DJ instruction in the United States has long been cornered by Scratch DJ Academy, which operates in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago, but there's now a local alternative.

San Francisco learning center Washburn Studio offers a variety of options to teach aspiring DJs and producers. There are structured classes that cover basic mixing skills and production, and more advanced tricks and techniques. There's even a workshop scenario intended for singles to literally mix and mingle.

There are small group classes that can be taken with friends or a student can choose to design a one-on-one curriculum. Some packages even include the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience via a regular showcase held at SF lounge Monroe, so there's an extra element of practical instruction.

The art and skill of true DJing is a skill worth learning, even if your aspirations don't stretch beyond your home.

Modest Mouse, Passion Pit, MGMT, Beach House, and Toro y Moi are among the featured acts set to perform at a new all-ages event called First City Festival at the Monterey County Fair and Event Center on August 24-25.

The same location was also the site of the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967, which brought icons like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and The Who into a world spotlight. This event channels that spirit with a balance of established and up-and-coming artists on the bill.

Other artists planned for First City include Purity Ring, Neko Case, Devendra Banhart, The Black Angels, Washed Out, Father John Misty, and The Hold Steady. Food and wine tastings and carnival attractions will help round out each 10-hour day.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on May 31, with a layaway option for the two-day general admission and VIP passes, which start at $149.50.

Two of the most vivacious bands in the Bay Area will share a double bill this weekend.

Oakland trio Shannon and the Clams (singer/bassist Shannon Shaw, guitarist Cody Blanchard, and Ian Amberson on drums) was raised largely on teenage death anthems of the 1960s, but Shaw still counts Kermit the Frog as one of her favorite singers, so you know the gloom isn't too thick here.

In fact, this band offers quite a bit of whimsy within its honest, homegrown sound, which fits right into the Bay Area's current obsession with garage music and its image. It's not unusual to see Shannon and the Clams pretending to be Trekkies or members of the Lollipop Guild.

SF retro rockers Hunx & His Punx recently completed an Australian tour and the first episode of a sketch comedy and variety web series called Hollywood Nailz. The band is responsible for such local anthems as "Great Kisser" and "Teardrops on My Telephone" and is working on a new album.

Former tourmates Hunx & His Punx and Shannon & The Clams plan a record release party for Shannon's new album Dreams in the Rat House at The New Parish in Oakland on May 18.

Late, iconic rappers Ol' Dirty Bastard and Eazy-E are among the featured performers at the 10th anniversary of hip-hop festival Rock The Bells, coming to Shoreline Amphitheatre on September 14-15.

“It’s an original virtual performance, not a hologram,” promoter Chang Weisberg tells Radio.com, a statement distancing this plan from the hologram of Tupac Shakur that appeared at last year's Coachella Festival. “There are a number of multimedia visual effects that will be applied that will definitely at the very least make the performances look like a hologram," he says. "People’s minds will be blown.”

While the full lineup has yet to be revealed, artists scheduled to play include Bay Area rappers E-40 and Too $hort (who performed at Rock The Bells gigs outside of the region last year), LA's Black Hippy, and legendary New York crew Wu-Tang Clan. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on May 18 at Live Nation.

Longtime Bay Area electronic music promoter Sunset is throwing its fifth annual party on Treasure Island. It's called Sunset Island and takes place this year from noon to 9 p.m. on June 9.

Sunset often hosts boat parties that cruise the San Francisco Bay, but the party on Treasure Island is just once a year. There are also outdoor gatherings in locations such as Golden Gate Park, Stafford Lake in Novato, and campgrounds in Belden.

The events are largely driven by DJs, including Sunset's own Galen and Solar. Sunset Island will also welcome a special live performance by Octave One, a leading live techno group out of Detroit and Atlanta that regularly tours the world. This year's event also features art installations, art cars, and food trucks in the mix, plus an area for revelers to barbecue.

A painting depicting the Grateful Dead's skeleton jester is for sale on eBay with an asking price of almost $25,000.

The watercolor was painted by Stanley Mouse, best known for his visual work with Grateful Dead and later with another legendary Bay Area band, Journey. The eBay seller, who is based in Glen Ellen and trades under the name "conscious-consignment," writes in the listing that the framed and matted piece was acquired from Mouse in 1989.

The actual "buy it now" price is $24,999.95. The shipping is $50 and not included.

Fledgling digital music mavens and developers are encouraged to apply for the Startup Innovators Challenge at SF MusicTech Summit at Hotel Kabuki on May 28.

The 12th annual event is a pivotal one in the digital music space, drawing international visitors and poising the aspiring entrepreneur for some incredible networking (and maybe even funding) opportunities.

Applications are open even to those who haven't registered for SF MusicTech, lowering what could be an economic barrier for some people; the current registration price of $279 expires on May 10 and climbs up to $600 on the day of the show.

The Startup Innovators Challenge last took place at SF MusicTech's February event and featured companies such as Plug.DJ, a virtual platform to play music and videos with friends and strangers online; CueNotes, a soon-to-be-public site for crowdsourcing facts and observations about songs to create the ultimate liner notes; and Lyricle, an app/game that tests your capacity to remember popular lyrics.

We first met Finish Ticket at this year's Sunset Sessions, an annual showcase for artists to connect with radio and media. The Alameda-based band has literally come of age through the Bay Area's supportive of all ages live scene, with most members having just reached age 21 in the past few months, and is swiftly moving into a wider array of opportunity.

The debut album Tears You Apart was released in late February and the indie pop rock quartet has already had its share of fan worship: Bassist Michael Hoye, whose identical twin Brendan is the lead singer, has already encountered the unsettling sight of a girl bursting into tears upon seeing him.

See for yourself if Finish Ticket is swoon-worthy — the band plays live on May 9 at Rickshaw Stop and May 19 at Live 105 BFD at Shoreline Amphitheatre.

Save the date: The City's next free party takes place at Maggie McGarry's on May 30.

Returning for a second event with us is headliners Rio Rio. The San Francisco-based quintet (Eric Collopy, Josh Wallace, Sean Corcran, Todd Hueguenor, and Ian de Borja) offers a fun hybrid of indie rock and dance music. Joining the bill for the first time is Stevie Nader and Apple Stache.

