Yeah, so Pavement, reunited, were in town. So what’s the BackstageRider gonna do? Hang out with Bob Nastanovich, get goofy, rock out, go on the tour bus, talk hockey and crap with Malkmus, OF COURSE. Here’s the proof in photos, video, aftershow passes and Sausage Kitchen business cards.

July’s Rock Hands of the Month is awarded to the San Diego’s finest and cleanest, Republic of Letters. Bask in this San Diego pop-band’s double devil horn action.

Seven hours with with the King of Lo-Fi. What to do? Start with soundcheck, detour to a homemade dinner and the kindness of strangers, end up backstage with a scaredy cat poster, drink beer, rock out, then laugh a lot. Here’s a photo gallery of the first day of summer, BackstageRider-style. There’s even rockhands.

HEY YOU! You could WIN A COPY OF SMILE SMILE’S LATEST CD “TRUTH ON TAPE”. Also: read on about this Texas twosome and find out why The Swell Season aren’t the only folkies who can date and break up and still make good music. Make with the click-through action.

Few two-pieces make as much wonderful noise as Becky Black and Maya Miller from The Pack a.d. Bask in their rocktacular glow with a gallery from June 4, with ADDED ROCKHANDS.

AussieUK drum n’ bassterds Pendulum give us not one but TWO ironic rock hands for March. See if you can figure out which of the two was the most wasted.

Throwin’ the horns. The Devil’s hand. Rock Hand. Call it what you will, it is the sign of ULTIMATE MUSICAL MAYHEM. And like revenge it is best served cold…and it is very cold in Toronto where Paul Banwatt from electro dance geeks Woodhands come from.

Asking fabulous and dumb questions of rock and roll stars since…this morning. You want to know about Vancouver’s The Manvils and their bonkers lead singer Mike Manville? Yeah, we think you do. Read the interview.

Celebrate Movember with some totally trash rock talk from Jesse Hughes the Eagles of Death Metal, as well as a damn-fine video and personal message from Boots, and tales of backstage and onstage shenanigans.