WHEELS 2.0 IS ABOUT TO OVERHEAT

Wheels has gone crrrrazy! This is now our 547,239th issue. Of that, 425,978 artists have been signed, another 33,203 have booking agents, 10,000 have inked clothing sponsorships and a few others can be found working the CD racks at Target. None of this would be possible without your feedback, so keep it coming: [email protected]

ONES TO WATCH
Neon Trees (www.myspace.com/neontrees): Imagine a fusion of The Strokes, The Killers and a splash of Talking Heads—that roughly describes the sound of this Provo, UT-based band. They’ve been killing it in their home state for the past year-plus and broke out of their local scene when The Killers offered them the opening slot for dates on their 2008 North American tour. Neon Trees are currently in the studio recording their debut album for Mercury with producer (and Sugarcult frontman) Tim Pagnotta. They’ve also started a web series documenting the making of the record; episodes can be viewed at http://neontrees.blip.tv/. We have yet to see them live, but rumor has it that Tyler, the band’s lead singer, is an animal on stage. Be sure to check out stand out track “Animal” (how apropos), and peep them live at one of their upcoming gigs:
Aug. 19 @ the Box Office in Las Vegas
Aug. 20 @ the Modified in Phoenix
Aug. 22 @ the Troubadour in LA

ON DECK
Wonder Girls (www.wondergirlsworld.com): These international pop stars are making their U.S. debut on this summer’s Jonas Brothers tour. The five teenage sensations were brought together by J.Y Park, founder of JYP Entertainment and a leading creator of Asia’s biggest superstars. After racking up three #1 hits in Asia during the last two years, the group is poised to invade the American charts with their first single, “Nobody.” The U.S. market got its first taste of the girls when Perez Hilton featured two of their videos on his blog; since then, they’ve been named by People mag as one of the “leading Asian pop stars to cross over to the States.” It appears that the stars are lined up for these young ladies.

BAND/ARTIST UPDATES
Jason Derulo (www.myspace.com/jasonderulo): Jason's song "Whatcha Say" is really starting to heat up, now getting 500 spins a week across the country and spinning at Power106 and KIIS in L.A.

Man on Earth (www.myspace.com/manonearth) just won the Fox TV Good Day Philadelphia band slam contest and will be opening for Vanessa Hudgens this Sunday (8/2) at the Franklin Mills Malls in Philadelphia. They’ll also be showcasing at Crash Mansion tonight, so if you’re in town, be sure to swing by.

Sugar Red Drive (www.myspace.com/sugarreddrive): WQXA and WZMR have both jumped on the SRD bandwagon. The band will be on the West Coast in the middle of August and just secured an interview with Hard Drive that should air later next month as well.

BUZZIN’
City of Sound (www.myspace.com/cityofsound): These art rockers from Minneapolis def caught our attention with their Radiohead/Muse/Mars Volta vibe. Give ’em a listen and let us know what you think. Tracks we like: “Black Winter” and “Satan’s Daughter.”