Sam and the Gene-Genie win big

Oh, HELL yes!

British shows Life on Mars and Little Britain were among the winners at this year's International Emmy awards

Life On Mars was named best drama series at the New York event, while Little Britain won best comedy.

Bridget

I am unable to hear this book's title without thinking, "Oh, it's like Kafka's Motorbike. Is that Mr. Titzherbert, er, Fitzherbert, there?"

Obviously, I am a fan of the collected works of Helen Fielding.

Give me an E!

The Happy Mondays, Oct 05, originally uploaded by barney britton.

Bez sez, "Dance, you bastards!"

Posh! Nice Hat!

I know this will sound vaguely insane, but ever since I saw the hat that Posh wore to the TomKat nuptials, or cosmic space odessey, or whatever they're calling it, I've been dying to know what the Go Fug girls were going to say about it.

(BTW, I thought the hat was fantastic. Phillip Treacy maybe? Could have done without the big string bow on the dress, however. And Becks? Don't wear sweaters. Weller could barely carry them off during his French-ciggie smoking, Style Council days, and you're not the Modfather, love. Just look pretty for the camera).

This? Is hysterical.

PopBitch brought us this seriously entertaining little story about Wolf Gillespie, son of Bobbie Gillespie and fashion stylist Katy England. Apparently Wolf recently got in trouble for doing something vaguely naughty at nursery school, earning him a scolding from his teacher. Instead of sobbing or throwing an appropriately melodramatic fit, the four-year-old reportedly shrugged and said, “It’s only rock & roll.”

I Needed So Much More

Rainclouds, oh they used to chase me,
down they would pour.
Join my tears,
allay my fears,
sent to me from heaven,
Sally Cinnamon, you're my world.


Back Turner Street , Manchester UK, originally uploaded by marky1969.

This picture made me smile, like the song always does.

Bridge over Mississippi River: Burlington, IA USA

Bridge over Mississippi River: Burlington, IA USA, originally uploaded by troeth.

This is what we see when we drive into downtown B-ton.

Venteux...!*

Venteux...!*, originally uploaded by imapix.

Wow- what a gorgeous composition to this photo.

Oooo, chocolate

Recipes from the Guardian. Anything that contains the words 'molten, chocolate and pudding' in the description, I'm going to be wild about. Now, if I could just figure out what the hell 'caster sugar' was, we'd be set. Or what the UK measurements meant in Iowegian. Shit. I'm screwed.

Molten Chocolate Pudding

This pudding can be likened to a volcano. When you cut into it, molten chocolate 'lava' will erupt from the centre. You will need a pudding bowl with a capacity of 1.5-1.8 litres or small individual ramekins, and a lidded saucepan into which it or they will fit. The saucepan needs to fit in the oven.

For the molten centre

125g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
15g butter
50ml double cream
25g caster sugar

For the pudding

200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
100g caster sugar
6 eggs, separated
100g plain flour
40g cornflour
11/2; tsp baking powder

First make the centre. Melt all the ingredients over very low heat. Pour into a small bowl, cover it and leave in the freezer for approximately 20 minutes until firm.

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Grease the bowl with a little butter smeared on its wrapper. Sift in a little flour and shake the bowl around until covered with a dusting of flour. Slowly melt the chocolate in a small bowl over hot water or in a microwave. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a wooden spoon for a minute or two until pale and fluffy. Then take a whisk and whisk in the egg yolks one by one. Whip the egg whites into soft peaks and reserve. Add the flour, cornflour and baking powder to the butter/sugar/egg mix and stir in with a wooden spoon. Fold in the melted chocolate, then the egg whites. Start with just a small proportion of the whites, then when the mixture has loosened up fold in the rest. Pour a third of the mix into the pudding bowl, then retrieve the chocolate from the freezer and lay the set 'plug' on top. Add the rest of the pudding mix. Cover the bowl with greaseproof paper and tin foil.

Place the pudding in its bowl in the saucepan and pour in water until it comes halfway up the bowl. Put the lid on the saucepan and bring to the boil on the stove top. As soon as the contents begin to bubble, place the saucepan in the oven for 1 hour. If you are making small puddings, bake for 30 minutes. You can also cook the puddings in a steamer. Take the saucepan out of the oven, extract the pudding from the bowl and leave it to rest for 15 minutes before serving with double cream or vanilla ice cream.

This is cool

How to make your own fresh evergreen wreath! Believe me, these are usually very expensive. Pretty, but pricey.

Big Wheel, Edinburgh, Scotland

Big Wheel, Edinburgh, Scotland
Originally uploaded by David Hall Photography.

This is from flickr. I'm going to be wasting way too much time on this site, I fear.

Welch Ave. Station

Welch Ave. Station, originally uploaded by r3dcurlz.

This was my bar of choice in college. Why? Let me count the ways....

1. Cheap
2. Dollar daiquiris on Thursday nights.
3. Easily manipulated rock-snob DJ's. I'm telling you, request the Spinners, and you're golden.
4. 'South Park' Wednesday nights
5. My friends were there.
6. The Pizza Pit, home of the world's best cheese bread? Upstairs.
7. I only vomited there once. Less humiliating glances from the aforementioned wait staff...

