Zia Records Blog-o-rama

Landmine Marathon "Gallows" album review by Ryan at ZIA Oracle

2012-01-27T15:04:00.000-08:00

Like an enraged, bloodthirsty demon breaking out of the depths of the netherworld, the fourth record from Phoenix based Landmine Marathon spits in your face, rends your flesh to tatters, and then tosses your broken corpse into the dirty darkness of a back alley on the wrong side of town. All within 8 tracks that span just over 29 minutes, they get the job done and then walk away, satiated by the tasty morsel made of your soul.

From the opening guitar squeals of Three Snake Leaves to the final slow burning fury of Morbidity, Landmine Marathon deploy their fearsome arsenal of thrash, grind, and death in a relentless charge to smash your ears. Leading this all or nothing attack is the formidable voice of Grace Perry with all the accustomed spite and vitriol she is known for. She sounds like she MEANS it and at any moment may jump out of the stereo and stabs you in the throat with a rusty knife. Let us not forget about the rest of the band though, for as powerful as the vocals are the music behind them deserves just as much credit. Guitarists Ryan Butler and Dylan Thomas, bassist Matt Martinez, and drummer Andy York are one hell of a tight unit throughout the churning cacophony of the songs.

For one, Beaten and Left Blind is a great example. The song gallops into existence and breaks down into a mid paced groove (check out the monster riff at 1:40) with a guitar solo before lurching back into a frenzied tempo at the end. Opener Three Snake Leaves delivers another crushing moment at 2 1/2 minutes in, while Knife from My Sleeve breaks up the album's overall lightning pace with a slow, dirge like beginning. These various formulas, rather than a single formula that plagues a lot of metal records, are good to hear. No time is wasted, no arrangement is over embellished, and the music is compact and clenched into a fist for easy swinging. Additionally, the raw, not too polished sound of the recording adds to the character of the music. Recorded at Arcane Digital (Guitarist Ryan Butler's own studio,) the music has an organic sound; it’s not weighed down by layers of effects or other studio foppery. The sharp, thick, and brutal guitar tone absolutely slays, but it or any other instrument doesn't drown out the rest of the band. It seems a novel thing these days to find metal recordings that don't sound robotic and cold, so extra points go to this band for eschewing the fakeness of the modern sound.

So where does this band fit into the bigger picture? While their sound is not innovative or ground breaking, Landmine Marathon is very good at what they do, and have been out touring the national scene for some time now. Their ferocious live shows are highly recommended, and at one of them you will find the true magic of the band. The records are heavy, but the live shows multiply this many times over. One should take care though, as through a CD you can listen and be safe, but in the actual presence of Grace Perry, you might actually get punched, spit on, or given a good scare if you get too close.

In conclusion, throw our your death core and generic modern death metal records and go pick up Gallows by Landmine Marathon and enjoy the straight goods from this band who understands the music they are playing and has real passion for it, rather than the flavor of the weak.

Vektor "Outer Isolation" album review by Ryan at ZIA Oracle

2012-01-27T14:55:00.000-08:00

Now here is an album where the cover art doesn't do much justice for the music that accompanies it. There's too much similarity between it and so many other 80s thrash record covers; plus the Voivod like font of the band name is an eyesore, but having raged about it for exactly forty-five words, the griping budget has been practically exhausted. To use an old, but apt in this instance, cliché: don't judge a book by its cover.

Vektor delivers in the area that matters most, the music itself. A fifty-two minute construct of progressive thrash and death that at times recalls the glory days of bands such as Death, Kreator, and Voivod, Outer Isolation is not an easy beast to tag, catalog, and put in a box. Like a shape shifting and hyper intelligent virus that is constantly mutating and becoming exponentially stronger, the songs unfold with impressive displays of musicianship and songwriting acumen. Songs such as Venus Project and the title track showcase a wide range of tempos and stylistic changes, including galloping thrash riffs that descend flawlessly into jazzy prog dirges or melodic and emotive interludes.

These mad scientists expertly splice just about every subgenre of metal together on Outer Isolation, and it’s a trip to hear a black metal riff right next to a guitar part best described as old school hardcore. Just as remarkable and a great credit to them as songwriters, this band will throw a great verse or bridge at you, and then not repeat it at all for the rest of the song, when a million other bands would have built the entire song around such a part and played it to death. Vektor is confidently upping the ante within each piece of music, seemingly challenging themselves as well as the listener.

Despite its kaleidoscopic nature, the album maintains a cohesive and relentless pace throughout its length, and never suffers the mid-album loss of momentum that has been the death knell of many a record. Having only one song fewer than five minutes long and several as long as eight to ten minutes, there isn't any fluff or needless noodling.

Every note seems to fit precisely to form an undisputed example of how focused and well performed progressive metal is still a force that commands attention.
Indeed, some are paying attention in the case of Vektor, who have delivered an album worthy of being called an opus. Numerous record stores where this reviewer resides have been sold out of this album for a few weeks, and there doesn't appear to be any end of praise for this record in other critical venues. Many thought they could not top or make anything on the level of their previous effort, the incredible Black Future album, but Outer Isolation goes to toe to toe with that accomplishment and can stand proud beside it.

In conclusion, Vektor has once again shown they are a dedicated, hard working band that can deliver metal that is both bold and unconventional, but also appealing to many different fans across the metal spectrum.

Mark Lanegan Band "Blues Funeral" listening party at ZIA Tempe ~ January 26th at 7PM!

2012-01-24T09:45:00.000-08:00

Join us for special listening party for the upcoming Mark Lanegan Band "Blues Funeral" album at ZIA Tempe on Thursday, January 26th at 7PM! Be the first to hear the new album and stop by for a chance to win a Vinyl test pressing of the new album at the party! We'll also have a very limited amount of autographed 7" singles to give away when you pre-order the new album at ZIA!

Mark Lanegan "Blues Funeral" on sale February 7th at all ZIA Records locations!

ZIA Records now taking Local Music submissions for "You Heard Us Back When, Vol. 6"!

2012-01-12T15:56:00.000-08:00

ZIA Records is happy to announce that we will be releasing the 6th volume of our "You Heard Us Back When" Local Music Compilation series in 2012! We are now taking music submissions from Local Artists and Bands from the Phoenix, Las Vegas and Tucson areas to be included on this year's compilation!

To submit your music for this year's compilation, you can drop off a CD of your music at any of our 8 ZIA Record Exchange location between now and Friday, March 9, 2012! Music submissions must be on CD format or MP3 file. If you are submitting a CD, you must complete a Sumbission form and include with your CD. If you are submitting MP3 files,the tracks can be sent via email to info@ziarecords.com with a completed submission form. Download, print and bring the submission form along with a CD of your music to any ZIA Records location!

Submission form here!

Forms will also be available at every store location for you to fill out if needed.

The compilation will be available and on sale at all ZIA Records locations for National Record Store Day, Saturday, April 21st, 2012!

Get your band heard! Have fun! ZIA loves you!

C-Ron's Top 10 Albums and Films of 2011 ~ Special Editions and so much more!

2012-01-12T09:27:00.000-08:00

C-RON'S “TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2011”
(SPECIAL 2-DISC DELUXE EDITION)
Produced and mixed by C-Ron from Chandler
Mastered by Mary Awesomehausen from The Compound

It is becoming more of a pattern for us. With relative frequency, when someone inquires about a new release, we must ask them, “Which version would you prefer?” Many of the albums and films that are released today are issued in a variety of formats and configurations. Some people look at this as an added incentive to make a purchase: “This CD comes with a DVD and smells like cinnamon toast!” Others look at it as an added irritation: “I didn't know that picking this album up was going to be like choosing an insurance plan.”

When we were asked to compile a list of our favorites from 2011, I was pretty excited, since this turned out to be a great year for me as far as music went. It meant even more considering how many people did not feel the same way (that would mean that I must have lucked out). However, I am not sure that I even SAW ten movies this year, so I knew that the “flick” portion of my list would be a complete failure. I found myself wishing that I could turn in multiple lists of music instead, which brought about the idea of presenting an alternate version. I did not want to disregard instruction, but with consideration of what I mentioned in the first paragraph, it made a lot of sense to go with that idea. This is my eighth list for Zia. It is also my most creative entry. In fact, this is the one that I am the proudest of. So, which version would you prefer?

C-RON'S “TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2011”
(SPECIAL 2-DISC DELUXE EDITION)

Disc 1 (“Top 10 Albums Of 2011”)
Hammers Of Misfortune “17th Street”
Anthrax “Worship Music”
Textures “Dualism”
Wino “Adrift”
Premonition 13
Devin Townsend Project “Deconstruction”
Primordial “Redemption At The Puritan's Hand”
Pentagram “Last Rites”
Bloodiest “Descent”
Today Is The Day “Pain Is A Warning”

Disc 2 (The Extras)
Alternate mix of “Top 10 Albums Of 2011”
Mastodon “The Hunter”
Blood Ceremony “Living With The Ancients”
Graveyard “Hisingen Blues”
Opeth “Heritage”
Ghost Brigade “Until Fear No Longer Defines Us”
Steven Wilson “Grace For Drowning”
Samael “Lux Mundi”
Wolves In The Throne Room “Celestial Lineage”
Electric Wizard “Black Masses”
Motörhead “The Wörld Is Yours”
Unearthed recordings
from the sessions for “Top 10 Albums Of 2010”
Slough Feg “The Animal Spirits”
Sabbath Assembly “Restored To One”
Live in Cleveland
Rush “Time Machine Live In Cleveland”
Video Enhancements
Interview with John Cobbett
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWmkwmWBKzA)
Making of the “Lemmy” documentary
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0-5r3u2pnU)
Trailer for Orphaned Land's “The Road To OR-Shalem”
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0KiB1wQ2ZY)

The “Top 10 Films Of 2011”
Will only be available in the upcoming “Ultimate Super-Extra-Definitive 2 CD + 4 LP + 2 DVD/BLU-RAY Collector's Edition" which will include:
a T-shirt,
a sticker, a laminate, a rub-on tattoo,
a pair of 3-D glasses,
a hardcover book, a signed photo,
a keyring, a bottle opener, a shot glass,
a lighter, an air freshener,
an invalid lottery ticket from 1994,
a scratch-'n'-sniff poster of Chad Kroeger
and 24 slices of Swiss cheese
(release date not yet confirmed).

I would also like to point out 40 Watt Sun's “The Inside Room,” which I discovered after my list was finalized and received by HQ. Just as how I would have included the Slough Feg and Sabbath Assembly releases in my 2010 list if I had known about them beforehand, this album would have been added into this one. Also, enjoy 2012. You will have much to choose from.

Authority Zero "Less Rhythm More Booze" CD/DVD Release party on January 30th!

2012-01-11T13:25:00.000-08:00

Join ZIA Records for a special Authority Zero "Less Rhythm More Booze" CD/DVD release party on Monday, January 30th at The Roxy in Scottsdale! Stop by any Valley ZIA location, pre-order the new Authority Zero album and get a FREE wristband to the release party and meet the band! Meet and greet starts at 6PM and is all ages, performance starting at 7PM and is 21 and over only.

Make sure to visit any Valley ZIA to pre-order and get your wristband now before they're all gone!

Authority Zero "Less Rhythm More Booze" on sale January 31st at all ZIA locations!

Best Of 2011 ~ ZIA Records HQ Staff Picks

2011-12-22T12:02:00.000-08:00

Best Of 2011 ~ ZIA Records Oracle Staff Picks

2011-12-21T16:04:00.000-08:00

Best Of 2011 ~ ZIA Records Speedway Staff Picks

2011-12-21T15:39:00.001-08:00

Best Of 2011 ~ ZIA Records Sahara (Las Vegas) Staff Picks

2011-12-21T14:29:00.000-08:00

Best Of 2011 ~ ZIA Records Eastern (Las Vegas) Staff Picks

2011-12-16T14:54:00.000-08:00

ZIA Records employees sorted through their favorite albums and movies of 2011 and came up with an amazing list full of great albums and films!

Enjoy our favorites and make sure to stop by your local ZIA and we'll be sure to have a bunch of recommendations when you visit us! Big thanks to all of our customers, friends, family and creative folks that made 2011 another great year at ZIA! And remember...ZIA loves you!

ZIA Records Eastern Staff Picks ~ Best Of 2011

Craig
Top 8 Albums of 2011
Foo Fighters / Waisting Light
Black Keys / El Camino
DJ Quik / Book Of David
Arctic Monkeys / Suck It And See
Kasabian / Velociraptor
Beach Boys / Smile
Thursday- No Devolucion
Tyler The Creator- Goblin

Top 9 Movies & Games of 2011
Captain America
Super 8
Dinner for Schmucks
Horrible Boses
Thor
Devil's Double
Due Date
MLB The Show 2011
NBA 2k12

Kerwin

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Explosions In The Sky- Take Care Take Care Take Care
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears- Scandalous
Childish Gambino- Camp
Foo Fighters- Wasting Light
Fucked Up- David Comes To Life
Thursday- No Devolucion
Protest The Hero- Scurrilous
Man Man- Life Fantastic
Beirut- Rip Tide
Astronautalis- This Is Our Science

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Batman: Arkham City
Black Swan
Portal 2
Super 8
Little Big Planet 2
Dragon Age 2
X-Men: First Class
Winnie The Pooh
Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (book)

Joey

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Letlive/Fake History
BTBAM/The Paralax
Haste the Day/HTD vs HTD
Childish Gambino/CAMP
Emmure/Speaker of the Dead
Protest the Hero/Scurrilous
The Lonely Island/Turtle Neck & Chain
August Burns Red / Leveler
Suicide Silence / Black Crown
Tyler The Creator / Goblin

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Thor
Captain America
Brides Maids
Super 8
Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows pt. 2
Pirates Of The Carribean: On Strange Tides
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Dragon Age 2
Mortal Kombat
Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Reuben

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Beach Boys/Smile
Radiohead/King of Limbs
Kashmere/Stage Band
Tom Waits/Bad As Me
Lykke Hi/Wounded Rhymes
PJ Harvey/Let England Shake
Forge Your Own Cheins
Panda Bear/Tomboy
Vivian Girls/Share the Joy
Explosions in the Sky/Take Care

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Inside Job
IP Man II
Biutiful
Hobo with a Shotgun
Rubber
Super 8
X-Men: First Class
Submarine
Thor
Harry Potter/Deathly Hallows

Kirby

Top 5 Albums of 2011
Florence & The Machine- Ceremonials
Tom Waits- Bad As Me
Patton Oswalt- Finest Hour
Lonely Island- Turtleneck & Chain
Explosions In The Sky- Take Care Take Care Take Care

Top 10 Movies & Games of 2011
127 Hours
Black Swan
Paul
True Grit
Biutiful
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Dragon Age 2
Deus X: Human Revolution
Batman: Arkham City
Tactics: Let Us Cling Together

Bobby

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Flogging Molly- Speed of Darkness
AA Bondy- Believers
Gym Class Heroes- Papercut Chronicles 2
Puscifer- Conditions of My People
Alice Cooper- Welcome 2 My Nightmare
Cars- Move Like This
Skrillex- Scary Monsters & Nice Sprites
Thievery Corporation- Culture Of Fear
Adele- 21
Tom Waits- Bad As Me

Top 10 Movies & Games of 2011
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
F.E.A.R. 3
Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7
Fable 3
Gears of War 3
Halo Anniversary
Super 8
Captain America
Red Riding Hood
Smurfs

William

Top 13 Albums of 2011
Earth / Angels Of Darkness, Demons of Light 1 LP
Young Widows / In & Out of Youth and Lightness LP
The Psychic Paramount / II LP
HTRK / Work (Work, Work) LP
Pypmy Lush / Old Friends LP
Religious Knives / Smokescreen LP
Psychedelic Horeshit / Laced LP
Explosions In The Sky/Take Care,Take Care,Take Care
No Anchor / Real Pain Supernova LP
Boris / Attention Please LP
Boris / Heavy Rocks 2011 LP
Boris / New Album LP
Beach Boys / Smile LP

Top 7 Movies of 2011
Due Date
Hesher
Black Swan
Nowhere Boy
Social Network
Howl
Super 8

Alex J.

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Grateful Dead- Europe '72 vol 2
Beach Boys- Smile
Meat Puppets- Lollipop
My Morning Jacket- Circuital
Radiohead- King of Limbs
Decemberists- King Is Dead
Skrillex- Scary Monsters & Nice Sprites
Explosions In The Sky- Take Care Take Care Take Care
Grateful Dead- Dick's Picks vol 7
Primus- Green Naugahyde

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Drive
Paul
Fighter
Bridesmaids
Black Swan
American: The Bill Hicks Story
The Trip
Terri
Attack The Block
X-Men: First Class

Yasmina

Top 9 Albums of 2011
Sabbath Assembly
Electric Wizard- Black Masses
Washed Out- Washed Out
Beirut- Rip Tide
HTRK
Earth
College- Northern Council
Pure X- Pleasure
Crystal Castles

Top 9 Movies of 2011
Andrei Tarskoski Collection
Never Let Me Go
Blue Valentine
Horrible Bosses
Black Swan
Wuthering Heights
Melancholio
Drive
Fighter

Ilene

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Lonely Island- Turtleneck & Chain
Volbeat- Beyond Hell Above Heaven
Danger Mouse- Rome
Mayer Hawthorne- How Do You Do
Angles & Airwaves- Love Pt 1 & 2
Ringworm- Scars
Cults- Cults
Carnifex- Until I Feel Nothing
Tony Bennett- Duets II
Adele- 21

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Life In A Day
Forls Over Knoves
Last Mountain
Interrupeters
Into The Abyss
Waiting For Superman
Page One: Inside the NY Times
Daniel Tosh- Happy Thoughts
Stool Pigeon
Marvel VS Capcom

Marissa

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Skrillex- Scary Monster & Nice Sprites
Deadmau5- 4+4=12
Bloody Beetroots- Best Of Remixes
Thievery Corporation- Culture Of Fear
Kaskade- Fire & Ice
Bjork- Biophillia
Wolfgang Gartner- Weekend In America
Nirvana- Nevermind (reissue)
Justice- Avoid, Video, Disco
Foster The People- Torches

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Carnage
Parks & Rec- Season 3
Kings Speech
X-Men: First Class
Paul
Dexter- Season 5
Hobo With A Shotgun
Bridesmaids
Let Me In
Beginners

Lauren

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Tyler The Creator- Goblin
Devotchka- 100 Lovers
Britney Spears- Femme Fatale
Bright Eyes- The People's Key
Iron & Wine- Kiss Each Other Clean
Atmosphere- The Family Sign
Lil Wayne- Carter IV
The Boxer Rebellion- The Cold Still
Lonely Island- Turtleneck & Chain
The Rome (Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi)

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Submarine
Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Pt 2
Tree Of Life
Crazy Stupid Love
Bridesmaids
HESHER
Hobo With A Shotgun
The Trip
Paranormal Activity 3
Sleeping Beauty

Marlene

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Submarine Soundtrack
Cut Copy/Zonoscope
Strokes/Angles
Foster the People/Torches
Handsome Furs/Sound Capital
Kasabian/Velociraptor
Drums/Portamento
Modest Mouse/Rome
Beach Boys/Smile
Artic Monkeys/Suck it & See

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Hesher
Water for Elephants
Bridesmaids
X-Men: First Class
Midnight in Paris
Rum Diaries
Harry Potter And the Deathly Hallows II
Cedar Rapids
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Adjustment Bureau

Kim H.

Top 4 Albums of 2011
Mr. Gasser & The Weirdos/Surfink
Mr. Gasser & The Weirdos/Rods N'Ratfinks
Mr. Gasser & The Weirdos/Hot Rod Hootenanny
Dex Romweber Duo/Is that You in the Blue?

