Anthony

From where I'm sitting, poolside, I can see the airport burning -- the last of the jet fuel cooking off like a dying can of sterno. There's a large, black plume of smoke coming from the south of the city -- just over the rise, where the most recent airstrikes have been targeting the Shiite neighborhoods and what are, presumably, Hezbollah-associated structures. My camera crew and I missed it the first time they hit the airport. Slept right through it. Woke up in our snug hotel sheets to the news that we wouldn't be making television in Beirut (not the show we came to do anyway), and that we wouldn't be getting out of here anytime soon.

Wellah!

A little Modfather to start your weekend off right. Jesus, he's cool. The shades, the scarf. It works for me. Wink.

Glastonbury movie

AKA the movie I intend to obtain a copy of before the summer is over.

Anglophilia

In case I haven't mentioned it, I adore Heather B. Armstrong, the author of dooce.com. Why? This is a selection from one of her most recent posts....

“My best friend from high school had introduced me to Britpop, had given me a stack of magazines and newspapers he’d brought back from England the summer before we started college. At the top of that stack was a cover spread of Liam Gallagher, the notoriously rude lead singer of the band Oasis, and he was making an obscene hand gesture at the camera. I soon found out that this hoodlum could actually sing, and that the Britpop sound was more meaningful to me than any church hymn I was ever forced to sit through. But more importantly, these people liked to drink and fight and call each other horrible names in the press. It was worth it to follow this music if only to see if any of them would end up floating in the Thames without a head.”

Songs

Apparently, the Oasis compilation that will be in stores at some point this fall, will have 18 tracks. As I am all about the lists, and we already know that it will contain

1. Wonderwall
2. Half The World Away
3. Supersonic
4. Acquiesce

let me say first, YAY to those choices, and that the following, should be the other 14. In my opinion, of course.

5. Cigarettes and Alcohol
6. Don't Look Back In Anger
7. Let There Be Love
8. Stand By Me
9. Stop Crying Your Heart Out
10. Rocking Chair
11. Cast No Shadow
12. Whatever
13. The Masterplan
14. Rock and Roll Star
15. She's Electric
16. The Importance Of Being Idle
17. Some Might Say
18. Champagne Supernova

Sadly, I've thought about this A LOT today. I am so going to make that track listing into a CD right now.

champagne supernova

Dear God, I love this song. Oasis and Weller? I'm in heaven.

Beckham. Speedo. Questions?

While I am somewhat violently against any non-Olympic swimmer-type persons wearing tiny swim trunks in public, I'm sometimes inclined to overlook this.

Especially when confronted with pics of
David.
Freaking.
Beckham.
In.
A.
Speedo.
I need a smoke.

pic from perezhilton.com

Oooo- looky!

Dear God, I can hardly wait!

Although the tracklisting for the double album is a closely guarded secret, it will feature the classic singles 'Supersonic', 'Wonderwall' and 'The Importance Of Being Idle'.

Also featured is 'Acquiesce', the b-side to 'Some Might Say' that many consider to be one of the band's finest songs.

Hell yes, 'Acquiesce' is one of their finest! Please God, include 'Whatever,' 'Round Are Way' and 'The Masterplan,' too. Thank you:)

Oh, YouTube

Thank you for giving me the material to explain my love for various non-American musicians to my partners in crime. And for this lovely Smiths clip.

Songs o' the week

1. Sweet Jane- Velvet Underground
2. Mamma Mia- ABBA
3. I Don't Mind- Buzzcocks
4. We Used To Be Friends- Dandy Warhols
5. Oh My Sweet Carolina- Ryan Adams
6. Rebel, Rebel- Bowie
7. This Is The One- Stone Roses
8. Tied Up Too Tight- Hard-Fi
9. Digsy's Diner- Oasis
10. I Believe In You- Kylie Minogue
11. Crazy- Gnarls Barkley

Bonus-
Sub-Culture- New Order
Molly's Chambers- Kings of Leon

Mr. Brightside

His seedy charm aside, there is no way I'd personally pick Eric Roberts over Brandon Flowers. Even in a video.

Jake and Ana in Spain

I am so excited for this album! Hard to believe. Snerk. But look at their costumes! Could they be more fabulous? I think not!

If I were both gay and a man, I would SO be all about Jake Shears. Even as a straight chick, I'm have a fairly purient interest in him. Can't imagine if we 'played' for the same team. So pretty! Also, no one is as fierce as Ana Matronic.

Okay, fangirl moment over. Seriously.

pic from nme.com

Why

do I read the Mirror's website daily? Snark like this.

ORDINARILY, when a supermodel is approached in the street by an unshaven dweeb with a dodgy haircut, she calls for help...

