A Poor Excuse | it

I Excuse is easily the most exciting band to come around for the past 10 years, like a real spastic Leatherface. They formed in Japan's old capital city Kyoto in 2000, after each member left their previous local bands. Influences include Leatherface, Husker Du, Dag Nasty, Pegboy, Articles Of Faith (there's a cover of "What We Want Is Free" on Burn The Empty To The Ash) and Naked Raygun. They are also influenced by bands from their generation. Such as Lifetime, Dillinger Four, and Strike Anywhere. Their first release was a split 7" with Finnish band Manifesto Jukebox on the...

Mahendra Kapoor was born in Amritsar, but soon moved to Mumbai. He was inspired by Mohammed Rafi and won the all-India singing competition early in his career. He sang many hit songs of yesteryears most notable being those for B.R. Chopra's Films (Dhool Ka Phool, Gumrah, Waqt, Hamraaz, Dhund etc.) and for actor/producer Manoj Kumar (Upkaar, Purab Aur Paschim etc.) .

You can try and find a gutsier, harder working, more determined bunch than Toronto's Poor Young Things. But even if you succeed, it's doubtful you'll also find one as clearly positioned for greatness. Just two years after collectively relocating from Thunder Bay, the pop-rock quintet has issued a massive, sweat-soaked, insanely confident debut, The Heart. The Head. The End. Not only that, they've picked up a record deal, marquee management, a Sirius XM Emerging Artist of the Year nomination and a swelling fan base. Few can make something as tough as pursuing a dream look so dang easy. "Oh man,...

Perhaps the most misunderstood band to record for Factory, The Royal Family & The Poor remain for many an (oc)cult enigma, releasing only four albums in two decades, and rarely performing live after 1984. In fact the oblique band moniker masks the identity of just one man, Mike Keane, whose chequered history is a complicated tale of perseverance in the face of adversity. .