Morrissey will be the subject of a BBC channel 4 documentary where "the former Smith is seen drinking and at a strip joint." Great pic with the article, the man still has great hair.
<-- Morrissey Solo
np: Morrissey - Bona Drag
Avril Lavigne to cover Bob Dylan's Knock Knock Knockin' On Heaven's Door for a fundraising album for the children of Iraq. Great song, wonderful cause, sure to be interesting (to be nice) interpretation.
Someone had posted the new Radiohead, before Capitol Records dropped the bomb on them.
Those rock kittens play the Vines' Outtathaway, exuding much more stage presence than the original band ever did.
It's opening day for the ballet known as baseball. Is this the year my beloved Phillies take down the evil Braves? Will the A's triumph over the spendthrift Yankees? This is the time of year when even the Cubs and cursed Red Sox have a chance at the title...
My favorite baseball songs:
"Look, It's Baseball," Guided By Voices
"Cubs In Five," Mountain Goats
My favorite team: Phillies
Favorite current player: Scott Rolen
Favorite all-time player: Willie Montanez
Lisa Marie Presley "not proud" of her marriage to Michael Jackson. To quote my thirteen year-old niece, "Duh."
I think it looks more like Howard Stern, but would still be a cool thing to put between my Dennis Rodman in a wedding dress and Xena dolls.
According to Blogshares, this page is worth $721.16 US. I've bought some Bent Back Tulips, bud.com, The Stuffed Dog, and Decibel Radio - Amsterdam.
<-- metafilter
Now playing in constant rotation on GBV Radio (in all its 8 slot, 24kbs glory) this weekend only: The Lifeguards, Mist King Urth and Robert Pollard, Motel Of Fools, the latest two releases in the Fading Captain series.
To celkebrate the British release of the White Stripes' Elephant, XL Recordings have painted the exterior of their London building like the Stripes' signature peppermint candy.
Green Day makes "Life During Wartime" (mp3 download) available.
ILM discusses: If Bob Pollard released a 100 song box set of the best of all his projects since the early 80s, it would rival almost any other band's career best. Agree/Disagree/Laugh? This follows up last year's "Why in the name of all that is holy do people like Guided by Voices?"
Debates of Artistic Value in Rock Music: A Case Study of the Band Weezer, 1994-2001, a Harvard thesis about artistic merit in rock music.
<-- ILM
The Club Is Open: Robert Pollard and the Social Functions of Popular Music, an older paper examining the Guided By Voices' frontman and the social community built around his music.
The Daily Trojan talks to Knoxville's Superdrag about life on an indie label:
Asked if it was frustrating that the group no longer really had a chance to have a hit single because they are on an independent label, Davis said, "It's frustrating at times, I can't help but feel that way. Songs like that may have had a shot at airplay. But there are so many factors involved and writing a good song is only a small part. I hear the Foo Fighters and wonder, 'Why can't we be on the radio?'"
Jill Sobule, often recognized for her one major hit, "I Kissed A Girl," offers up some wonderful songs full of social commentary on her webite. For live material, try Jillmedia.
The Cultural Revolution Of Avril Lavigne.
ˇˇˇˇviva la AVRILution!!!!
The Rolling Stones cancel their Hong Kong concerts due to flu concerns. I thought senior citizens were encouraged to get flu shots every year.
A fellow weblogger from my neck of the woods, the Compleat Redneck is wry, funny and charming. Plus, he's promised to post the perfect pecan pie recipe.
Boy George writes a weekly op-ed column for the Express, and often makes sense:
Like many people I have lost faith in politics and my fear is that Tony’s gamble may result in a huge Right-wing about-turn. Nothing would ever convince me to vote Tory but, come the next election, I’d sooner vote for a cabbage than Tony Blair.
Wonderful garage rap sendup of 50 Cent by 50 Pence called In Da Pub (mp3 link).
This is getting ridiculous, French's mustard issues a press release distancing themselves from the country of the same name:
Recently there has been some confusion as to the origin of French’s mustard. For the record, French’s would like to say, there is nothing more American than French’s mustard.
From now on it's Grey Poupon and French dressing for me...
<-- the rub
Nerve interviews Steven Malkmus:
"I like Rush, and I have an appreciation for early Def Leppard before they became an arena band. I like classical music, too, Bach and Beethoven and Chopin and Wagner. People probably don't expect me to like that stuff."