RSVP here for drink tickets and entry to win a Epiphone Les Paul Special Guitar and Gig Bag giveaway. Check out photos from last month's event to see how we party and how we've made budding rock stars out of our previous guitar winners.

The Rolling Stones' "50 And Counting Tour" stops in the Bay Area.

The Stones play at Oakland's Oracle Arena tonight. They will be in San Jose at the HP Pavilion on Wednesday.

A legendary band that knows how to perform and give a visually and sonically appealing show to tens of thousands, Mick Jagger and crew will perform on a stage designed to look like the band's iconic lips logo, complete with sprawling tongue and enhanced with video screens and special effects.

Guitarist Mick Taylor, who played with the Stones from 1969-74, is set to join the tour as a special guest.

The setlist will focus on classics, though will incorporate some rarities and cover songs.

The last album came out in 2005, which leaves some fans speculating that some new material could creep into the show.

The band will also return to London's Hyde Park on July 6, almost 44 years to the day of their first show at the Royal Park. 

Legendary Oakland rapper Too $hort was a special musical collaborator on last night's episode of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, playing a string of his classic cuts with The Roots throughout the program.

Two and a half hours before show time, The Roots (Fallon's in-house band) could be heard rehearsing recognizable bits and pieces from $hort's most beloved and enduring anthems. The rapper arrived and briefly sat in with them, quickly exiting the room with confidence.

"I never practice before the show," he said while contemplating a Motown-themed cupcake in his dressing room. "I just go out and rock the party."

Once the studio audience was ushered in, $hort and the band treated them to a pre-show rendition of his 2006 song "Blow The Whistle," The Roots' tuba player anchoring the song with its bassline and frontman Black Thought adding a new verse that he'd later tell us was totally freestyled. Though they'd only rehearsed together for five minutes, they performed with the ease of longtime collaborators.

"You're really not that short!" Fallon remarked as the show began.

"I was 5'2" in high school and grew after that," $hort replied. "This [gesturing to his current height] has all happened since then."

"We'll be back with more on growth spurts from Too $hort," Fallon retorted, ushering in the commercial.

Backstage after the taping, $hort talked about many projects he's currently planning, including a book about Oakland, a house music album, and an artist development center in Southern California.

In The Roots' dressing room, a stunning yet unrecognizable Stevie Wonder song was playing loud. Guitarist "Captain" Kirk Douglas would later explain that it is an unreleased tune that Wonder wrote for Al Green.

"That's the kind of music we're around all the time," he told this incredulous writer, with visible appreciation.

Outside in the hall, Too $hort took a moment to take a photo with the show's other musical guest Icona Pop, the Swedish female duo behind the current top 10 hit "I Love It" before being whisked away into the New York night.

Does beer taste better when paired with music? This question will be explored at a one-off event called "Drinking/Songs: A Night of Beer and The Music That Goes With It."

Delaware's Dogfish Head Craft Brewery already forged a Bay Area music connection when it brewed up Positive Contact, an ale in collaboration with San Francisco hip-hop producer Dan The Automator. This month, Dogfish returns to California to provide six India Pale Ales for this event, held in conjunction with San Francisco cicerone Sayre Piotrkowski and VoiceBox, a KALW radio program that is focused on vocal music.

The topic of suds and sounds has been explored locally for several years by SF blog Beer and Rap. Even though this party features live vocal music by the Fill A Steins, we, would love to throw in a request for the night: A cover of the latest song about craft beer, Infinite Skillz' "Started Sipping Cider."

The event takes place on May 29 at 50Mason Social House in San Francisco and will be broadcast on VoiceBox on June 7. Tickets are available in advance for $15 via Eventbrite.

The new song and video from Oakland's legendary rap crew Hieroglyphics contributes a view or two to the national debate on gun control.

"Gun Fever" illuminates a perspective that's in focus to fellow residents from Oakland, including those who might carry illegal firearms out of fear of being hurt or killed on the streets. The action-packed and reality-injected video was directed by Hieroglyphics member Casual and the song was produced by Gully Duckets.

"We are not promoting guns or violence," member Tajai writes about the song on the Hiero Imperium website, "but simply expressing our thoughts on the issue and encouraging further dialogue."

It's a grey area that a lot of people can relate to that needed discussing and an angle that is impactful coming from Hieroglyphics, which has been a steady ambassador for Bay Area hip-hop to the world for more than 20 years. 10 years have passed since the whole collective recorded a full album together but there has been a consistent flow of music from individual members and affiliated groups.

The group is also a style classic. The iconic third eye logo of the Hieroglyphics has international reach and recognition even beyond the music.

"F**k a 'Freebird!" sneered the brash SF-based girl group Quaaludes in response to an audience song request at a recent show at the Knockout. People who are sick of wallflower waif artists have a provocative young band to consider in their backyard.

Quaaludes, a quartet, has an EP called "She's Weird Like Us" and is building a growing repertoire of other songs built at local live shows. The Knockout set flipped from angry, almost-stalking anthems ("Hate Mail") to relatively more mellow musings on missteps ("Mistake"), riding the edge between classic punk and later grunge notions.

The band performs live at Thee Parkside on April 28 and Swedish American Hall on May 4.

A Kickstarter campaign seeks public donations in order for Oakland filmmaker Odell Hussey to finalize a documentary about Non Stop Bhangra, a monthly San Francisco club night that fuses the sensibilities and folk dance movement of North Indian bhangra music with reggae, hip-hop, and electronic beats.

The Non Stop Bhangra Story captures one of the city's most vibrant, cross-cultural, and enduring parties, which features DJs and guest musicians and dancers introducing and building on worldly styles that would otherwise go relatively unexposed in the area. Hussey intended to film a short biographical work but became so entrenched with the culture that he has now spent two and a half years honing his documentary.

As of press time, the campaign has three days to go, with 147 backers willing to pledge a total of $7,735 of the $10,000 goal. The full amount must be pledged in order for the project to be funded.

The next Non Stop Bhangra party is on May 11 at Public Works and features special guests DJ Rekha from Basement Bhangra in New York and dhol player Malinder Tooray from LA's Dhol Nation.

Passed on (or got shut out from) the $250 tickets for Prince's four concerts with 3rd Eye Girl on April 23-24 at DNA Lounge? You're definitely not alone, and there might be some consolation.

