, she wrote some of the website's most viewed articles of all time, including a review of Beach Goth 2016 and a feature on Bob Dylan. Her work is used as an example at orientation for all new interns. She has been contacted by several record labels and publicists asking her to review albums for the magazine.
*Crossfader Magazine has since been absorbed by Merry-Go-Round Magazine, however you can still read her articles by clicking the images in the gallery.