But in this case the dweeb is James Blunt and the supermodel is his stunning Czech girlfriend Petra Nemcova, 27.

I can't stop giggling. Unshaven dweeb, indeed.

Sublime or ridiculous?

I want to see pictures of Ashley (footballer for Arsenal- for the time being) Cole and Cheryl (Girls Aloud) Tweedy's wedding, more than I could coherently or rationally explain.

The bridesmaid dresses were apparently orange, with Zebra detailing. I saw a headline entitled, "The Bride Wore Bling." Her dress was something around 200 thousand pounds.

She used Posh and Beck's wedding as a 'how-to' example. Posh wore a corset that knocked her waist down a few inches to 18. David and Victoria sat on actual thrones at the reception, y'all.

Oh. My. God.

There are some things that are so extraordinarily tacky, they venture into the sublime. When I get my hot little hands on a copy of OK! Magazine this weekend, I'll be able to determine if that's the category the Tweedy-Cole wedding fits into. Goody!

All snark aside, though,they are a cute couple.

Fantastic

Charles Pierce is one of my favorite writers. Why? Check this out-

It just so happens that I have a couple of really ugly-ass dogs in this fight over embryonic stem-cell research. Not many political issues are personal with me, but this one deeply is. I have watched slow death from neurological disease once too often in my life to be anything but furious when Sam Brownback, a United States senator to the everlasting embarrassment of that body, pulls out a child's drawing of an embryo with a smiley-face in order to argue his position.

Speaking as one who watched my maternal and paternal grandmothers die from complications from ALS and Alzheimers, respectively, Brownback can step off.

Ass. Smiley faces on the floor of the Senate. Jesus.

Mercury shortlist

Arctic Monkeys -- "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not"

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan -- "Ballad of the Broken Seas"

Editors -- "The Back Room"

Guillemots -- "Through the Windowpane"

Richard Hawley -- "Coles Corner"

Hot Chip -- "The Warning"

Muse -- "Black Holes & Revelations"

Zoe Rahman -- "Melting Pot"

Lou Rhodes -- "Beloved One"

Scritti Politti -- "White Bread Black Beer"

Sway -- "This is My Demo"

Thom Yorke -- "The Eraser"

Burton and The Killers?

Interesting..... and in somewhat related news, Anton Corbijn, who directed the U.S. video for "All These Things (That I Have Done)," has started filming Control, about the life of Ian Curtis (Joy Division).

From MEN-

FILMING is under way on the movie biopic of Ian Curtis, the enigmatic lead singer of legendary band Joy Division.

On Monday cast and crew descended on Macclesfield, the town where Ian lived before ending his life in 1980 aged just 23.

The film, Control, stars newcomer Sam Riley as the troubled frontman, while Oscar-nominated actress Samantha Morton plays his wife Deborah Curtis.

It is largely based on the book Touching From A Distance, Deborah's personal account of her life with Ian.

And Deborah, alongside Factory Records boss Tony Wilson who originally signed Joy Division, will be co-producers on the film.

Source-
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/music/

Happy

Keef sings! For my money, best song off of 'Exile.'

NO- Round and Round

After much deliberation, I think this may be my fav New Order song. The video is v.v.v. cool, anyway.

I know

that it's kind of superficial and shite, but I love Nelly Furtado. Why?

1. My sister-at-heart, Joy, and I had a bang-up time at her concert in Houston

Andddddddddd----------------------

Nelly says the following on her iTunes Celebrity Playlist-

2."Live Forever"- This song and video made me think that music could save the world. Really, I think that Liam could have just rocked my world."
3. "Don't Look Back In Anger-" Noel was also formidably attractive. And he always saved the day. And I loved Liam's blue sweater in this video. Swoon..."

Semi-weekly top 10

1. New Order- Round and Round
2. Oasis- Whatever
3. Stone Roses- Made of Stone
4. Paul Weller- Wings of Speed
5. Arctic Monkeys- Riot Van
6. Gnarls Barkley- Gone Daddy Gone
7. Gorillaz- Kids With Guns
8. Goldfrapp- Beautiful
9. Primal Scream- Country Girl
10. Sly and the Family Stone- Stand!

Bonus tracks-
Aretha Franklin- Rock Steady
Parliament- Flashlight

Control

I am so excited for this movie. Though I'll probably have to go to the Motherland to see it.

Rudy Can't Fail?

I love Keith Olbermann. "Rudy Can't Fail" (Clash song) was the blurb onscreen when he talked about Giuliani stumping for Rick "Man-On-Dog" Santorum.

Absolute brilliance.

And in other Pirate-related news

The Guardian has a gallery of 'who's who' in POTC....

Mmm, I'm kind of feeling Jack Davenport right now. Though again, not actually.