The Purple One's recent stop in Seattle was marked by a small group of "protestors" carrying signs that said "Prince doesn't care about poor people." But San Francisco's DNA Lounge typically hosts a free live webcast of all its events, which is then archived for two weeks.

Of course, given Prince's reluctance to have his copyright even breathed on in the wrong way, these shows may prove to be an exception at the last minute, particularly as concerns the post-show archiving. But if you are already planning to be around your computer on those days, might as well hook it up to your television and pop some popcorn.

Paul McCartney, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Nine Inch Nails are just a few of the headliners announced today for Golden Gate Park's annual music and food festival Outside Lands, taking place this year from Aug. 9 to 11.

More than 60,000 people are expected to attend each day.

The lineup boasts several acts who were booked to play Southern California festival Coachella, which concludes this weekend, including Phoenix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Vampire Weekend.

Other artists on the bill include:

• D'Angelo
• Willie Nelson
• Kaskade
• Hall & Oates
• The National, Kaskade
• Camper Van Beethoven
• Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
• Pretty Lights
• Jurassic 5
  

Last year's Outside Lands festival featured Metallica, Stevie  Wonder, Neil Young and the Foo Fighters as the headliners.

Three-day general admission and VIP tickets ($235-545) for the festival go on sale at noon on April 18. Individual day passes are expected to be offered at a later date.

Much of the ticket price benefits the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department.

The full lineup and more information about tickets can be found on  the festival's website at www.sfoutsidelands.com.

Since 2008, when Metallica rocked Rasputin’s Music in Berkeley with a free concert, Record Store Day has been a national phenomenon, bringing in new customers to several hundred independently-owned record stores across the country. For those customers, it’s enough of a gas to get reacquainted with a product they had thought long extinct or, for some young music listeners, didn’t even know existed. But for those who already know about the vinyl renaissance, the best thing about Record Store Day is the exclusive items labels press up each year for the event.

This year has some real doozies. Items that will be available in limited quantities include the soundtrack from 2011 cult favorite Drive and a box set of GZA’s classic Liquid Swords, complete with chessboard and chess pieces. Bay Area artists are well represented on this list. Sonny & the Sunsets will release a reissue of their 2010 album Tomorrow is Alright and a new 7-inch vinyl single on which they cover John Lennon's "Imagine" and the Beach Boys' "Surfer Girl." Ty Segall will release "Ty Rex 2," a 7-inch that includes two covers of Seventies rock gods T. Rex. And there are plenty of records featuring classic Sixties Bay Area bands like Country Joe and the Fish (I Feel Like I’m Fixin’ To Die), the Grateful Dead (Rare Cuts & Oddities 1966), and Sly & the Family Stone (I Want To Take You Higher on 10-inch vinyl).

Record Store Day takes place on April 20. Over a dozen local stores will participate, but expect to find the aforementioned exclusives from the big dogs like Amoeba and Rasputin.

Adam Ant has just announced a two-month American tour via his website, and will play the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco on September 12.

The one time king of the wild post-punk frontier, who rose to fame with his unique brand of Burundi-beat based “Ant Music,” has staged somewhat of a comeback in recent years, following a much-publicized battle with mental illness.

He released his first studio album in 18 years on January 21. Despite being self-released in the UK, the double disc went to number 25 in the album charts there, which was only one place behind his last major label endeavor, Wonderful, which came out in 1995 via EMI.

During the wriing and recording process for the new album, Ant once-again worked with his Wonderful collaborator, Boz Boorer, who also serves as the guitarist in Morrissey's band. The bizarrely titled release, Adam Ant Is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner's Daughter, which is distributed by R.E.D. in the US, is a mixed bag stylistically. However, the first single “Cool Zombie,” showcases the artist at his classic swashbuckling best.

Tickets for Ant in San Francisco go on sale this Friday, April 12, and are likely to sell out.

Snoop Dogg — or Lion, if you prefer — will perform a concert of highlights from his illustrious catalog on April 20 at The Fillmore.

This won't be the first time the Doggfather (or king of the jungle) has played at the legendary local venue; it's something of a recurring favorite for the entertainer. And while this performance is billed as somewhat of a retrospective, his new reggae album Reincarnated is sure to figure into the set.

The date of this show has specific significance to a significant subculture. April 20 is celebrated internationally as a pro-marijuana day.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on April 12 and aren't likely to last long.

FELA! The Musical will conclude a world tour with a string of performances in Oakland in June. Tickets are now on sale for June 4 and June 6-9 shows at the Paramount Theatre.

The show helps to keep alive and expands on the musical legacy of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the Nigerian bandleader and activist who is often likened to James Brown in terms of his musical and cultural impact in Africa and beyond. His presence is still revered and celebrated in the Bay Area, where countless bands and artists carry on channeling Kuti's Afrobeat sound.

Presented by Jay-Z, Jada Pinkett, and Will Smith, The Musical originated off-Broadway in 2008, made it to Broadway the following year, and has since snagged three Tony Awards (and a staggering 11 nominations). It was first shown in the Bay Area in 2011 during a one-month run at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco.

Among the featured current cast is Adesola Osalakumi, who stars as Kuti, and Destiny's Child singer Michelle Williams, appearing as his African-American lover Sandra Isadore.

Spring beckons, and for record collectors that means another season of digging through yard sale junk, thrift store cut-out bins and flea market tables. But before you get your hands too dirty, head over to the quarterly KUSF Rock ‘N’ Swap, organized by online station KUSF.org.

Held for the past 25 years on the University campus, the KUSF swap usually offers dozens of record dealers selling every kind of music imaginable, from rare funk 45s to vintage psych-rock LPs. The items range from outrageously expensive albums worth hundreds of dollars to bargain-basement finds for a few dollars. At one swap meet, I found a record for $5, and it turned out to be worth $100!

That’s an extreme example, but the lesson is that digging around and waiting for the right purchase pays off. Just remember to hang onto a few dollars until you scout the entire room, which can be difficult considering all the good stuff to be found here (and the swap’s relatively short six hours, which flies by much faster than you think).

The Rock ‘N’ Swap takes place on April 14 at 10 a.m. For serious diggers, check out the “early bird shopping special” from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and cop a few gems before the general public.

