Red Host Red Host is drummer Jess Gowrie, bassist Ian Bone and singer/guitarist Chelsea Wolfe. The three met through mutual friends in 2006 as Ian and Jess were back home in Sacramento on the tail-end of different bands (Jess ex drummer for The Drama, Ian ex bass player for Deluxe) and Chelsea was looking for musicians to support her solo project. Once they got together to practice Chelsea's songs, though, they quickly realized they had a musical chemistry that was headed in a different direction and decided to start a completely new project: Red Host. Influenced by a wide range of bands and musicians such as Sonic Youth, Queens of the Stone Age, John Frusciante, Ours and even Hank Williams, the band simply seeks to create honest and dynamic music. Red Host has spent the last year touring around the West Coast and recording their first EP titled "UNCLEAN," which they released in April of this year. Listen http://www.myspace.com/redhost

ZuhG 1. To be unlike others. 2. To do something different. Interesting name considering those who are familiar with ZuhG’s music find that the only way to describe their style is unique, different, and unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. This ensemble of musicians has been making memorable sounds since Bryan Nichols started the band in 2004. It’s their shared love of music and zest for life that brought them together in the first place to form what is now one of the most recognizable bands in the Sacramento area. With constant shows and award nominations, it was only natural they release their long anticipated full length CD titled “To Be Unlike Others” With powerful lyrics inspired by personal triumphs, trails, tribulations, and whatever is going on in their lives, they bring you such fan favorites as “Homeless”, “Follow Me” and “Tell a Lie” These unique and bluntly honest tunes will keep you interested and intrigued… So watch out! Listen http://www.myspace.com/zuhg

Prieta Prieta is a Rock and Roll band from Sacramento, California. Audiences have already responded enthusiastically to their "tightly wound yet balls-out sound," generating significant interest and praise throughout Northern California. Influenced by classic bands like Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin, Prieta are currently hard at work playing live at venues in Sacramento, Modesto, Oakland, Davis, and Stockton. Prieta's brand new 6 song EP will be available this month. Prieta is also looking to return to the studio this coming winter to record their first full length cd! Formed in early 2007 by lead singer Alex Ayers, guitarist Mat Woods, bassist Ian McLachlan, and drummer Brian Breneman, Prieta have been working tirelessley to bring their music to a wide and and diverse audience. After playing the Central Valley live music scene for only 9 months, Prieta have earned a reputation as with undeniable "crossover appeal, just as comfortable on a bill with the powerful attack of Kai Kln or Hot Pistol as with the intricate prog-rock of Bridges or the quirky indie-pop of Bright Light Fever." Shows at Ceasar Chavez Park (Sac's Concert's in the Park Series), downtown Sacramento's Old Ironsides, Blue Lamp, Marilyn's on K, as well as Orangevale's Boardwalk and Roseville's Underground have shown audiences and promoters alike that Prieta are a band that performs with a fervor "hard enough to enspire headbanging and devil horns." Audiences throughout the Central Valley have also been expsosed to Prieta at Stockton's Blackwater Cafe, Modesto's Cafe Deva and Fresno's Tokyo Garden. With only 9 months of activity in the public eye under their belts, Prieta have been just as busy with recording. A demo cd was recorded in December 2007 at Sacramento's Hangar Recording Studios(Deftones, Far) with Robert Cheek (Deftones, An Angle, RxBandits, Bridges, Quitter) and is available for free at their shows and for streaming/downloading on the internet at myspace.com/prietaslays. Their brand new self titled EP will be available for sale by the end of July!   Listen http://www.myspace.com/prietaslays

Final Summation   Burned out and over saturated are the first things that come to mind when thinking of music today. Hard work has been replaced by friend lists and exaggeration technique. Passion is close to extinct. Evolution has taken its toll in both good and bad directions. Ignorance is still as predominant as it ever was. Cliques rule, drama remains and everyone's hometown sucks for one reason or another. Negativity and apathy shadow the landscape with no real signs of fading. Is it possible to create a new style or original piece non-comparable to something that came before? Is playing it safe the smart move? We don't think so. We like to have fun, tour constantly and write the best songs we can and feel will stand the test of time to age well into forever. Whether that happens is up to your ears. Stay relaxed, keep an open mind and have a sense of humor because life is too short to let anything really get to you. That's our 'motto' when on the road which is just about always. With seven years down and many more to go, hard work will always prevail over fame junkies. Quick Final Summation Facts are: Started in September of 2000. Heavily influenced by the likes of The Clash, Sam Cooke, Rancid, Motorhead and US Bombs. Have released 2 full length albums, 2 EP's and just released a new full length album this June under Smelvis Records. Our last album was one of the top 50 albums of 2005, rated by Andy Hawk. Since 2003 we started touring extensively (6-7 months our of the year). We've a number of west coast and mid-west tours and 3 Full US tours, and are another one rright now until August to promote the new record. We got nominated for a Sammie and played the park for the first time this year as well. We have opened for the likes of legends such as The Vibrators, GBH & Circle Jerks. Listen http://www.myspace.com/finalsummation

Crawzlos Listen http://www.myspace.com/cawzlos26hrz

Middle Class Rut Middle Class Rut play a visceral brand of alternative rock that echoes the intensity of Jane’s Addiction and Refused, the pummeling rhythmic backbone of Rage Against The Machine and the anthemic post-punk core of The Foo Fighters. Only in their mid-20s, Middle Class Rut—Zack Lopez (guitar/vox) and Sean Stockham (drums/vox)—are veteran musicians; both were core members of Leisure, an LA-based band that was signed to DreamWorks back in 2000 when Sean and Zack were in their early teens. After Leisure disbanded in 2003, Zack and Sean realized that what they really wanted was to write music and perform together as a stripped-down two-piece. After secluding themselves in their studio for several months and producing more than 60 songs, Middle Class Rut was officially born, performing for the first time in December 2006 in their hometown of Sacramento, CA. The band's first major tour was in Fall 2007 with Receiving End Of Sirens and Envy On The Coast. And from the very first tour stop, Middle Class Rut completely destroyed the audience's preconceptions of what a rock two-piece is capable of. ALTERNATIVE PRESS described the band’s aggressive sound and intense performances best in their January 2008 issue, writing: “…it’s mind-blowing to witness the sheer depth and complexity of the sound these two guys are capable of unleashing on their own…but once the novelty subsides, you’re left with incendiary post-rock with visible traces of ‘90s alternative.” Unsigned for the moment, Middle Class Rut will be touring throughout the US and Canada in 2008. http://www.myspace.com/middleclassrut

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To submit your band for Sounds of Sac consideration please e-mail Andy Hawk at andyhawk@kwod.net with an mp3 attached.