Jim Ruland

San Diego

MAKE IT STOP: A Novel out now CORPORATE ROCK SUCKS: The Rise & Fall of SST Records DO WHAT YOU WANT w/ Bad Religion / MY DAMAGE w/ Keith Morris

Articles

Review: A pyramid scheme seemed like a good idea — until one of the Bishop sisters was murdered

1 week ago | latimes.com | Jim Ruland

Book Review El Dorado Drive By Megan AbbottG.P. Putnam’s Sons: 368 pages, $30If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores. Leave it to Megan Abbott to tap into the American zeitgeist and play on her readers’ fears like a conductor leading a doomsday orchestra.
A pyramid scheme seemed like a good idea - until one of the Bishop sisters was murdered

1 week ago | aol.com | Jim Ruland

Leave it to Megan Abbott to tap into the American zeitgeist and play on her readers’ fears like a conductor leading a doomsday orchestra. As high school and college graduates across the country celebrate the completion of a major milestone, they — and their nervous parents — are looking ahead to a future marked by political uncertainty and economic insecurity. In an eerie echo, Abbott begins “El Dorado Drive,” her 11th novel, with a graduation party at the beginning of the Great Recession.
FLAG once again proves that not all punk band reunions are created equal

1 month ago | latimes.com | Jim Ruland

There was something in the air at Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas last weekend. No, it wasn’t the sound of distorted guitars, punk rockers puking or Nazis getting punched in the face. Though there was plenty of all of that. It was the buzz surrounding FLAG, the most talked about band at the annual bowling tournament and music festival, now in its 25th year.
FLAG once again proves that not all punk band reunions are created equal

1 month ago | flipboard.com | Jim Ruland

Andertons just shaved a massive £456 off one of the best-looking PRS guitars I've ever seen – and yes, the sale also includes the Custom 24 FloydIf there are two things I love, it's discounted guitars and unique finish options, and that's exactly what Andertons are offering. Right now, the …
Little Steven’s Underground Garage Cruise proves you can rock the boat

1 month ago | latimes.com | Jim Ruland

Imagine you’re on a cruise ship for a four-day excursion to the Bahamas. You’ve got your swimsuit, an adult beverage, and you’re ready to relax.
Little Steven's Underground Garage Cruise proves you can rock the boat

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Jim Ruland

Imagine you’re on a cruise ship for a four-day excursion to the Bahamas. You’ve got your swimsuit, an adult beverage, and you’re ready to relax.
This OC surf punk was a terror on the waves and on the stage. Then the bomb exploded.

Dec 4, 2024 | latimes.com | Jim Ruland

OC surfer and punk vocalist Steve “Crabby” Cabler, who barely survived the 2002 Bali bombing that claimed the lives of more than 200 people, photographed at his home in Costa Mesa. Steve Cabler was living it up in Bali: surfing all day and partying all night. He’d traveled from his home in Newport Beach on a surf trip to Indonesia with his best friend, Steve Webster.
L7’s Fast and Frightening Takeover is the eclectic punk rock festival you’ve been waiting for

Nov 20, 2024 | latimes.com | Jim Ruland

Los Angeles art-punk veterans L7 have seen it all, from playing Raji’s in Hollywood in the ’80s, to the grunge circuit in the ’90s, to huge punk and metal festivals all over the world. “We feel at home in a lot of places,” said L7 co-founder Donita Sparks, “and we feel out of place in a lot of places.”In many of those places, especially in the early days, L7 was one of the few bands — if not the only band — that was all female.
A wilderness of books

Sep 25, 2024 | jimruland.substack.com | Jim Ruland

I drove up to LA yesterday with Nuvia for a quick trip to the Chinese consulate and while we were in town we redeemed a free night at one of my favorite hotels — the Westin Bonaventure — to go see the Dodgers lose in a dramatic fashion. Can’t win ’em all.
Can we talk about Mike?

Aug 21, 2024 | jimruland.substack.com | Jim Ruland

You’re busy, I’m busy, and the world keeps breaking our hearts, but for reasons that are both obvious and mysterious, I’m captivated by Mike Tyson’s upcoming fight with Jake Paul on November 15. Mike Tyson is one of those figures that transcends sports like Michael Jordan or Tony Hawk. Except Mike Tyson is different. Michael Jordan never went to jail for rape. Tony Hawk never bit off a chunk of an opponent’s ear.