He's kind of got the Viggo Mortensen in LOTR- thing going on in this movie. You know, when he was all dirty and wet and riding a horse? I know you were thinking the same thing, you filthy birds.

(Boy, I'm all about the abbreviations today, huh)?

Moment of silence, please

Rolling Stone has a Johnny Depp Gallery. Articles, piccies (allegedly- can't get the link to work). Sweet Baby Jesus, look at the pretty!

Though not here, obviously. Though I do love me some Good Doctor.













Pic from www.depponline.com

Whatever, part deux

This is vastly superior to the TOTP version. And definitely shows that my beloved Noel was definitely not the worst-looking member of Oasis, circa 1994. God, he's a freaking SUPERMODEL compared to Tony McCarroll and Bonehead.

If I needed

any more confirmation as to how superior my musical taste is, just check out some of these choices for 'best second album ever.'

Britney is mentioned. So is Good Charlotte. As is Clay Aiken. Jesus.

(though in the posters's defense, many of the choices were decent).

Looky here! Best debut albums of all time

"The Velvet Underground & Nico", from 1967, was voted ahead of "Marquee Moon" by Television and "Are You Experienced" by Jimi Hendrix in the survey by Uncut magazine.

01 The Velvet Underground "The Velvet Underground & Nico" 1967
02 Television "Marquee Moon" 1977
03 Jimi Hendrix Experience "Are You Experienced" 1967
04 The Stone Roses "The Stone Roses" 1989
05 The Band "Music From Big Pink" 1968
06 The Clash "The Clash" 1977
07 Led Zeppelin "Led Zeppelin" 1969
08 Joy Division "Unknown Pleasures" 1979
09 Roxy Music "Roxy Music" 1972
10 The Stooges "The Stooges" 1969


Uncut is the Brit rock-snob mag for the rock snob of a certain age, but I'm certain you could infer that by the dates above. That being said, look at #4! Yeah, boy!

I have the albums by the Roses, Jimi, Velvets, Band, Clash and Zeppelin. I'm not quite Rob Gordon enough to enjoy Roxy and The Stooges. The former has to do with I know exactly one of their songs 'More Than This,' and that's due to Bill Murray singing it in 'Lost In Translation.' The Stooges? I'm just meh about them. Yes, I understand how seminal they were, but I can't be bothered to listen to them. Though I really like to read Iggy stories. What a scamp! Hee hee.

Dove-ish goodness

"Pounding."

God, I love this song... Jeez, Jimi has rather nice eyes, doesn't he?

Genius

I worship the goddesses of Go Fug Yourself.

Why? This description will have to suffice.

Girl On The Left looks like a distant cousin of Hilary Duff as reimagined by Anne Rice. Second from the left, we have a facial knockoff of Posh Spice (but dressed like Sienna Miller) from the years when she actually ate food that required chewing. Third from the left, we have a copycat Carrie Underwood in an S&M figure-skating costume.

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about

I maintain that A&R persons in the U.K. should set up shop in any Northern city. Fish in a barrel.

MANCHESTER and the rest of the north west are top of the pops, a survey reveals.

Yahoo Music discovered that musicians from the north west had more No 1 singles and albums since 2000 than artists from other regions.

Manchester and the rest of the region trounced the opposition, recording a No1 hit for every 115,254 people, compared with one hit per 216,647 people from Greater London and one for every 253,125 from the south east.

Doesn't this sound interesting?

Infamous, the next film about Truman Capote, just got a rave from the Independent's film critic.

And here's another thing that Infamous has. In the opening scene of the film, Truman and Babe Paley are at the El Morocco night club in 1959, listening to a singer, Kitty Dean (Gwyneth Paltrow). She leaps into her number and then falters. She breaks down, slowly recovers, and finishes the song. It is the best thing I have ever seen Paltrow do - and it is for us to judge how far the incident is a model for Infamous.

And....

That is not all. Perry Smith is played by Daniel Craig. I noticed him first as the nasty guy in Road to Perdition. He starred opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in Sylvia. He was in Steven Spielberg's Munich, as the hard guy in the group. He is - as I'm sure you know - the new James Bond, shortly to star in Casino Royale. He is also due to appear with Nicole Kidman in The Visiting.

And in a year's time, I suspect, it will be taken for granted that he is one of the best screen actors anywhere - and a great part of that will be because of Infamous, where he is as frightening as any killer, as abject as a person without education, and yet as touching as the man Capote was oddly graced by meeting.

God Love Them

This is one of my fav Jam Songs-

The Jam - Man In The Cornershop (Live)

I'd be lying if

I didn't admit this made me laugh my ass off.....

Heaven knows what James Blunt is doing closing Saturday night at Wireless, when he could have been at Royal Ascot in a top hat, representing the Hillier-Blount clan.