Awesome

Since it's getting to be Turkey Day time, I thought I'd post my friend, Jenn's Sour Cream Apple Pie recipe. It's truly killer. Make it, and try not to eat the whole thing. Yourself.

Sour Cream Apple Pie
Filling
2 T. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp nutmeg
little bit of cinnamon
3 cups of diced apples
9″ pie crust (unbaked)

Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
5 T. butter

Sift together flour, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add egg, sour cream, vanilla and nutmeg. Beat to a thick, smooth batter; stir in apples. Pour into 9-inch unbaked pie crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 30 minutes. Mix flour, sugar, dark brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter. Remove pie from oven and top with sugar mixture. Return to 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Friday Random Ten

On Thursday, that is....

1. Ugly- Sugababes
2. And So This Is Christmas- Lennon
3. Acquiesce- Oasis
4. Noise Annoys- Buzzcocks
5. Can't Knock 'Em Out- Lily Allen
6. Lido Shuffle- Boz Scaggs
7. Every Time I Roll the Dice- Delbert McClinton
8. Levon- Elton John
9. I Shall Be Released- The Band
10. Transmission- Joy Division

Bonus-
11. Rehab- Amy Winehouse
12. Long Hot Summer- The Style Council

Salon has a point

Okay, so The Clooney has been the Most Shaggable Man On Earth or similar before. I have to get behind their list, which includes:

Stephen Colbert
Alton Brown
Jon Stewart

and the Piece De Freaking Resistance-
Alan Rickman

A-freaking-men, Salon. A-FREAKING-MEN.

Several questions

Full disclosure here. Despite the fact that I am very open-minded, groovy and multi-cultural and everything, the Black-Eyed Peas (the musical group, not the lovely food) annoy the hell out of me. Specifically, Fergie.

I used to think that it was just the song 'My Humps,' but no, it's her. And I try, as a rule, to stay away from bashing females, because of the rampant anti-female vibe that often lies underneath said bashing.

Why does she irritate me? Because of crap like this.

The woman responsible for introducing “fergilicious” into our pop-cultural vocabulary recently sat down with Vibe and calmly explained that those who mock her voice mock God. “I may not have the type of voice you like, but I can sing,” the Dutchess reportedly said. “You can’t take that away from me, ‘cause singing is a gift from God, and when people say I can’t sing, it’s kind of like insulting God.”

Okay, why is it necessary to bring God into it? Also, if mocking her voice is mocking the Big Guy (or Girl- again, I'm very groovy and non-gender specific in the addressing of deities), then it wouldn't be a big stretch to say Fergie herself not liking her face would be disrespectful to the Person Upstairs. So why would you (allegedly) have massive amounts of 'work' done? Wouldn't that be against God's Plan? Hmmmm?

Buzzcocks On Tour

Yet another cruel reminder that I live in the Midwest. And have no $$ to go to the U.K. to attend concerts. Oh Shit.

The Buzzcocks have announced a special birthday tour to round off the year.

The tour “Buzzcocks 30” will also include a retrospective photo exhibition at the shows with classic shots from the 70s and 80s by Chris Gabrin and Kevin Cummins.

The exhibition will also feature the band’s original album artwork by pioneering graphic designer Malcolm Garrett. He was responsible for designing the eye-catching sleeve artwork for all of their early records including 1980’s “A Different Kind Of Tension.”

Oh, he brought sexy back a while ago

Articulate, amusing, handsome, knows how to work a tux like nobody's business.

And he's the Go Fug Yourself girls's intern!
(This would be in the same universe where I'm the future Mrs.
Noel Gallagher).

The 'Intern George' files. Works of comic genius.

Your Sexiest Man Alive, people. The Clooney.

OMG. Teh Cute.

The 'pupzilian.'


From Cute Overload, of courses.

Darwin Award, Honorable Mention

A botched kidnapping ended with one of the assailants shooting himself in the groin, Wichita police said. The man had just stuck the gun back into his waistband when it fired, shooting him in the left testicle.

He cringed, causing the gun to fire again and strike him in the left calf.

When the shooting ended, the 23-year-old man managed to walk himself into the hospital for treatment, police said. He and his two accomplices, ages 18 and 20, were arrested for aggravated attempted kidnapping and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

The men were attempting to kidnap a teen in a dispute over stereo speakers, police said.

Stereo speakers? STEREO SPEAKERS?

McQueen, La Moss

Not a surprising choice of designer, but I would love to see the finished product. Provided the wedding actually comes off, mind.

Engaged British supermodel Kate Moss has called upon fashion designer Alexander McQueen to make her wedding dress.

Moss, who is engaged to Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty, has been friends with McQueen for several years and he is said to be honored by her request.

An insider claims the catwalk queen has plans for a $38,000 white dress with black lace, which is "traditional but with a modern unique twist -- typical of both Kate and Alexander."

Oh. My. GOD.

