If You’re Too Old, It’s Too Loud: 2017 in Review

"You wanna blog, Dad? I'll give ya something to blog about!"

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,  it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…”  In every year that goes by at Alternative Control, we increase both our wisdom and our foolishness! In some ways, it was a rough year for both the nation and our local… Continue reading If You’re Too Old, It’s Too Loud: 2017 in Review

It’s More Like a Warning: An Interview with Usnea

Usnea, from left: Justin Cory, Zeke Rogers (back), Joel Williams, and Johnny Lovingood. Photo by Orion Landau.

On Friday August 18th, Alternative Control talked with up-and-coming doom band Usnea before their set at Psycho Las Vegas.  The Portland, Oregon outfit — which includes guitarist/vocalist Justin Cory, bassist/vocalist Joel Williams, guitarist Johnny Lovingood, and drummer Zeke Rogers — releases their third full-length album Portals Into Futility this Friday on Relapse.  They will also be… Continue reading It’s More Like a Warning: An Interview with Usnea

Corrosion of Conformity’s Reed Mullin on Music, Divorce, and Confederate Monuments

Corrosion of Conformity. From left, Pepper Keenan, Woody Weatherman, Reed Mullin, and Mike Dean. Photo by Linda Dahlberg.

Alternative Control spoke with Corrosion of Conformity drummer Reed Mullin at Psycho Las Vegas on August 20th, 2017.  Reed’s words below are minimally edited for clarity.   I think we’re playing Connecticut next week at some casino…. They just offered it to us like four days ago — they had a wheelbarrow full of money… Continue reading Corrosion of Conformity’s Reed Mullin on Music, Divorce, and Confederate Monuments

Diamonds are Forever: An Interview with Diamond Head Guitarist Brian Tatler

It’s often said of Diamond Head that they didn’t get their dues when they first deserved them — but this NWOBHM band who inspired the likes of Metallica and Megadeth is certainly enjoying a renaissance in the twenty-first century.  Alternative Control had the opportunity to speak with guitarist and co-founder Brian Tatler before the band embarked… Continue reading Diamonds are Forever: An Interview with Diamond Head Guitarist Brian Tatler

Listening Lately: The Psycho Las Vegas Edition, ft. Goya, Mothership, Myrkur, and The Murder City Devils

My friends always make fun of me for having “new favorite bands.”  I hear a group that speaks to me and suddenly they are the only CD in my car for a month.  “Have you guys listened to the new Khemmis yet?” I’ll ask.  “Have you checked out Graves at Sea?”  And they’ll laugh and say,… Continue reading Listening Lately: The Psycho Las Vegas Edition, ft. Goya, Mothership, Myrkur, and The Murder City Devils