God bless Caroline Sullivan.

This assessment is somewhat (read- extremely) influenced by the fact that I was forced to at work today, listen to "You're Beautiful" 3 FREAKING TIMES. Utter crap.

Well said

Athenae is the reason that I read first-draft.com every day. Her writing is inspired, and this rant on Barack Obama kissing up to the fundies is particularly so.

You want to have a Democratic conversation about religion, Senator? You want to take the religious question back? You want to use religious imagery in order to give your party some sense of moral force?

Then you have to talk about more than your personal Dashboard Jesus, more than just your own quiet time with the Lord. You want God to be public? Then you take Him public, damn it.

You take Him into the public arena not by quoting His words but by dedicating the party to doing His work and then not mentioning one fucking word about His holy name until somebody touched by your obvious moral values flat-out asks.

Dancefloor

Classic Arctics lineup

This is for Joy

Cpt. Jack Sparrow. Yum, yum.

Nearly all of my friends (and myself, of course) have been in unrequited (obviously) love with Johnny Depp since

'21 Jump Street.'

Yes, I realize this dates us. Ask me if I'm bothered.

Photo by Albert Watson

Gnarls

Seriously, I am, at some point, going to think about something that doesn't involve:

1. Bands from the north of England/Scotland
2. My favorite celebrities
3. My actual future, as opposed to my imaginary future, which is fantastic, darling, fantastic
4. Global warming
5. How much 'Riot City Blues' by Primal Scream rules
6. The new Pirates of the Carribean movie
7. Gnarls Barkley

That being said, check out this profile of GB in the Guardian.

Gnarls Barkley befuddled many, and certainly battled the system. Their debut single, Crazy, a disturbing yet danceable account of one man's descent into madness, scuttled straight to No 1 and remained there for nine weeks before the duo had it deleted. At the time, no one knew who Gnarls Barkley was - many thought it was one man, and even when Green and Burton stepped into the limelight they did so in superhero costumes, protecting their identity. Green, formerly of the southern rap troupe Goodie Mob, and an overlooked solo artist (he has won a new solo deal in the wake of Crazy), was responsible for writing the Pussycat Dolls' hit Don't Cha. Burton, meanwhile, is celebrated for stitching together the Beatles' White Album and Jay-Z's Black Album to create The Gray Album. More recently he was drafted in to produce tracks for both Gorillaz and the Rapture's much-anticipated second album. He also works on countless underground hip-hop projects, such as Danger Doom, with the rapper MF Doom, making him the rare artist who appeals to both the experimental music heads and the chart kids.

Caveat

I am not currently married (well, to anyone not in my imagination:), and do not have children. But when I someday do meet, marry and procreate with the Man of My Dreams, I'd like think that I'd be capable of putting up the 2nd sign on the front door to keep solicitors away.

Goldfrapp, Alison Goldfrapp.

Shaken, not stirred, darling.

IT'S Oh Oh heaven for electronica queen Alison Goldfrapp - she's shaken and stirred after being wooed by James Bond.

We can reveal that Alison and pal Will Gregory have been offered one of the biggest honours in the music biz - to record the new Bond theme.

But seriously

Does everyone in the world eat better than Americans?

This is from The Guardian- recipes for halftime during World Cup games.

I'm just saying, you're not going to see smoked Haddock with Creme Fraiche, glazed lamb cutlelts, Entrecote steak with cracked pepper sauce or penne rigate with four cheeses on your average USA Today Weekend Superbowl Special menu editions....

God, we are ugly, aren't we?

This should be interesting

Apparently the Screamers aren't playing any big festivals at the end of July, since Bobby is marrying his baby's mama on the 28th.

Besides the obvious reasons, why exactly am I interested?

1. Bobby's baby's mam is closely associated with Alexander F-ing McQueen. I'm assuming her dress will be fantastic.

2. Kate Moss is reading a poem at the wedding.

So, I'm guessing that most people there won't be wearing pressed khakis and coordinates like the wedding I went to last weekend.

Also, there will be more of a chance of "I went to a wedding, and a concert broke out"- type thing happening.

On a somewhat related note, my copy of 'Riot City Blues' will be arriving on Thursday. Sweet!

Ah, Tanya....

From the NY Times-

To appreciate what Zoe Lucker manages to pull off in every episode of BBC America's crazy evening soap opera "Footballers' Wives," one need only look at the last scene of the final show of the series's third season. Ms. Lucker's character, Tanya Turner, learns that her unborn child's father may not be Conrad, the handsome bisexual soccer-club team captain she stole from his also-pregnant wife, the Bollywood star Amber. Instead, it turns out that her ogrelike husband, Frank, whom Tanya murdered with a lethal cocktail of Viagra and vigorous sex, could also be the dad. How does she discover this? She is given a videotape of Frank explaining that he poked holes in his condoms.