Top 4 Movies of 2011
Our Idiot Brother
Midnight in Paris
Cowboys & Aliens
Cedar Rapids

Apple Luna

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Adele- 21
Radiohead- King of Limbs
Lupe Fiasco- Lasers
Rise Against- End Game
Kesha- Dance Commander
Foo Fighters- Wasting Light
Gorrilaz- the Fall
Death Cab For Cutie-Codes & Keys
Journey- Eclipse
Whitesnake- Forever More

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Season Of The Witch
Just Go With It
Hall Pass
Rango
Battle: Los Angeles
Sucker Punch
X-Men: First Class
Transformers: Dark Of The Moon
Captain America
Change-Up

Yamil

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Gotye- Making Mirrors
Childish Gambino- Camp
Youth Lagoon- Year Of Hibernation
Mac Miller- Blue Sky Park
Girls- Father Holf Ghost
Theophilus London- Times Are Weird These Days
Florenece & The Machine- Ceremonials
St. Vincent- Strange Mercy
TV On The Radio- Nine Types Of Light
Tyler The Creator- Goblin

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Rise Of The Planet Of The Ape
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Gears Of War 3
King's Speech
Uncharted 3
Bridesmaids
Parks & Rec- Season 3
Hobo With A Shotgun
Win/Win
Cedar Rapids

Vanessa

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Lykke Li- Wounded Rhymes
Duran Duran- All You Need Is Now
Raphael Saadiq- Stone Rollin'
Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues
City & Colour- Little Hell
Mute Math- Odd Soul
Portugal. The Man- The Mountain In The Cloud
IAMX- Volatile Times
Minus The Bear- Hold Me Down EP
Toro Y Moi- Underneath The Pine

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Hangover 2
Cars 2
Just Go With It
Horrible Bosses
Friends With Benefits
Bridesmaids
Bad Teacher
Adjustment Bureau
No Strings Attached
Rango

Best Of 2011 ~ ZIA Records Thunderbird Staff Picks

2011-12-15T16:51:00.001-08:00

ZIA Records employees sorted through their favorite albums and movies of 2011 and came up with an amazing list full of great albums and films!

Enjoy our favorites and make sure to stop by your local ZIA and we'll be sure to have a bunch of recommendations when you visit us! Big thanks to all of our customers, friends, family and creative folks that made 2011 another great year at ZIA! And remember...ZIA loves you!

ZIA Records Thunderbird Staff Picks ~ Best Of 2011

Jarrett

Top 10 Albums & Games of 2011
Book of Mormon Musical
Puscifer- Conditions
Tina Fey- Bossy Pants BOOK
Elder Scrolls: Skyrim GAME
Batman: Arkham City GAME
Mortal Kombat GAME
ICD/ Shadow of Collossus GAME
Uncharted 3- Drake's Deception GAME
Assassin's Creed- Revelations GAME
Pearl Jam- 20

Top 10 Movies & TV of 2011
X-Men: 1st Class!!!
Dexter- Season 5
Bridesmaids
pAUL
Super 8
Big Bang Theory- Season 4
Sucker Punch
Californication- Season 4
Rango
Pearl Jam- 20 (Film)

Ed

Top 10 Albums of 2011
St. Vincent- Strange Mercy
Yuck- S/T
Dirty Beaches- Badlands
Girls- Father, Son, Holy Ghost
Pains of being pure at Heart- Belong
Mogwai- Hardcore will never die but you will
PJ Harvey- Let England Shake
Tyler the Creator- Goblin
Battles- Gloss Drop
Unknown Mortal Orchestra- S/T

Top 10 Books of 2011
Daniel Clowes- Mr. Wonderful
Tina Fey- Bossy Pants
Paul Hendrickson- Hemmingway's Boat
Christopher Hitchens- Arguably
Jon Ronson- Pyschopath Test
James Gleick- The Information: A History, a theory, a Flood
Daryl Gregory- Unpossible
Joan Didion- Blue Nights
Michael Lewis- Boomerang: Travels in the new 3rd World
Walter Isaacson- Steve Jobs

Brett

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Fucked Up- David Comes to Life
Charles Bradley- No Time for Dreaming
Yob- Atma
Boris- Heavy Rocks 2011
Kurt Vile- Smoke Ring for my Halo
Wu Lyf- Go tell fire to the Mountain
Earth- Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light
Cold Cave- Cherish the Light Years
Rob Crow- He thinks hes People
Father's Children- Who's gonna save the World

Top 10 Movies of 2011
I Saw The Devil
pAUL
Super 8
X-Men: 1st Class
Hesher
Trollhunter
Win Win
Everything Must Go
Hobo With a Shotgun
Red State

Sean

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Book of Knots- Garden of Fainting Stars
Amon Tobin- Isam
Primus- Green Naugahyde
Tom Waits- Bad As Me
John Zorn- Elegy 20th Anniversary
Mastodon- The Hunter
Boris- Heavy Rocks 2011
David Lynch- Crazy Clown Time
Mike Patton- Solitude of Prime Numbers
Kashmere Stage Band- Texas Thunder Soul Re-Issue

Aaron

Top 10 Album of 2011
Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX- We're New Here
Jay-Z & Kanye West- Watch the Throne
J. Cole- Cole World
Manchester Orchestra- Simple Math
Youth Lagoon- Year of Hibernation
New Found Glory- Radiosurgery
Lupe Fiasco- Lasers
Justice- Audio, Video, Disco
Kvelertak- S/T
Tron: Legacy- Reconfigured

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Source Code
X-Men: 1st Class
Super 8
Midnight in Paris
Fighter
Black Swan
127 Hours
Tron- Legacy
Drive
The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

Alex

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Sebastian- Total
ZZT- Partys Over Earth
Retox- Ugly Animals
Toro y Moi- Underneath the Pine
Bloody Beetroots- Church of Noise
Justice- Audio, Video, Disco
Rotten Sound- Cursed
Wolves in the Throne Room- Celestial Lineage
Modelselektor- Monkeytown
Neon Indian- Era Extrana

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Rubber
Hanna
Trollhunter
X-Men: 1st Class
Super 8
Rango
pAUL
Lemmy
The Muppet Movie
A Happy Meridian 2

Rose

Top 10 Albums of 2011
The Strokes- Angles
Beastie Boys- Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2
Justice- Audio, Video, Disco
The Cars- Move Like This
311- Universal Pulse
Adele- 21
Snoop Dogg- Doggumentary
Radiohead- King of Limbs
Ziggy Marley- Wild & Free
Duran Duran- All you need is now

Top 10 Movies of 2011
pAUL
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Pt.2
Unknown
Rango
Case 39
Conspirator
Rubber
Black Swan
The Muppet Movie
127 Hours

Bailey

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Kurt Vile- Smoke Ring for my Halo
Thee Oh Sees- Carrion Crawler Dream EP
St. Vincent- Strange Mercy
Woods- Sun & Shade
Garden & Villa- S/T
Dirty Beaches- Badlands
Wooden Ships- West
Middle Brother- S/T
Crystal Stilts- In Love with Oblivion
Night Beats- S/T

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Hesher
Black Swan
Last Circus
X-Men: 1st Class
Hanna
Source Code
Super 8
The Rum Diary
Super
How I Met Your Mother- Season 6

Katie

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Bad Meets Evil- Hell: The Sequel
Opeth- The Heritage
Lonely Island- Turtleneck & Chair
Polkadot Cadaver- Sex Offender
Primus- Green Naugahyde
Beastie Boys- Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2
Deftones- Covers
Mastodon- The Hunter
Puscifer- Conditions of my Parole
Incubus- If not now, when?

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Your Highness
X-Men: 1st Class
Bad Teacher
Black Swan
Kung Fu Panda 2
Source Code
Dexter Season 5
The Rite
Crazy Stupid Love
Robot Chicken Star Wars 3

Chris

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Charles Bradley- No time for Dreaming
Battles- Gloss Drop
Shabazz Palaces- Black Up
Kashmere Stage Band- Texas Thunder Soul Re-Issue
Unknown Mortal Orchestra- S/T
Stepkids- S/T
Tom Waits- Bad As Me
Youth Lagoon- Year of Hibernation
Justice- Audio Video Disco
MF Doom- Operation Doomsday Re-Issue

Top 10 Movies of 2011
GAME Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Rango
I Saw the Devil
Source Code
Rubber
Lemmy
Puppet Monster Massacre
Trollhunter
Beats, Rhymes, and Life (ATCQ)
Troll 2 Re-Issue

Alec G.

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Dirty Beaches- Badlands
Zecho Marguise- Getting' Paid
Opeth- Heritage
Mastodon- The Hunter
Battles- Gloss Drop
Retox- Ugly Animals
Tom Waits- Bad As Me
Fucked Up- David comes to life
Shabazz Palaces- Black Up
Tyler the Creator- Goblin

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Super 8
I Saw the Devil
13 Assassins
Super
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Pt.2
Insidious
Rango
Hanna
X-Men: 1st Class
Hesher

Daisy

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Yuck- S/T
St. Vincent- Strange Mercy
Thao & Mirah- S/T
Beirut- Rip Tide
Unknown Mortal Orchestra- S/T
Fleet Floxes- Helplessness Blues
Cold Cave- Cherish the Light Years
Bass Drum of Death- GB City
Girls- Father, Son, Holy Ghost
Norwegian Wood Soundtrack

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Rango
Hanna
Harry Potter & Deathly Hallows Pt. 2
Bad Teacher
Bridesmaids
Your Highness
Modern Family Season 2
IQ84- Haruki Nwrakami BOOK
Black Swan
Oscar Nominated Shorts 2011

Kat Call

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Toro y Moi- Underneath the Pine
Casiokids- Aabenbaringen over Aaskammen
Neon Indian- Era Extrana
Bibio- Mind Bokeh
Battles- Gloss Drop
Yuck- S/T
Mogwai- Hardcore will never die but you will
Justice- Audio, Video, Disco
James Pants- S/T
Unknown Mortal Orchestra- S/T

Top 10 Games of 2011
Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Gears of War 3
Mortal Kombat
Batman: Arkham City
Marvel VS. Capcom 3
Child of Eden
L.A. Noire
Dead Space 2
Deus Ex- Human Revolution
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Crowe

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Alexander- Alexander
Jay-Z & Kanye West- Watch the Throne
Tom Waits- Bad As Me
Lupe Fiasco- Lasers
Machester Orchestra- Simple Math
St. Vincent- Strange Mercy
Decemberists- King is Dead
Beirut- Rip Tide
Chris Brown- F.A.M.E.
Incubus- If not now, when?

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Bad Teacher
Super 8
Scream 4
Bridesmaids
Black Swan
Adjustment Bureau
Insidious
Something Borrowed
Horrible Bosses
Crazy Stupid Love

Brian

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Kashmere Stage Band- Texas Thunder Soul Re-Issue
The Sounds- Something to Die For
Tom Waits- Bad As Me
Primus- Green Naugahyde
David Lynch- Crazy Clown Time
Opeth- Heritage
William Shatner- Seeking Major Tom
Scala & Kolacny Bros.- S/T
Beach Boys- Smile
Tyler the Creator- Goblin

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Super 8
Hanna
Insidious
Hobo with a Shotgun
Rubber
Rango
Cars 2
Scream 4
J. Edgar
Your Highness

Danny

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Dave Alvin- Eleven Eleven
Eilen Jewell- Queen of the Minor Key
Robbie Robertson- How to become Clairovoyant
Silos- Florizona
The Jayhawks- Mockingbird Time
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit- Here we Rest
Alison Krause & Union Station- Paper Airplane
Pieta Brown- Mercury
John Doe- Keeper
Tom Waits- Bad As Me

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Rango
Midnight in Paris
The Adjustment Bureau
Lincoln Lawyer
Everything Must Go
Cedar Rapids
The Rum Diary
Super
pAUL
Win Win

Terry

Top 10 Albums of 2011
St. Vincent- Strange Mercy
Battles- Gloss Drop
Giraffes? Giraffes!- Pink Magik
Yuck- S/T
Male Bonding- Endless Now
Animals as Leaders- Weightless
Mastodon-The Hunter
Hella- Tripper
Disney Jazz- Everyone wants to be a cat Vol.1
Obscura- Omniuium

Top 10 Movies of 2011
The Muppet Movie
Hanna
Harry Potter & Deathly Hallows Pt. 2
X- Men: 1st Class
Super 8
L.A. Noire GAME
Elder Scrolls- Skyrim GAME
Dead Space 2 GAME
Gears of War 3 GAME
Halo Classic Re-Issue GAME

Best Of 2011 ~ ZIA Records Tempe Staff Picks

2011-12-13T11:06:00.000-08:00

Best Of 2011 ~ ZIA Records Indian School Staff Picks

2011-12-12T15:32:00.001-08:00

ZIA Records employees sorted through their favorite albums and movies of 2011 and came up with an amazing list full of great albums and films!

Enjoy our favorites and make sure to stop by your local ZIA and we'll be sure to have a bunch of recommendations when you visit us! Big thanks to all of our customers, friends, family and creative folks that made 2011 another great year at ZIA! And remember...ZIA loves you!

ZIA Records Indian School Staff Picks ~ Best Of 2011
Mike Dee

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Yuck - Yuck
Hunx & his Punx - Too Young To Be In Love
Wild Flag - Wild Flag
The Cars - Move Like This
Mariachi El Bronx - Mariachi El Bronx II
Shannon & the Clams - Sleep Talk
Dum Dum Girls - Only in Dreams
Cults - Cults
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
J Mascis - Several Shades of Why

Top 10 Sodas and Breakfast Foods On The Go 2011
Sprecher Root Beer
Seed Bread Toast with Butter and Strawberry Jam
SKI
Blueberry Pop Tarts
Sprecher Cherry Cola
Strawberry Toaster Strudel
Sprecher Cream Soda
Pumpkin Poptarts
Boylan Black Cherry
Chocolate Donettes - 6 Pack

Michelle

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Horrors - Skying
Destroyer - Kaputt
The Roots of Chicha - Psychedelic Cumbias from Peru
Wild Flag - S/t
Fucked up - David Comes to Life
Kashmere Stage Band - Texas Thunder Soul 68-74
Kasabian - Velociraptor!
M83 - Hurry up, We're dreaming
Kourosh Back from the Brink -Pre-revolution Psychedelic Rock from Iran
Kurt Vile - Smoke Rings for my Halo

Top 10 Movies of 2011
If a Tree Should Fall - A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Solaris(Russian) - Criterion Reissue
Into the Abyss - (Herzog)
The Interrupters
Black Moon(1975) - Criterion
David Holzman's Diary
The Tree of Life
House (Criterion)
Samsara
Paradise Lost 3:Purgatory

Jeremy

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Dex Romweber Duo - Is that You in Blue
Mariachi El Bronx II
Tom vadenAvond-you Oughta Know Me By Now
Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
Tom Waits - Bad as Me
Wanda Jackson - The Party Aint Over
Larry & his Flask-All That We Know
Steve Earle - I'll never get out of this world alive
Mike Birbiglia-Sleepwalk With Me
Imelda May - Mayhem

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Drive
Super 8
Trollhunter
13 Assassins
Muppets
Super
Hesher
Rum Diaries
Beats, Rhymes & Life - Travels of a Tribe called Quest
Black Death

Manny

Top 10 Albums of 2011
KD Lang & the Siss Boom Bang - Sing it Loud
Adele - 21
REM - Collapse into Now
Lucianda Williams - Blessed
Lady Gaga - Born this Way
Decemberists - King is Dead
Lupe Fiasco - Lasers
Dangermouse Project - Rome
Dum Dum Girls - Only in Dreams
Betty Wright / Roots - The Movie

Victor

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Adele - 21
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - Soul Time!
Betty Wright & The Roots - The Movie
Stepkids - Stepkids
Lupe Fiasco - Lasers
Horrors - Skying
Kasabia - Velociraptor!
Cut Copy - Zonoscope
Destroyer - Kaputt
Tron: Legacy Reconfigured

Top 6 Movies of 2011
Tree of Life
Drive
Beginners
The Trip
Poetry
The Arbor

Mark

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Wild Flag - Wild Flag
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee
Adele - 21
Lady Gaga - Born this Way
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Tom Waits - Bad as Me
Boots Electric - Honkey Kong
Bronx - El Mariachi II
Jay Z & Kanye - Watch the Throne
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Super 8
Bridesmaids
Thor
Hanna
Hall Pass
Horrible Bosses
Cowboys & Aliens
Contagion
Rise of the planet of the Apes
Hangover 2

David

Top 9 Albums of 2011
El Mariachi Bronx - II
Kurt Vile
Wild Flag
Girl in a Coma
Tom Waits
Destroyer
Yuck
Stephen Malkmus
Hayes Carll

Top 6 Movies of 2011
The Tree of life
Drive
Beginners
The Trip
Poetry
The Arbor

Mike K.

Top 10 Albums Of 2011
Mega Ran - Black Materia
Mega Ran AKA Random - Mega Ran 10
Lonely Island - Turtle Neck & Chain
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part 2
Cerebral Ballzy - S/T
Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Special Orchestra CD
Flogging Molly - Speed of Darkness
Aqua Bats - Hi Five Soup
Tron Legacy Reconfigured
Breaking Benjamin - Shallow Bay

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Paul
X Men: First Class
Super 8
Trollhunter
All Star Superman
Trollhunter
Sucker Punch
Winnie the Pooh
Captain America
Thor

Laura

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Aquabats - Hi Five Soup
Adele - 21
Bronx - El Mariachi Bronx II
Css - La Liberatia
Dum Dum Girls
Destroyer - Kaputt
Cut Copy
Kasabian - Velociraptor
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce
Black Keys - El Camino

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hollows pt2
X-Men - First Class
50/50
Paul
Cowboys and Aliens
Horrible Bosses
Bridesmaids
Rise of the Planet of the apes
Green Lantern
Crazy Stupid Love

Brittany

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Horrors - Skying
Kurt Vile - Smoke King for My Halo
Timber Timbre - Creep on Creepin on
Tom Waits - Bad as Me
Yuck - Yuck
Destroyer - Kapput
Kasabian - Velociraptor
Adele - 21
Hunx and His Punx- Too Young to be in Love
Black Keys - El Camino

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Tree of life
win win
midnight in paris
hesher
harry potter & the deathly hollows pt2
50/50
conan o'brien can't stop
duck sauce - big bad wolf
beginners
george harrison - living in a material world

Jason G.