Here's an interesting anti-war compilation CD, including the following:
everyday i wake i feel like crying
every second i feel like praying
everywhere i turn my people dying
brothers and sisters now listen what i'm saying
i don't really feel like writing
and i don't really feel like singing
cause everywhere i look my people fighting
and its our own that we're killing
the same gunmen that cry bout suppression
of the white man and his racist oppression
go a church and give God his confession
gun in his pocket and crack in his possession
damn hypocrite don't be disillusioned
yeah life is tough but that's not no solution
you g'wan like yer brave that's an illusion
brave man wouldn't kill his own
would start a revolution
gunman and too much drug man
what are we showing
the youts dem
we should be protecting
instead we're destroying
oh Father watch over them
Ms Dynamite (a current obsession, thanks to Stevie Nixed)
Thurston Moore and Chris Habib curate war protest songs (all available as mp3) from the Beastie Boys as well as a couple from Cat Power on their label, Protest Records. The site statement:
exists for musicians, poets and artists to express LOVE + LIBERTY in the face of greed, sexism, racism, hate-crime and war
FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT
<-- the newly linked but often appreciated wily filipino
REM has released an online anti-war song, "The Final Straw:"
"We had to send something out there now. We are praying and hoping for the lives of all people involved, the troops, the Iraqi civilians, refugees, POWs, families of troops, the innocents, that they are safe and okay. Safe home, all."
The Rattler has posted an mp3 of Michael Moore's now infamous speech at the Oscars.
Star Spangled Ice Cream, Ice Cream with a Conservative Flavor.
I'll keep partying with my liberal pals Ben & Jerry, thank you.
<-- memepool
Godspeed You! Black Emperor held as suspected terrorists:
"I just feel very lucky that we weren't Pakistani or Korean," Godspeed You! Black Emperor frontman Efrim Menuck told Pitchfork at the band's Chicago performance on Friday night. "They detained 1,000 people in California, no one knows what happened to them. We're just lucky we're nice white kids from Canada."
To paraphrase Ice Cube, "today was a good day," mostly due to lunch with fellow blogger Vikki, her husband and two gorgeous children (stars of My Green Life). Combined with perfect weather, good music (Gillian Welch and Iris Dement bootlegs) and a trip to the nursery (plants, not children), it doesn't get much better than this.
Don't be fooled by the bombs that I got
I'm still Saddam from Iraq
<-- metafilter
A lyric that's been floating through my head all day:
And a song that I keep singing to myself. Bob Dylan's 49th Beard (mp3 link) by Jeff Tweedy.
Testing Largeheartedboy GBV Radio again, this time with the DSL connection. Tune in and turn on...
Want to see a live indie show but stuck at work or at the house? Digital Club Network has archived shows (unfortunately in RealMedia format) from the Apples In Stereo to the Zambonis.
Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks publishes her letter of apology (wink, wink).
(Thanks, Phil)
Oh! - Sleater-Kinney
The Laws Have Changed - New Pornographers
Natural Disasters - Enon
Choking Tara (Creamy Version) - Guided By Voices
My Pal Foot Foot - Deerhoof
Album of the year so far, this release by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs had me jumping up and down in my rock and roll chair from the first listen, even making me forgive the band for the hastily produced and extremely disappointing Machine EP.
Cheer yourself up with some poppy mp3's from Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records!
Plug in a couple of bands, and see what people who listen to them also like.
Looks like I'm the only person so far to listen to both Bikini Kill and Johnny Cash...
MTV Europe decides which videos are inappropriate for wartime:
System of a Down "Boom!" - anti-war video containing facts and figures about, amongst other things, the projected casualties in the war in Iraq.
Aerosmith "Don't want to miss a thing" - contains footage from the film "Armageddon".
Manic Street Preachers "So Why So Sad" - contains footage of soldiers being killed and man throwing a hand grenade.
Passengers/U2 "Miss Sarajevo" - contains missiles, guns and buildings being blown up.
Bon Jovi "This ain't a love song" - contains war scenes and victims in distress.
Iggy Pop "Corruption" - contains wars, riots, guns and captions "we love guns" and "we love rifles".
Paul Hardcastle "19" - contains war footage.
Radiohead "Lucky" - contains war footage including injured children.
Billy Idol "Hot in the City" - contains an atomic explosion.
Armand van Helden "Koochy" - contains an atomic explosion and ships being blown up.
Trick Daddy "Thug Holiday" - contains soldiers being killed at war.
And the US attorney general's staff complains about Justice Department singalongs:
Mr Ashcroft's staff are complaining that printed versions of the song are being distributed at meetings so that they will be able to join in.