How could you not love this ridiculous show?

Singletons or not

My friends and I? Are Bridget Jones... The following is from one of my dear married but not-smug married friends-

Today I have eaten four small blueberry pancakes with bacon and a very small portion of eggs (because I have to put on brave face for the kids), a large slice of pizza, two large tumblers of water, half a bag of red hots, 2 slices of cheese toast, and now I am working my way through a bag of flavor blasted goldfish (xtreme cheddar).

This is the reason I should not be left alone in the house by myself with only school work to do.

Response from me-

That's hysterical. I'll write more later, but as I'm EXTREMELY hungover/still drunk, I'm not thinking you want me to write anymore. At this time. Also, the cat is tapdancing on the keyboard.
love from,
Me

Ps- It was Peppermint Patty's brother's wedding yesterday. Spent most of the night lusting after a whippersnapper. No, his name was not Gav.

PSS- you would think that I would know enough to not mix Bud Light and Vodka. You would be wrong.

Something obviously failed us at some point. Developmentally, grammatically, ecumenically.*

*With nods to the Captain, my Captain, Jack Sparrow.

Oh.My.God.

I would TOTALLY be all over this!

From The Mirror:

Eddie Izzard is in talks to play Sally Bowles in a West End production of hit musical Cabaret.

Harvey?

Y'all. Y'ALL. You know I love Oasis, right?
Adore the mouthiness, working-class background, Beatles-themed kitchens of associated band members and all? How I howl with laughter at the wit and wisdom of the Gallagher brothers? How I regard 'Acquiesce' and 'Whatever' to be some of the finest songs of the past 20 years?

Okay, now that we've established that, can anyone explain to me what the hell is going on with Liam's suit?

He looks like a Goddamned imaginary rabbit! Or that he's morphing into Simon LeBon.

I've got to go watch the 'Cigarettes and Alcohol' video to get my head back in the right place.

Jesus, 'Our Kid,' go put trackie bottoms on, or something. Baggy trousers that ARE NOT PASTEL-SHADED. Great sunglasses, though. As usual.

(Nicole, you look cute. Make your boyfriend stick to neutrals. Thanks, love).

I love the Internet

New Musical Express has a digital edition. You can get 51 issues for 40 bucks. It's delivered to your email the day it hits the stands in the Motherland. This is a bargain, as I gladly, with a shit-eating smile on my face, buy the magazine for 5-6 bucks a pop. Not to mention, Brit music magazines take some serious effing effort to find in the Hawkeye State.

Guess what I just purchased? You got it.

Am totally Snoopy dancing right now.

Also, my German import of 'Riot City Blues' should be arriving via UPS soon. YAYAYAYAY!

Captain Jack will take you high tonight

Oh, yes. Pirates 2 premieres in less than a month. More Johnny happiness.

Well, this is just an ef-ing tragedy

COMEDY legend John Cleese has confessed: "I can't do the silly walk any more."

Cleese used the routine in a number of Monty Python sketches.

But the star, 66, said: "I can't do it because I've had a hip replacement - probably because I did so much of it. I don't know how I even managed in the first place.

Jokey, jokey

I didn't actually find 'the funniest joke ever' that amusing, but some of the poster's funnies, are indeed that. (Though I feel I should put the Not All Jokes Are Tasteful-disclaimer on this).

Yes, that is

the 'masturbating Welshman' from Notting Hill AKA Rhys Infans in "The Importance Of Being Idle" video.

I think this may be my fav Oasis tune from Don't Believe the Truth, though I do love me some "Mucky Fingers."

The paranoid

edge to the beginning of the song is what originally sold me on the tune. Helicopters? Me thinks a fair amount of Peruvian Marching Powder was consumed during the making of (What's the Story) Morning Glory?.

(Though, really, my favorite tunes off the album, aside from Wonderwall and Don't Look Back in Anger? She's Electric and Some Might Say. Why? 'Coz they're fun, that's why)!

Also, this video feels like it would have made a nice plot point for an episode of Alias. The Bristows and the Gallaghers. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the havoc they could wreak!

"There will be blood tonight!"*

*With apologies to The Princess Bride

See what all the fuss

is about. (Cee-Lo is Darth, Danger Mouse is Obi-wan Kenobi. With his semi-trademark 'fro).


Also, I cannot believe that voice comes out of that person. Simply wonderful, and they're on Leno tonight. Again, the American music media is now catching on to something (Gnarls Barkley) that has been rather a big deal in the U.K. for the past 2 months.

