Hello, faithful readers of the Weekly Volcano. It was good to be back in print.

Last week, as I’m sure the seven people who read this column on a regular basis noticed, Rock Rhetoric was gone. My weekly 700-word diatribe on local music in the South Sound was nowhere to be found in the print version of this fine rag, and no doubt craziness and despair ensued — at least among those aforementioned seven die-hards.



But don’t fret, friends. Not only is Rock Rhetoric back this week, it was never really gone. Last week this column was just on the Internet — a place filled with two chicks, one cup and at least three thousand other things that are sure to make a decent person upchuck. In that respect, Rock Rhetoric was right at home last week on the Web.



So there’s no confusion, here’s the deal: Every week either Bobble Tiki’s Tiki Logic column or my Rock Rhetoric column will post only on the Web — at www.weeklyvolcano.com. They’ll become what’s known in the biz as “Web exclusive” content, and it’s one of the things we’re doing here at the Weekly Volcano to try to lure you to our site in between your usual Facebook updates and Google searches for “What am I going to do with my life?”



In this issue Bobble Tiki’s column is online, and Rock Rhetoric is back in print. This is the way things will go from here on out. As long as you have access to a computer, aside from a few extra points and clicks on your part, nothing will really change.



Not that change is a bad thing. For the members of the Joshua Cain Band — who you may remember from the band Glimpse — change can be a very, very good thing.



You see, in a way, the Joshua Cain Band and Glimpse are the same thing. Both bands featured the same three dudes, so it’s tough to argue otherwise. But, on a more important level, the Joshua Cain Band — who will play the New Frontier Lounge Friday, Dec. 12, is nothing like Glimpse.



Glimpse, circa what seems like a long-ass time ago, was a band known for some of the tightest and most ear-catching pop rock/punk licks you’ll ever hear. The band’s sound was like candy, and it was easy to see why they were having success. They sounded like a “popular” band, and it was easy to imagine that some day they would be.



And they nearly were. Only, somewhere along the way, they decided what it takes to get to that point wasn’t worth the ride.



It was this realization that eventually led to the formation of the Joshua Cain Band — easily one of the most original, skilled and relevant bands this blue-collar town of ours has to offer. A mixture of the sweat, struggle and dust that created both America and rock and roll, the Joshua Cain Band summons the spirit of the civil rights movement and the heart of all of those throughout history who’ve stood up to struggle, and packages the emotions with a front-porch, gospel-inspired roots rock vibe that brings it all together.



The Joshua Cain Band is — for lack of a more flowery description — a Tacoma band you simply must see.



“The three of us had been playing for years under a different name. We had some success as far as radio and exposure is concerned: attention of major labels, working with well-known producers, decent royalties from TV and movie spots,” says guitarist and frontman Joshua Cain. “But, somehow the things we loved the most (including the soul of our music) were getting lost in the ‘entertainment biz.’ We weren’t writing from the heart anymore and felt a ton of pressure to do whatever it takes to make it. We all became very fatigued with this whole process. After a long sort of rehab break, I decided it was time to write songs that would keep me dreaming of the things I care about the most.



“When I looked in the mirror and saw reflections of Spears and Trump I knew I needed new songs — new songs for me. I needed songs that would give me hope and keep me fighting,” continues Cain. “Our songs aim to draw in deep influences from our country’s freedom songs that have culminated in our very particular stories today. Songs that set people free take on a life of their own. They go underground and then their influence resurfaces when the context of a new time necessitates it. I know the time is right for us to sing these songs. I just hope it’s the right time for people to sing them with us.”



[The New Frontier, with Ryan Purcell Band, and Evan Purcell, Friday, Dec. 12, 9 p.m., $5, 301 E. 25th Street, Tacoma, 253.572.4020]