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Rahsaan Patterson - Bieuphoria
El DeBarge - 2nd Chance
Kem - Intimacy
Jill Scott - The Light of the Sun
Jill Scott - Hidden Beach Preents
Betty Wright - The Movie
Kelly Rowland - Here I am
Adele - 21
Michael Jackson - Immortal
Mary J Blige - My Life part 2

Top 10 Movies of 2011
The Help
X-Men First Class
Thor
Green Lantern
Immortals
Burleque
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows
Transformers 3
Captain America
Cowboys & Aliens

Jan

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Toxic Holocaust - Conjure & Command
Cerebral Ballzy - S/T
Darkthrone - Circle the Wagons
Magrudergrind - S/T
Sons of Perdition - Psalms of the Spiritually Dead
The Reatards - Teenage Hate/Fuck Elvis
Wormrot - Dirge
Tyler the Creator - Goblin
Off - First 4 ep's
Cannibas Corpse - Beneath Grow Lights…

Top 10 Movies of 2011
I Saw the Devil
Black Death
Trollhunter
True Legend
Insidious
Hobo with a Shotgun
Tucker & Dale vs Evil
13 Assassins
The Man from Nowhere
Hangover 2

Erik

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Toxic Holocaust - Conjure & Command
Cerebral Ballzy - S/T
August Burns Red - Leveler
Nick 13 - S/T
Nekromantix - What happens in Hell stays in Hell
Mastodon - The Hunter
Star Fucking Hipsters - From the Dumpster to the Grave
Black Dahlia Murder - Ritual
Title Fight - Shed
Unearth - Darkness in the Light

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Drive
The Skin I live In
Attack the Block
Take Shelter
Super
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Hesher
13 Assassins
I Saw the Devil
Tree of Life

Frank

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Beirut - Riptide
Horrors - Skying
Russian Circles - Empros
Tom Waits - Bad as Me
Radiohead - King of Limbs
Girls - Father Son Holy Ghost
Feist - Metals
Explosions in the Sky - Take Care Take Care Take Care
Bonnie "Prince" Billie - Wolfry goes to Town
St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

Top 6 Movies of 2011
IP Man 2
13 Assassins
Hesher
Tree of Life
Drive
Troll Hunter

Jessica

Top 10 Albums of 2011
Mastodon - The Hunter
Florence & the Machine - Ceremonials
Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
Taking Back Sunday - S/T
Death Cab for Cutie - Codes & Keys
Puscifer - Conditions of my Parole
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Red Fang - Murder the Mountains
Sucker Punch - OST
Feist - Metals

Top 10 Movies of 2011
X-Men: First Class
Crazy, Stupid Love
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hollows pt2
Sucker Punch
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
50/500
Green Hornet
Super 8
Muppets
Back & Forth(Foo Fighters)

Wyatt

Top 6 Albums of 2011
Tom Waits - Bad as Me
O'death - Outside
Skeleton Witch - Forever Abomination
Mariachi El Bronx
Shonen Knife - Osaka Ramones
Toxic Holocaust

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Trollhunter
Tucker and Dale vs Evil
Attack the Block
Super 8
Thor
Captain America
Insidious
13 Assassins
Rango
X-Men first class

Matt B.

Top 10 Albums of 2011
The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient
Big Sean - Finally Famous
The Strokes - Angles
Jay Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne
Smith Westerns - Dye it Blonde
Pusha T - Fear of God II: Let us Pray
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Girl in a Coma - Exits & all the Rest
Stephen Marley - Revelation Pt 1:The Roots of Life

Top 10 Movies of 2011
Rango
Everyday Sunshine:The story of Fishbone
Moneyball
Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest
Limitless
50/50
Winnie the Pooh
Thor
Bridesmaids
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Megadeth "Th1RT3EN" Album Review by Ryan at ZIA Speedway

2011-12-07T15:56:00.000-08:00

Dave Mustaine. Yep, it is still a name that conjures up mixed emotions in the metal world. Through all the years of triumphs and failures, MegaDave is still here whether you want him to be or not, and he probably doesn't care what you think anyway. Hate him or love him, in the last twenty years at least, he has been putting consistently better music than that other band he was unceremoniously booted from back in the 1980s. Aside from the aptly named "Risk" album and a constantly revolving cast of band members (Dave Ellefson is back in the band after a decade on the sidelines,) Megadeth's sound hasn't changed drastically through all of that time. However, this dogged "maintain the status quo" posture has proven to be a mixed bag when discussing Megadeth's thirteenth album, which is entitled...uhhh... Th1RT3EN. This reviewer would have called it "The Number That Comes After Twelve", this would be more metal and ominous, and probably even more asinine, but alas, you can't always get what you want. Now we will actually start the review. The artwork for this record is very generic and Vic Rattlehead just isn't doing much on the cover this time around, so don't look for the visual satisfaction you would get from cover art that graces classics like "Peace Sells". The most immediate impact this record makes on a set of ears is the sound. Recorded at Dave Mustaine's home studio with mainstream producer Johnny K, the record has a very modern rock radio sound that seems slightly odd for a Megadeth recording. The vocals are louder than needed, and the most glaring audio warts are the lead guitar parts, which are buried in the mix and sound very distant. This is detrimental to the listening experience, as Dave Mustaine and his second guitarist, Chris Broderick, are very accomplished lead players. This all is apparent within a minute of the very first track, "Sudden Death". Not the best start to an album listening session. The next two tracks, "Public Enemy No.1" and "Whose Life (Is It Anyways?) bring a further surprise, as they sound more like hard rock songs from the 80s with their conventional verse and chorus arrangements, and less like the hard driving material found on the last few records. However, tracks such as "We The People" (check out the awesome rhythm guitar at 2:55 in the song,) "Never Dead", and "Deadly Nightshade" are solid, thrashy tunes you expect Megadeth to deliver. It is quite difficult to really say much about the rest of the album. Something is missing, and that something has to be a measure of inspiration. Dave's vocals sound tired and the songs have no truly memorable parts. Running almost fifty-eight minutes in length, it also feels ten minutes too long. I suppose your thirteenth album HAS to have thirteen songs, no? Having listened to the album numerous times, this reviewer keeps getting drawn to listen to the band's previous effort, "Endgame". That album was a far more compact and complete piece of music, full of lightning riffs and memorable songs. "Th1rt3en" simply sounds like the band keeping the machine running on idle, and not much else. Unfortunately, bands like Megadeth sometimes have to live in the shadows of their past creations, and in some ways can never really escape them. People are people, they get old, become more settled, and the immediacy of life being lived on the edge dulls considerably. Megadeth has been around a long time and has already obtained a coveted place within the metal pantheon. This listener, for one, is content to accept OK records from them in their later years, as long as they don't collaborate with Lou Reed and really start pissing on the legacy.

Lethal Dosage "Inhale" Album Review by Ryan Clark at ZIA Oracle

2011-12-07T15:50:00.000-08:00

When you listen to a lot of modern metal, you tend to have trouble differentiating one album from the next. Over use of the screamed verse and the pretty boy sung chorus, THAT one breakdown (you know which one I'm talking about, bro), and the same four or five blatantly plagiarized At the Gates riffs leave you adrift in the primordial sea of mediocrity. Luckily, Tucson's Lethal Dosage found a way to circumvent this hazard to navigation and sail out into open waters. While by no means groundbreaking, their debut album is no small fish either. From the instrumental opening track to the piano driven outro, you are treated to a lean but meaty treat of groove and aggression. You hear that modern metal sound, but grittier and stripped down, with some thrash and death metal highlights thrown in for good measure. Guitarist Theodore Simon unleashes tight rhythms interwoven with subtle melodies as vocalist Daniel Davis growls like a deep throated catamount over them. Drummer Frank Chacon and bassist Pepe Shephard are locked in and pummeling, giving further drive to the music. There are breakdowns that actually make sense here, check out songs such as "Burn", "Conquer the Mind", and "Kegger Lost" to illustrate how Lethal Dosage can be catchy while caving your skull in. Having these qualities, the story does not end there as it might with other records. A further telling aspect, and perhaps the greatest, is how focused this album is. Within thirty five minutes, Lethal Dosage makes their musical statement and the message is quite clear: shut up and mosh. There are no fancy acrobatics or studio tricks. There is no cheese. What you hear is what you get, take it or leave it. This is an admirable quality in a genre where so many bands are trying to be more extreme or "heavier" than their peers, which leads to a lot of the music sounding forced and lacking in the sincerity department. Lethal Dosage clearly enjoy the music they perform and bring to your ears by way of this album, which was recorded by Ryan Butler (Exhumed, Landmine Marathon) at Arcane Digital Studio, located in Chandler. "Inhale" is a very solid debut for this young band, showcasing their hunger for bigger and better things, and this attitude could see them jumping further ahead of the local metal scene (or beyond it) in the next few years.

The Black Keys "El Camino" Listening parties at ZIA ~ December 6th at 11AM & 7PM! Win Black Keys prizes!

2011-12-02T16:37:00.001-08:00

Stop by your local ZIA to hear and buy the new Black Keys "El Camino" album on Tuesday, December 6th! Since we adore the Black Keys, we're throwing some listening parties at all of our stores, playing the new album in its entirey for you to enjoy at 11AM and later that evening around 7PM. Be automatically entered to win great Black Keys prizes when you buy "El Camino" CD or LP at your local ZIA with your Z-Card from December 6th through the 9th! Prize include a white label copy of the new record, an autographed Black Keys poster as well as the Black Keys catalog on CD and DVD! Winners will be chosen on Monday, December 12th and contacted directly.

The Black Keys "El Camino" on sale! $9.99 CD and $24.99 LP!

We've got just a few copies left of the Black Friday Record Store Day Indie Exclusive of the new Black Keys "Lonely Boy" 12" so make sure to stop by soon before we're all out of it!

Black Keys - Lonely Boy (RSD) from Record Store Day on Vimeo.

X in-store signing at ZIA Chandler on December 9th at 6:30PM!

2011-11-21T16:21:00.000-08:00

ZIA is very proud to announce that legendary band X will be doing a special in-store signing at our ZIA Records Chandler location on Friday, December 9th at 6:30PM! Please join us for this incredible event, say hello the band, pick up all your favorite X albums at ZIA and get them signed!

Make sure to catch X live later that night on their Xmas Traveling Rock N Roll Show at Club Red in Tempe. Tickets on sale now at all four Phoenix area ZIA lcoations!

See you all at the in-store!

ZIA Records Chandler on Friday, December 9th at 6:30PM!
ZIA Records, 1940 W. Chandler Blvd, Chandler, AZ Phone # 480-857-4942
Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

The TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES PIZZA PARTY from Cult Classics & Zia Records! November 18th at The Royale!

2011-11-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

CULT CLASSICS presented by Zia Records proudly brings to you The TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES PIZZA PARTY!

A THREE HOUR ONE NIGHT ONLY event with pizza, cartoons and NINJA TURTLES! What-What!? No! your eyes are not deceiving you! CULT CLASSICS is presenting the amazing 1990 live-action TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES on the big screen the way it was meant to be seen! But not only that, we are hosting a PIZZA ICE CREAM party prior to the screening where all attendees get a slices of pizza pie and get to watch the classic cartoon on the big screen, get NINJA TURTLE sketches in our lobby and play our vintage arcade games. After you've filled your belly with pizza and ice cream, we'll show some awesome retro trailers and clips and MICHELANGELO, DONATELLO, RAPHAEL and LEONARDO battle THE SHREDDER in live action glory!

This event is proudly sponsored by Zia Records and features an exclusive original art print for sale from Victor Moreno and VictorMoreno.com Design as well as sketch art from Victor during the party!

For more info and to buy tickets, visit https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/209872

ZIA Records Thanksgiving Weekend Sale November 25-27th! Black Friday Indie Exclusives on sale Friday, November 25th!

2011-10-31T15:08:00.001-07:00

Stop by your local ZIA Record Exchange on Thanksgiving weekend for some amazing sales on hundreds of CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays, Vinyl and more! Special sales running Friday through Sunday! ZIA will have a limited number of Black Friday Record Store Day Indie Exclusives available and on sale Friday, November 25th! All 8 ZIA Record Exchange locations will be opening at 9AM on Friday and Saturday, normal store hours on Sunday.

Every year, the RSD Indie Exclusive releases just seem to get better and better! Check out Record Store Day for more details and print out your very own checklist for RSD items!
http://www.recordstoreday.com/Home

ZIA Records will have a limited amount of the Black Friday Record Store Day Exclusives being released on Friday, November 25th. Please note that all quantities are extremely limited and all stores may or may not receive titles due to this limited run and allocation of titles.

The following rules apply to all products for Record Store Day Black Friday:

1. All items are available for in-store purchase only from Friday Nov. 25th through Sunday Nov. 27th. No phone or web orders will be accepted until Monday Nov. 28th.
2. Only one copy of each item per customer.
3. No rain checks.
4. There will be no holds allowed on any item. All items will be sold on a first come, first served basis.
5. No reservations or Special Orders.
6. Offers may change or end at any time. All Sales subject to approval by management.

Here are a few of the upcoming Black Friday Record Store Day Exclusive being release on November 25th, 2011 – for the full list, visit www.recordstoreday.com

* The Beatles “The Singles” Boxset – 7” Vinyl Boxset
* John Lennon “Imagine – 40th Anniversary” – 12” Vinyl Boxset
* Nirvana “Nevermind – The Singles” – 10” Vinyl set
* Pink Floyd “The Wall – Singles Box Set” – 7” Vinyl Boxset
* Bob Dylan “Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?” – 7” Vinyl Boxset
* The Black Keys “Lonely Boy” – 12” Vinyl single
* Ryan Adams “Do I Wait / Darkness” – 7” Vinyl single
* Wilco “Speak Into The Rose” – 10” Vinyl single
* Miles Davis “Prestige – Miles Davis Quartet” – 10” Blue Vinyl
* Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings “Soul Time!” – CD & 12” Vinyl Full-length
* The Doors “L.A. Woman” – 7” Vinyl Singles Boxset
* The Rolling Stones “No Spare Parts” – 7” Vinyl single
* Soundgarden “Live on I-5 : Before The Doors Soundcheck” EP – 10” Vinyl
* Pete Townshend “The Quadrophenia Demos – Vol. 1” – 10” Vinyl
* The Yardbirds “Ten Little Indians” & “Ha Ha Said The Clown” - 7” Vinyl singles
……and many more!!

In addition to the great RSD Exclusive releases, all ZIA stores will be running some amazing sales on hundreds of CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays and Vinyl! Here are some of the deals happening at your local ZIA Records from Friday through Sunday!

Brand new Hit DVD titles on sale starting at 9.99!
Brand new Hit Blu-Ray titles on sale starting at $12.99!
Complete seasons of TV on DVD & Blu-Ray starting as low as $9.99!
Hundreds of great movie titles on sale starting at $5.00!
Build up your Blu-Ray collection with prices starting at $7.99!
Literally...hundreds of CDs on sale for just $5.00!

We wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! See you on Friday the 25th!

Win a Limited Edition BEATLES #1 Shirt from ZIA Records!

2011-09-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

ZIA has scored a very cool and Limited Edition Beatles #1 shirt in conjunction with the Remastered release of Beatles #1, on sale at all ZIA stores on September 13th!

To enter to win, send an email titled 'BEATLES ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name & number. One entry per person - contest ends 10/3/11 at 11AM (AZ Time).

Stop by your local ZIA to pick up the new Beatles #1 Remastered along with all of your favorite Beatles albums!

All you need is love....and a little help from your friends!

Visit us online at www.ziarecords.com

ZIA Film Fest 2011! Special screening of "Toxic Avenger" & "Mother's Day" at The Royale in Mesa on October 1st!

2011-09-09T16:51:00.001-07:00

Join us for ZIA Film Fest 2011 at The Royale in Mesa, Arizona on Saturday, October 1st to see two classic Troma films! We'll be playing the always lovable Toxic Avenger at 9PM and Mother's Day at 7PM! One night only!!

Stop by any Phoenix ZIA store and buy any Troma DVD now on sale and get a FREE ticket to this exclusive screening! Please note that seating is limited and will be on a first come, first served basis. Seating will not be guaranteed so make sure to get down to ZIA now to pick up some great Troma films on DVD and get your FREE ticket!

ZIA Film Fest 2011 at The Royale, 108 W. Main Street, Mesa, AZ 85201

Visit The Royale online at http://www.theroyaleaz.com
A retro grindhouse in the heart of Downtown Mesa, The Royale is a community arts venue & theater space styled after the film palaces of yesteryear which plays host to a unique mix of the newest independent films & retro cult classics. Housed in a historic building constructed in 1908, The Royale has an intimate Auditorium that seats 48, with a sophisticated decor & comfortable theater-style seating. The Royale offers a unique and intimate atmosphere unmatched in the Phoenix area for dedicated film patrons & cinephiles complete with 5.1 stereo sound and 1080p digital projection in the main auditorium.

More info about the films featured at the ZIA Film Fest 2011!

TOXIC AVENGER
Originally released in 1984

Directed by Lloyd Kaufman
Starring Andree Maranda, Mitchell Cohen, Pat Ryan Jr., Jennifer Baptist, Robert Pritchard, Cindy Manion, Gary Schneider, Mark Torgl

Welcome to TROMAVILLE, NEW JERSEY – a small American town, terrorized by criminals. The town’s corrupt mayor sits idly by, while muggers, robbers and teenage punks victimize helpless citizens. Among the residents of Tromaville is MELVIN, a nerdy emaciated janitor at the local health club. That is, until he becomes THE TOXIC AVENGER! A gang of thugs devise a cruel hoax that goes horribly wrong as Melvin is cast through a third story window into a vat of hazardous toxic waste. However, an unexpected metamorphosis takes place. As the chemicals take hold of his body, Melvin turns into the TOXIC AVENGER, doer of good, and brutal mauler of evil! The rest, as they say, is history! The excitement is non-stop as the hero sets out to single handedly wipe out the forces of evil that torment the people of Tromaville. THE TOXIC AVENGER is non-stop entertainment that will leave the viewers glowing from the fun. See the film that spawned the comic book, website, cartoon, action figures and three sequels to date! Experience the action that made Troma Entertainment cinematic legend! Still a classic two decades later! See THE TOXIC AVENGER!

MOTHER'S DAY
Originally released in 1980

Directed by Charles Kaufman
Starring Nancy Hendrickson, Deborah Luce, Tiana Pierce, Holden McQuire, Billy Ray McQuade, Rose Ross

Lovin sons always do what their mothers tell them to…even if it’s to KILL!!! The Troma Team is proud to bring you Charles Kaufman’s (WHEN NATURE CALLS, JAKARTA) MOTHER’S DAY, the independent horror classic which redefines the term “family values.” This stylish, horrific and darkly humorous film is a worldwide favorite. In the spirit of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE and IGOR & THE LUNATICS, MOTHER’S DAY is a celebration of gore and depravity that is certain to offend the weak of heart! When three beautiful young women set out for a relaxing weekend retreat in the woods, they unwittingly stumble upon a sadistic band of backwoods yokels. Taken prisoner by the insane matriarch and her demented sons, the women are forced to fight back using anything they can get their hands on. Heads roll, blood spurts, and genitals are mutilated as the women use myriad objects to do battle with Mother’s loving sons. Their MOTHER’S DAY will leave you feeling frightened, amazed, and downright disgusted!

ZIA Film Fest 2011! Special screening of "Pearl Jam Twenty" on September 23rd at MADCAP Theatres!

2011-09-08T10:35:00.001-07:00

Terrific new documentary film directed by Cameron Crowe about one of the most influential bands in history, "Pearl Jam 20" will be featured as part of our ZIA Film Fest 2011! One night only screening on Friday, September 23rd at 7:00PM at MADCAP Theatre in Tempe, AZ! Film will be running for just one day so make sure not to miss this one!

Stop by any of our ZIA locations to pre-order the new Pearl Jam "20" soundtrack or book and get a FREE Ticket to the ZIA Film Fest and screening on September 23rd! PJ20 soundtrack and book available and on sale Tuesday, September 20th at all ZIA stores so if you stop by to purchase from the 20th to the 23rd, you'll get a FREE Ticket to the screening. Please note that seating is limited and will be on a first come, first served basis. Seating will not be guaranteed so make sure to get down to ZIA early to get your PJ soundtrack and ticket!

More about the film!

PEARL JAM TWENTY chronicles the years leading up to the band’s formation, the chaos that ensued soon-after their rise to mega-stardom, their step back from center stage, and the creation of a trusted circle that would surround them—giving way to a work culture that would sustain them. Told in big themes and bold colors with blistering sound, the film is carved from over 1, 200 hours of rarely-seen and never-before seen footage spanning the band’s career. PEARL JAM TWENTY is the definitive portrait of Pearl Jam: part concert film, part intimate insider-hang, part testimonial to the power of music and uncompromising artists.

