Rock ‘n’ roll over

Dylan Seid
Over the past year, the singer-songwriter has played with his new band Dylan’s Dharma, featuring longtime Chico musicians Michael Cannon and Jimmy Fay, among others. Seid is currently working on new material, and the band has been recording its live shows, parts of which will make it onto a new album.

The Secret Stolen
These guys continued to impress in 2007, organizing their own all-ages shows, playing tirelessly with bands like Bear Hunter and West By Swan, and evolving their chaotic post-punk songs. The Secret Stolen entered RadioStar Studios in the small town of Weed, Calif., in August to begin work on the follow-up to the debut album, A.W.O.L., and will hit the road for a month starting in mid-December.

Nothing People
The enigmatic psychedelic garage-rock band from Orland didn’t play in Chico this past year. They did, however, open up for Aussie art-punks Radio Birdman for three summer dates in L.A., San Diego and at Slims in San Francisco. The Nothing People just released their second 7-inch for S-S Records and continue to share some impressive bills in the Bay Area.

Danny Cohen
There’s only an occasional Danny Cohen sighting in Chico, but when it does happen, it’s guaranteed to be an interesting experience. Cohen released his latest record, Shades of Dorian Gray, on Anti-Records (Elliot Smith, Tom Waits) in February; it received the usual praise from those who like their music a little … off. As music blog Obscure Sound put it: “If you enjoy a slice of the bizarre, this album is certainly for you.”

Arrangement Ghost
Jason Willmon is still writing soulful indie songs in his living room under the name Arrangement Ghost, although the full-band version has been quiet of late. His new project, Spacious Parlour, has performed recently, most notably at local singer-songwriter Erin Lizardo’s album release party. The new songs are just as nice but with slightly more country bent to them.

Armed For Apocalypse
The Northern California all-star metal band, featuring members of Chico’s Oddman and Sacramento’s Ghost Ride, is in the studio working on material for a new full-length, due out in early 2008. Armed For Apocalypse recently opened for New York hardcore monsters Helmet and posted a couple of new tracks on their MySpace page—"Blood Meal” and “Devil and the Gods"—that are as ominous as their titles imply.