Following last summer's performance at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, Dead Can Dance will be stopping off in Northern California once again. This time, the legendary group will play a string of three dates, including one in San Francisco. It’s a continuation of the legendary group’s first such tour since 2005.

Formed in the early Eighties by Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry, the duo recently reformed after an extended hiatus. The band, which emerged out of the UK goth scene but achieved acclaim for their multi-textured world music-based work, released their first studio album in 16 years in August of last year. Called Anastasis, the album fittingly gets its name from the Greek word for resurrection, and has been well received by critics and fans alike.

The San Francisco date, to be held on April 15 at the prestigious Davies Symphony Hall, is sandwiched between two main stage performances at Indio’s Coachella music festival on April 14 and 21. Dates at The Uptown Theatre in Napa (April 17) and the Golden State Theatre in Monterey (April 18) complete the itinerary for the band’s highly anticipated return to the West Coast.

Bay Area-bred producer DJ Scott Hardkiss (born Scott Friedel) died on March 25 at just 43-years-old. Though the cause of death has yet to be confirmed, an aneurysm is suspected.

Hardkiss had suffered from keratoconus, a degenerative eye disease, and had undergone corneal transplantation surgery on his left eye in 2011. Unfortunately, the operation wasn’t entirely successful, and tests conducted shortly before his death confirmed his vision was deteriorating again. “I'm a little freaked out,” Hardkiss wrote in a May 7 Facebook post in which he detailed his health-induced fears.

Scott rose to prominence within the dance music scene as a member of the DJ, production and remix team called Hardkiss. Alongside brothers in rhythm Gavin and Robbie (neither of whom were related by blood), Scott helped define the blissed-out Balearic-influenced West Coast sound. Together, the trio nurtured San Francisco’s fledgling house and techno scene with their renegade raves and via a record label that shared their adopted “family” name.

In the late '90s, Hardkiss moved from San Francisco to New York, where he released solo work under the God Within moniker. In 2009 he put out his long-awaited debut solo artist album, Technicolor Dreamer, under his own name, which was a collection of more traditional vocal-based songs. He also did numerous noteworthy remixes for Elton John, the Flaming Lips, and George Clinton, among others, and contributed to the soundtracks of TV and movie projects directed by the likes of Eva Mendes, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Aniston, and Trudie Styler.

In his final Facebook post, which he uploaded on March 20, Hardkiss posed the question: "Friends... how many of us have them? Friends... ones we can depend on?" Judging by the outpouring of tributes upon the news of his death, it’s apparent that Hardkiss was fortunate to have many such friends. He is also survived by his wife Stephanie and their 3-year old daughter, Ilana.   

Below is a selection of tributes gathered by NBC from those who had great affection for Hardkiss and his music. May he rest in peace and his music continue to raise the spirits of those searching for the God Within.

Jason Bentley (KCRW's Music Director and host of Morning Becomes Eclectic & Metropolis shows)

"Scott Hardkiss was a great spirit gone too soon. An important part of the early West Coast dance music underground, the Hardkiss Brothers represented the free spirited nature of the early '90s rave scene. In many ways, the San Fran based collective was a continuation of the hippie idealism of the late '60s and '70s, but charged by new goals — the potential of electronic dance music to change the world. At the same time, Scott had a self-effacing way about him and didn't seem to take things too seriously.”

Favorite Scott Hardkiss Track: "Daylight (Dreamerdreamsalone)" by God Within 

“The blissed-out psychedelia of ‘Daylight (Dreamerdreamsalone)’ from '93 always brings back many fond memories of after hours grooving until the sun came up. That was a special time for many of us, and Scott's passing is a tragic reminder that we should never take for granted the times we had.”   

Darren Ressler (Editor of Big Shot and Société Perrier and founding editor of Mixer)

“I had heard many stories about the notorious Hardkiss parties held in the Bay Area, but being from the East Coast I never made it to one. When I met Scott after he moved to New York City, he was so unlike the DJs I had interviewed and come to know, from the way he dressed, what was on his mind and that wonderful dry wit of his. I'm glad I got to work closely with him on 2001's United DJs of America Vol. 17 DJ mix and understand his creative process. Scott embodied everything an artist should have: An open mind, free spirit, big heart and boundless curiosity."

Favorite Track: "Raincry" by God Within 

"'Raincry' is achingly beautiful, epic and euphoric with a tinge of melancholy. I was fortunate to hear Scott drop ‘Raincry’ in many DJ sets. The world is always a better place whenever I hear it." 

James Lumb (Founding member of Electric Skychurch)

"Scott Hardkiss was genuinely respected and admired by his peers. He was a terrific human being and family man, a brilliant composer, an accomplished producer, and loved as a DJ. He played an important role in refining electronic music as we know it and is one of a handful of people responsible for the ‘California Sound.’ In the early '90s, his compositions raised the bar in electronic music."

Favorite Track: "The Phoenix" by God Within

"We met in 1992 at an outdoor party in San Francisco. I remember hearing ‘The Phoenix’ when it was released in 1994 and being excited about the direction he was going, because it was so smart and entertaining. In 2000 we began sharing unreleased demos. At the time he was the only producer I trusted at all to share my music with. He offered up personal encouragement from a point of real understanding, out of the goodness of his heart. He was the kind of guy you could trust with the important things in life, and when he spoke he always had a soft tone and a dry sense of humor. A wonderful, down to earth person. I will miss the brilliant conversations.”

Terra Deva (Singer-songwriter, producer and actor)

"From the mid-'90s through 2003 I spent a lot of time with Scott laughing dancing and making some of my first dance records. SF and NYC nurtured our friendship and creativity.”

Favorite Track: "The Phoenix" (Throw Your Guns - Dramaboy Remix) by God Within 

"'The Phoenix' was a record we did together very early in my career. Our time together was so important on so many levels. He was a great big brother. I'm so sad I did not get a chance to say goodbye. My prayers and love are with his family.”

Michael Kandel
 (Founder of Exist Dance Records and producer behind Tranquility Bass)

"The loss of Scott has been weighing heavy on my mind. I had a friendship with him that spanned two decades. I will miss his words of support, his cynical sense of humor and his emotional generosity. Coming up at the same time, and having both been part of shaping what was to become known as the ‘West Coast Sound’ in the electronic dance music sphere always made us have a special bond with each other. A bond that I have with very few people. Over the years we would share our works in progress, and talk about the creative process.