VISIT THE OFFICIAL PEARL JAM TWENTY website:
http://www.pj20.com/

Visit the ZIA RECORDS website:
http://www.ziarecords.com/

Pearl Jam Twenty from Pearl Jam on Vimeo.

Celebrate Labor Day with ZIA! Buy 4 Used Items, Get The 5th Item FREE! Double Z-Card points all weekend! Sep 3-5th!

2011-09-02T14:06:00.001-07:00

This Labor Day, all your hard work is finally paying off! Come to your local ZIA Record Exchange and save some money!! All weekend long, stop by ZIA and buy any 4 pre-owned items and get the 5th one FREE!! September 3rd-5th only!

Offer applies only to Used items. Discount applied to lowest priced item. Limit 3 Free items per visit. Cannot be combined with other offers. Not valid on ziarecords.com. See Employee for details. All Sales subject to Manager approval. ZIA reserves the right to modigy or end this sale at any time.

SHAPE OF...A Special Labor Day reward for ZIA Loyalty Card customers!
FORM OF...Double the reward points for everything you buy!
ZIA Labor Day Double Reward points weekeend...ACTIVATE!

Must have valid ZIA Loyalty Card. Points earned cannot be used on the same visit. Points have no cash value. Returns result in subtraction of points. Cannot be combined with other offers. Not valid on ziarecords.com purchases. See Employee for details. All transactions subject to Manager approval. ZIA reserves the right to modify or end this offer at any time.

HAPPY LABOR DAY TO YOU FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT ZIA RECORD EXCHANGE!

10 Things I Hate About (Leaving) Zia Records written by Jenna at ZIA Sahara

2011-08-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

10 Things I Hate About (Leaving) Zia Records

If Zia Record Exchange were a guy, it'd be safe to say that he and I were romantically involved for almost 3 years. Our relationship started out like any other: it was love at first sight for me but I didn't have the balls to put myself out there, and when I finally did show a little interest, he played hard-to-get and waited 3 months before calling me. Lucky for him, though, I wasn't seeing anyone else at the time, so we decided to give it a go. We've been in love ever since -sure, we've had our ups and downs and I'm sure we've both considered throwing in the towel at some point, yet we've always managed to work through it- but we broke up yesterday. He and I came to a mutual understanding that we both wanted to see other people while still remaining good friends, and there were no hard feelings. Zia's been there for me through the good times and bad; without Zia I never would've met my Prince Charming or known anything about Fantasy Football... Trust me when I say that my life is better off because of both.

So Zia, this one's for you, and if you're reading this blog, just know that the 3 years that we were together were the radass-est and I'll always hold a special place for you in my <3

1. I won't see Karl everyday anymore. Have you met that guy? The tall dude formerly known as "Legs" (don't ask) who runs the Sahara store has been like a mentor to me. Karl knows something about everything, even "Twilight," and even though he CHOOSES to like the Lakers, I hope I'm half as knowledgeable as he is when I'm old. 3 musical artists Karl's shared with me that I could not live without? Radiohead, Brandi Carlile, and Motley Crue. Thanks, Buddy.

2. Never again will I work an offsite event. Matador at 21 last year was hands-down THE coolest moment of my Zia career. I've had to work a lot of less-cool offsites to get to the Palms and meet Liz Phair, but chillin' in the Vegas heat for 10 hours and using a port-a-potty without toilet paper builds character. Never say "never;" there's always Coachella (hint-hint), and I'm holding out for the day Zak decides to take on a road partner.

3. I'm no longer a part of the VIP-Embarrassment-Free-Celebrity-Meet-N-Greet-Club. Working at Zia meant that I wasn't too old to own a special edition hardcover copy of "Twilight" when Jackson Rathbone (a.k.a. Jasper Hale!) came to my store to perform with his group, 100 Monkeys, because his autograph -made out to Jenna- was strictly a prize for the store's enter-to-win contest, and that picture I took with him was for Zia's website. Not my bedroom wall.

4. Sweet Zia t-shirts.

5. Ruling. So many customers come up to Zia staffers on a daily basis just to comment on how cool it must be to work at a record store. What are we supposed to say? "Naw man, listening to music all day and wearing sweet t-shirts that the company gives us for free is not all it's cracked up to be," pfffffffffft. How many people think YOU rule because of where you work???

6. The little things. I seriously mopped up puke annually. Someone threw chunks in the store once for every year that I worked there... it was like a rite of passage.

7. Passing down the New Release Wall. From the early days of handwriting the jukebox cards and cutting them out individually with scissors, to rearranging Kelly Rowland's cd next to Beyonce's because people would appreciate it, I love that wall. It's the little things, you know?

8. Perks. Early access to those super awesome Taking Back Sunday buttons. My 401K. Free veggie shmear for the bagel of my choice at inventory. It didn't get any better than that. Zia really does love you.

9. No more pizza parties.

10. Leaving my "family." I couldn't invent a better bunch of personalities than those I had the pleasure of working with at Sahara. Kaaaarl: I'm dusting my virtual trophy case right now for when my RainbowHulks dominate the league this year! Brent-Dawg: I remember Austin telling me how big of a teddybear you were when I first got hired and how I didn't believe him... but he was right. JJ: I guess you can rule the hardest now that I'm gone. Keep the Creed alive in your heart, dude! Xtini: Thank you for Glee. That's all I need to say. And please choose to turn my silver fox Anderson Cooper back! Shapoopoo: I knew you were my ride-or-die chick when you tried to beat up the bathroom attendant at HOB when we went to the Brand New concert! Keep the children in check ;) RIP Steve, Justin, Kris, Eddie, and Lu!

It's been real.

3 Terrific Graphic Novel Trades That Are A Great Introduction To The Genre written by Zak at ZIA Records HQ

2011-08-11T12:24:00.000-07:00

I’m a Comic fan. From the age of about 8 years old I have been. I was first introduced by my Uncle in the early ‘80s. I was given a gift that has to be one of the most meaningful I have ever received, a box of Silver Age comics. I was introduced to the art of Ditko, Kirby and Adams. Characters like The Challengers Of The Unknown, Silver Surfer, Batman and Spiderman were now my favorites. This interest grew and has stayed with me my entire life. I realize not everyone has had this experience. Not everyone has marveled at a full splash page of Kirby’s Tomorrow People and been floored at a young age by the detail. So, I’m going to write about three titles you might enjoy if all this is foreign to you but you might want to get adventurous and try something new!

Preacher

For Fans Of: Westerns and Conspiracy Theories

Great Line: “Having met the Lord god I can honestly say he’s a bit of a prick” – Jesse Custer

My first recommendation is PREACHER by Garth Ennis featuring the amazing art of Steve Dillon. Ennis, an amazing Northern Irish writer with a talent for making characters (both “good” and “evil”) compelling. Preacher is the story of Jesse Custer, a West Texas Preacher who one day realizes he has the ability to control people through “The Word Of God”. The “Word” allows his spoken commands to be carried out against the will of anyone they are spoken too. The “Word “comes from an entity known as Genesis that has taken up residence in him (a kind of partial possession). To get some answers about his new found powers as well as some accountability for his abuse laden child hood he goes on a crusade to search out the cause for all of it: The Almighty. Preacher’s many chapters see a great supporting cast like Cassidy The Drunken Irish Vampire, Tulip (Jesse’s Juliet), Ass-Face ( a teenager turned rock god with a severe self- inflicted gunshot wound inspired by the death of Kurt Cobain), The Saint Of Killers (a resurrected cowboy psychopath and heaven’s score settler) and many others. During the tale, Jesse, Tulip and Cassidy come in conflict with The Grail and their leader Herr Starr. The Grail has been entrusted with the sacred bloodline of Christ. What the relationship between The Grail and Custer is the main focus of the 9 book series and provides many great storylines!

Locke And Key

For Fans Of: Mystery and Suspense Dusted With The Supernatural

Great Panel: Bode Locke discovers he can astral project with “The Ghost Door Key”

Locke And Key is something I just recently have gotten into and it is amazing! Written by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez it has gained critical acclaim for its incredibly intricate story and relatability of the characters. The story centers around the Locke family who, after the violent home invasion and murder of their Father moves back to the family estate in Lovecraft, Massachusetts. The surviving family Bode (a starry eyed 6 year old with a huge imagination) Kinsey (the angst ridden teenage girl), Tyler (jock with the soft side) and their Mother Nina (who has turned to alcohol as a copping mechanism). The Locke children have a lot deal with in a very short amount of time: the death of their father, a cross country move, a new school and a mysterious new home known as Keyhouse Estate. Their lives are about to get a whole lot more complicated. The house is riddled with secrets. Hidden keys, which unlock secret doors and give the users access to supernatural abilities like the Anywhere Key which grants teleportation abilities. The keys are the tip of the iceberg as the characters unlock a generation spanning story of witchcraft, back stabbing and secrets! Hill’s vision and story are given amazing realization through Rodriguez’s art. It is a true masterpiece and will go down in history with Watchmen and Kingdom Come!

Scalped

For Fans Of: Cop Dramas, Murder Mystery and Good Old Fashioned Ass-Kicking!

Greatest Line: “All you need to, Boy is that around here… I’m the Father, The Son and The Holy Fuc%ing Ghost all rolled into one” – Chief Red Crow

Scalped is the tale of one Dash Bad Horse: A Lakota Indian who ran from the reservation as a rebellious teenager swearing to never come back only to return as a nunchuck swinging undercover FBI agent who is charged with infiltrating the corrupt tribes Chief’s inner circle. Holy mackerel this is one hell of a tale with a ton of twists and turns. Dash has returned to a completely dysfunctional cast of characters from his childhood. His mother Gina who has been a native rights activists for most of her life and opposes the new casino being built with her ex-activist sometimes boyfriend Lincoln Red Crow the Chief of the tribe. Lincoln wears several hats: tribal chief, mob boss, gun runner and drug kingpin. Dash must temper his need to self destruct and getting the job done for his racist boss Agent Nitz. More of the supporting cast includes Dino Poor Bear (teenage father with way to much responsibility for his age), Carol (Red Crow’s party girl daughter whose love for pissing off her Dad is only matched by her infatuation with Dash) and many many more. Scalped is a definite read for those into a great story and hyper violent scenes.

These are a couple of recommendations and the can all be found at our Zia T-Bird store (many used!). Please enjoy and note: THESE ARE NOT FOR KIDS!!

Youth Of America : Put Your Cellphones Away!" written by ZAK at ZIA Records HQ

2011-08-05T16:37:00.000-07:00

Youth of America: Whatever happened to taking mental notes or having memories of an experience? It seems today’s concert attendees have no interest or willfully decline to just sit back and take in an experience. The desire to have everything captured or recorded by phone or camera supersedes the experience on just about every level.
I was recently at a Billboard Top 10 level artist’s show the other night and was caught completely off guard by how much picture taking and videoing was going on! The tweens in front of us would take a break from dancing to take a picture of each other dancing. The girls behind us were videoing themselves singing with the artist. These pictures were of themselves at the show not so much of the artist they came to see. In the lobby of the venue a razor company had set up a photo booth were you and your friends could take a picture to be displayed during the show on the screens behind the artist. At the second to the last song (yes I stuck around to the second to the last song) the images started flowing and the crowd went nuts. WTF happened in the last 5 years? (Do you like how I make myself relevant to the youngsters by using WTF?)

There seem to be exceptions however. Warped Tour being one. At Warped this year I noticed a definite switch from “look at us” to “too cool to tweet”. It seems that some of these kids try and remember experiences they couldn’t have had during the 80’s punk scene when you heard about a show by word of mouth. The irony is that the “mouth” is a tweet or Facebook post. Just don’t get caught tweeting or Facebooking by your friends.
My solution is quite simple really. Let’s collectively agree to use the tweeting and Facebook for informational purposes firstly. When you are a professional photographer at a show you have the first 3 minutes to shoot whatever. After that get the F out. Kids, let’s use these rules for the show as well. First 3 songs: go nuts. Take as many as you can as fast as you can. Pose it out. Squat, hand on hip, peace sign, click and you’re done. Now go ahead and text or tweet whatever afterwards just no flashing cameras. IT’S FU*&ING DISTRACTING!!!!!!!!!!

My Thoughts Exactly lady.

Join ZIA at The Loft Cinema for a special screening of "Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest" on August 26th!

2011-08-02T15:51:00.001-07:00

Terrific new documentary film about one of the most influential hip-hop bands in history, "Beats, Rhymes & Life : The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest" will be playing at The Loft Cinema in Tucson! Opening night screening on Friday, August 26th at 7:30PM! Film will be running for just one week only at The Loft so make sure not to miss this one!

ZIA Records is proud to be co-sponsoring the opening night screening on Friday, August 26th at 7:30PM and we've got a pair of tickets to give away to some lucky winner!

To enter, send an email titled "TRIBE ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends August 24th at 9AM (AZ Time).

Make sure to join ZIA at The Loft on Friday, August 26th at the 7:30PM screening for a chance to win a FREE prize raffle! People attending the screening on August 26th will have a chance to win a $25 ZIA Gift Card!

More about the film!

One of the most pioneering and beloved groups of all-time, A Tribe Called Quest defined the sound of an early-'90s New York hip-hop scene that reverberated across the nation. Formed in 1985 by Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jarobi White, Tribe melded trippy, jazz-infused musicscapes and Afrocentric rhymes with bass-heavy rhythmic vibes, eclectic sampling, and intelligent lyrics addressing social and political issues with infectious energy.

Acclaimed actor Michael Rapaport (True Romance, Mighty Aphrodite) turns director and paints a remarkably personal portrait of the characters behind the group's sonic genius through their five albums, their highly publicized breakup in 1998, and beyond. Emotionally honest and forthright interviews with group members are intercut with electrifying footage of live performances, music videos from back in the day, and commentary from Common, Busta Rhymes, Mary J. Blige, De La Soul, Kanye West, Mos Def, Ludacris, and the Beastie Boys. Whether or not A Tribe Called Quest will create another record remains a question—but the group's profound contribution to musical history and unparalleled artistic success unequivocally blazed a trail for future generations of music lovers.

VISIT THE OFFICIAL MOVIE WEBSITE:
http://www.sonyclassics.com/beatsrhymesandlife/

Watch an interview with director Michael Rapaport:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6RgW3CGDV8

VISIT THE LOFT CINEMA website for more info on the film and tickets:
http://www.loftcinema.com/node/2484

Visit the ZIA RECORD EXCHANGE website:
http://www.ziarecords.com/

Celebrate 4th Of July at ZIA! Buy 4 Used Items, Get the 5th Free! July 2,3 &4!

2011-06-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

ZIA Records is celebrating this 4th of July weekend by giving you FREE stuff! Stop by any of our 8 ZIA locations on July 2nd, 3rd or 4th and Buy Any 4 Pre-Owned Items and get the 5th one FREE! Happy Independence Day to you from ZIA!

Offer applies only to Used items and discount is applied to the lowest priced item. Limit 3 Free Items per visit. Cannot be combined with other offers. See your friendly ZIA cashier for all the details. Offer not applicaple on www.ziarecords.com

Foster The People in-store signing at ZIA Speedwayon July 5th at 6:30PM!

2011-06-23T16:17:00.000-07:00

Foster The People in-store performance & signing at our ZIA Speedway store in Tucson on Tuesday, July 5th at 6:30PM! Pick up their new amazing debut album "Torches" on sale now at all ZIA locations for just $8.99 on CD! Stop by and get your copy signed by the band and enjoy some great tunes!

And if that wasn't cool enough, we've got a pair of tickets to give away for their show later that night in Tucson at the lovely Club Congress. We'll even throw in a cool autographed LP copy of "Torches" and special Foster The People 6-Track exclusive CD! To enter to win, text 'ZIAFOSTER' to 88588 to be automatically entered to win a pair of tickets and goodies! One entry per person - contest ends 7/1/11.

ZIA Records Speedway on Tuesday, July 5th at 6:30PM!
ZIA Records, 3370 E. Speedway Blvd, Tucson AZ 85716
Phone # 520-327-3340

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

The Elected at The Sail Inn show review by Brittany from ZIA Indian School

2011-06-21T09:45:00.000-07:00

My best friend from high school and I were essentially the same person. So it is fitting she would be sitting next to me at such a pivotal moment in my life. "I have something to show you." So simple, yet it changed everything. The first few bars of Rilo Kiley's "Execution of All Things" filled her Honda Civic, and I sat awestruck. I was 15, and music just started making sense to me. I had always loved music, but this moment was a moment years of choir, guitar classes, and music theory couldn't teach me, it was a moment I had to feel. This was the moment I felt it, and it blew me away. It was like finding the missing piece to a puzzle I'd finished, but given up on. This is when my love affair with all things Rilo Kiley began. Execution of All Things, to this day, is the only song in my iTunes library with 5 stars. BOOM!

Under the Blacklight, was a hard record for me to get through, it started out strong and just hitting an unfortunate wall and became just about Jenny Lewis. I loved that record, but I loved it because it sounds like the last date you go on before you're about to break up with someone feels. It sounds like those last moments you laugh at their stupid jokes or talk about all the Saturdays you woke up early to beat the brunch crowd. It sounds like when you realize it's over, but you're glad you had this one last happy moment. The tour supporting the record felt like the break up, with the band playing a song off the Jenny Lewis solo record, while showing nothing representative of Blake, and The Elected.

I think Rilo Kiley fans then had two options, you were a "Jenny" or a "Blake."

A "Jenny" of course was talented. Collaborating with the best in the business, Ward, Gibbard, Oberst, oh and freaking Costello. A Jenny was on the front lines with cute bangs, and outfits, and album covers. All reviews were glowing. A Jenny, is kind of the obvious easy choice.

I, however, am a "Blake." A Blake has spent the past few years in the shadows. I hadn't even heard anything about him, even after making Mike Bloom, [his Elected counterpart] rice-a-roni after his last Phoenix show and demanding some answers. A Blake is the brains of the operation. The sweet honest spots. A Blake is the heart of the project.

The release of The Elected, Bury Me in My Rings, seems to really fill in the gap between the "hiatus" of Rilo Kiley in 2007, and now. Their first release in 5 years, reminds me why I loved Rilo Kiley so much, with songs like "Babyface" and "Go For the Throat" providing the listener with that missing piece in the recent Jenny Lewis projects. [That's right, I said it]

It was honestly an honor to see Blake and The Elected back in action this past Monday night at the Sail Inn.

The Elected played a tiny 9 song set. While opening with, "Babyface" off their recent release, their tiny set did highlight all the "fan favorites," even playing a cover from a "pretty dope ass band" Rilo Kiley's "Ripchord." The band playing as a three piece which left the songs super stripped down, [Blake kept commenting about this, "Sorry, we haven't really done this before."] but each member knew what they were doing, and the songs all took on a different, more charming character from the versions we were all used to. The violin playing, that doesn't usually grace "Greetings in Braille," made my favorite Elected song simply blissful.

The crowd tried to plead for more songs, but Blake was just not having it. So, one of our fantastic Zia customers went over and pleaded with Mike Bloom, and he kindly obliged. To a small crowd outside Mike played some of his own songs while Blake sang backing vocals. It was refreshing to see. It wasn't about who Blake was or that it was his show, it was about creating something beautiful. It was a powerful moment... Until a man wearing a balloon panda hat showed up and said, "I'd like to make a request... I want you to play some chords and I'll sing."

I could not keep it together. It was the oddest, funniest request I'd ever heard and I just could not control myself. After some back and forth, Blake left to tear down, while Mike continued to honor this mans request. "No, more like this." and, "You'll get the hang of it." It was out of control and by this point I was not the only onlooker that was laughing from confusion. Eventually, the balloon panda hat man stated, "Alright, it's that Jason Mraz song!" Mike muttered quietly and politely to me, "Yeah, I don't want to play a Jason Mraz song." and handed his guitar to the guy.