When asked why she opposed the workplace singalong, one of the department's lawyers said: "Have you heard the song? It really sucks."
Alternative captioning for "scare-mongering" government illustrations. thanks, Ericka
Dearest strangers/friends,
Often we feel a communication gap between us & you, playing the saddest rock&roll in these alienated beerhalls. We're shy and clumsy w/ the words mostly but need to say this now finally or once & for all--
We live in rich countries-- we got more kinds of kicks/entertainment than we need. Also, we're gifted w/ access to so much information. "Facts" and knowledge... If you don't already know or believe that millions of innocents are maimed, starved, tortured, shot or exploded IN OUR NAME, by our own corrupt politicians, then nothing we do or say'll ever convince you...
There are millions of us worldwide who don't want any more blood on our hands. There are millions of us who want to stop this murderous nonsense forever:
Together we can tear their crummy monsters down... It's not a naive daydream. (There are more of us than them...)
It could start happening tonight or tomorrow. (It'll begin in the tiniest little ways...)
Please think of how to make it happen.
THESE ARE URGENT TIMES:
Find the faintest light there and run towards it slowly...
When the call goes out, please march with other strangers/friends.
There's a sweetness in clumsy efforts.
Stubborn hope ALWAYS trumps lazy greed.
& gentle hearts tear vulgar castles down.
Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid.
Love,
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Amidst our troubled wartime conditions, what we all need is to listen to Herve Villechaize sing "Why Do People Have To Fight" (mp3 link, right click in Windows to save, hold muse button on the mac).
Chrissie Hynde denounces "W" from the stage and causes no ripples:
You are supposed to say stuff like that in rock. If anything, a rock star who started spouting off in defense of America would lose record sales.
I think the reporter misses the point. Chrissie Hynde's celebrity has diminished and the Dixie Chicks had one of last year's biggest selling albums. If an American top 40 pop/rock star (Avril, Sum 41, etc.) had made the same statements as the Dixies, they would have been lambasted as well for speaking their mind.
The Telegraph reviews the Yeah Yeah Yeahs'Manchester show:
As Karen yelped like an operatic terrier, the very definition of coquettishness, Zinner and Chase duelled with increasing intensity on tracks from their first two EPs and forthcoming debut album. At times they sounded like a hardcore Glitter Band, at others, most of all on Mystery Girl, like Blondie's true successors.
Photoblogging in Northern Iraq: a CNN correspondent by day, photoblogger by night. This could get very interesting...
The warbloggers have staked their claim on the internet, now it's our turn.
<-- metafilter
A musician has vowed to cut off his ear if he doesn't get a record contract:
Even though a record deal before Friday appears unlikely, things could be worse. He could've named himself Bobbitt.
Q: How can you tell when the stage is level?
A: The drummer drools out of both sides of his mouth.
Q: How can you tell it's your drummer at the door?
A: The knocking keeps speeding up.
Q: How many drummers does take to change a lightbulb?
A: Three. One to change the light bulb and two to argue how Neil Peart would have done it.
<-- I Love Music (more jokes through link)
Notable Releases for March 18th, 2003 and four word reviews:
Deerhoof: Apple O (Kill Rock Stars): Noise, hooks, and wonderifishness.
Libertines: Up the Bracket (Rough Trade): "The British Strokes, not.
Moldy Peaches: MP2K: Unreleased Cutz & Live Jamz (Rough Trade): I "heart" Kimya Dawson.
(Smog): Dinner (Drag City): Smart, fun, depressing music.
Sorry about Dresden: Let It Rest (Saddle Creek): Great guitars, but predictable.
With my cable provider's recent decrease in upload speeds, we've moved to DSL at the largehearted house. Hopefully GBV Radio will return soon... anyone out there with extra bandwidth to host a Shoutcast server??? If so, contact me, I'll trade karma, kind words and baked goods for bandwidth.
The Sundance Channel is showing "If I Should Fall From Grace: The Shane Macgowan Story" at 8 central tonight!
Flak lists the seven most infamous uses of profanity in sports history
I've actually heard #4, 5, and 6. My vote would go to Lee Elia's rant, combined with tearing up his office, it was definitely a priceless piece of television history. text partial wav
If you're near Philly this week, check out Ladyfest, an event that will showcase women's activism through visual arts, music, dance, theater, film, the written word, the spoken word, workshops and panel discussions. Musical performers include Mirah, Tsunami, the Beatings and Kimya Dawson.
