And now, the hosts of the Annies … MCs Shecky and Heatha

We’re pretty lucky that we have two music stores that have great teachers giving lessons. At Sound Source you can find Dave Elke, recent master’s student from CSU, imparting his vast knowledge of guitar licks to the needy. And if drums are your thing, Jeff Forehan with over 20 years’ experience can get you to learn how to think about doing four things at once—hell, it’s in his name! Over at Herreid Music, from metal to jazz, Matt Baldoni can get your fingers nimbly hitting the frets. You have no reason to stink, unless of course that’s your band’s strong point.

Could it be yet another local band hitting the road? Yup, the Whitewall Slicks, the hardest-drinking band in Chico, are taking it cross-country. This will be one for the rock journal, folks. These kids are leaving hung over, drinking through the 18 or so states they’ll be playing in and arriving back a month from now, just as liquefied as when they left. Is it foolhardiness, the impetuousness of youth or just chasing the American rock-and-roll dream? In any case, we’ll be having some updates here on our intrepid travelers, so stay tuned to Genetic Strands.

And who says kids into rock are lazy? The Metal Street team is looking for like-minded souls to join their quest to promote the local scene. Meet at the back patio of Moxie’s every Friday at 5p.m.

Leave it to the verbose Becky Sagers to title a song, “Don’t Support the Scene.” At a recent show, MC Shecky added to the inflammatory title, “because of people like us.” I would like to see more of the Sagers hosting events and commenting on the pageantry, because these two local guys really have no agenda but their own and it brings honesty to the whole thing. There was talk of building a balcony in one of the trees in the downtown plaza and having the Sagers comment on concerts in the park à la Statler and Waldorf of the Muppets. I say let’s do it!

Due to the flawed pursuit of rock-and-roll dreams, IANBH will be performing their last gig on July 29 at Moxie’s. We can be thankful these guys are calling it quits; not since (insert your band’s name here) has there been a band we can all agree that their shows are worth missing. Team leader of IANBH stokes our fears though when he says the band will be back under a new moniker. Uhm, Bonobo Males, anyone?