This show reminded me of everything I truly love about music, we are a community. Community can be your religion, or your politics, or your neighborhood, or school, but my community is who I share experiences like this with. My community is people who just love music.

Welcome back Blake, so good to hear from you, let's not make it so long next time.

See Foo Fighters live October 16th at US Airways in Phoenix! Special Ticket Pre-Sale for ZIA customers starting on 6/15 at 10AM(PST)!

2011-06-10T10:49:00.000-07:00

Foo Fighters fans, rejoice! Foo Fighters will be performing live at US Airways Arena in Phoenix on October 16th and we've got a special Pre-Sale ticket code for our awesome ZIA Customers!

Special Pre-Sale for Foo Fighters tickets will be running Wednesday 6/15 at 10am through Thursday 6/16 at 10pm. Visit http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/190046C1D38D2EB3?c=LNSM_arena_Phoenix_FooFighters_zia_presale_06152011, click on the "Tickets On Sale" link and then enter special pre-sale code WALK for your opportunity to purchase tickets early!

Click here for more info and to purchase tickets! Foo Fighters at US Airways on October 16th!

Make sure to stop by your local ZIA Records to pick up all your favorite Foo Fighters albums and DVDs including the new Foo Fighters "Back And Forth" documentary DVD on June 14th! The latest, amazing Foo Fighters "Wasting Light" album on sale now at all ZIA locations!

Dunny 2011 Series on sale June 23rd at ZIA! Dunny 2011 release & trading parties at ZIA Records on June 23rd from 6-8PM!

2011-06-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

New KidRobot Dunny 2011 Series available and on sale at all ZIA Records locations on Thursday, June 23rd! Featuring 18 designs from 15 inspired artists, 2011’s curation is amazing! Artists for the 2011 series includes KR vets Aya Kakeda, Chuckboy, Huck Gee, Kronk, MAD, Dirty Donny, Mister F®ame$ and Mishka, and debuting designs by deserved artists and customizers such as Squink!, 64 Colors, DrilOne, Elphonso Lam, Le Merde, Travis Lampe and Betso, 2010’s MUNNY MUNTH winner.

Join us for special Dunny 2011 release parties at our ZIA Indian School store in Phoenix and ZIA Eastern in Las Vegas on Thursday, June 23rd from 6-8PM for special discounts! Buy 4, Get 1 FREE Dunny when you purchase at our release parties at ZIA Indian School and Eastern only! And if you're a big collector, get 20% Off when you purchase a full DUNNY 2011 case at ZIA Indian School or Eastern on June 23rd between 6-8PM!* Stop by any ZIA Records on June 23rd and get 10% Off All Vinyl Figures!

ZIA RECORDS Indian School - 1940 W. Indian School, Phoenix, AZ 85015
(602)241-0313

ZIA RECORDS Eastern - 4225 S. Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702)735-4942

Hail Mary Mallon "Are You Gonna Eat That?" album review by Zak at ZIA Records

2011-06-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today I’m going to check out the new Hail Mary Mallon album “Are You Going To Eat That?” and give a review track by track as I listen to it for the first time. Hopefully this goes well and isn’t boring as shit. Let’s be completely honest, you’re reading a blog probably mid-day when you should be working or watching your kids or something so…

For those of you who don’t know Hail Mary Mallon is a group of likeminded individuals Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz. Being an indie hip hop fan I have been waiting for this album ever since I heard “D-Up” on one of the Def Jux comp cds’s. I’m a huge fan of all these guys and have been waiting awhile for new music from all. I loved Rob’s Sonic Sum band and really was into Aesop’s work on the latest Felt record, but this was the one I was waiting for. I’m also looking forward to a hip hop record with some well thought writing lyricism and not hearing “WACKA” shouted at me.

All right track one is called “Church Pants”: Great intro. “2 by 2 by 2 by 2” These guys really flow well off each other. Amazing production (nice echoes)! Very nice jump off track.

Track 2 is called “Garfield”: Right off the bat I can tell this an Aesop beat. I think Aesop has now gotten himself to the point of being recognized by production as much as flow. This song has that “Aesop” sound which to me has blossomed since his move to the West Coast. His beats go perfect with the cadence of himself and Rob. FYI: scratches are perfectly timed.

Track 3 “Grubstake”: I know it’s played out (pun intended) to reference RUN-DMC ,but Sonic and Aesop’s lyrical exchange on this track very much reminds me off their back and forth. Very conversational but this track is too short. Just when you appreciate the flow, it’s over.

Track 4 “Meter Feeder”: “I came for the food but stayed for the prom dresses” Awesome. I can see just listening to this and walking around.

Track 5 “Smock”: The album slows down a bit but it’s a nice break. Change up in delivery to compliment the track. Check out the video on YouTube.

Track 6 “The Poconos”: “Hotel Motel, Holy Ghost…Razor Blade, Jailbait, Overdose”. Great track. I haven’t said it yet but the samples on this record are great. This is the first we hear from Rob production-wise. It’s Awesome. “Hail A King, Hail A Cab, Hail Satan” says Rob

Track 7 “Break-dance Beach”: Break-dance Beach sounds like a ‘80’s throwback. Production takes a backseat to flow. It works for sure. Was that Cage?

Track 8 “Table Talk”: Another Rob produced track. It’s sick for sure.

Track 9 “Mail Box Baseball”: Wiz shines on the front of this track. “Wiz on the Tecs, Class Pay Attention” Aesop shouts on this track. How is this the first Hail Mary Mallon record and when is the new one?

Track 10 “Holy Diver”: No Ronnie James here (RIP Ronnie) just a great track. Do Rob and Aesop start first on the tracks they do beats for? I gotta listen to this again. “I Escaped New York like I watch King Kong Backwards” Aesop!.....you! Nice ‘70s Blacksploitation feel to the track as well.

At this point I have to take a dump and pause this record (oatmeal for breakfast). Oh what I suppose you don’t go to the bathroom!?! I’m a human being! I have functions! Dicks…

Back. What kind of person leaves the toilet paper roll empty? I work with animals at Zia HQ! Animals…who don’t wipe!

Track 11 “Knievel”: On tracks like this I wonder how the writing process goes. There are just so many words crammed into a track. It totally works but ..Wow. It’s hard to create a track like this and make it sound like you are not reading a list. How you do that is add a sense of urgency and element of conversational back and forth. They do this well.

Track 12 “Plagues and Bacon”: Another machine gun verse by Aesop. Fast and furious. Sounds great! How does someone as big as Rob get enough breathe to spit this fast without breathing hard?

This is a great record. I love everything about this group! The videos have a comedic sense and these guys seem to have a genuine chemistry that comes out on the tracks. I love any music with a little something sinister to it (Smith’s anyone?) and you throw in a little funny and I’m sold! Buy this record!

She Wants Revenge in-store signing at ZIA Chandler on June 16th at Noon!

2011-05-31T10:58:00.000-07:00

She Wants Revenge in-store signing at our ZIA Chandler store on Thursday, June 16th at Noon! Pick up their new album "Valleyheart" on sale now at all ZIA locations! Stop by and get your copy signed by the band! See you there!

ZIA Records Chandler on Thursday, June 16th at Noon!
ZIA Records, 1940 W. Chandler Blvd, Chandler AZ
Phone # 480-857-4942

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

Win a pair of tickets to see Panic At The Disco live at The House Of Blues Las Vegas on June 18th!

2011-05-31T10:47:00.000-07:00

Win a pair a tickets to see the Panic At The Disco live at The House of Blues Las Vegas on June 18th!

To enter, send an email titled 'PANIC ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends June 15th at 11AM (AZ Time).

Stop by your local ZIA to pick up all your favorite Panic At The Disco albums on CD or LP!

Visit ZIA at Facebook.com/Ziarecords and Twitter.com/Ziarecords

www.ziarecords.com

Pharoach Monch in-store signing at ZIA Indian School in Phoenix on June 21st

2011-05-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

Join us for a special Pharoach Monch in-store signing at our ZIA Indian School store on Saturday, June 11th - see store for time! Pick up Pharoach Monch's new album "W.A.R.(We Are Renegades)on sale now at all ZIA locations! Stop by and get your copy signed! See you there!

ZIA Records Indian School on Tuesday, June 21st
ZIA Records, 1940 W. Indian School Road, Phoenix AZ
Phone # 602-241-0313

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

Adelita's Way in-store signing at ZIA Eastern in Las Vegas on June 11th at 2PM!

2011-05-31T10:36:00.000-07:00

Free Adelita's Way in-store signing at our ZIA Eastern store on Saturday, June 11th at 2PM! Pick up their new album "Home School Valedictorian" on sale June 7th at all ZIA locations! Stop by and get your copy signed by the band! See you there!

ZIA Records Eastern on Saturday, June 11th at 2PM!
ZIA Records, 4225 S. Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV
Phone # 702-735-4942

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

Yellowcard in-store signing at ZIA Speedway in Tucson on June 12th at 4:30PM!

2011-05-31T10:29:00.000-07:00

Free Yellowcard in-store signing at our ZIA Speedway store on Sunday, June 12th at 2PM! Pick up their new album "When You're Through Thinking Say Yes" on sale now at all ZIA locations! Stop by and get your copy signed by the band! See you there!

ZIA Records Speedway on Sunday, June 12th at 4:30PM!
ZIA Records, 3370 E. Speedway Blvd, Tucson AZ
Phone # 520-327-3340

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

Win a pair of tickets to see Iggy & The Stooges live at The Joint at The Hard Rock Las Vegas on September 10th!

2011-05-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

Win a pair a tickets to see the one and only Iggy & The Stooges live at The Joint at the Hard Rock Las Vegas on September 10th!

To enter, send an email titled 'STOOGES ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends September 6th at 11AM (AZ Time).

Stop by your local ZIA to pick up all your favorite Stooges albums on CD or LP!

Visit ZIA at Facebook.com/Ziarecords and Twitter.com/Ziarecords

www.ziarecords.com

Queens Of The Stone Age at The Cosmopolitan in Vegas on July 23rd! Special Pre-Sale for ZIA customers starting on 5/19 at 10AM(PST)!

2011-05-18T16:34:00.001-07:00

Vegas friends! Queens Of The Stone Age will be performing live at The Cosmpolitan on July 23rd and we've got a special Pre-Sale ticket code for our awesome ZIA Customers!

Special Pre-Sale for QOTSA tickets will be running Thursday, May 19th at 10AM (PST) through Friday, May 20th at 10AM (PST). Visit the Cosmpolitan Event Link, click on the "Tickets On Sale May 20, 2011" link and then enter special pre-sale code REGJ for your opportunity to purchase tickets early! Tickets going on sale to the general public on Friday, May 20th at 10AM (PST).

Click here for more info and to purchase tickets! Queens Of The Stone Age at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas

Make sure to stop by your local ZIA Records to pick up all your favorite QOTSA albums including the new Rekords Rekords remastered release of Queens Of The Stone age self-titled album available on CD & LP!

Win a pair of tickets to see Voodoo Glow Skulls live in Tempe on May 19th!

2011-05-09T09:55:00.001-07:00

Win a pair a tickets to see Voodoo Glow Skulls live at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe on Thursday, May 19th!

To enter, send an email titled 'VOODOO ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends Monday, May 16th at 4PM(AZ Time).

Stop by your local ZIA to pick up Voodoo Glow Skulls albums! Visit us online at www.ziarecords.com

Win a pair of tickets to see Hollywood Undead live at HOB Las Vegas on May 6th!

2011-05-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

Win a pair a tickets to see Hollywood live at the House of Blues Las Vegas on Friday, May 6th!

To enter, send an email titled 'HOLLYWOOD ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends Thursday, May 5th at 11AM(AZ Time).

Stop by your local ZIA to pick up the latest Hollywood Undead album "American Tragedy"!

Follow Zia Records at Facebook.com/Ziarecords and Twitter.com/Ziarecords

www.ziarecords.com

Win a pair of tickets to see Jimmy Eat World live at HOB Vegas on May 14th!

2011-05-02T10:00:00.001-07:00

Win a pair a tickets to see our Arizona boys Jimmy Eat World live at the House of Blues Las Vegas on Saturday, May 14th!

To enter, send an email titled 'JIMMY ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends Thursday, May 12th at 11AM (AZ Time).

Stop by your local ZIA to pick up the latest Jimmy Eat World album "Invented" on CD or LP!

Visit ZIA at Facebook.com/Ziarecords and Twitter.com/Ziarecords

www.ziarecords.com

Fleet Foxes "Helplessness Blues" listening parties at ZIA Records on May 2nd & 3rd! Win a Fleet Foxes prize pack!

2011-04-25T14:58:00.001-07:00

Stop by your local ZIA Records to enjoy the new Fleet Foxes "Helplessness Blues" with us on May 2nd & May 3rd! We'll be having listening party sessions at all of our stores for this special release, make sure to stop by ZIA to pick up your copy and be automatically entered to win an incredible Fleet Foxes prize pack! New Fleet Foxes "Helplessness Blues" LP & CD on sale May 3rd at all ZIA locations!

Starting at Midnight on May 2nd and running through the end of Tuesday, May 3rd, customers that purchase the new Fleet Foxes at ZIA will be automatically entered to win a super cool Fleet Foxes prize pack! Customers must purchase the new Fleet Foxes title with a valid Z-Card. If you don't already have a Z-Card, you can sign up at any ZIA location to get one!

Grand Prize pack includes :
* Limited Edition Vinyl LP copy of “Helplessness Blues”! This is super limited edition - only 100 White Vinyl made! This is NOT for sale anywhere, and was pressed by Sub Pop and strictly limited for these events ONLY. Highly collectible!
* Limited Edition Silkscreened Fleet Foxes poster on heavy stock paper (see poster image below)
* Sub Pop “prize pack” with miscellaneous Sub Pop items
* A pair of tickets to see Fleet Foxes live on May 8th at The Rialto in Tucson, AZ

Runner up prizes includes :
* Limited Edition Silkscreened Fleet Foxes poster on heavy stock paper (see poster image below)
* Sub Pop “prize pack” with cool miscellaneous Sub Pop items

FLEET FOXES LISTENING PARTIES AT ZIA RECORDS
• Monday, May 2nd – 10PM to Midnight at ZIA Sahara & ZIA Eastern in Las Vegas, ZIA Tempe, ZIA Thunderbird in Phoenix
• Tuesday, May 3rd – 10AM to Noon at all ZIA locations
• Tuesday, May 3rd – 6 to 8PM at all ZIA locations

Make sure to stop by your local ZIA to pick up the new album and enjoy the lovely new Fleet Foxes with us! If for some crazy reason you can't join us at the stores, you still have a chance to win some awesome Fleet Foxes items!

To enter, send an email titled 'FLEET ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends May 30th at 3PM (AZ time). Only winners will be contacted.

See you all soon! Good luck!

Visit us online at www.ziarecords.com and follow us at Facebook.com/ziarecords and Twitter.com/ziarecords

Join ZIA Records at the BIG 4 Festival on April 23rd! Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson & Full Metal Jackie signings!

2011-04-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

We're stoked and honored to announce that ZIA Records will be the official music retailer at the Big 4 Festival featuring Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth & Anthrax on April 23rd! To say the least, our Metal dreams are coming true by getting the chance to be the record store on-site at such an amazing show! This will be the only Big 4 tour date in the US so make sure to get your tickets before this one surely sells out! Visit http://thebig4festival.com/ for more info!

ZIA Record Exchange is setting up the best Metal store in the desert on the Empire Polo Fields that day just for you! Make sure to join us to pick up some great Exclusive releases, Vinyl and more Metal than you could throw a jackhammer at! And if that wasn't cool enough, Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson, Jim Florentine and Full Metal Vickie will be stopping by and hanging out at our ZIA tent all day at Big 4!

Pick up Eddie Trunk's new book "Eddie Trunk's Essential Hard Rock and Heavy Metal" at our ZIA tent and have Eddie sign your copy! Eddie will be signing copies from 2:30-4PM at the ZIA tent!

Be the first to pick up the new Don Jamieson "Live & Hilarious" CD at the ZIA tent! If you're out at the festival, make sure to stop by for a signing with Don from 2:30-4PM!

Metal maiden Full Metal Jackie will be visiting our ZIA tent at Big 4! Pick up Jackie's new book "Full Metal Jackie - Certified : The 50 Most Influential Heavy Metal Songs of the '80s" and get your copy signed! First 50 customers that purchase the book at ZIA will get a FREE T-shirt!

And if all that wasn't a great enough reason to visit the ZIA tent at Big 4, we're going to be having a super cool contest where you can text to win some amazing items including a cymbal signed by all Big 4 bands! Other items include a signed Avenged Sevenfold pair of glasses, an autographed Disturbed straight jacket an autographed Serj Tankian canvas! Only fans attending the Big 4 that visit the ZIA Records tent will get a chance to win these awesome items so make sure to stop by!

See you at the ZIA Records tent at Big 4! It's going to be epic! \m/\m/

Follow us at Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and Twitter.com/ZiaRecords for updates!

Join ZIA Records at Stagecoach Music Festival on April 30th & May 1st in Indio, CA!

2011-04-20T21:32:00.000-07:00

Giddyup! ZIA Record Exchange is happy to announce that we will be the Official Music Retailer and Artist/Band signing tent at Stagecoach : California's Country Music Festival this year on April 30th & May 1st!

We will have many artists and bands stopping by our ZIA Records tent during the Stagecoach Country Music festival weekend to sign copies of their latest albums and meet fans so make sure to stop by our tent at Stagecoach! Follow us on Twitter.com/Ziarecords to keep up to the minute on signings over the weekend!

It's going to be an fun two days at Stagecoach! Looking forward to kicking up our boots with ya'll in the desert this year!

Here's this year's full performing lineup! For more information, visit www.stagecoachfestival.com

SATURDAY, APRIL 30
Kenny Chesney, Joanna Smith, Stealing Angels, The Gourds, Phosphorescent, Mel Tillis, The Secret Sisters, Darius Rucker, Junior Brown, Lukas Nelson & The Promise Of the Real, Steel Magnolia

SUNDAY, MAY 1
Carrie Underwood, Easton Corbin, Josh Turner, The Punch Brothers, Rosie Flores, Truth & Salvage Co., Wanda Jackson, Leon Russell, Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Bros., Jack Ingram, Joanna Smith, Ricky Skaggs, k.d. lang, The Coal Porters

Win a pair of tickets to the Hell Hath No Fury Tour in Tucson on May 14th!

2011-04-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

Win a pair of tickets to the Hell Hath No Fury Tour at the Rock in Tucson on May 14th PLUS you'll get to meet System Divide and Sister Sin!

To enter, send an email titled 'HHNF ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contests ends May 10th at 3PM (AZ time).

Two runner-ups will get a Hell Hath No Fury Prize pack including a t-shirt, CD, Vinyl and more!

Stop by your local ZIA Records to pick up the latests releases from System Divide and Sister Sin!

www.ziarecords.com

Win an autographed Meat Puppets Lithograph from ZIA!

2011-04-18T10:31:00.001-07:00

Win an autographed Meat Puppets lithograph from your friends at ZIA! In celebration of their new record "Lollipop", our old friends in the Meat Puppets signed a very cool lithograph for us to give away to one of our lucky customers!

To enter, send an email titled 'MEAT ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends 5/9/11.

Make sure to stop by your local ZIA to pick up the new Meat Puppets album "Lollipop", on sale now at all ZIA locations! www.ziarecords.com

Win a pair of 3-Day passes to McDowell Mountain Music Festival - April 29,30 & May 1st at The Compound!

