They met in Brooklyn where the duo of guitarist Tommy Eisner and drummer Linda Beecroft created the bluesy psychedelic folk-rock of Golden Animals. After the release of their first EP in 2006, they moved to southern California for a more laidback atmosphere to write their full-length.

It's natural that the Flaming Lips' new dramatic feature film, Christmas on Mars - conceived by bandleader Wayne Coyne and billed as "a fantastical film freak-out" - should contain all of the psychedelia, drama, humor and hopefulness that fans have come to love about the band's music itself.

The heavy-touring Hip Hop group Heiruspecs formed in 1997 while in a high school recording arts program at St. Paul Central High School. The band is mostly known for their raw, live sound.

Ryan Adams may have left behind the confines of the "alt-country" genre long ago, but the moniker still tends to cling to him - despite having spent a fair chunk of the past decade-plus making music that has drawn from a broad and deep well of influences.

Minneapolis' Dan Wilson has been known as many things: frontman in Semisonic and guitarist in Trip Shakespeare, Grammy Award winner for writing The Dixie Chicks' "Not Ready To Make Nice," and producer for two of Mike Doughty's albums. He's also worked with musicians like Rachael Yamagata, Mandy Moore, Jeremy Messersmith, and Jason Mraz. In 2007, Dan Wilson released a solo album, "Free Life" on Rick Rubin's American Recordings. With all of that on his musical resume, he still calls the Twin Cities home.

Singer-songwriter Krista Detor has roots all over the U.S., including California, North Dakota, and her current home in Bloomington, Indiana. She's moved around a lot in her career and her touring schedule echoes that long road. She'll be doing her third European tour in 12 months in March of 2009.

One would think that folksingers in Boston are lining up to get gigs and trying to out-do each other in a fiercely competitive scene. But Meg Hutchinson says it's more of a family atmosphere. She's one of Red House Records' newest singer-songwriters and says the Boston scene, where she lives now, is supportive and thriving.

Oasis formed in Manchester, England, in 1993. The groups just released their eighth studio album, "Dig Out Your Soul." Steve Seel talked with Noel Gallagher about a recent fan attack and the Gallagher's fascination with guns.

Former Giant Sand members, Joey Burns and John Convertino, collaborated in 1996 and started the electic acoustic folk-world-rock band Calexico, named for the border town in California.

The name Sebastien Grainger may not be familiar, but his voice might ring a bell. As the former singer and drummer in Death from Above 1979, Grainger jump-started his solo career after the band parted ways in 2006.