Wouldn't you think that U.S. music mags would have people on staff who watch out for emerging bands in other markets? Or, maybe they do, and the previously mentioned staffers are complete crackheads.

As much as I

adore her, I have to say, your average Iowa State sophomore would have more sense than to drink Jager, then ride the Tilt-a-Whirl. The carnival ride. Not Mr. Gillespie. Though there have been rumors about that... just rumors, mind.

(Though I love the fact that La Moss did the puke-and-rally thing. Yes, I realize that says something about my personality. And not something attractive).

Okay...

Political Affairs aside, Rolling Stone magazine has peaked, in my opinion. I swear, they look at issues of New Musical Express (U.K. music mag) from 6 months previous, then pick whom they're going to hype as a potentially interesting band.

Case in point- I've been reading about BYOP for at least a year in NME. Seriously. Their lead singer, Jemima, barfed while on stage at Glastonbury 2005, wiped it up with a towel, then threw the towel into the audience. Again, seriously.

I haven't heard any of their stuff (Be Your Own Pet). I know they're from Nashville, and y'all know I really don't 'do' bands that aren't from the north of England. Except for The Killers. And Neil Young. And the Dixie Chicks. And Gnarls Barkley.

Just ignore me. I'll dither in the corner, alone with my incomplete and grammatically incorrect sentences.

One- U2 with Mary J

Y'all- this is truly fantastic. When Mary kicks it in with the "have you come here to play Jesus, to the lepers in your head," part-
I actually start to cry. And have, repeatedly.

This version originated, I believe, at the benefit for Hurricane Katrina victims.

There are certain bits of songs that can reduce me to a sniveling mess. The aforementioned bit is one of them.

Simply perfect.

Semi-weekly top 10

1. Rolling Stones- All Down the Line
2. Primal Scream- Call On Me
3. Oasis- Stay Young
4. The Jam- Smithers-Jones
5. Rhianna- S.O.S
6. Stone Roses- Something's Burning
7. U2 and Mary J.- One*
8. Happy Mondays- Lazyitis
9. Doves- Pounding
10. Libertines- Time For Heroes

*Yes, Bono annoys me the vast majority of the time. But my darling Mary J elevates this song to something quite sublime.

Whatever

Oasis (Top Of The Pops)

This B-side is one of my favorite Oasis tunes. Okay, I know that everything on TOTP's is totally canned, but this song is fan-freaking-tastic. Lovely Noel. Lovely Liam. Lovely Guigsy. Lovely Bonehead. Lovely Tony. Okay, disregard that last part. Boyfriend isn't exactly Bonzo, you know.

Roses

The Stone Roses - She Bangs The Drums

I love them. Love. Them. God (or Goddess) Bless Ian, John, Mani and Reni for creating such inspired (though not Inspiral, heh), blissed-out, vaguely menacing tunes.

(If any of my buddies would ever question my sanity in fancying Mani, I would direct you to the first part of this video. The dancing, the bass. Direct me to the fainting couch. Quite similar to Sam Rockwell doing-the-splits-while-smoking-thing during 'Charlie's Angels).' That's hot.

Chock Full of Awesome

Primal Scream ROCKS MTV LIVE

My first CD (single) purchase ever.

Have I mentioned?

that I sort of love Charlotte Church? Don't really listen to her music, but, hell, she's really funny. And a fantastic trash-talker. I appreciate this.

"I feel like an a***hole because I look like the top of a f****** wedding cake."

Oooh

Primal Scream - Country Girl

Love Bobby's Nudie-esque suit. Chick in the video totally looks like a combo between Heather Graham and Tara Reid. With a bit of Lindsay Lohan thrown in.

Talladega Nights

That would be the name of the new Will Ferrell, NASCAR-themed movie. Also featuring Ali G and John C. Reilly.
Will's name in the movie? Ricky Bobby.

This is the tagline for the movie promos-

The story of a man who could only count to #1

The sound you hear? Me laughing my ass off.

Also, Gnarls Barkley, whom I love, love, love, performed. Dressed up as characters from Star Wars. Whole lotta Darth Vader fabric for Cee-Lo, I'm thinking.

Harper

This sounds interesting... new book about Nelle "Harper" Lee.

Jean Louise Finch is one of my all-time favorite fictional characters. And Bridget Jones. And Holden and Phoebe Caulfield. And Harry Potter. And Rob Gordon. Okay, this is something that needs to be addressed in another post.