"I am grateful for the time and communication we had, but I will regret we did not have more. Learning of his abrupt death helps to punctuate for me the fact that life is so fleeting and time is so precious. I feel as though I was in the middle of a conversation with him. My thoughts go out to all his close friends and family. These words hardly seem adequate. He truly was a jewel in a sea of grey and will be sorely missed."

Favorite Track: “Raincry" (Submerged) by God Within

"I will always have a place for ’Raincry’ by God Within. It will always bring me back to the early days of West Coast scene. I still clearly remember the act of opening that package and seeing the full color artwork and white vinyl. It was an exciting time as it was beginnings of the formation of what turned into the West Coast sound and it was great to have such quality company making solid tracks as the Hardkiss boys and Jeff Taylor and Jon Drukman, who collaborated on that 12-inch. The vibe on that record was uplifting, which was part of what for me defined the movement on the West Coast as well as what Scott continued to make.”

David Christophere – (Founding member of Rabbit In The Moon)

"In each generation, producers in the present get to look back and reminisce about their past influences. Scott Hardkiss was that influence for a lot of us. But who knows one is living history, when one is just living it."

Favorite Track: “White Love (Psychic Masturbation Mix)” by One Dove

"This remix has such an ease about it and represented exactly what Scott and the emerging West Coast sound was all about. Viva Hardkiss! Viva Scott!”

David Christophere is offering a free/donation-only download of the Rabbit In The Moon “Ascension Mix” of  "Raincry." All money raised will go to Scott's wife Stephanie and their three-year-old daughter, Ilana.

Concert promoter AEG Live today announced the Rolling Stones' "50 And Counting Tour," stopping in the Bay Area at Oakland's Oracle Arena on May 5 and San Jose's HP Pavilion on May 8.

A legendary band that knows how to perform and give a visually and sonically appealing show to tens of thousands, Mick Jagger and crew will perform on a stage designed to look like the band's iconic lips logo, complete with sprawling tongue and enhanced with video screens and special effects.

Ticket prices are steep to say the least. The cheapest ticket from the Oakland show is $171.75 with a top ticket price listed at $665.8, according to the ticketmaster website. San Jose tickets start at $168 with the best seats going for $623.

The ticketmaster website makes it appear that there are only two ticket prices available.

Guitarist Mick Taylor, who played with the Stones from 1969-74, is set to join the tour as a special guest.

The setlist will focus on classics, though will incorporate some rarities and cover songs.

The last album came out in 2005, which leaves some fans speculating that some new material could creep into the show.

Tickets for both dates go on sale at 10 a.m. on April 8 at RollingStones.com, but there's a pre-sale on April 5 for Citicard members.

The band will also return to London's Hyde Park on July 6, almost 44 years to the day of their first show at the Royal Park.

Southern California rave retailer EmazingLights-iHeartRaves has opened its first store in the Bay Area at 100 Dixon Road in Milpitas. This is the fourth physical location for the purveyor of LED rave gloves and other party-friendly gear, which is also a successful online company.

Glove-assisted light shows (or "gloving") has grown into a huge phenomenon at raves, specialty events, and competitions over the past few years, with Emazing at the center of the action. The company supports gloving teams and throws monthly events.

The South Bay location was chosen as a nexus for rave enthusiasts from San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, a population that has numbered in the thousands for two decades and counting. And people are encouraged not only to buy but to learn about and practice the gloving culture. Inside the 2000-square foot space are 25-foot wall mirrors, a hardwood dancefloor, and 1000 watts of surround sound power.

The Milpitas store softly opened on March 22 and has planned a free grand opening celebration on April 5. Hours will be 1-10 p.m., with a Gloving 101 workshop at 6 p.m. and a Friday Night Lights gloving community social event from 7-10 p.m.

The weird and wonderful spirit of rock star-cum-filmmaker Rob Zombie is set to manifest in two major ways this April. The former White Zombie frontman is scheduled to release his fifth solo studio album, entitled Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor, on April 23. His new horror flick, Lords of Salem, will hit theaters in major cities including San Francisco four days before on April 19.

Written and directed by Zombie, the Lords of Salem riffs on the mythology and folklore surrounding the infamous witch trials in Essex County, Massachusetts. It stars Zombie’s wife Sheri Moon in the lead role and tells the story of a local radio DJ who raises the wrong kind of spirits after giving airplay to a record she mysteriously receives in an old wooden crate.

After being held on a short leash during his tenure writing and directing two Halloween films, Zombie demanded, and got, full creative control for his latest cinematic endeavor. It’s therefore a slower paced, more atmospheric and suspenseful piece, which is all the better for being a truer reflection of Zombie’s spine-chilling visions. However, though he's scored previous films, he chose not to handle the composing duties for this one himself.

“I had John 5, who’s the guitar player in my band, do the music, which was as good as me doing it myself in the sense that we work together so closely,” says Zombie. “We’ve been playing music together for eight years non-stop, so it was just the easiest thing in the world.”

Wanting to break away from the current trend for over-digitized, effects-driven films, Zombie deliberately gave the Lords of Salem an analog, lo-fi, retro vibe. To this end, though mostly featuring John 5’s original score, the climax of Lords of Salem plays out to the Velvet Underground’s “All Tomorrow’s Parties” to great effect.

“I want this movie to feel like this song feels,” says Zombie, who considers the 1967 Lou Reed-penned track to be one of the greatest records ever made. “And it’s not because of the lyrics,” he continues. “It’s the lyrics and the sound. It’s a really crackly, old sounding record. It sounds phenomenal in a certain way, but it doesn’t really sound sonically good. For me it just summed [the movie] up.”

Aidin Vaziri's Loaded blog reports that Steve Masters is back in at Live 105 to host the new morning show Masters in the Morning beginning on April 1. The program will air from 6-9 a.m. Monday through Friday. Listeners of the station from years past will remember Surfer Spud, who will also return to the station to produce the show.

Masters was an on-air DJ at Live 105 from 1984 to 1998, during which time he created his own label Tripindicular Records. He later worked in the music and video game industries (forming his own company GotGame) and reappeared for a short stint in 2002, but this is no less than an epic and surprise return. Spud, who spent more than two decades at the station as the promotions director and manager, was at Pacific.FM in recent years and has his own surfpop band, Drifting Sand.

