Author Archives: Jim Ruland

About Jim Ruland

Jim Ruland is the author of the novel Forest of Fortune. He is the books columnist for San Diego CityBeat, and writes for the Los Angeles Times and Razorcake, America’s only non-profit independent music zine. His fiction and nonfiction has appeared in numerous publications, including The Believer, Esquire, Granta, Hobart and Oxford American, and his work has received awards from Canteen, Reader’s Digest and the National Endowment for the Arts. He runs the Southern California-based reading series Vermin on the Mount, now in its tenth year. He lives and works in Southern California.

The 12 People You Meet at a Babymetal Concert

Japanese pop metal threesome Babymetal must be seen and heard to be believed. Last year, they took the world by storm, with single and viral video “Gimme Chocolate!!” and just recently completed their first whirlwind world tour, which included opening slots for Lady GaGa. Veteran So-Cal punk author Jim Ruland talked his indulgent wife into attending Babymetal’s first U.S. show, which was full of surprises. Continue reading

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