2011-04-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

Win a pair of 3-Day passes to the McDowell Mountain Music Festival happening April 29, 30 & May 1st at The Compound in Phoenix, Arizona! Tons of great artists and bands performing this year including Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, JJ Grey & Mofro, Martin Sexton, Kinch, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears and more!

To enter to win a pair of 3-day passes, send an email titled 'MMMF ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends 4/27/11 at 2PM (AZ time).

MMMF tickets on sale now at our ZIA Records Thunderbird and Tempe locations! Visit www.mmmf.net for more information!

Win a pair of tickets to see Royal Bangs live in May!

2011-04-18T10:14:00.000-07:00

Win a pair of tickets to see the the Royal Bangs live in Arizona in May! We've got a pair of tickets to give away for both their 5/1 show in Phoenix and 5/2 show in Tucson! April 5th from your friends at ZIA Records!

Wanna see Royal Bangs live on May 1st at the Ryhtym Room in Phoenix? To enter, send an email titled 'ROYAL PHX' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends on 4/27/11 at 11AM(PST). Only winners will be contacted.

Oh, you'd rather see Royal Bangs live in Tucson on May 2nd at Club Cognress? To enter, send an email titled 'ROYAL TUC' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends on 4/27/11 at 11AM(PST). Only winners will be contacted.

Remember to stop by your local ZIA Records to pick up the new Royal Bangs album "Flux Outside" on sale now at all ZIA locations! www.ziarecords.com

Jello Biafra in-store signing at ZIA Records Eastern on April 30th at 3:30PM!

2011-04-18T10:05:00.001-07:00

Jello Biafra will be stopping by and doing a very special in-store signing at our ZIA Records Eastern location on Saturday, April 30th at 3:30PM! Pick up Jello Biafra & The Guantanamo School Of Medicine's latest album "Audacity Of Hype" on sale now at all ZIA locations! Stop by and get your copy signed by Jello! See you there!

ZIA Records Eastern on Saturday, April 30th at 3:30PM!
ZIA Records, 4225 S. Eastern Ave
Phone # 702-735-4942

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers in-store performance & signing at ZIA Thunderbird on April 19th at 6PM

2011-04-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

Join us for a very special Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers in-store performance & signing at our ZIA Thunderbird location on Tuesday, April 19th at 6PM! The brand new Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers album "Unida Cantina" being released that day!

UPDATE!! Pre-Order the new Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers “Unida Cantina” CD or LP now at any Phoenix ZIA Records location & receive a FREE RCPM tour poster and a wristband to see the exclusive performance and meet the band at ZIA Records Thunderbird on April 19th!(While Supplies Last!)

And if that wasn't cool enough,there's another bonus - be automatically entered to win a pair of tickets to see Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers live on April 16th at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale when you pre-order the new album at ZIA with your valid Z-Card! Pre-order now through Thursday, April 14th for your chance to win tickets!

ZIA Records Thunderbird on Tuesday, April 19th at 6PM!
ZIA Records, 2510 W. Thunderbird Road, Phoenix, AZ
Phone # 602-866-7867 Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

Win a pair of passes to see the new Foo Fighters documentary "Back And Forth"! One-night only screening, April 5th in Las Vegas!

2011-04-04T17:11:00.001-07:00

Win a pair of passes to see the new Foo Fighters documentary "Back And Forth" on April 5th from your friends at ZIA Records! We've got a pair of passes to give away for the special screening happening in Las Vegas! To enter, send an email titled 'FF ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends on 4/5/11 at 11AM(PST). Only valid for Las Vegas residents. Only winners will be contacted.

Remember to stop by your local ZIA Records to pick up the new Foo Fighters album "Wasting Light" available April 12th on LP & CD! And if you think that's cool, there's also a super limited Foo Fighters "Medium Rare" 12" Record Store Day release coming out on April 16th! Make sure stop by ZIA to celebrate on Record Store Day!

More info on the film here!!

ONE NIGHT ONLY THEATRICAL RELEASE – APRIL 5th (USA) TO BE FOLLOWED BY A LIVE PERFORMANCE IN 3D !

Foo Fighters Back and Forth is coming to a theater near you !

One night only, you can catch Foo Fighters Back and Forth on the big screen, followed by a LIVE 3D performance. LIVE 3D!

Details for theaters and tickets can be found here http://us.foofightersfilm.com/

Don't miss it - you guys, its only gonna happen once ! Check out the trailer!

Legendary artist Frank Kozik designs a special Vinyl figure for Record Store Day 2011!

2011-03-31T13:11:00.000-07:00

Frank Kozik, widely touted for single-handedly bringing back the lost art of the concert poster and currently one of the most prolific and popular contemporary artists in the world, has created a special art figure for Record Store Day 2011!

This specially designed piece is a 5” figurine appropriately named RPM. Hidden in the Blind Box are 4 unique figures, The Anarchy Punk, The Super Hero, The Monster and The Let’s Party Bear. The figures will be limited to only 5,000 pieces (1500 each of the Punk/Hero/Monster and 500 Let’s Party) and available on Record Store Day at participating record stores, comic shops and the Coachella Festival. Stop by your local ZIA Records on Record Store to pick up the figures for just $9.99 each, regularly priced at $15.99!

RPM is just one of a long line of varied creations that Kozik has brought into the world over the past three decades. Initially inspired by the music scene back in the mid-eighties in Austin, TX, Kozik designed an iconic new look for concert posters that caught on nationwide, then worldwide and was widely covered by such media outlets as Newsweek, Rolling Stone and Spin. In 2002, Kozik went on to enter into the intriguing art world of Urban Vinyl figures and has since designed signature pieces for Kid Robot, Toy2R, Adfunture, Jamungo in addition to custom pieces for his own brand, Ultraviolence. Kozik has created iconic art pieces and vinyl figures with his Smorkin’ Labbit series, The Hate Dunny, Dr. Bomb, Mongers and Chumps to name just a few! Based in the Bay Area, Kozik has built a virtual empire from his innovative and acclaimed creations.

Record Store Day is honored by Frank Kozik’s involvement and collaboration in the 2011 event, slated for Saturday, April 16th and Kozik returns the sentiment:

"I first became aware of independent creative thought and art through the efforts of MY local record stores, many years ago. I firmly believe that nothing can replace the walk into a place where you can lay hands on to new stuff and energy. I am very pleased to be able to support Record Store Day in its message of SUPPORT THE INDEPENDENTS. It's the only honest source."

For more about Frank Kozik, please visit: http://www.frankkozik.net/

For more information on exclusive Record Store Day events, products and participants, visit www.recordstoreday.com

Celebrate National Record Store Day with ZIA Records on April 16th!

2011-03-30T19:55:00.000-07:00

Stop by your local ZIA Records to celebrate National Record Store Day with us on Saturday, April 16th! This year we're looking forward to a bunch of terrific Record Store Day exclusive Vinyl and CD releases, special in-store events and overall celebration of Record stores across the world! All ZIA locations will open at 9AM for Record Store Day so we'll see you bright and early.

UPDATE * For a list of Record Store Day exclusives being release on April 16th, check out this handy dandy link that the folks at RSD pulled together!
Record Store Day 2011 releases

Please note that not all of our stores will be recieving every single Record Store Day piece, there are 100s of fantastic releases coming out and all in Limited Quantity. Due to the Limited production quantities of Record Store Day pieces, ZIA Records cannot do rainchecks, special orders or holds on RSD releases. Limit one copy of each item per customer.

UPDATE * Internationally acclaimed artist, Frank Kozik has created a special art figure for Record Store Day 2011! This specially designed piece is a 5" figurine appropriately named RPM. There will be 4 unique figures, The Anarchy Punk, The Super Hero, The Monster and The Let's Party Bear. The figures will be limited to only 5,000 pieces (1500 of each the Punk/Hero/MOnster and 500 Let's Party) and available on Record Store Day at all ZIA locations as well as our ZIA Records booth at Coachella Festival! Only $9.99 each at ZIA Records, regulary priced at $15.99!

In addition to the awesomeness that is Record Store Day and celebrating independent record stores across the country, we will be releasing our own local music compilation "You Heard Us Back When, Volume 5" featuring local bands and musicians from Phoenix, Tucson and Las Vegas! 33 tracks on 2 CDs for just $3! Proceeds from the sales of the Local compilation will be donated to Alice Cooper's Solid Rock foundation, visit them online at Alice Cooper's Solid Rock

Many of the bands on our local comp will be playing at our stores on Record Store Day so make sure to join us for some great live music!

RECORD STORE DAY 2011 – ZIA RECORDS IN-STORE PERFORMANCE & EVENTS SCHEDULE
ZIA RECORD EXCHANGE
1940 W. INDIAN SCHOOL, PHOENIX
* Roll Acosta at 4PM
* Biffy Clyro at 6PM - Performance & Signing

ZIA RECORD EXCHANGE - TEMPE
105 W. UNIVERSITY, TEMPE
* Gospel Claws at 6PM

ZIA RECORD EXCHANGE - THUNDERBIRD
2510 W. THUNDERBIRD, PHOENIX AZ
* Whiskey Six at 5PM
* DFactor at 6PM

ZIA RECORD EXCHANGE - CHANDLER
1940 W. CHANDLER, CHANDLER AZ
* Snake! Snake! Snakes! at 4:30PM

ZIA RECORD EXCHANGE
3370 E. SPEEDWAY, TUCSON AZ
* Special Fort Lowell Records Showcase featuring Howe Gelb of Giant Sand and the lovely Tracy Shedd!
* Howe Gelb at Noon
* Tracy Shedd at 11:30AM

ZIA RECORD EXCHANGE
3655 N. ORACLE, TUCSON AZ
* See store for events on RSD!

ZIA RECORD EXCHANGE - SAHARA
4503 W. SAHARA, LAS VEGAS NV
* Langston Graves at 4:30PM
* Define Appropriate at 6PM

ZIA RECORD EXCHANGE - EASTERN
4225 S. EASTERN AVE, LAS VEGAS NV
* A Death To Stars at 4PM
* Tesco Vee of The Meatmen - Book Signing at 6PM!
* The Lipstick Killas at 8PM

Mark your calenders for a fantastic Record Store Day! Visit us at any of our 8 store locations (4 in Phoenix, 2 in Tucson & 2 in Las Vegas See you then!

And remember....ZIA loves you!

Visit www.recordstoreday.com for more info!

Win a pair of VIP passes to the 11th Annual Phoenix Film Festival from ZIA!

2011-03-29T13:49:00.000-07:00

Win a pair of VIP passes to the 11th Annual Phoenix Film Festival happening at the Harkins Scottsdale 101 from March 31st through April 7th! This year there are so many great independent films along with great short films! For the full schedule, visit www.phoenixfilmfestival.org!

To enter to win a pair of VIP passes, send an email titled 'PFF ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends Thursday, March 31st at 10PM (AZ Time). Only winners will be contacted directly.

Follow Phoenix Film Festival on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PhoenixFilmFestival and Twitter at http://twitter.com/phoenixfilmfest

Follow ZIA Records on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ziarecords and Twitter at www.twitter.com/ziarecords

White Limo from the Foo Fighters video stopping by ZIA Sahara in Vegas on March 30th at 5PM!

2011-03-28T15:51:00.001-07:00

FOO FIGHTERS fans!! The actual White Limo featured in the Foo Fighters "White Limo" video is on a cross-country tour of record stores and other cool places playing the new Foo Fighters album Wasting Light. This sweet ride will be rolling through Vegas and stopping by our ZIA Sahara store on Wednesday, March 30th at 5pm! Stop by to hear the fantastic new Foo Fighters album and see the vehicle that co-stars in the White Limo vid...eo with Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear and the legendary Lemmy Kilmister. New Foo Fighters album "Wasting Light" available and on sale April 12th at all ZIA locations and our webstore at www.ziarecords.com!

Join us for a fun time and make sure to follow White Limo on it's trek across the US! Goooooooo limo!!

Follow the White Limo on it's adventures:
http://whitelimotour.tumblr.com/
and here
http://twitter.com/WHITELIMOTOUR

The White Limo Music Video:

Make sure to follow ZIA on Twitter - www.twitter.com/ziarecords
See More

Talib Kweli in-store signing at ZIA Records Speedway on April 7th at 6PM!

2011-03-28T14:50:00.000-07:00

Talib Kwelis will be stopping by and doing a sepcial in-store signing at our ZIA Records Speedway location on Thursday, April 7th at 6PM! Pick up Talib's latest album "Gutter Rainbows" on sale now at all ZIA locations! Stop by and get your copy signed by Talib! See you there!

ZIA Records Speedway on Thursday, April 7th at 6PM!
ZIA Records, 3370 E. Speedway, Tucson, AZ
Phone # 520-327-3340

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

Win tickets to see STRONGMAN at The Loft Cinema in Tucson, AZ

2011-03-28T09:36:00.001-07:00

Win a pair of passes to see the documentary film STRONGMAN at The Loft in Tucson, AZ! Film opens on Friday, April 15th and will be showing through April 21st at The Loft!

You can win a pair of passes to see the film! To enter, send an email titled 'STRONGMAN ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends Tuesday, April 12th at Noon (AZ Time)!

STRONGMAN is a cinema verité documentary about Stanless Steel, The Strongest Man in the World at Bending Steel and Metal.

Told with the kind of intimacy that can only be achieved with years of filming, STRONGMAN follows the dreams and heartbreaking humanity of Stanless Steel—the only man alive who can bend a penny with his fingers—as he struggles to gain control of a world that seems constantly out of his grasp.

STRONGMAN is a film about faith, about believing in yourself and a film about never giving up. It is a film about weakness and a film about strength.

For more info, visit - http://www.strongmanfilm.com/

The Joy Formidable in-store acoustice performance & signing at ZIA Records Indian School on April 19th at 4PM

2011-03-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

Join us for a special The Joy Formidable in-store acoustic performance & signing at our ZIA Indian School location on Tuesday, April 19th at 4PM! Pick up their new album "Big Roar" on sale now at all ZIA locations! Stop by and get your copy signed by the band! See you there!

ZIA Records Indian School on Tuesday, April 19th at 4PM!
ZIA Records, 1940 W. Indian School, Phoenix, AZ
Phone # 602-241-0313

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

A Day To Remember in-store signing at ZIA Records Tempe on April 9th at 4PM

2011-03-24T14:12:00.001-07:00

Join us for a special A Day To Remember in-store signing at our ZIA Tempe location on Saturday, April 9th at 4PM! Pick up their new album "What Seperates Me From You" on sale now at all ZIA locations! Stop by and get your copy signed by the band! See you there!

ZIA Records Tempe on Saturday, April 9th at 4PM!
ZIA Records, 105 W. University, Tempe, AZ
Phone # 480-829-1967

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

Yellowcard in-store signing at ZIA Records Chandler on April 11th at 4PM & ZIA Eastern in Vegas on April 13th at 3:30PM!

2011-03-24T10:16:00.001-07:00

Free Yellowcard in-store signingS at our ZIA Chandler location on Monday, April 11th at 4PM! Yellowcard will also be visiting our ZIA Eastern location in Vegas on Wednesday, April 13th at 3:30PM! Pick up their new album "When You're Through Thinking Say Yes" on sale now at all ZIA locations! Stop by and get your copy signed by the band! See you there!

ZIA Records Chandler on Monday, April 11th at 4PM!
ZIA Records, 1940 W. Chandler, Chandler, AZ
Phone # 480-857-4942

ZIA Records Eastern on Wednesday, April 13th at 3:30PM!
ZIA Records, 4225 S. Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV
Phone # 702-735-4942

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

Britney Spears Official Arizona CD Release Party at Bliss ReBar in Phoenix on Monday, March 28th at 8PM

2011-03-23T15:10:00.001-07:00

ZIA Records and Bliss ReBar proudly co-sponsor the Britney Spears Arizona CD Release Party on Monday, March 28th starting at 8PM! Join us for a special night featuring the new Britney Spears album "Femme Fatale". Party starts at 8PM and the album preview will start at 9PM!

Be the first to HEAR and BUY Britney's new album that night! ZIA Records will be on-site selling the new Britney album, available on regular CD and Special Deluxe CD! There will be special raffle prizes, giveaways and more! Special drink offers and Happy Hour pricing ALL night! Join us for a fun event at Bliss ReBar, downtown Phoenix's premiere bar and restaurant! See you then!

Britney Spears Official Arizona CD Release Party - Monday, March 28th at 8PM
Bliss ReBar - 901 North 4th Stree, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Ph # 602-795.1792 Visit Bliss ReBar online at http://blissonfourth.com/

Follow Bliss on Twitter at www.twitter.com/blissrebar and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/blissrebar

Follow ZIA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ziarecords and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ziarecords

A Rocket To The Moon in-store performance & signing at ZIA Records Speedway on April 1st!

2011-03-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

Stop by ZIA to catch A Rocket To The Moon do a sepcial in-store acoustic performance and signing at our ZIA Records Speedway location on Friday, April 1st at 4PM! Pick up their latest album "On Your Side" on sale now at all ZIA locations! Stop by and get your copy signed by the band! See you there!

ZIA Records Speedway on Friday, April 1st at 4PM!
ZIA Records, 3370 E. Speedway, Tucson, AZ
Phone # 520-327-3340

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

ZIA RECORDS release "You Heard Us Back When, Volume 5" Local Music compilation on National Record Store Day, April 16th!

2011-03-21T15:33:00.000-07:00

Zia is proud to unveil Volume 5 in our Local Music series "You Heard Us Back When" for National Record Store Day 2011. After four entries in the series, this is our biggest compilation yet with 33 tracks, and we feel like we've only scratched the surface of the local talent in Arizona and Nevada.

Spread across two discs, we are featuring some established locals like Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers and Authority Zero's Jason Devore, breakout acts to keep your eye on like Gospel Claws and Courtney Marie Andrews, as well as many artists you might not have heard till now. We've tried to showcase the tremendous variety of music available just down the street in your town tonight.

Proceeds from this compilation will be donated to Alice Cooper's Solid Rock foundation, which raises money to benefit teenagers in the Valley, and is working to build a teen center as place where kids can flourish, understand themselves, learn, and equip themselves for the road ahead. We're pleased to be associated with such a worthy cause founded by a great local musician. For more information, visit them online at www.alicecoopersolidrock.com.

So remember to stop by your local ZIA Records to enjoy National Record Store Day with us and pick up your copy of our beloved "You Heard Us Back When, Vol. 5" for just $3! We hope you enjoy listening, we have a feeling you will!

And remember.......ZIA LOVES YOU!

