Some of you out there might happen to know that LAUNCH's main office is located in Santa Monica, California--that's in the vicinity of Los Angeles, for all you geographically hazy types out there. One great thing about living in California (besides, duh, the weather) is that we have one of the most vibrant music scenes in the country. From SoCal punk to NoCal grooves, this great state rocks in a variety of ways the rest of the nation would be hard-pressed to match. 

So, naturally, we're always pleased to see a Cali band make good--especially if, as in the case of our cover boys Incubus, they are virtual neighbors. Calabasas, a town in the sprawling San Fernando Valley (yes, THAT Valley--we've heard all the jokes, thanks) which is a mere 20 or so miles north of our office, isn't exactly known as a hotbed for musical upstarts. But that just makes the success of Incubus even more groovy--rather in the way Korn's suburban Bakersfield-born explosion seriously rocked. Yes, the members of Incubus are Valley Boys (like, bitchen!), and we love them all the more for it. This isn't the first time Incubus has visited the LAUNCH offices--the guys came by around this time in 1998 for a web chat--but frontman Brandon Boyd sure looked a lot different the last time we saw him. Stop by the Hang and find out why. Like, omigod, check the hair out! 

Another set of guys who are both from Southern California and have changed their once-signature hairstyles are twin brothers Gunnar and Matt Nelson, who are sons of the late, great Ricky Nelson and pretty darn proficient musicians in their own right. Unfortunately, many people seem to associate the Nelson twins with their long, platinum 'dos of the late '80s and fail to acknowledge that these guys have had a career to date that any musician would drool over. They've played live since childhood, had a smash debut record, sold millions of albums, had several top 10 hits (including a number one), and started their own record label. Furthermore, they've cut their hair, so get over it already. Visit them in the Vault, and learn all about their latest project--a very cool tribute to their dad's legendary career. 

We've got a lot of other artists this month who aren't from Southern California, but we like them anyway (just kiddin'). Very proud to represent her beloved hometown of Philly is Jill Scott, a smooth, soulful, bohemian-style R&B singer who's worked with the Roots and just wishes people would quit comparing her to Erykah Badu, already. Check her out in the Hothouse. Memphis, Tennessee, rappers Eightball & MJG are in Street Sounds, diggin' the fact that they're doing their part to advance the Southern rap craze. Alternative (um, make that very alternative) wizard Matt Mahaffey from Self is also from Tennessee, but he's probably the only artist we've ever hosted from the town of Murfreesboro. Meet him in the Lot, and discover just how one man can manage to record an entire album on toy instruments. 

Lest we're getting a little too American here, Anglophiles will be happy to know they aren't forgotten. This issue also features two Brit-bred artists: Teddy Thompson (who came to the States pretty early to work with his folk-star dad, Richard Thompson) and Peter Green (the original founder of Fleetwood Mac). They are in the Blue Room and 360 Lounge, respectively. And we've got a retrospective on Japanese rock in the Flavor that's, like, bitchen--so what are you waiting for? 

Stay totally tubular, 

The Editors