QUICKBEAM AND BOMBADIL ARE THE LORDS OF THE RHYMES - STRAIGHT OUTTA HOBBITON!
We come from Middle Earth and we can f***ing rap.
That's right, when it comes to hobbit rhymes there's us and no one
and we rock rooms from the Sea of Rhun to the Gulf of Lhun.
We've been working on our self-titled album for nigh on two ages now,
and should have it finished in time for Christmas 2003(shire reckoning).
In the meantime, we're going to post MP3s of our work -one by one-
right here. We've got dozens of tracks. And they're all hotter
than the cracks of doom.
Horray for Audioscrobbler! They found a new home and are fully functional, recording songs played in iTunes and Winamp again.
Italian label Homesleep is releasing a tribute to Pavement this summer, with Bardo Pond, Oranger and Magoo contributing tracks.
Nerve interviews Sam Beam, of Iron & Wine:
I've always liked meditative, prettier songs. I like playing faster stuff too, but if I'm gonna take the time to write a song, I want it to mean something to me. It's too easy to throw out silly rhymes. I'd rather make it interesting to myself.
Indie Rock Pete, the cartoon for indie rock poseurs everywhere!
Search string of the week: "atheist vampire wedding vows"
Yoko Ono is running anti-war ads in major newspapers:
In a letter to the Chronicle, Ono said that she began her pro-peace ad campaign "after the song 'Imagine' was censored by the Clear Channel people." This referred to the internal do-not-play list allegedly circulated to the broadcasting company's staff after September 11 and eventually leaked to the press.
The Dixie Chicks are ashamed George Bush is from Texas. This almost makes up for their less-than-clever of "Landslide" (the original being my freshman college roommate's favorite song, by the way).
I'm amazed at the uproar this has caused, causing stations here in north Alabama to pledge not to play their music (at least until their next album comes out, I'm sure).
The National Post interviews Mike Skinner:
"What's actually happening is this generation of kids have come along [who] don't really care about being a DJ; they wanna be an MC and they wanna listen to MCs. That's what Dizzee's come out of -- he's more influenced by Ludacris and Redman than DJ Sneak and Frankie Knuckles. Garage is gradually just turning into U.K. rap music."
From the Deseret News, concerning the alleged abductor of Elizabeth Smart:
Derrick Thompson said his stepfather told him he had taken "10 hits of LSD and talked to God out in the desert" several years ago. "They said they weren't on drugs, but we think that was a lie. We think that's how he could communicate with God. That and listen to the Steve Miller Band.
I always thought Steve Miller was evil.
Visit the Boombox Museum, learn about the birth of the boombox, the golden years, and its decline and fall. Check out boomboxes in mass media as well as the extensive boombox database.
Radio Raheem would be proud.
The Beastie Boys make available their "statement against an unjustified war." (mp3)
Mark Morford writes exquisitely about our impending war with Iraq:
More than ever before in recent history, the otherwise worthy U.S. military is right now in service not of the people, not of the national security, but of the current government regime and its corporate interests. Has it always been this way? Of course. But this time, with our smirky Enron president and cash-hungry CEO administration, it's never been so flagrant, or insulting, or invidious.
His weekly column in the San Francisco Gate is a breath of fresh air.
Send Good Morning America your friendship story, and if you're chosen, Ringo will serenade you and your best friend, live on television.
My wife is the youngest of four sisters, and always was last in line to choose her favorite anything. The last Beatle left when her sisters had chosen their favorite mophead was Ringo, which she didn't mind, because "he had a kind face." Unfortunately, being low girl on the totem pole didn't work out as well when the Monkees were divvied up: she was stuck with Peter "Dork" Tork.
Two of my favorites: Stephen Malkmus and Page Six (one of the New York Post's gossip columns):
Meg White has broken her wrist, but the White Stripes are still planning to start their British tour in April.
Most important artists making music right now. Leans a little heavily on the MTV2 generation, but there are some good choices: the Streets, Beck, Wilco, Lucinda Williams, as well as some laughable ones: Avril, Audioslave, the Vines???
Paul's Page is posting the entire Paul Westerberg Irving Plaza show from August 27, 2002, in three installments. Grab the first fourteen songs now...
Added a "recent listens" (thanks, blogamp), and "online listens" to the sidebar. Check out the online streaming radio stations listed, Ned especially puts out an eclectic and fun weekly show.
Set your Tivos, Elvis Costello will be guest-hosting for Dave Letterman, as well as leading the band Wednesday, March 12th.
