We catch up to Chris Shiflett of the Foo Fighters backstage at Ray Benson’s Birthday Party, an annual SXSW event that draws some of the finest musicians for some of the best jams of the festival. He talked about his 20 years with the Foo Fighters and jokingly gave some bad advice for children who’d like to follow in his footsteps.
This 68th Birthday (Happy Birthday Ray!) was presented by BMI and benefitted the Health Alliance For Austin Musicians (HAAM), a unique non-profit that holds a special place in the heart of Austin music lovers. The event was held on the GSD&M corporation’s back plaza, and featured Ray Benson’s Asleep At The Wheel, Dale Watson, Randy Houser, Ben Dickey, Katie Pruitt, Robert Ellis, Who Do, Jamie Lin Wilson, Waylon Payne, Collective Soul’s Ed Roland, Wade Bowen and a special surprise by Robert Earl Keen.
“I’m Blind, But Music Gave Me Sight” — X Ambassadors Keyboardist Casey Harris Becomes Ambassador for Vision Through Music®
By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson for AMFM Magazine GRAMMY® award-winning keyboardist Casey Harris, best known as a founding member of the hit rock band X Ambassadors, has officially partnered with Vision Through Music®, a groundbreaking program of the Children’s Eye Foundation of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (CEF of AAPOS). The announcement
Mermaid Princess Proposes to Anxious Human — Chaos, Robots & Heartbreak Ensue!
By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson for AMFM Magazine In a fantastical future where humans and mermaids share a troubled coexistence, an anxious shipbuilding company employee named Stephan finds his orderly life turned upside down when bubbly mermaid princess Chao proposes marriage out of the blue. What follows is a whirlwind of shopping sprees, giant robots,
20 Years Strong: Devon Allman Digs Deep Into His Blues-Rock Legacy for a Career-Spanning Victory Lap
Devon Allman sat down with AMFM Magazine’s Paul Salfen during a rare month off tour. Born and raised in Corpus Christi, the Grammy-nominated singer, guitarist, and songwriter still carries deep Texas roots even though he now calls St. Louis home. “I’m home,” he laughed warmly. The conversation came at the perfect time: Allman is marking
James Paxton on the Wild Serbian Adventure Behind ‘DRAGN’: Last-Minute Casting, Practical Effects, and Feeling Close to Dad Bill Paxton
By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson for AMFM Magazine LOS ANGELES — Just two weeks after its Digital and VOD debut on March 17, 2026, Cineverse’s DRAGN is already buzzing as one of the year’s most fun, campy takes on AI gone wrong. Directed by Peter Webber (Hannibal Rising), the film follows a group of co-workers
From Rock Bottom to the Big Screen: Eric Gales Drops Fiery Guitar on ‘Sinners’ Soundtrack — Proving Why ‘Crown’ Was Just the Beginning
By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson for AMFM Magazine Blues-rock guitarist Eric Gales delivered intense, improvised electric guitar work for the 2026 film Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler. Collaborating with composer Ludwig Göransson, Gales contributed a signature blues-infused sound to the soundtrack, specifically on tracks like "Elijah" and "Grand Closin'". In early 2021, as the world
Olivia Taylor Dudley Gets TOUCHED by a Wild Psychosexual Horror-Comedy: Exclusive Interview
By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson for AMFM Magazine In an exclusive chat with AMFM Magazine’s Paul Salfen, Olivia Taylor Dudley couldn’t stop smiling as she recounted the wild ride that is TOUCH ME. The psychosexual horror-comedy—written and directed by Addison Heimann—lands in limited theaters today, March 27, 2026, and hits on-demand and digital platforms April
THE ASCENT Soars at SXSW 2026: AMFM’s Paul Salfen Chats Resilience, Trust & Triumph with Mandy Horvath and Directors Edward Drake & Scott Veltri
By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson for AMFM Magazine South by Southwest • Austin, TX – March 2026 Paul Salfen sat down with the creative forces behind The Ascent—the standout documentary that had just world-premiered at SXSW 2026. Directors Edward Drake and Scott Veltri (joined by third director Francis Cronin, who couldn’t be there in person)
Billy Hallowell investigates angels, demons in doc | Entertainment Billy Hallowell Investigates Angels, Demons and the Unseen Spiritual Battle in New CBN Documentary
By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson for AMFM Magazine AMFM Magazine’s Paul Salfen sits down with the faith-and-culture journalist to unpack the second installment of the Investigating the Supernatural series — a project that blends eyewitness testimony, expert insight, Scripture and reenactments to ask one provocative question: Is the spiritual realm real, and how does it
Simonetta Lein Stuns at 2026 Grammys with Bold “Built This Without Permission” Gown: From Immigrant Dreamer to Top-5 Global Mega-Influencer
By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson for AMFM Magazine Simonetta Lein, the Philadelphia-based media powerhouse and global sensation, recently sat down with Paul Salfen on AMFM Magazine for an inspiring conversation about her extraordinary journey from immigrant outsider to one of the world's most influential digital voices. As a top-5 global mega-influencer with over 24 million
Disturbed Bassist John Moyer Brings Heavy Riffs, Horror Love & Hail Mary Stories to Texas Cult Classic Convention
By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson for AMFM Magazine Longtime Disturbed bassist and backing vocalist John Moyer shared insights into his career, his passion for connecting with fans, his latest production work, and his excitement for this weekend’s Texas Cult Classic Convention in Bastrop. Moyer, who joined Disturbed in 2004 after the departure of original bassist
