You’ve probably heard of 50 Cent, Sublime and 
Slipknot; the mainstream musicians who have made it 
big. Here in Santa Cruz County we have some musicians 
with the potential to be the next big mainstream 
thing. These artists currently showcase their talent 
throughout Santa Cruz County. So make sure to check 
them out before they perform sold out shows throughout 
the country.  
Jonny Rockz
Jonny Rockz is a new local hip-hop artist out of 
Watsonville. At age 17 he has been working on albums 
with other local hip-hop artists and producer Cali-B. 
His album is expected to come out summer of 2006. You 
can find his music on soundclick.com, so make sure to 
check it out. “This guy is cool,” said a 17-year-old 
Watsonville teen that attended one of his live 
performances at the Veteran’s Hall in Santa Cruz. “He 
knows how to keep the people entertained and his 
lyrics are pretty cherry.” If you are looking for 
something original with gravy on top then scope out 
his music ‘cause it rocks. 
Top Heavy
When I first heard Top Heavy I thought this group 
could be our future Sublime or 311. As soon as you see 
these guys perform you will want to hear them again. 
They have a funky beat that makes you want to sway 
your arms around. While talking to this group I asked 
what they thought made them such a great band. This 
reggae/rock band responded by saying they’re like, “a 
breath of fresh air after the harsh breath of a dog.” 
Top Heavy has performed at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz 
and plenty of parties to go around. They continue to 
perform, but they don’t have a schedule out yet since 
their demo album comes out in July.
Running on Empty 
So, what makes Running on Empty such a special band? 
Well, brotherhood. “We share underwear, said drummer 
and back vocalist Jeff Dow. “Okay ... just 
kidding.” “In reality we share similar views on life 
and... we all work at movie spots,” said bass and 
vocals Jesus Lopez. Running on Empty has performed at 
house parties, Café Peg, the fairgrounds and backyard 
shows. You can check out their website at 
www.myspace.com/runningonmt and 
www.geocities.com/R_O_E_punx. You 
can look into their demo called Lounge for Life on 
gotlocalmusic.com. They send their regards to all 
their fans, “Peace and love to all the mother f***ers 
out there, keep it real.”