Jack and Meg talk to the New York Times Magazine about their new album, Elephant:
In other words, kids need discipline. That sounds counter to the rock 'n' roll ideal.
JACK: It's not counter to us. It's what our band is about. We're white people who play the blues, and our problem was how do we do that and not be fake? Our idea was to strip away everything unnecessary, to put ourselves in a box, to make rules for ourselves.
What sort of rules?
JACK: In live shows, we never play from a set list. The last record, we said, no guitar solos, no slide guitar, no covers.
And no bass?
MEG: The last record had no bass. This one has some bass. We're not against the bass.
Anyone know of a Directconnect client for Mac OS 9? I have some friends looking to join the DC++ party, but they are being held at the door by their legacy OS. I've tried both JavaDC and JavaOpenDC, but neither is stable (or even being updated anymore).
Nude As The News interviews Mike Skinner, aka the Streets:
NATN: What are your biggest influences?
MS: Rap music, and anything else. I love rock music, but it's just a bit of sort of everything that sounds alright. A lot of ragga, lately. Garage, more than ever really. It's more like U.K. rap music all the time now. Gradually moving away from the dance hall, which was the start of rap music, wasn't it? After hip-hop. So yeah, it's just the same kinda changes are happening.
Some more kittens playing rock and roll, this time "Gay Bar" by the Electric Six (who are touring, by the way, putting on a great show, I hear)
Grab some fun Superdrag covers, the band from east Tennessee puts their indie touches on Big Star, the Velvets and Lynyrd Skynyrd, to name but a few.
Novelist Martin Amis in the Guardian, on the inanity of our inevitable upcoming war:
The surest way by far of finding out what Iraq has is to attack it. Then at last we will have Saddam's full cooperation in our weapons inspection, because everything we know about him suggests that he will use them all. The Pentagon must be more or less convinced that Saddam's WMDs are under a certain critical number. Otherwise it couldn't attack him.
Paula Cole posts her anti-Bush song...
<-- ToT
Longing to hear the Flaming Lips cover Poison, A Flock Of Seagulls, or Carly Simon? Flock on over to the Atomic Pope and download mp3's of various and assorted covers by the band that dares to wear animal costumes onstage.
I'm testing my Shoutcast stream again with the highlights from Yo La Tengo's 2002 Hannukah shows (thanks again, Brandon). Listen in, let me know if there are any problems (excessive buffering, overly muddy sound, etc.)
The tracklisting for the new Guided By Voices album (release date: August 19th), Model Prisoner In The Five Senses Realm has been released:
1. My Son, My Secretary, My Country
2. I'll Replace You With Machines
3. She Goes Off At Night
4. Beat Your Wings
5. Useless Inventions
6. Dirty Water
7. The Best of Jill Hives
8. Dead Cloud
9. Mix Up The Satellites
10. Main Street Wizards
11. A Trophy Mule in Particular
12. Apology in Advance
13. Secret Star
14. Of Mites and Men
I have high hopes for the record. The last four albums have been a little disappointing to me, in pieces too prog for my taste, seemingly attempting to imitate previous successes, or vainly trying to catch the attention of top 40 radio. All said, though, these releases were more listenable than 99% of pop music released and each album contained gems that I adore.
thanks sharon
The Science Fiction Book Club lists the top 50 science fiction and fantasy books of the last 50 years. I was surprised that I've read 16 of these, since I haven't read any sci-fi since high school.
NME announces their latest 100 best albums of all time, causing water cooler and coffee machine discussions worldwide. I agree with numbers one and two, The Stone Roses debut and the Pixies Doolittle get as much rotation around here as any other oldie from my youth. But the Streets' Original Pirate Material at #46? I love the record, but c'mon guys...
Would you buy a hamburger from someone who called it a "ham-burg-ya-ler?".
Tired of your friends and family forwarding useless e-mails? Get on your soapbox and send them this Flash animation.
<-- metafilter
Looking forward to the new Blur single, "Out Of Time"? Download it here.
The band has set up an internet radio stream as well, with interviews, live shows and tracks from the depths of the BBC archives.
Madonna to pen a series of children's books. In related news, jokes begin writing themselves.
Delightfully offbeat interview with Hang On The Box, "mainland China's only all-girl punk band."
Happy 61st birthday, Lou Reed. The Raven proves that valuable music is produced by all ages...
Hundreds of soccer songs and chants are archived here, ready to put your mind in the stadium while enjoying a pint and watching your favorite squad on the telly.