For thousands of postwar American women, Scout is a touchstone of childhood authenticity. In some Mary Pipheresque prelapsarian state, we were all Scout once: unfiltered, free-ranging, with a physical confidence rooted in a prepubescent androgyny -- qualities inevitably poisoned by the idiotic affectations of adolescence. (When she senses the feminizing agenda her stuffy aunt has in store for her, Scout feels "the starched walls of a pink cotton penitentiary closing in" on her.) Lee's magic (which some early critics perceived as a failure) was in ventriloquizing the experiences of a 6-year old in the voice of a grown woman, offering a bridge back to childhood. As a motherless child, Scout demonstrates how children treat life's curveballs as what happens, not what shouldn't happen, and adjust their expectations accordingly.

Adorable

Though this was on 'Countdown' with KO this evening, I spotted this on Cute Overload last night.

I kind of want an Alpaca. So fluffy! Obviously not going to happen, as I already have one fluffy pet. No need for another.

Diamond Dave Does Deliverance

But what about "Hot For Teacher?"







Maybe change the name to "Hot For Schoolmarm?"




As odd a concept as the record might seem, it mostly works. Hard rock classics like “Panama” and “And the Cradle Will Rock ...” retain the energy of early Van Halen, but with mandolins and fiddles instead of electric guitars and drums. The first single, “Jamie's Cryin',” takes a new, mournful tone with the acoustic instrumentation.

If you would ever

want to know why I would, in theory, of course, chuck my knickers in the general direction of Alan Wren, John Squire or Gary Mounfield, I would immediately direct you to the linked Roses DVD.

Okay, Ian, too. But definitely Reni and Mani, first. Rhythm section, indeed.

All right, all right, all right

I'm just sitting here, watching my special-edition DVD of the Greatest Album of All Time.

I'd like to also point out, in my CD case, at this exact moment, are 8 of the top 10 albums, 16 of the top 20.

Damn, I'm good.

Though, I would definitely, not maybe, flip the #7 and the #4. Who the eff cares what a damned computer sounds like?

Okay, I'd bump Sgt. Pepper's to #7, Revolver to #1, and put the Roses in at #2. And The Queen Is Dead in the top 5.

All right, my actual top 6-

1- Beatles- Revolver
2- Stone Roses- The Stone Roses
3- Oasis- Definitely Maybe
4- Smiths- The Queen Is Dead
5- Beatles- Sgt. Peppers
6- Oasis- Morning Glory


Top 20, via MEN

Greatest 100 Albums of All Time:

1. Definitely Maybe, Oasis

2. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band, The Beatles

3. Revolver, The Beatles

4. OK Computer, Radiohead

5. (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, Oasis

6. Nevermind, Nirvana

7. The Stone Roses, The Stone Roses

8. Dark Side Of The Moon, Pink Floyd

9. The Queen Is Dead, Smiths

10. The Bends, Radiohead

11. The Joshua Tree, U2

12. London Calling, The Clash

13. The Beatles (The White Album), The Beatles

14. Abbey Road, The Beatles

15. Up The Bracket, The Libertines

16. Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols, Sex Pistols

17. Four Symbols (Led Zeppelin IV), Led Zeppelin

18. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, David Bowie

19. A Night At The Opera, Queen

20. Is This It, The Strokes

Cash

Oooh- this sounds great. The VF article was very moving, and shows the depth of respect between Rick Rubin and Mr. Cash.

The only thing about this album that gives me pause is its brevity–just twelve songs over forty-odd minutes. Rubin had told me he’d been toying with making American V a double, given the wealth of material he had at hand, and pointedly said he did not want to keep releasing posthumous albums, Tupac-style, because “there’s something that doesn’t feel good about the Tupac-ing.” I have to think that more of the 2003 recordings will somehow see the light of day, per

Rock on, ladies

525 thousand records in the 1st week? Fan-freaking-tastic!

Also, I would feel badly, as a rock nerd, if I didn't point out that I'm not quite certain about whether a session musician's (AKA Chad Smith from the Chili Peppers who played on the DC's CD) album that they worked on (AKA 'Taking the Long Way') had ever knocked their actual band's (RHCP) album from the number 1 slot.

That train of logic made sense to me.....

Yay, Martie, Emily and Natalie!!!

Boy, they're sure smartasses at Mugglenet

Hee. Hee.

I'd just like to point out

The sheer lust that I feel for Mani (bass- Stone Roses, Primal Scream) is quite relative to the longing I feel for Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller. And Hooky. Okay, for most musicians from Greater Manchester. And Woking. But I digress.

NTodd is cool

Go there.

Loving. LOVING.

Gnarls Barkley's song, 'Crazy.' Sounds, I don't know, for lack of a better made-up word, Mayfield-ish.

Also majorly loving this 'Clockwork Orange' pic. Alex, look out!

I love this

Hunter Thompson-esque stuff.....

