On the Verge: Chris Unck

We filmed On the Verge w/ Chris Unck yesterday and it was a hoot! You may know Chris as a guitarist for Butch Walker's band. However, he also has his own musical project and I can't seem to stop playing the songs. "Ruby..." is a favorite and you can hear it now at www.myspace.com/chrisunck.

I won't tell you any more about him. You'll have to watch our episode of On the Verge once it debuts!

Here's some photos of Butch & company at the Stone Pony last night. Nicole Atkins made a special appearance during the encore, which was a nice surprise. Also really cool, on the last song, opening act (& a fav of. Jessica's) The Films, came out on stage for one big jam. More tours should do this.

*By Joelle, who just drank a delish rice milk latte from Whole Foods.














Jersey girl cool, Nicole.



Jess & Joelle, post interview w/ Chris Unck.

Life and other stuff at 3:36pm

I'm at work, reading Ian from Lostprophets blogspot and thought I'd post something of my own.

Tomm. is free iced coffee day at Dunkin' Donuts (YES! I've had a countdown). I'll be stopping in on my way to the office, at lunch and possibly grab a decaf on my way home.

In other news, I adopted a dog from the shelter over the weekend. Something I've been wanting to do forever. I actually found this little boy (ok, he's 42 pounds-not so little) in the pouring rain a few weeks ago. But after nobody claimed him at the shelter, I decided I should be his new mom. I love Huskies and it was fate that I found him.

He's so well-trained and loving, I can't imagine who wouldn't be searching for him. I have posts on Craigslist, PetFinder, etc. But he was skinny, scared on his face and collar-less so who knows...

I have a trainer coming today to help Skye (my blue-eyed 5 year-old Siberian Husky/German Shephard mix) accept her new brother, Lucky (the 1 1/2 year-old Siberian Husky/ Shiba Inu mix). We are such a cute little family as we walk down the street!

My silly fur kiddies:






So missed the Nicole Atkins show I was so eagerly waiting to cover. But hey, I saved a life!

And I got the new Raine Maida solo CD. Details on what you can expect from that soon. Very different from Our Lady Peace, I'll say that.

What else???? Jordana and I caught the Val Emmich show at Pianos last week (he rocked as usu.) and both decided that we're getting kind of sick of writing about music stuff. So you can be expecting lots of other fun content on this blogspot from us! I actually just realized I have been a music journalist for a full DECADE now. How insane is that??? I love music, but I think I'm pretty bored with all the bands out there today. I have no interest in writing about many people. After a while, it's the same questions over and over again. Unless you really love the band and care more about them. In that case, I'll never be sick of doing interviews!

I am considering digging into my past and posting my adventures in dating (ah, the single days!) Very entertaining stuff there. We'll see!

The boys at my job are playing Flight of the Concords non-stop. But yesterday it was this really awful metal. I had to yell at them for it. I'm the only girl here, as the others are on vacation or home sick. Who know what would become of the place if I was out, too!

* By Joelle, who will post more often and also JUST got a Facebook page. Wow.

This Girl Rocks- Nicole Atkins

There's a voice in my head and it keeps singing sweet songs. I hear it when I wake up and sometimes it comes to me throughout the course of the day. When this happens I must put on "Neptune City" by Nicole Atkins. Afterall, it's her beautiful, powercharged vocals that welcomely haunt me, and probably everyone else who has become addicted to her music.



Like most of the Planet Verge staff, Atkins is a Jersey girl. The one regret I have about this is that I never really gave her a second thought while she was up-an-coming in the Asbury Park scene. It's weird because I always knew her name, and being a publicist for so many of the NJ locals (Val Emmich, Hero Pattern, The Parlor Mob, Perfuma, Readymade Breakup, etc.) and running a NJ-based fanzine for six years, you'd think I'd be at a show with Nicole Atkins on the bill. But I swear, it never happened. So even though I may be a little late on the bandwagon, I still take pride in our shared roots. When my fiance happened to catch her at Maxwells and came home raving, I knew it was time to take the initiative and get my hands on a CD.

Lately, I've taken a keen interest in female vocalists. In particular, songs like "Bad News" by Aimee Allen and "I'm Not Cool" by Sohodolls became instant favorites. The jazzy, retro appeal of those songs really got me hooked. And what do you know, Nicole Atkins is a glorius package of jazzy alt. folk rock. Exactly the "more" for which I've been searching. The exact opposite of the songs which I usually listen.

Check her out on www.myspace.com/nicoleatkins, but be warned, the tracks alone don't do her justice. "Neptune City" is an ALBUM. The total package. Something that should be listened to from begining to end. It's only then, that you'll get the full reward.

Tracks to try: "The Way It Is," "Brooklyn's On Fire," & "Love Surreal"

*By Joelle, who is listening to track 6, "Love Surreal," right now.