• C. Elliott
• Leon Russell at the Rialto, Oct. 14

What would you put in a Leon Russell setlist? It boggles the mind. So much great music, such an incomparable influence, such a gift for being in the right place at the right time with the right musicians. He's been credited on hits in every decade of his career.

The Clam Tostada, a self-described “rock-funk-bluesy-twangy-folky-hip-hop-wah-wah" act, offer an anthem for our times from their new album, Amusing Neanderthals (Since One Million Years B.C.)

Jason Patrick Woodbury from the Phoenix New Times had the tough assignment of interviewing Doug Stanhope yesterday, nearly immediately following the news that Derrick Ross had killed himself and the day after Amy Ross died in a Tucson hospital. However, from the brutally frank discussion, we do get a little more detail about the circumstances:

Obviously I wasn't planning on discussing the passing of Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl with you. I was planning on talking about your work in advance of your Stand Up Live show.
Yeah, I'm still having to fucking do all this. Just did an interview, gonna do a podcast, and do a show. I can put on the bullshit face. I just don't have anything to say about that other than it's fucked up.

I understand. My deepest condolences. I didn't know Derrick or Amy personally, but I saw them a handful of times living here in Phoenix.
Oh, they're fucking great. My girlfriend [Amy "Bingo" Bingaman] wanted to go see The Wall for her birthday and I didn't want to go . . . but instead I had Whiskey Girl and Nowhere Man [perform it]. They learned the entire fucking thing and did it at our house for a surprise party. They had a full band, even the bullhorn parts. [Laughs] They learned the entire album just for her birthday. Just fucking amazing.

That's remarkable. It's so weird when something like this happens. I had heard reports that Amy wasn't doing well but . . .
She had lupus. She had lupus forever. Three times a week, she'd go for dialysis. Then she just had some infection. They thought they might have to do open-heart surgery. I don't know if you've listened to the podcast yet.

No, I haven't yet.
It's pretty fucking creepy, because Derrick says, "If she does die . . ." We called it the "cliffhanger podcast," because we taped it Friday and said, "We don't know what's gonna happen," just goofing, not really any actual thought that she was gonna die, and he said, "I think I'd just kill myself; I don't think I could do it.

[...]

...I didn't expect you to take the call. You make it a point to go dark places, but I imagine there's usually a lot more time passed between the jokes and tragedy. They say comedy is tragedy plus timing. You've got the tragedy here, but the timing isn't lined out at all.
I've got a friend that helps me out and watches my house when I'm on the road, when Bingo goes with me. I had him go over immediately because it was only Bingo [there], who has fragile mental health anyway, and the screaming grieving mother who found him. They live right next to us. So I had him go over while the cops were there taking statements, and I called [him] and said, "Hey, while the cops are there go out and slowly start hammering in a 'For Rent' sign on the front lawn." So, we're trying to crank up the gallows humor early. We didn't actually do that, but it was a funny thought.

Tragic and troubling news from Bisbee over the last two days, as Amy and Derrick Ross, known to local music fans as Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl, have both died.

Monday, Amy Ross, who had significant health issues, including suffering from lupus and needing kidney dialysis, died in a Tucson hospital, prior to heart surgery related to an infection. Strangely, the news was delivered via a post on her Facebook page:

• https://www.facebook.com/amy.l.ross.90/posts/10201570348653124
• From Amy Ross' Facebook page

This morning, in news we've unfortunately confirmed with Bisbee police, Amy's page announced that Derrick committed suicide:

• From Amy Ross' Facebook page

The two were incredibly talented and dedicated musicians and both will be missed.

It's a rough listen, especially considering how things turned out, but Derrick was a guest on Doug Stanhope's podcast last week, discussing Amy's illness.

More information as we get it.

UPDATE:

UPDATE: Mel Mason is organizing an event to celebrate the couple and their music at 7 pm tonight at Delectables. More information can be found on Facebook.