Full disclosure: This writer got her start in the music world through an internship offered by Spud in Live 105's promotion department in 1990. We came in the afternoons to work on newsletters, help with concerts, and open Steve Masters' promotional record mail, another piece in the puzzle that influenced our subsequent 20-year DJing and writing careers. Without their influence, we might not be here at The City.

Ken "K-Maxx" Hopkins' Bay Area music history runs deep. In the mid-Nineties, he nurtured his rap career with self-produced albums like Sumthin’ Ta Roll Wit’ and Still Rollin'. He has played bass for the Coup, collaborated with former Tower of Power singer Lenny Williams and Andre Nickatina, and hosts a Friday night rap show, “Ghetto Gumbo,” on iconic indie radio station KPOO-FM 89.5. And, by the way, he has a new release coming out now.

By premiering the four-song EP at the weekly party Sweater Funk, where he's a frequent MC and host, K-Maxx continues his evolution from rapper to vocalist in thrall with the R&B and funk sounds of the Eighties. Sweater Funk usually happens at the Knockout on Sundays, but for this special event, it’ll take place at the Elbo Room on March 30. He'll perform tracks from his catalog, and he'll have product for sale, too (including vinyl).

You may not know him by name, but chances are you know Rick Stevens’ signature song: "You’re Still a Young Man."

The former Tower of Power lead singer is back in the Bay Area music scene after being locked up for almost 40 years on murder charges.

In an interview with NBC Bay Area as a free man, Stevens said incarceration changed him physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally.

“I had to go to prison in order to grow up,” he said, now at the age of 73.

Stevens was recruited by the Oakland-based group, Tower of Power, in 1969, and “You’re Still a Young Man” - first sung by Stevens -  was just one of their many hits, including "What is Hip?" and "Soul With a Capital S."

Stevens’ career took a turn for the worse when his drug addiction got the best of him.  Without dwelling too much on the past, Stevens said: “It was quite a few drug deals that went bad.”

The part "that went bad" ended in a 1976 triple slaying, where he was convicted for playing the role of triggerman. He killed three drug dealers in a situation he now describes as one that was "life and death."

According to his own biography, Stevens said the dealers threatened to kill him and harm his family; they severely beat one of his friends. Stevens said on his website that one of the dealers tried to grab his gun and turn it toward him. In the struggle, the gun went off and the dealer was killed. Fearing for his life, Stevens said he killed two more dealers. He was convicted of manslaughter for the first shooting, and first degree murder for the other two shootings.

In 1976, Stevens was sentenced to death.  But, in 1977, the California Supreme Court declared the mandatory death penalty unconstitutional.  It’s a move that Stevens said granted him a “new life.”

While he spent time in several prisons throughout California, Stevens spent most of his 36 years behind bars in Mule Creek State Prison in Amador County.  He says his fame and musical talents helped get him through. His singing also seemed to transcend racial and cultural prison barriers.

“I don’t care if they were Chicanos, Black, Asian, or Caucasian," he said. "Everybody just gave me the respect.”        

On July 16, 2012, Stevens’ parole papers were signed and after more than three decades, he walked out of prison into the free world.

Soon after being released, Stevens reunited with Tower of Power in a single performance at Yoshi’s in Oakland on Jan. 31. He’s now performing with various bands at venues throughout the Bay Area.

Stevens is performing Friday at 8 p.m. at Slim’s in San Francisco as a special guest. For more information, click here.

Björk has chosen an unlikely East Bay venue for her next Bay Area concert. A message on her Twitter account today announced that the Icelandic singer will perform at Craneway Pavilion.

2013 marks the 20-year anniversary of Björk's Debut.

This is often thought of as her first album, but she actually released a self-titled debut in 1977 — at the tender age of 12.

It is as yet unclear whether there will be one or more shows in the Bay Area, but any dates are expected to be revealed on April 1.

So if it sounds like an April Fool's Day joke that one of the world's most famous artists is playing in Richmond, rest assured that it's no joke and very real.

Update, April 1, 9:00 a.m.: Björk will bring her Biophilia live show to Craneway on May 22, 25, and 28. General admission tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on April 4 via Live Nation. Also, look for a Biophilia-inspired project to emerge in May at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

hold on to your seats : we've got some intimate , in-the-round may/june shows in san francisco and los angeles to be announced very shortly

— björk (@bjork) March 27, 2013

Bay Area radio stations -- and KMEL 106.1 in particular -- have a reputation for not playing enough
local music. But give KMEL some credit: They helped break Jonn Hart's "Who Booty" last fall, and
this past winter they’ve been spinning Kafani’s “Swag Swerve" after supporting his previous singles "She Ready" and "Fast (Like a Nascar)."

Kafani isn’t even on a major label (he used to record for eOne Music), instead opting for his own label, Ice King Music. Still, his tribute to pimping and flossing in the club has turned into a popular club hit. On April 4 at Mezzanine, the Oakland rapper will open for white-hot Atlanta rapper Trinidad James, author of the smash single "All Gold Everything." Between the two of them, there should be plenty of swaggin’ and swervin’.

Part of our mission here at The City is to throw a monthly free party for you, our dear readers. We tap into the mind-bogglingly large amount of talent in the Bay Area (and beyond!) to offer a showcase of live bands and DJs.

Following our awesome kickoff event last month at Tupelo, we'd like to cordially invite you to our next abolutely free jam this Thursday, March 28 at Make Out Room. This month's party features performances by Bay Area band Dogcatcher and SoCal's The Lillies. DJ Jackie Sugarlumps will hold the night down in the mix. Use this link to RSVP and we'll see you at Make Out Room.

At 26-years-old, Robin Malone Simmons has already clocked an astonishing 15 years behind the decks as a DJ of the kind of soulful house music that seems to be all but forgotten in the rising tide of mainstream EDM. In an era of megaraves and excess, he's attracted a growing following for throwing and participating in events that take it back to the basics of the love of a good groove.

Simmons' San Francisco-based party Odyssey channels the ghosts of house music's past in San Francisco, New York, and beyond with a spirit of inclusiveness and a focus on harnessing the power of community. And that community extends beyond the dancefloor as Simmons nurtures the love with his fellow journeymen and women through social media.

