When I found out that A Place To Bury Strangers’ Oliver Ackermann designed effects pedals, I decided to approach this interview a little differently than the norm. Ackermann was kind enough to answer a few questions for me about how his fascination with tone started, his first recording and modification experiments, the gear he’s using onstage, and the band’s new album Exploding Head.

Releasing the band’s sophomore album, Love and Terror, earlier this month via The Orchard, singer Scott Rinning and guitarist Larry Reid of the Cinematics recently took a few moments to answer a few questions for us. The Glaswegian duo talked to us about their new album, the music that shaped their sound, and meeting Jeff Buckley’s Mom at SXSW.

Exene Cervenka is largely known for her contributions to the seminal Los Angeles punk band X in the late-’70s and ’80s, but she has since focused on a laundry list of solo and side projects including her recently released solo album, Somewhere Gone…

As a listener, it’s getting harder and harder to give new artists the benefit of the doubt. Everybody raps; and hardly anyone is worth a damn. Sketch, however, can SPIT. Long multisyllable chains, varying tempos, funny punchlines, heartfelt content; seeing him perform actually brought a smile to my face. It’s fun to be surprised…

At one point, the world really was Visqueen’s oyster. Their fanbase was growing, positive press was abundant, and they were sharing the stage with bands that mattered (Guided By Voices, Cheap Trick, etc.). It all changed when front woman Rachel Flotard found out her dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer…

To call Ben Frost unique would be an understatement. The Australian-born experimental composer now resides in Iceland and is on the brink of releasing By The Throat, his second release on the Bedroom Community label. The album is a chilling listen that scans Frost’s environment, picking up on the majesty of nature and the welcoming the sounds of its most primal inhabitants…

Guitarist Chris Rosenau recently took time to answer a few questions for us about the recording process of the new album, his favorite song(s) from Unmap, and the future of Collections of Colonies of Bees.

Last December Minneapolis’ Fuck Knights released its first album FuKn Live! Vol. 1, a compilation of songs recorded live from a variety of the band’s performances. Now following it up with a second release, Vol. 2 contains 12 tracks recorded throughout the Midwest from January to May of this year. While the album will officially drop at the band’s release party at Palmer’s Bar this coming October 10, Culture Bully is proud to offer FuKn Live! Vol. 2 in its entirety for free download. Fuck yeah.

In this interview the 23 year old Minneapolis-based MC discusses his third album, The Passion, his influences, his aspirations and what he thinks about the lack of support for local hip hop from local DJs.

Due in part to their excellent sophomore album, Gather Form and Fly, Megafaun has seen an increasing level of recognition as the band continues to explore their rustic folk sound. Culture Bully’s Josh Keller recently caught up with the band to talk about their latest record, their previous stops in the Twin Cities and what they have planned for the rest of the year.

In today’s indie music scene business models (complete with market strategy and web-based 2.0 marketing concepts) have seemingly prevailed as the dominant means of becoming successful. Granted, for a band to succeed they should understand that there is a business behind the scene that allows it to function, yet for some bands the business model has usurped the music in importance. The RAA doesn’t seem to suffer from that concept.

Two hard years have gone by since Høst (formerly known as Hennes Siste Høst) began supporting their critically-acclaimed debut album Høst, and frontman Zander Ness has always known that it wouldn’t be an easy journey. Culture Bully’s Ryan Buege sat down with Ness to ask him about the struggles of taking the band to the next level and to learn what inspirations fuel the blackest and most bewildering band from Fargo.