UPDATE: According to a post retweeted by Doug Stanhope, a friend of the couple, there's a gathering tonight at the Bisbee Grand at 6 PM.

Friends of @nmwg , 6 PM Bisbee Grand tonight. @hdfatty @DougStanhope pic.twitter.com/WAalLisDoA
— Gretchen Baer (@gretchenbaer) October 15, 2013

The second show in Club Congress' ongoing Free Concert Marathon, begins tonight at 7pm. The performers - Gap Dream, Cosmonauts, Together Pangea, The Resonars, Curtis Harding - are all fantastic, and you have no excuse to stay home unless you're under 21, sans fake ID.





Obviously, the event is absolutely free, and co-presenters Jalph.net are offering an additional incentive to attend by holding a contest to win full-length albums by each of the acts playing. See Jalph.net for contest rules, and have a great time. I know I will.

I can only describe MGMT's newest music video ("Cool Song No. 2" from the band's recent self-titled album MGMT) as watching The Wire in the midst of a kaleidoscopic acid trip. And hilariously enough, that makes a lot of sense. This is, after all, MGMT we're talking about here.

The video, directed by Isaiah Seret (who is no stranger to working with stars from The Wire), possesses a loosely drug-trade-centric motif and delivers what every fan of The Wire has wanted since the show's conclusion in 2008— the return of Omar Little.

From the opening sequence to the closing, the video stars Michael K. Williams (who played the dealer-robbing, shotgun-wielding Omar in the monumental HBO series) and follows him as he navigates a story arch filled with 'physical intimidation', the harvesting of exotic plants, and the death of a friend via what I can only assume is an overdose of this wacky substance.

Now take this video in slowly, and be warned— those who attempt to unravel and understand it fully... are in for a bad trip. MGMT has once again proven it is beyond the comprehension of mortal man. Simply sit back, let the video wash over you, and reminisce on happy memories of The Wire and an "Electric Feel"-type supreme weirdness.

Enjoy.

For Club Congress' second installment in their ongoing Free Concert Marathon, co-presenter Jalph.net is giving away four cassettes and a record in a contest in which the only requirement is that you share the promotional poster below on your Facebook page.

Tonight is starts the four day music festival at The Rock, 136 N Park Ave. Southwest Terror Fest's David Roger invited bands from all over the world and Southern Arizona will be performing through Oct. 13.

The show is all ages and the doors open at 6 p.m. Check out today's schedule and click the links to check out their music:

The Great Cover-Up is one of my favorite events each year, mostly because it's just a lot of fun. Local bands covering famous acts, sometimes reverently, sometimes tongue-somewhat-in-cheek over a few nights with the proceeds going to a good cause? What's not to like?

For the fifteenth edition of the event, scheduled for three local venues Thursday, Dec. 12, through Saturday, Dec. 14, the organizers (which includes our music editor, Stephen Seigel, and some other people with Weekly connections) are trimming down the madness a bit, going with 30 bands over the three nights, so if you're planning on applying, make sure your tribute concept is pure gold. Nothing else will suffice.

The application deadline has been extended to Friday, Oct. 18 at 5 pm, so head over to the benefit's website and submit your proposed tribute. I personally look forward to what you come up with, especially if you cover the Happy Mondays, which I suggest every year yet no one ever comes through for me. All I want is to hear "Kinky Afro," people. Help me out.

After 28 years D-V8 club owners change venue name to Club XS.

• Courtesy of shutterstock.com

I hear that the club is going focus more on live performances instead strictly DJ club music and the occasional high profile rapper performances. Personally, I have never been to the venue but this change sounds interesting. All my musician friends rant and rave about the sound quality. Which is good because I have an issue with going to see performances at bars because it bothers me when the musicians fiddle around with their sound boards the whole time.

I'm going to check out The AmoSphere! performance 8 p.m. tonight at Club XS, 5851 E Speedway Blvd. Follow me on Twitter @HenryBarajas and keep up with my live tweets during the show.