Odyssey has moved from a private loft space to the Public Works nightclub, and while there's no set schedule, it generally recurs on a monthly basis. Catch Simmons and Odyssey there tonight (March 22) or find him spinning at Ouch! at Project One on March 26.

Last night during a podcast hosted by DrFunkenberry.com, the ladies behind Prince's new protégé band 3rd Eye Girl (Donna Grantis, Hanna Ford-Welton, and Ida Nielsen) announced that they will tour with the Purple One.

The show is expected to stop at San Francisco's DNA Lounge on April 23-24. Two shows will be performed each night.

The artist formerly known as The Artist has been writing music with and for 3rd Eye Girl, such as on the recent single "Live Out Loud." A moody blend of edgy rock and funk, it's no rehash of the oversexed Vanity 6.

The event has not yet appeared on the official calendar at DNA so the ticket price is currently unknown, but the two dates are mysteriously gray there on the website.

Expect more info to emerge next week, and the tickets will be sure to go fast once they do go on sale.

The inaugural BottleRock Napa Valley Festival will offer four days of activities of which François Rabelais would without doubt have approved. Though the French Renaissance writer (and monk) who coined the phrase "eat, drink and be merry" might object to the amplified volume of some of the music on offer, he’d certainly be down with the food, wine and comedy the festival's organizers have planned.

Following warm up performances on Wednesday, May 8 from KAPTN, Louis Prima Jr., and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, the event officially pops its cork on Thursday, May 9. The opening night lineup will feature former Grateful Dead band members Phil Lesh and Bob Weir performing with their jam band Furthur as well as Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Primus, Delta Spirit, X, Violent Femmes, and more.

Friday night's entertainment includes The Black Keys, The Flaming Lips, The Shins and Blues Traveler. On Saturday night, Jane's Addiction will be treating revelers to a special one-off performance. Kings of Leon, Jackson Browne, Bad Religion, and a collaboration between Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite also share the bill that night. The festival closes on Sunday, May 12 with sets by Michael Franti and Spearhead, Zac Brown Band, Train, Cake, and The Wallflowers, among others.

As if the musical performances weren't reason enough to attend BottleRock, additional entertainment will be provided by a stellar list of comedians which includes the likes of Greg Behrendt (who wrote the New York Times bestseller He's Just Not That Into You, which was later turned into a highly successful film), Demetri Martin, and Daily Show correspondents Wyatt Cenac, Aasif Mandvi, and Kristen Schaal.

To round out the menu for this deliciously civilized event, BottleRockers will be able to indulge in libations supplied by 40 local wineries and enjoy food from a diverse mix of gourmet food trucks. BottleRock takes place over three main stages at the Napa Valley Expo, which is located by the banks of the Napa River, as well as several "after-party" locations in the nearby town. Single, three and four-day passes are available now.

Steel Panther is what happens when parody becomes reality. They started out as one of the many tribute bands trawling for trade on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip on off nights, and now get the kind of gigs those they originally imitated might kill to get.

Members Michael Starr (vocals), Satchel (guitars), Lexxi Foxx and Stix Zadinia (drums) honed their considerable musical and comedic skills covering the songs of '80s hair and metal bands during their long standing residencies at LA’s Viper Room, Key Club and House of Blues. Now, having released three albums (Hole Patrol, Feel the Steel, and Balls Out), they play their own material and headline their own tours. They have also supported many of the bands they originally poked fun at (including Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe and Guns 'N Roses), and are booked to play Ozzfest Japan in May 2013.

Indeed, it could be argued that Steel Panther now have more original spirit than many of the megastars of metal they started out imitating. Certainly their live shows are more vital than those of most monsters of rock, and their original material –– which includes  unforgettable titles such as "Eatin' Ain't Cheatin'," "It Won't Suck Itself," and "17 Girls in a Row" –– is not without merit.

"We've had our own music for a while now," Zadinia tells us. "Everywhere we play, outside of our LA and Vegas residencies, we play all original songs. I think our fans would be bummed out if we played a Poison song instead of 'Asian Hooker' or ‘'Tomorrow Night.' I believe The Fanthers want to hear the songs on our records. That's why they buy tickets. That, and the fact that we throw down the best party in the history of metal!"

On a mission to spread their love of Rock & Roll, Steel Panther are currently on the road with their three-month 'Spreading the Disease' Tour. As part of this disease-spreading endeavor, the bad boys of mock will be playing San Francisco this Saturday, March 23 at the Regency Ballroom.

"People don't always think of SF as a 'rock' town," says Zadinia, "but those people are obviously totally lame. San Francisco rocks! Last time we played the Regency Ballroom, it was sold out and 100% crazy. This weekend is going to be insane!”

120 Minutes is a monthly SF party tapped into an aesthetic of trap music, bewitchingly darkwave sounds and Gothic vibes. Few epitomize that underground blend like Blue Sky Black Death.

Formerly based in San Francisco but now located in Seattle, BSBD is a duo that has drawn on influences like the RZA, DJ Shadow and Boards of Canada to make epically ornate beats that, according to the title of their 2008 album, sounds like Late Nite Cinema.

Last year, amidst remixing Australian pop star Kimbra (of Gotye’s “Somebody I Used to Know” fame) BSBD released several projects on their website including Skull and Bones, which uses a famous Philippe Halsman photograph of seven nude women in a skull formation.

In February, they dropped Euphoric Tape, which features Bay Area rappers like MondreMan (of Main Attrakionz) and Seattle rappers like Nacho Picasso and Deniro Ferrar.

BSBD will bring Deniro Ferrar to their performance at 120 Minutes at Elbo Room on March 22. Northeast band Child Actor opens.

Why do Mos Def and Talib Kweli perform frequently as Black Star? It’s because the two Brooklyn rappers go together like peanut butter and jelly. Mos Def’s circuitous reasoning and dips into vocalese scatting and heartfelt singing blend well with Kweli’s hard-edged flow rich in metaphors and similes.

So even though Black Star hasn’t made an album in nearly 15 years — yes, it has been that long — fans still clamor to hear them. It helps that Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star is considered a classic hip- hop record, with plenty of breakout singles like “Respiration” and “Definition.” And the duo has been successful as solo artists, too. Kweli is prepping his latest album, Prisoner of Conscious, for release sometime this year, while Mos Def follows an idiosyncratic path as a live performer, media critic and
activist Yasiin Bey.

