October 15, 2008 by Captain Tuesday.

The new Valiant CD contains a lot of my favorite songs that made me fall in love with their music in the first place, plus, a lot of new songs that carry on the Valiant tradition of personal music. Some of my favorite songs made it into the final release, which include: Sing Me a Story, and Down the Line. While the last of those is by far my favorite, in this instance I am slightly saddened by the fact that it is an instrumental, instead of the full featured song that I like.

Alex, the Singer/Guitarist and Eric, the drummer, both write songs together, about things that matter to them. Most, if not all, appeal to me on a personal level, reflecting things I have lived and felt in my own personal life. They express the full spectrum of human emotion, from penultimate joy, to the epitome of sadness, from the sorrow of failure to the elation and pride of achievement. Their influences are fairly apparent in their music, but are too numerous to list here, ranging everywhere from Metallica to The Beatles. Their skill, as well as the engineers involved in this production, is evident everywhere on this album.

While I’m listening to a pre-release issue of the CD that has yet to be mastered, anything I have to complain about is essentially a non-issue, and will be fixed when it goes to master. The mix on everything is as it should be for how Valiant likes their music to be heard, the arrangement is awesome, and just like their stage shows, by listening to their music you can tell how much their care about their music, and how much they love what they do. If you would like more information, check out http://www.myspace.com/valiantrock or come to their show this Friday October 17th Live at the Merc in Old Town Temecula, which will also be their CD Release Show (and perhaps after party).

Posted in Temecula, Commentary, Music, News | Print | No Comments »

October 15, 2008 by PT Rothschild.

THE SCENE, THE VOTERS, THE RECORD, AND THE HYPOCRISY

Temecula, CA – I can’t wait for November 5^th, Guy Fawkes Day, and the day after all the elections are over, national and local. I was questioned as to why I don’t just stick to ‘scene’ news and bands. Well, Sports Fans, if the sitting city council had approved of something besides country, karaoke, and covers, had worked with small businesses to have a place for young people and parents who love or have bands who make new original music, had put in a reasonable fee plan or a percentage fee, or hadn’t said in letters two different conflicting approaches to permit operation, then perhaps I would have stayed out of this fray. But noooo, it had to be their way or no way.

The city had to be able to make money, excuse me, more money (isn’t $23 Million in surplus aka RDA funds aka the ‘golden goose’ –their words not mine) on the backs of kids and kids’ parents, and put whatever, and whoever, that tried to maintain some ‘spot’ for the non-motocross, non-BMX, creative, and music loving kids, out of business, well, that was all I could stands, and I couldn’t stands no more.


Forget that our traffic system has you driving from stop light to stop light like this area was Mayberry. When it was 2000 people living here, a Podunk mentality was fine, but now you have 200,000 people living here. People from all over the world and people who have actually lived in a ‘city’ rather than a ‘small town’ live here now and it is that ‘me first’ attitude rather than a ‘how can we collectively’ make this area better for ALL mindset that drives me.

I don’t know any of the people who run things here personally so I have no axe to grind on a personal level. But when you see and hear things like signage put up for a developer’s incumbent friend while denying the same privilege to a challenger on property that is being developed by the city for all, when you have council members who say they only want your vote and then they will make all the decisions because ‘you’ would only slow things down, when you see certain community benefits denied as not happening on ‘my watch’, well, I guess I have to ask, ‘Who died and made you God?’

Every day a new revelation comes to light about the people we elected, the lies they told, and the abuse of power they have pulled off, because they can. Yesterday it was a democrat who had an affair with a 50 year old worker through intimidation (“you work for my pleasure” he said, before allegedly paying her over $100K for her silence) and today it is proof that the Bush Admin signed off on ‘waterboarding’.

I would love to praise a politician who does something positive for the whole of his constituency, not just a select few, and if you don’t like to see politicians held up in The Review, move to Russia or Saudi Arabia or Iran or some other place where a differing opinion or a certain person isn’t allowed on a shirt or in a cartoon. But Sports Fans, this is America, so far, and I have a platform where I can speak my piece and you can speak yours.

Otherwise come back and read this column after November 5^th, or you can catch my non-political stuff in print in Neighbors magazine. Either way, have a great day, and thanks for the blow-back. It’s good to know that not everyone is watching Bill O’Reilly. Perhaps after this election I’ll have some politicians, some new ones TO praise. I HOPE so, really, and I speak for the whole scene in that anticipation. Late.

Posted in Murrieta, Temecula, Politics, Commentary, Music | Print | 2 Comments »

October 15, 2008 by Bill Gould, Publisher.

Temecula, California - On Sunday, October 12, 2008, Temecula Police Officers followed up on information received regarding a felony battery that occurred two days before, during which the victim sustained serious facial injuries. This battery occurred as the victim and some friends were walking on Chantemar Way, near North General Kearny Road, where they apparently became involved in a dispute with three other men and a young woman. Shortly after the dispute, the victim was battered by at least two men who returned to confront him.

While following up on the initial investigation, Officers developed information about the four suspects and later located Levi Tucker Cowel, 20, of Murrieta. Officers later arrested Cowel for felony battery and conspiracy. In addition, Officers located and arrested Jon Cody Mader, 19, also of Murrieta, for felony battery and conspiracy stemming from his involvement in the attack. Both men were booked at the Southwest Detention Center.

Two others, thought to be juveniles, are also being sought for questioning in connection with this investigation. Anyone with information about this case should call Corporal Brian Askins of the Temecula Police Department at (951) 696-3000.

Posted in Crime, Murrieta, Temecula, News | Print | No Comments »