Louis XIV

After doing time in the twang-rock band Convoy, Jason Hill, Brian Karscig and Mark Maigaard felt it was time for a change. The San Diego-based trio enlisted bassist Jimmy Armbrust and the foursome started writing post-punk gems which they glossed up with dazzling shards of glam rock. The uber-catchy "Finding Out True Love Is Blind" struck a nerve with San Diego fans who requested the somewhat leering, iconoclastic song on their local modern rock station. In 2004, Louis XIV's deafening buzz climaxed at a SXSW showcase, where they turned in a spectacularly raucous show. Soon afterwards they were tapped to tour with the red-hot Killers as well as the Von Bondies. In between those go-rounds, the royal ones found some time to record 2005's Best Little Secrets Are Kept.