Opening acts during their March 23 show at the Fox Theater include veteran local DJ D-Sharp and First Light, the latter a new collaboration from Hieroglyphics members Opio and Pep Love.

Those that like their music — and their clothes — on the dark side are in for a treat when Peter Murphy plays the Fillmore this summer. The Godfather of Goth will be gracing the venue with a rare appearance on July 23 as part of his fifty-plus date Mr. Moonlight Tour (tickets are available now). The former Bauhaus frontman is hitting the road to mark the 35th anniversary of the band. In honor of this, the enigmatic singer promises to exclusively perform Bauhaus material.

Bauhaus was formed in the UK in 1978. Alongside Murphy, the lineup of the seminal gothic band also featured Daniel Ash on guitar, David J on bass, and Kevin Haskins on drums. They released four albums before parting ways in 1983. Murphy went on to have considerable solo success, while his former bandmates re-grouped and formed the three-piece outfit Love and Rockets.

All four original Bauhaus members reunited in 1998 for the Resurrection Tour. They subsequently reformed again for an unforgettable 2005 appearance at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, which began with Murphy suspended high above the stage hanging upside down like a bat. After the success of the Coachella performance the band stayed together for three more years. They toured extensively both in the US and Europe, and recorded what seems likely to be the band’s last album, Go Away White, before parting ways with an air of finality in 2008.

The rest of the Bauhaus bats may have left the bell tower, but Murphy is decidedly undead. In recent years performances with Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails have exposed Murphy to a new audience, as did a cameo role as "The Cold One" in the 2010 Twilight film, Eclipse. Murphy’s mesmerizing vampiric presence has always given his performances a certain cinematic flair. It’s perhaps because of this that director Tony Scott recruited Bauhaus for his 1983 film The Hunger. The opening sequences of the cult horror classic feature the band performing their first and best known single, "Bela Lugosi's Dead," which will without doubt be a highlight of the translucent one’s Mr. Moonlight set.

If you were one of the happy party people at the kickoff event to our monthly live series back in February, you now know that The City can throw down! 

Go on, you deserve a nice night out. Save the date for The City's next jam, going down at Make Out Room on March 28, when we'll have performances by Bay Area band Dogcatcher and SoCal's The Lillies with DJ Jackie Sugarlumps on the ones and twos. Use this link to RSVP, and while you're there, please consider giving us a precious like on our Facebook page. We'll love you back.

Depeche Mode has just announced the much-anticipated North American leg of their massive Delta Machine World Tour. The band is set to play the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View on September 26. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on April 6, but fans who download Live Nation’s iPhone and Android app will be able to get their hands on tickets a day early. The special presale for Live Nation’s mobile app users will start at 10 a.m. on April 5.

Having sold over 100 million albums worldwide over the course of their three decade-plus career, Depeche Mode is the most successful electronic band in music history. But though the groundbreaking British group may be masters of the electronic genre, they are no servants to circuitry. Their new single “Heaven,” taken from the forthcoming album Delta Machine, is an epic downtempo piano-driven ballad featuring the haunting vocals of Dave Gahan and fuzzed out electric guitars of Martin Gore.

Though the album won’t be released worldwide until March 26, the band previewed several tracks from it on an extended Live on Letterman webcast earlier this week.

Wild 94.9 is offering a pre-sale link for tickets to 2 Chainz's April 12 show at the Fox Theater in Oakland.

The Atlanta rapper quickly and handily sold out two December shows at the Warfield in San Francisco — we attended the second night and wouldn't be surprised to learn that it was even over-sold. So if you've got any inclination to see him, we'd advise you jump on it.

Songs like "I'm Different" truly strike a chord with the Bay Area hip-hop audience, so if you do go, prepare for a lot of great crowd participation. If you don't know all the words, don't worry — a lot of people there will have your back, even on some of his old mixtape joints, back when he was known under the name Tity Boi. The depths of his positive reception here is striking and interesting to see.

The Tubes formed in San Francisco almost 40 years ago, and return to the area to play at Yoshi's SF location on March 14. The stage there is pretty diminuitive, but we're still sure the group will find ways to take command of it.

Back in the seventies and eighties, The Tubes grabbed headlines with its risqué live shows, which incorporated elements of surprise ranging from light S&M activity to acrobats executive serious flying maneuvers. The band was also known to skewer pop culture and critique mass consumerism, all while keeping their rocking guitar chords intact.

But even as The Tubes made fun of these things, they were also willing participants. At its peak, the group enjoyed top 10 hits like "She's a Beauty" and "Talk to Ya Later," toured with David Bowie, and held down month-long residencies at Bimbo's and the Palace of Fine Arts here at home. An album of rarities called Mondo Birthmark emerged four years ago.

This week's show will provide a fine opportunity to see The Tubes minus the huge stage antics, all the bells and whistles, and distilled to its essence.

The name Jim Jones brings up stirring memories of a murderous cult leader here in San Francisco, something the New York-based rapper of the same name probably doesn't have to encounter too much in his circles.

The MC is best known for his work as part of the Dipset crew alongside the likes of Cam'ron and Juelz Santana, and was introduced to a whole new audience as part of the first season of the VH1 reality series Love and Hip-Hop and the spinoff Chrissy & Mr. Jones, in which he stars with his fiancé. But the television programs have only served to emphasize that Jones shies away from the spotlight in favor of treading below the radar both personally and musically. His songs have explored both urban and paranormal underbellies, running the gamut between tales of the Harlem drug game and explorations into the realm of vampires.

Jones is set to stop in San Francisco for a rare show at Mezzanine on March 16; Oakland's DJ Juice spins tunes to open the evening.

San Francisco's own Train has been named as the second act to perform at the temporary America's Cup Pavilion this summer. The show takes place on Aug. 11, but tickets go on sale on March 15 via Live Nation.

The America's Cup Pavilion holds 9,000 fans, up from the proposed 4,000 fans the venue initially intended to have. The size was increased in order to woo Sting to perform, which he will do on June 2.

Train is still busy working on creative marketing endeavors. Last year, the band partnered with Ghirardelli to make its own line of chocolate bars. And Train's latest wine varietal, Soul Sister Pinot Noir, debuts this month.