ZIA Records "You Heard Us Back When, Vol. 5" tracklisting

CD ONE
1. Snake! Snake! Snakes! - City On Fire (Phoenix)
2. Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers - Marie (Phoenix)
3. Gospel Claws - Avenues (Phoenix)
4. Manufactured Defects - I Told You So (Phoenix)
5. Kinch - Once I Was A Mainsail (Phoenix)
6. Courtney Marie Andrews - Pomegranate (Phoenix)
7. Scorpion Vs. Tarantula - Switch It On (And Shake) (Phoenix)
8. Roll Acosta - Not Alone (Tucson)
9. Jason Devore - Hold Me Down (Phoenix)
10. Junction 10 - Walkin' Sideways (Phoenix)
11. Austin Gibbs - I Like The Ones (Phoenix)
12. Art For Starters - I Hope Ants Crawl Under Your Eyelids (Phoenix)
13. Langston Graves - Death The Redeemer (Las Vegas)
14. Hogjaw - Rollin Thunder (Phoenix)
15. Connor Shaw - No More Rain (Phoenix)
BONUS TRACK : Gospel Claws - Summer Nights Lakeside (Phoenix)

CD TWO
1. Out Of Reverie - Yeah, We Call It Human Nature (Phoenix)
2. Torin Dinh - How Should I Feel (Phoenix)
3. TA-80 - She Sells Skulls (Tucson)
4. Whiskey Six - Love, Sex and American Excess (Phoenix)
5. P.J. Waxman - Snake Child, You Will Not Listen (Phoenix)
6. The Constellation Branch - Hold Your Own (Phoenix)
7. DFACTOR - Ditch Kids (Phoenix)
8. Three Point Turn - That's What's Up (Tucson)
9. Godhunter - Teargas (Tucson)
10. Mike Superhero - Dan Majerle (Tucson)
11. Catfish Mustache - Oh Yea (Phoenix)
12. Rate Of Change - Break You Down (Phoenix)
13. Define Approriate - Svelte (Las Vegas)
14. Jonathan Sakas - I Just Wanna Rock (Phoenix)
15. What's Left - Burns Me Up (Phoenix)
16. Tragedy X - Liquid Love (Las Vegas)
17. El Sonida De Reposa - Dust To Dust (NYARLATHOTEP) (Phoenix)

ZIA Records ~ Official Music Retailer at Coachella 2011! Celebrate Record Store Day with ZIA Records!

2011-03-16T20:52:00.000-07:00

ZIA Record Exchange is happy to announce that we will once again be the Official Music Retailer and Artist/Band signing tent at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival this year on April 15, 16 & 17th! We will have many artist and band signings, a bunch of fantastic Record Store Day exclusives and overall good vibes for you to enjoy!

Once again this year, Record Store Day falls right in the middle of the Coachella Festival! The world-renowned music festival has chosen Record Store Day to run the event’s popular on-site Record store, powered by Zia Record Exchange! We will be celebrating in style at Coachella by bringing all of the great music exclusives and special RSD pieces with us! There are a mountain of great titles being released especially for Record Store Day so make sure to stop by our booth at Coachella. If you can't join us at the festival this year, be sure to stop by any of our 8 store locations in Arizona and Nevada to pick up some amazing exclusive titles, special events and revel in the awesomeness of having such great Record Stores to visit in your home towns! For more information about Record Store Day, visit www.recordstoreday.com

We will have many artists and bands stopping by our ZIA Records tent during the Coachella festival weekend to sign copies of their latest albums and meet fans so make sure to stop by our tent at Coachella! Follow us on Twitter.com/Ziarecords to keep up to the minute on signings over the weekend!

It's going to be an amazing three days at Coachella! Looking forward to seeing you all in the desert!!

Here's this year's full performing lineup! For more information, visit www.coachella.com

FRIDAY APRIL 15
Kings Of Leon, The Black Keys, Interpol, The Chemical Brothers, Caifanes, Robyn, Sasha, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Brandon Flowers, Crystal Castles, Magnetic Man, Erick Morillo, Cee-Lo Green, Cut Copy, Cold War Kids, Sleigh Bells, Boys Noize, Afrojack, Flogging Molly, Warpaint, Ozomatli, Tame Impala, Nosaj Thing, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, A-Trak, !!! (Chk, Chk, Chk), The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Kele, Marina and the Diamonds, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Monarchy, Here We Go Magic, Klaxons, Titus Andronicus, Cold Cave, The Drums, The Morning Benders, Sander Kelinenberg, Glasser, Moving Units, Excision, OFWGKTA, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, The Aquabats, Skrillex, Brandt Brauer Frick, Scala & Kolacony Bros, Gypsy and The Cat, 12th Planet, Breakage, Hurts, Clare Maguire, The Royal Alberta Advantage.

SATURDAY, APRIL 16
Arcade Fire, Animal Collective, Mumford & Sons, Bright Eyes, Empire Of The Sun, Big Audio Dynamite, Steve Angello, The Kills, The London Suede, Broken Social Scene, One Day As A Lion, Erykah Badu, Paul Van Dyk, Fedde Le Grand, Scissor Sisters, The New Pornographers, Gogol Bordello, Cage The Elephant, The Swell Season, Shpongle, Laidback Luke, Elbow, Daedelus, Detla Spirit, Two Door Cinema Club, Jenny & Johnny, Foals, Fat Freddy's Drop, The Tallest Man On Earth, Cults, The Radio Dept., Chuckie, Raphael Saadiq, Lil' B, Yacht, Wire, Electric Touch, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, the Joy Formidable, Phosphorescent, Francis and the Lights, The Love Language, Gayongs, DJ Hype, DJ Marky, Joachim Garraud, The Henry Clay People, Freelance Whales, Mariachi El Bronx, The Twelves, EE, Bomba Estereo, Andy C, SBTRKT, The Felice Brothers, Trampled By Turtles, Mary Anne-Hobbs, Alf Alpha.

SUNDAY, APRIL 18
Kanye West, The Strokes, Duran Duran, The National, PJ Harvey, Death From Above 1979, Wiz Khalifa, Ratatat, Nas & Damian Marley, Jimmy Eat World, Axwell, Sven Vath, Bloody Beetroots, Death Crew 77, Chromeo, Duck Sauce, Neon Trees, the Presets, Leftfield, Best Coast, Lightning Bolt, She Wants Revenge, Jack's Mannequin, Green Velvet, Fistful of Mercy, HEALTH, Jack Beats, CSS, MEN, City and Colour, Foster The People, Angus and Julia Stone, Yelle, Delorean, Trentemuller, Phantogram, Twin Shadow, OFF!, Tinie Tempah, Plan B, Caspa, Riva Starr, Joy Orbison, Menomena, fun, Good Old War, Ellie Goulding, Rye Rye, Eliza Doolittle, Los Bunkers, High Contrast, DJ Zinc, New Pants, Thunderball, Gord Downie, Tokimonsta.

Win tickets to see STRONGMAN at the Valley Art Theatre in Tempe, AZ

2011-03-16T15:18:00.000-07:00

Win a pair of passes to see the documentary film STRONGMAN at the Valley Art theatre in Tempe, AZ! Film opens on Friday, March 18th and will be showing for a week at Valley Art!

You can win a pair of weekday passes to see the film! To enter, send an email titled 'STRONGMAN ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends Monday, March 21st at 11AM!

STRONGMAN is a cinema verité documentary about Stanless Steel, The Strongest Man in the World at Bending Steel and Metal.

Told with the kind of intimacy that can only be achieved with years of filming, STRONGMAN follows the dreams and heartbreaking humanity of Stanless Steel—the only man alive who can bend a penny with his fingers—as he struggles to gain control of a world that seems constantly out of his grasp.

STRONGMAN is a film about faith, about believing in yourself and a film about never giving up. It is a film about weakness and a film about strength.

For more info, visit - http://www.strongmanfilm.com/

WYE OAK in-store performance & signing at ZIA Speedway on March 21st at 6PM!

2011-03-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

Join us for a very special Wye Oak in-store performance and signing at our ZIA Records Speedway location in Tucson on Monday, March 21st at 6PM! Pick up the new Wye Oak album "Civilian" on CD & LP at ZIA and get your copy signed by the band at the in-store!

Make sure to catch Wye Oak later that night at their show at Solar Culture in Tucson!

You can win a pair of tickets for the show from ZIA! To enter, send an email titled 'WYE ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address! One entry per person - contest ends Thursday, March 17th at 3PM! Only winners will be contacted.

Wye Oak "Civilians' Cd & LP on sale now at all ZIA locations and www.ziarecords.com!

March is METAL MONTH at ZIA Record Exchange! \m/\m/

2011-03-09T13:00:00.001-08:00

March Is Metal Month at ZIA Records! Visit any of our 8 store locations and pick up some fantastic Metal titles on sale through the whole month!

Stop by and get a FREE March is Metal Month CD Sampler with purchase of select Metal titles while supplies last!

METAL MONTH CD SAMPLER TRACK LIST:

1 Cradle of Filth “Lilith Immaculate”
2 Deicide “How Can You Call Yourself A God”
3 Kill Corps “Save Me”
4 Vampires Everywhere “Undead Heart”
5 Winds Of Plague “Refined In The Fire”
6 Architects (UK) “Day In, Day Out”
7 Kylesa “To Forget”
8 Agnostic Front “More Than a Memory”
9 TesseracT “Deception – Concealing Fate Part 2”
10 Cauldron “All or nothing”
11 Hour of 13 “Naked Star”
12 Havok “Covering Fire”
13 Atheist “Second to Sun”
14 Gigan “The Raven and the Crow”
15 Wormrot “Manipulation”
16 Woods of Yrpes “I Was Buried In Mount Pleasant Cemetery”

March is METAL MONTH at ZIA Record Exchange! \m/\m/

2011-03-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

Meet Valerie Thompson 2-Time Land Speed Record Holder at ZIA Thunderbird on March 19th from 2-4PM!

2011-03-04T09:44:00.000-08:00

Meet Valerie Thompson, 2 Time World Land-Speed Record Holder and NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Team Owner, at our ZIA Records Thunderbird location on Saturday, March 19th from 2-4PM!

Make sure to visit www.bikerhunt.com for your chance to win a custom motorcycle built by none other than World renowned Sucker Punch Sally's of Scottsdale, Arizona! Stop by your local ZIA Records in Phoenix and Tucson and pick up weekly clues now to get your chance to win the bike!

Valerie Thompson Meet & Greet ~ Saturday, March 19th from 2-4PM
ZIA Records Thunderbird, 2510 W. Thunderbird, Phoenix, AZ * 602-866-7867

Visit us online at www.ziarecords.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ziarecords

Pick up the latest Filter album "Trouble With Angels" at ZIA and get a FREE laminate to see FILTER live on March 17th!

2011-02-28T08:21:00.000-08:00

Stop by any Phoenix ZIA Records locations and buy the latest Filter album "Trouble With Angels" and recieve a FREE laminate to see the band live in Phoenix on March 17th! While supplies last - see store for details!

Visit us online at www.ziarecords.com and join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ziarecords.com

Win a Limited Edition Middle Brother LP from your friends at ZIA Records!

2011-02-24T16:48:00.000-08:00

Win a Limited Edition Middle Brother Vinyl from ZIA! To enter, send an email titled 'MIDDLE ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends 3/28/2011.

New Middle Brother self-titled album on sale March 1st at all ZIA locations and online at www.ziarecords.com!

Visit us on Facebook

See The Baseball Project live and win tickets to a Cactus League game on March 25th!

2011-02-24T16:39:00.001-08:00

See The Baseball Project (featuring Peter Buck of R.E.M.) perform live at Glendale Stadium at 11:30am on March 25th before the White Sox/Dodgers Cactus League game!

Enter to Win a pair of great seats from ZIA and see the game! To enter, send an email titled 'BASEBALL ZIA' to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com and include your name, number & address. One entry per person - contest ends 3/22/11. The Baseball Project new album "Volume 2 : High & Inside" on sale now at all ZIA locations and online at www.ziarecords.com!

Take me out to the ball game....

Eddie Spaghetti in-store signing & performance at ZIA Sahara on March 8th!

2011-02-24T16:02:00.000-08:00

Join us for a special Eddie Spaghetti in-store performance and signing our ZIA Records Sahara store in Vegas on March 8th at 7PM! New Eddie Spaghetti album "Sundowner" available and on sale now at all ZIA locations and online at www.ziarecords.com!

ZIA Records Sahara on Tuesday, March 8th at 7PM!
ZIA Record Exchange, 4503 W. Sahara, Las Vegas NV
Phone @ 702-233-4942

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

Jason Devore in-store acoustic performance & signing at ZIA Speedway on March 13th!

2011-02-23T11:52:00.000-08:00

Join us for a special Jason Devore in-store performance and signing at our ZIA Records Speedway location on Sunday, March 13th at 3PM! New Jason Devore album "Conviction 2 : The Crooked Path" available at the in-store! Be the first to pick a copy of the new release! See you there!

ZIA Records Speedway on Sunday, March 13th at 3PM!
ZIA Records, 3370 E. Speedway Blvd, Tucson AZ
Phone # 520-327-3340
Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

ZIA Records is now taking Local Music submissions for "You Heard Us Back When, Vol. 5"!

2011-02-21T16:11:00.000-08:00

A new year is upon us and that means the release of ZIA Records "You Heard Us Back When, Vol. 5" Local Music compilation in 2011! We are now taking submission from Local Artists and Bands from the Phoenix, Las Vegas and Tucson areas!

To submit your music for this year's compilation, you can drop off a CD of your music at any of our 8 ZIA Record Exchange location between now and March 7, 2011! All submissions must be on CD format, no other formats will be accepted. We also need you to fill out a submission form to go along with your CD! Download, print and bring it along with a CD of your music to any ZIA Records location!

Submission form here!

Forms will also be available at every store location for you to fill out if needed.

The compilation will be available and on sale at all ZIA Records locations for Naional Record Store Day, April 16th, 2011!

Get your band heard! Have fun! ZIA loves you!

Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers and Refreshments shirts now available at ZIA Records!

2011-02-21T15:48:00.000-08:00

Stop by our ZIA Records Thunderbird and Chandler locations in Phoenix and our ZIA Speedway location in Tucson to pick up the latest Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers long-sleeve pirate mens shirts now! We've also got a cool kids shirt version available at the 3 stores for those young RCPM fans!

We also have the classic Refreshments "Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Wuzzy" album artwork shirt available at our ZIA Thunderbird and Chandler stores in Phoenix and ZIA Speedway in Tucson! Make sure to stop by and pick one up for that Roger Clyne fan that you know!

THE DEARS & EULOGIES in-store performance & signing at ZIA Chandler on March 13th at 3PM!

2011-02-21T15:29:00.001-08:00

Join us for a very special DEARS and EULOGIES in-store performance and signing! We are lucky enough to have both The Dears and Eulogies stop by our ZIA Chandler store on March 13th starting at 3PM! Stop by to hear the Dears perform a couple songs from their new album "Degeneration Street" and get your copy signed afterwards! We'll also have the newest Eulogies record available for sale as a special Vinyl/CD combo!

New Dears album "Degeneration Street" available and on sale now at all ZIA locations and online at www.ziarecords.com!

ZIA Records Chandler on Sunday, March 13th at 3PM!
ZIA Records, 1940 W. Chandler Blvd, Chandler AZ
Phone # 480-857-4942

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

IN THIS MOMENT in-store acoustic performance & signing at ZIA Eastern on March 12th at 4PM!

2011-02-21T08:54:00.000-08:00

Join us for a special In This Moment in-store acoustic performance and signing at our ZIA Records Eastern location on Saturday, March 12th at 4PM! Pick up the latest In This Moment album "Star-Crossed Wasteland" on sale now at all ZIA locations! Stop by and get your copy signed by the band! See you there!

ZIA Records Eastern on Saturday, March 12th at 4PM!
ZIA Records, 4225 S. Eastern Avenue, Las Vegas, NV
Phone # 702-735-4942

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

Paper Tongues acoustic in-store performance and signing at ZIA Records T-Bird on February 28th at 4PM!

2011-02-18T16:53:00.000-08:00

Join us for a special Paper Tongues in-store performance and signing at our ZIA Records Thunderbird location on Monday, February 28th at 4PM! New Paper Tongues self-titled album on sale now at all ZIA locations for $9.99! Stop by and get your copy signed by the band! See you there!

ZIA Records Thunderbird on Monday, February 28th at 4PM!
ZIA Records, 2510 W. Thunderbird Road, Phoenix, AZ
Phone # 602-866-7867

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

The Shadow Theory, Ghost & Crowbar Record Reviews by Ryan at ZIA Speedway

2011-02-15T13:34:00.000-08:00

The Shadow Theory "Behind The Black Veil"

The Shadow Theory is a new project from Devon Graves, the mastermind behind prog metal acts Psychotic Waltz and Dead Soul Tribe. If you know the work of those two bands, you probably understand how eccentric Devon Graves can be within a musical composition. This new band and album is certainly no exception by any means. "Behind The Black Veil" is a concept record about a man who wakes up from a nightmare only to find himself in yet another one, seemingly trapped in a dream world where the only constant is a mysterious woman, who is leading him towards some important truth. Slightly less than an hour long, the album runs through the musical genre inventory of prog, metal, folk, and rock, as well as all the different tools of dynamics and instrumentation. There is a lot going on in these songs, sometimes almost too much. Besides vocals, guitar, bass, and drums, you'll experience piano, flute, keyboards, strings, hell, even the kitchen sink might in the mix somewhere. While sometimes overblown, the album as a whole is an enjoyable listening experience. The glue that holds it all together is the impressive voice and range of Devon Graves. His voice is at times reminiscent of artists such as David Bowie, Freddy Mercury, King Diamond, and Layne Staley. This vocal ability works well with all the different parts of the story being told through the music, as he becomes different characters within songs. One vocal aspect that might put off some listeners is the ungodly amount of vocal tracks in the mix. There are a lot of whispered parts being sung right behind the lead vocals, several explosions of choir like melodies, and parts that come in and out of a song, panning left to right in your eardrums. Very eccentric and ambitious, but one must give credit to all of these voices coming from one person, Devon Graves, who performs every vocal on the record. The meticulous and time consuming process of putting so many vocal parts into a recording may not always work for every listener’s ears, but it’s a nice thing to see an artist trying out interesting things in the studio, rather than just turning on that auto tune and letting rip. That’s really what this type of prog record is, an indulgent experiment, and overall stronger as a whole piece of music, rather than song by song. So if you like bombast, musical theatre, and distorted guitars, you might enjoy The Shadow Theory.

Ghost "Opus Eponymous"

Sweden’s Ghost has conjured up some new demon into the world with their debut album "Opus Eponymous". This very to the point 35 minute record definitely deserves all the praise that has been heaped upon its unholy pyre of riffs and melodies. The band’s sound is a cross between Mercyful Fate and 70s pop rock, but they aren’t happy about rainbows and unicorns, they are happy about Satan (the first word sung on the album is Lucifer, after all). The lyrics at times sound somewhat hilarious, but the singer’s delivery is very interesting to say the least. The vocals are really what bring out that 70s pop feel, and are sometimes very reminiscent of Blue Oyster Cult in that they are cheerful, yet telling you about very dark subjects. Another great aspect of Ghost’s debut is the brilliant use of organ within many of the songs; it is perfect in the mix and doesn’t sound like "hey, let’s throw some organ in there for no reason." This brings us to the songwriting, which is very lean and clever, there are no out of place frills or wankery, the overall result sounding like it was written by veteran musicians. Seeing as this band keeps the identities of individual members secret, there are various rumors as to this band being made up of well known players from the Swedish metal scene. Who can tell and does it really matter? No one bit, all that matters is that Ghost has arrived with an opus to contend for album of the year.

Crowbar "Sever The Wicked Hand"

One thing that usually tends to be true about Crowbar records is that you can be pretty confident as a listener about what you will receive when you press play. This newest effort continues that trend, and the trend remains a good one. Crowbar deliver the finest sludge metal through the gigantic riffs and distinctive voice of Kirk Windstein, the founder and only original member remaining in the band. Picking back up after a 6 year hiatus with all new band members, the new record is more focused in direction then their previous release, and still undeniably Crowbar in every way, with just a little tweaking in the machine to keep it running. Kirk continues to prove his skill at crafting bone crushing tunes that slowly stride out of your speakers like a colossus smashing through the side of a mountain. He is a genius at throwing string bends into a guitar part at just the right moment, making the impact that much heavier (see the breakdown section in "The Cemetery Angels"). Couple this with the awesome guitar tone that he has cultivated, and you can't lose. One of the best songs on the album that demonstrates Crowbar's mastery of the sludge would have to be "Liquid Sky and Cold Black Earth"; a slow burning dirge of muddy riffing that will coat your brain in happiness. Not all contained within this record is straight up sludge though, there is a liberal sprinkling of faster tempos on some of the tracks (check out the title track, "Cemetery Angels" or "Cleanse Me, Heal Me" for some galloping beats and up tempo rocking). That's the great thing about a band like Crowbar, there's more to their records than slow riffs. Kirk has always been adept at writing GOOD dynamic songs, especially choruses that hook right into you. So, if you have never given Crowbar a listen, check out this new effort and then give their self-titled debut a listen (a genre classic), and you will find a consistency of great heavy music that defies the attitude of "faster is heavier". No, it is not.