(Not meaning to be all-Screamers, all the time, but hey, there's a lot of stuff out there about them right now. And I really like the libertine-aspect of the interviews:)

Back then, the group's singer, Bobby Gillespie, rang up Eggleston to ask permission, and was invited around for breakfast drinks. 'Bill was wearing jodhpurs and leather boots,' Gillespie later told me, 'and was walking about with a rifle and bayonet. It was surreal.' He played them a Bo Diddley record, plied them with vodka and then sent them on their way with his blessing. You could say he out-Screamed the Scream.

One of the interesting aspects of this image refers to Eggleston's suggestion that a photograph is a kind of little death, freeze-framing its subject forever. According to Eggleston's son Winston, who handles his father's business affairs, his father always refers to Untitled, 1975 as 'Marcia whacked out on Quaaludes'.

Which, come to think of it, may be the best title for a Primal Scream song anyone has ever come up with.

Paris Hilton's new single

is entitled 'The Stars Are Blind.' And hopefully deaf, too. Hee.

Oh, and she's remaking 'D'ya Think I'm Sexy.' Not kidding.

Oy.

OHMYGOD

Summer 2007 is shaping up to be the best summer EVER!

While on her visit to India, Bloomsbury co-founder Liz Calder said in an interview that she suspects the final Harry Potter book will be released in 2007.

I'm really a grownup, I swear. I just really love the Harry Potter books. Note- I didn't say I was mature. Just an adult.

Alias

I've now had a bit of time to digest the Alias finale. Verdict- fantastic. They did a better job of wrapping up loose ends than I thought possible. And my boy, Sark, walked away to be hot, British and morally ambivelant another day. Mmmmmm....

The only possible way

that Primal Scream's new single, 'Country Girl,' could kick more ass, would be if you heard it performed live in an outdoor bar in the Deep South, with a whole bunch of Anglophiles who appreciate the Screamers, on a hot, muggy summer evening with a million stars overhead and an ice-cold beer in your hand. The beer should be wrapped in a napkin or a brown paper bag, so the 'sweat' doesn't make your hand overly cold.

Jumping up and down, full of the sheer wonder of being alive, drunk and listening to rock and roll as it should be played. Most of the time. I can just see Joy trying to teach me how to move my upper and lower halves in a relatively-coordinated way (dance) for the millionth time. Poor thing, she's certainly tried.

That's what the song sounds like to me.

It's official

NME is trying to kill me.



Paul Weller is to play a one-off free gig in London. The star will play KOKO in Camden on June 13 as part of the Jack Daniel's JD Set series of shows. Tickets will be fans, lucky competition winners and invited guests.

Levon

My favorite drummer-who-sings-ever (only slightly behind my beloved Reni. And Ringo), just got his own 'day' in Woodstock, New York, home to the Big Pink, birthplace to much fantastic music by Dylan and The Band. Oh, and that festival you may have read about.

I'm totally listening to "Ophelia" right now.

Marla Singer IS Bellatrix Lestrange

Ooooo, I am way, way too excited about this! I could totally see Bella as a chain-smoking, big hat and prom dress-wearing scary woman. Though she's obviously more unhinged than Marla. With the whole Death Eater thing and all. And Marla never killed Sirius Black. Stupid Bella.

I really need to quit temporarily confusing actors with the characters they portray. Could lead to trouble in the form of dreams where Tyler Durden blows up the Ministry of Magic as a statement against the bureacratic sector of the magical world. Cool.

Dear God, I really need to shut up now.

Big & dumb rock and roll?

I LOVE big & dumb rock and roll!

On Primal Scream's new album-

The distorted blues of We're Gonna Boogie leaves you reeling with shock: firstly that someone in 2006 has, in all seriousness, called a song We're Gonna Boogie, secondly that the end result is compelling rather than laughable

I could not be happier at this moment

Great things that happened today:

1. Arrived at Traci's on time to pick her up for road trip
2. Successfully purchased wine for store
3. Did not wreck delivery vehicle on Interstate while driving at rapid speeds with 10 cases of vino in the back
4. Got the following new Brit music mags, Q- with Oasis! on the cover, Uncut- with The! Stone! Roses! on the cover, and the new NME (alas, with Razorlight on the cover)
5. Recieved my B&N order, with the following items-
a. Joy Division- Unknown Pleasures
b. Happy Mondays- Platinum Hits
c. The Jam- The Complete Jam DVD set
6. Remembered Casey Jo's b-day with lovely gift
7. Discovered on aforementioned Mondays' CD an absolutely awesome cover of Stayin' Alive. Yes, That One by the Bee Gees.
8. Am currently watching Young! Wellah! in the 'Town Called Malice' video. Mmmm, mods.

Warsaw's later incarnation

Absolutely fantastic picture of Stephen, Ian, Barney and Hooky. (Since we're on a Joy Division-related digression here...)



via Gawker