New Wiz Khalifa "Black And Yellow" CD Single on sale at all ZIA Records on February 15th!

2011-02-14T09:07:00.000-08:00

New Wiz Khalifa "Black And Yellow" CD Single available and on sale at all ZIA Records locations on February 15th! Includes two tracks, "Black and Yellow" and "Roll Up" for just $1.99 at ZIA! When you purchase this special Indie store Record Store Day exclusive piece, get an instant $2 OFF Coupon for Wiz Khalifa's new album "Rolling Papers", due out on March 29th!

Win tickets to see FLOGGING MOLLY live on St. Patty's Day in Tempe on March 17th!

2011-02-14T08:43:00.000-08:00

Win a pair of tickets to see FLOGGING MOLLY live on St. Patty's Day at Tempe Beach Park in Tempe, AZ! To enter, send an email to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com, title the email "FLOGGING MOLLY ZIA" and include your name, phone number & address! One entry per person - contest ends 3/13/2011 at 4pm (Arizona time).

New Flogging Molly album "Speed Of Darkness" CD on sale May 31st at all ZIA Records locations!

Jason Devore in-store acoustic performance & signing at ZIA Chandler on March 6th!

2011-02-14T08:31:00.000-08:00

Join us for a special Jason Devore in-store performance and signing at our ZIA Records Chandler location on Sunday, March 6th at 5PM! New Jason Devore album "Conviction 2 : The Crooked Path" available at the in-store! Be the first to pick a copy of the new release! See you there!

ZIA Records Chandler on Sunday, March 6th at 5PM!
ZIA Records, 1940 W. Chandler, Chandler AZ 85224
Phone # 480-857-4942
Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

MC Magic in-store performance and signing at ZIA Sahara on February 20th at 2PM!

2011-02-08T10:07:00.000-08:00

Join us for a special MC Magic in-store performance and signing at our ZIA Records Sahara location in Vegas on Sunday, February 20th at 2PM! New MC Magic album "The Rewire" out on February 8th and on sale at all ZIA locations!!

Performance and Signing event starts at 2PM! Stop by either one of our two ZIA Records Vegas locations and get a wristband for this exclusive in-store performance when you purchase the new album at ZIA Records! See you there!

ZIA Records Sahara on Sunday, February 20th 2PM!
ZIA Records, 4503 W. Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89102
Phone # 702-233-4942
Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

A Review of “Lemmy: 49% Motherf***er, 51% Son of a Bitch” by Ryan at ZIA Speedway

2011-02-07T09:08:00.000-08:00

Where do I begin? Lemmy is God, that’s where. This documentary about the Motorhead front man is one of the best films about a musician I have ever seen. It simply shows Lemmy as he is, and he could care less what you think about the way he lives his life.

The film explores the life of Lemmy Kilmister, from his youth to the early days of his musical career in bands such as Hawkwind, all the way through the rise of Motorhead, to the present day. In some ways it’s your typical tale of drugs, sex, and rock ‘n roll, but Lemmy isn’t your average rock star, he is a very authentic person who does things the way he likes because he wants to, not for the sake of image. The film is really good at demonstrating how down to the earth the man is, but at the same time he exists as larger than life. He looks like the kind of guy that might kick your ass in a biker bar, but in reality he’s pretty easygoing. He likes to have some drinks and play slot machines, collect war memorabilia (you’ve got to see the scene in the film where he drives a tank), and rock people from the stage. Lemmy has a very sharp wit and says some of the most hilarious things you will ever hear within this documentary, he’s a very clever and intelligent person you can’t help but like.

Lemmy gets a lot of respect from other musicians in the film as well; artists interviewed run the gamut from Mick Jones, Dee Snider, Marky Ramone, Henry Rollins, Ozzy Osbourne, Dave Grohl, Steve Vai, Peter Hook, Metallica, Slash, Dave Navarro, and Nikki Sixx and so on. The common theme they all seem to express is how much they respect and love Lemmy as a person and as a musician. Lemmy has seen it all; in his lifetime he has seen the birth and rise of rock ‘n roll and all that came in between. He has a certain wisdom from being that guy who’s been through the maze of madness that comes with fame and fortune and the destruction of people that those things can bring. Some other good points in the film include Lemmy demonstrating just how loud he plays his bass versus other rock and roll bassists. There is even a great moment of Motorhead doing a sound check where the rest of his own band is covering their ears at how loud everything is set. Having been to a few Motorhead shows myself, I can attest to this fact, they leave you deaf for a few days afterwards.

Another thing that this film clarifies is that there is no myth with Lemmy; he is who he is, and there is no b.s. with this man at all. It’s pretty amazing to see a documentary about someone who parties hard, but seems to be in control of everything in his life. Truly Lemmy is an anomaly in so many ways, you really can’t put him in a category, and he’s a rock legend without the legend, someone who can show off, but do it naturally, like he was born to do it and nothing else. You should really check out this film even if you are not a fan of Motorhead, because the subject is utterly fascinating and entertaining. The interviews with other musicians, the live performance footage, the simple and candid moments of Lemmy just doing his thing in front of the camera, it all adds up to a warm, triumphant experience to watch. I for one can’t wait to see the extras that will be included with the DVD release of the film, I’ve heard they are excellent and totally worth it. So there you have it folks, Lemmy is just badass.

Lemmy available on DVD and Blu-Ray at all ZIA Records locations on February 15th!

MC Magic in-store performance, signing and CD release party at ZIA Oracle on February 7th!

2011-02-02T11:46:00.000-08:00

Join us for a special MC Magic in-store performance and signing at our ZIA Records Oracle location in Tucson on Monday, February 7th at 10PM! New MC Magic album "The Rewire" out at Midnight that night!! Be the first to pick a copy of the new release! Signing event starts at 10PM and special performance at 11:30PM! Get a wristband for this exclusive in-store performance when you purchase the new album at ZIA that night! See you there!

ZIA Records Oracle on Monday, February 7th 10PM!
ZIA Records, 3655 N. Oracle Road, Tucson, AZ 85705
Phone # 520-887-6898
Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

DEATH ANGEL in-store signing at ZIA Tempe on February 19th at 5PM!

2011-01-31T20:19:00.000-08:00

DEATH ANGEL will be doing a special in-store signing at our ZIA Records Tempe store on Saturday, February 19th at 5PM! Make sure to stop by, pick up their latest album "Relentless Retribution" at ZIA get a chance to meet the band and have them sign your copy! See you all there!

New DEATH ALBUM album "RELENTLESS RETRIBUTION" on sale at all ZIA locations and our online store - CD for $12.99 and Deluxe CD for $13.99! Make sure stop by!

ZIA Records Tempe on Saturday, February 19th at 5PM!

ZIA Records, 105 W. University, Tempe, AZ 85282

Phone # 480-829-1967
Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

Win a 4-pack of tickets to see IMAGINATION MOVERS live at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Tuesday, February 22nd!

2011-01-31T08:50:00.000-08:00

Enter to win a 4-pack of tickets to see Disney's IMAGINATION MOVERS live at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Tuesday, February 22nd! To enter, send an email to ziarecordscontests@gmail.com, title the email "IMAGINATION ZIA" and include your name, phone number & address! One entry per person - contest ends 2/17/2011 at 4pm (Arizona time).

New Imagination Movers "In A Big Warehouse" CD on sale now at all ZIA Records locations!

UNDEROATH in-store signing at ZIA Eastern in Vegas on January 28th at 3:30PM!

2011-01-24T16:44:00.000-08:00

UNDEROATH will be doing a in-store signing at our ZIA Records Eastern store on Friday, January 28nd at 3:30PM! Make sure to stop by, pick up their latest album 'O (Disambiguation)" at ZIA and say hi to the band! See you all there!

New UNDEROATH album "O (DISAMBIGUATION)" on sale at all ZIA locations and our online store - CD for $11.99 and Deluxe CD for $13.99! Make sure stop by to pick up your copy and join us for this special in-store signing!

ZIA Records Eastern on Friday, January 28nd at 3:30PM!

ZIA Records, 4225 S. Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89119

Phone # 702-735-4942

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

Pissed Jeans review by Anthony at ZIA Records Eastern

2011-01-20T09:23:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks back I bought about three 7"s for the first time in at least a year, which is weird for me because singles are my favorite format; short, sweet and it doesn't feel like your cheating yourself out of hearing the rest of the record every time you drop the needle back at the beginning of the same song over and over again.

Anyways, I bought two Big Black reissued 7"s and the one this review is about:

Pissed Jeans - Your Life Is Worth.

Now according to the band, this is not any teaser for an upcoming release, but instead they just wrote two of their best songs and wanted them to be released.

Let me start off by saying this single is great. It floats many echoes of Flipper and other damaged Bay Area punk/stoner rock up to the surface. The first track is undeniably my favorite song Pissed Jeans have written, and that track is titled "Sam Kinison Woman". Now, just like every Pissed Jeans record, the lyrics are superb and funny without being overtly-goofy and kitsch. The humor of the Jeans is far removed from that of the horseshit-vortex/retard/juggalo friendly realm of anything Mike Patton has ever done. The vocals haven't switched up much on this 7" but the instrumentals have taken a left hand turn from their last record "King Of Jeans" and onto 53rd and 3rd, if you catch my drift. They've stripped back the straight forward "Nevermind" styled distortion a bit and zoned in a little more for a crunch toned guitar and a rumbling 70's minimalist/prog./post-punk bass sound. Bradley has flashed a very small amount of dance punk guitar parts (if you will) throughout "Sam Kinison Woman". Sean McGuinness (drummer) kills it again on this track. Dude has a very fluid style behind the skins and his contribution to Pissed Jeans since his arrival on the "Hope For Men" LP has started to fit like a glove, and at this point that glove has become un removable from the sweaty hand it holds together so tightly.

The second track, "L Word" is Pissed Jeans having fun with themselves and generally being dorks. It's similar to watching your friend everyone hates troll some poser "street" "punk" into submission. It rules. L Word is were the Flipper and Brainbombs comparisons truly come in for me. Feedback and slow dirge-punk ravage through side B like a homeless Vietnam vet smashed off Four Loko stumbling through an American Eagle clothing store. While the lyrics "Love is a word I use to describe....the way I feel inside" ring through out the track like a crying addict might sound like whilst trying to convince his peers at an N.A. meeting of his sincerity. Of course, the song sounds like it's all in good fun, but then again, what I love about this band is their "Jokes are meant to be taken seriously" attitude towards song writing. Now, I'm not really to into guitar solos like some doofs are, but the ones displayed here are all in very good taste and have warranted multiple listens from me the day I bought it. After singer Matt Korvette’s short list of things he loves (which includes a good surprise, pie, and the Flyers) the song is cut out and ends abruptly during a very distinct "Love Canal" tribute vocal part.

If the band is just putting us fans off with the whole "there is no new record, we just wanted to release a 45" bit, and if this is any indication of what the Jeans will be wetting themselves with for their 3rd LP, we are in for one AMAZING fucking record.

For fans of Flipper, Black Sabbath, Brainbombs, Black Flag, The Jesus Lizard, Nirvana, Butthole Surfers, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, No Trend, Wipers, the Stooges...........you'll get a boner.

Copies are available at Zia Records. You can waste your $5 at McDonalds today and shit yourself 20 minutes later prematurely, or you can SPEND your $5 on "Your Life Is Worth" and shit yourself with joy repeatedly for the rest of your life. The choice is yours, don’t make the wrong one.

BUCKCHERRY in-store signing at ZIA Records Eastern in Vegas on Saturday, January 22nd at 1PM!

2011-01-10T14:01:00.001-08:00

BUCKCHERRY will be doing a special in-store signing at our ZIA Records Eastern store on Saturday, January 22nd at 1PM! Make sure to stop by, pick up their latest album 'ALL NIGHT LONG' and say hi to the band! See you all there!

New BUCKCHERRY album 'ALL NIGHT LONG' on sale at all ZIA locations and our online store - CD for $11.99! Make sure stop by to pick up your copy of the new album and get it signed by the band!

ZIA Records Eastern on Saturday, January 22nd at 1PM!

ZIA Records, 4225 S. Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89119

Phone # 702-735-4942

Visit us online at www.ZiaRecords.com

Follow us at www.Facebook.com/ZiaRecords and www.Twitter.com/ZiaRecords

ZIA Records Headquarters Staff Picks - Best Music & Movies of 2010

2010-12-22T17:00:00.000-08:00

ZIA Records employees sorted through their favorite albums and movies of 2010 and came up with an amazing list full of great albums!

And since we celebrated our 30th Anniversary in 2010, we decided to ask our employees for their Top 5 albums from 1980-2010! Yep, we threw the gauntlet down! We feel very fortunate to have been a record store for the past 30 years and having heard so much Music, so we figured we should try and come up with pivotal albums over the past 3 decades. The 80s, 90s, 00s and into the future, we will always be thankful to share music with all of our friends, customers and family!

Enjoy our favorites and make sure to stop by your local ZIA and we'll be sure to have a bunch of recommendations when you visit us! See you all soon! And remember...ZIA loves you!

ZIA Records Headquarters Staff Picks for Best Music and Movies of 2010!

Michael at ZIA Records

TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2010
1 Jimmie Vaughan - Plays Blues,Ballads,& Favorites
2 Jimi Hendrix - West Coast Seattle Boy (Boxset)
3 Roky Erickson w/ Okkervil River - True Love Cast Out All Evil
4 Goldfrapp - Head First
5 Blonde Redhead - Penny Sparkle
6 Texas Tornadoes - Esta Bueno
7 Titus Andronicus - The Monitor
8 The Black Angels - Phosphene Dream
9 Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier
10 Brian Eno - Small Craft on a Milk Sea

TOP 5 ALBUMS - 1980 TO 2010
1 U2 - The Joshua Tree
2 Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
3 AC/DC - Back in Black
4 Jeff Buckley - Grace
5 Radiohead - Ok Computer

TOP 5 MOVIES/DVD OF 2010
1 Rush - Beyond the Lighted Stage (Blu-Ray)
2 Until the Light Takes Us (Blu-Ray)
3 Metropolis - Complete (Blu-Ray)
4 Stagecoach 1939 (Blu-Ray)
5 Black Sabbath - Paranoid (Classic Albums)

Zak at ZIA Records

TOP 10 ALBUMS AND/OR MOVIES OF 2010
1 LCD Sound System - This Is Happening
2 Sleigh Bells - Treats
3 Kayne West - My Beautiful Dark And Twisted Fantasy
4 Freeway and Jake One - The Stimulus Package
5 Atmosphere - To All My Friends, Blood Makes The Blade Holy EP
6 The Girl With The Dragon Tatto - Movie
7 The Girl Who Played With Fire - Movie
8 Un Prophète - Movie
9 Kick Ass - Movie
10 Once Brothers - 30 on 30 Doc. About Divac & Petrovic

TOP 5 ALBUMS - 1980 TO 2010
1 Guns & Roses - Appetite For Destruction
2 Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions
3 Depeche Mode - Violater
4 Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
5 Slayer - Reign In Blood

Matt at ZIA Records

TOP 10 ALBUMS AND/OR MOVIES OF 2010
1 KASHER,TIM/GAME OF MONOGAMY
2 AGAINST ME!/WHITE CROSSES
3 MGMT/CONGRATULATIONS
4 AVI BUFFALO/AVI BUFFALO
5 ALKALINE TRIO/THIS ADDICTION
6 DANGER MOUSE & SPARKLEHORSE/DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL
7 BAND OF HORSES/INFINITE ARMS
8 MAGNETIC FIELDS/REALISM
9 EELS/END TIMES
10 SHE & HIM/VOLUME 2

TOP 5 ALBUMS - 1980 TO 2010
1 SMITHS/QUEEN IS DEAD (1986)
2 NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL/IN THE AEROPLANE OVER THE SEA (1998)
3 NOFX/DECLINE (1999)
4 ALKALINE TRIO/GODDAMNIT (2001)
5 CURSIVE/BURST & BLOOM (2001)

Steve at ZIA Records

TOP 10 ALBUMS AND/OR MOVIES OF 2010
1 SLEIGH BELLS/TREATS
2 BEST COAST/CRAZY FOR YOU
3 EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP
4 VAMPIRE WEEKEND/CONTRA
5 ANSARI,AZIZ/INTIMATE MOMENTS FOR A SENSUAL
6 BELLE & SEBASTIAN/WRITE ABOUT LOVE
7 SHE & HIM/VOLUME 2
8 BLACK KEYS/BROTHERS
9 MUMFORD & SONS/SIGH NO MORE
10 SPOON/TRANSFERENCE

TOP 5 ALBUMS - 1980 TO 2010
1 JESUS & MARY CHAIN/PSYCHOCANDY
2 BEASTIE BOYS/PAUL'S BOUTIQUE
3 NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL/IN THE AEROPLANE OVER THE SEA
4 OPERATION IVY/ENERGY
5 JACKSON,MICHAEL/THRILLER

Jon at ZIA Records

TOP 10 ALBUMS AND/OR MOVIES OF 2010
1 Band Of Horses - Infinite Arms
2 Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo
3 Alkaline Trio - This Addiction
4 Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - I Learned The Hard Way
5 Clash Of The Titans (original re-issue) Blu-Ray
6 Big Bang Theory - Season 3
7 She & Him - Volume 2
8 Aziz Ansari - Intimate Moments For A Sensual Evening
9 Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
10 MURS & 9th Wonder - Fornever

TOP 5 ALBUMS - 1980 TO 2010
1 Motley Crue - Shout At The Devil
2 Smashing Pumpkins - Gish
3 Band of Horsses - Everything All The Time
4 Bayside - Bayside
5 Pink Foyd - Shine On

Bernadette at ZIA Records

TOP 10 ALBUMS AND/OR MOVIES OF 2010
1 Girl In A Come - Adventures In Cover Land
2 Iron Maiden - Final Frontier
3 MURS & 9th Wonder - Fornever
4 Black Label Society - Order Of The Black
5 Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - Greatest Hits
6 Ozzy Osbourne - Scream
7 Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - I Learned The Hard Way
8 N.E.R.D. - Nothing
9 Jimi Hendrix - Valleys of Neptune
10 The Rescues - Let Loose The Horses

TOP 5 ALBUMS - 1980 TO 2010
1 Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet
2 Iron Maiden - Powerslave
3 Metallica - Master Of Puppets
4 N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
5 The Clash - Combat Rock

Kyle at ZIA Records

TOP 10 ALBUMS AND/OR MOVIES OF 2010
1 Plastic Beach - Gorillaz
2 Brothers - The Black Keys
3 Teen Dream - Beach House
4 Congratulations - MGMT
5 Carbon Based Lifeforms- Interloper
6 Contra - Vampire Weekend
7 Bonobo- Black Sands
8 Broken Bells - Broken Bells
9 Temper Trap - Conditions
10 Arcade Fire The Suburbs

TOP 5 ALBUMS - 1980 TO 2010
1 Transformers Movie Soundtrack 1986
2 The Clash London Calling 1980
3 Nirvana Nevermind 1991
4 Disturbed The Sickness 2000
5 Plastic Beach - Gorillaz 2010