U.K. rock mainstay Paul Weller will celebrate the late January release of a career-spanning boxed set with a three-night stand at New York's Irving Plaza.

The four-disc "Hit Parade" is due January 23 via indie label Yep Roc; Weller will then play January 29-31 at New York's Irving Plaza, with the shows divided thematically.

Although each show will include music from his entire career, the first night will focus on the music of the Jam, while the second will feature the music of the Style Council. The third gig will cherry-pick from throughout Weller's discography. Tickets go on sale Friday; the thematic concept will not be repeated at any additional concerts.

Low Post

Hysterical. Matt Taibbi is quickly becoming one of my favorite political writers. Don't worry, Pierce, Walcott and Ms. Molly, you'll always be at the top of the list.

When I woke up in my hotel in Pittsburgh the morning after the elections there was a yellow legal pad and a Pittsburgh Pirates novelty pen ($4.95 in the Sheraton gift shop) splayed on the bedspread, the pad containing about nine pages of single-spaced notes. The night before, after coming home from Rick Santorum's concession speech downtown, I'd flopped in bed, popped a sleeping pill and started frantically taking notes from the various cable-news election spectaculars.

There is a lot of garbage and nonsense in these notes (i.e. "10:47 p.m. Chris Matthews' mouth always looks like it just had a cock in it/something about the way he moves his lips/creepy") but on the whole it is a fairly accurate representation of the long arc of depression I followed before finally falling asleep late in the morning:

Trial By Fryer

This is hysterical, and very much jibes with much of Tony Bourdain's writing....

There are people -- and as much as I'd like to distance myself from them, I once counted myself among them -- who think that just because they have a stove and a good recipe for duck they can open a restaurant. Because it's "only cooking," any hardworking, dedicated person could do it. What seems effortless -- you in the kitchen spooning reduced cider sauce over confited duck leg while your spouse hustles the front, overseeing the dining room with a warm touch and a glass of cabernet, just like the dinner parties you've been throwing in your apartment for ten years -- is not. The difference between being a good cook and being a good chef is as big as the difference between playing online Texas Hold'Em in your pajamas and holding a chair in the World Series of Poker.

Duane, 35 years on

Interesting point

No matter what the circumstances, deaths in the world of rock and roll tend to become romanticized over the years. It has less to do with the tragedy itself than it does with the warm memories that the music of the artists in question have continued to provide, and the sharp reality that there will be no more such music on the way.

What creative frontiers would Jimi Hendrix have explored if he lived beyond the age of 27? Where would Janis Joplin’s music have taken her if she didn’t pass away at 26? Exactly how would we have been entertained if Jim Morrison, Jeff and Tim Buckley, John Lennon, Freddie Mercury, John Bonham, Sid Vicious, Keith Moon, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Otis Redding, Berry Oakley, Kurt Cobain, Bob Marley, Gram Parsons and Frank Zappa, as well as many others, had been allowed to hang around a little while longer?

Vincent Vega lives?

Well, kinda. Possibly. Depending on Tarantino. Oh, Lord.

It's the film Quentin Tarantino fans have spent the best part of a decade waiting for. The latest word from Michael Madsen is that the proposed Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs spin-off, featuring Madsen and John Travolta as the Vega brothers, could be heading for production after all.

McQueen

One of the coolest movie stars, ever.

His collection of cars and bikes attracted high bids at Saturday's auction. A 1937 Crocker V-Twin motorcycle fetched $276,500, a world record for a Crocker, according to auction house spokesman Levi Morgan. The Persol sunglasses, sold to an anonymous buyer, are the ones McQueen is believed to have worn for the opening scenes of the 1968 film The Thomas Crown Affair. A Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, which featured in the same movie, went for the same price. Sales from the auction totalled $2.9m.

Lovely

Doesn't La Minogue look fantastic? Good to have you back, Kylie!

Borat

Next week, God willing, Mom and I are going to take one of our friends, who has been having a shit year, to see "Borat." Am absolutely dying with anticipation. This just adds to it.

Duped, my ass.

Two fraternity members from a South Carolina university are suing over their appearance in the hit movie "Borat," saying they were duped into making racist and sexist remarks.

Instant Karma, Wellah-style

God, he's attractive.

As if

my crush on Mr. Bond could get any worse- I read this- to which I say: "Fwaaaaaaah, Mr. Craig." Fwaaah, indeed.

Seems like actor Daniel Craig has the hots for one of his female Casino Royale co-stars...

And she's not the new Bond girl.

It's actually his boss M, played by Dame Judi Dench.

Daniel, 38, claimed to have a bit of a soft spot for the actress, 71, despite the slight age difference.

According to the Daily Express he said: "She has the naughtiest eyes in show business.

"She looks you straight in the eye and she is stunning."

Also, is there a more evocative word in the English language than 'naughty?' I think not. Okay, maybe 'dickhead.' Which would definitely not apply here.

Random 10

1. This Is the One- Stone Roses
2. Don't Be Shy- Libertines
3. Pedalpusher- Stereophonics
4. Here To Stay- New Order
5. Almost Forgot Myself- Doves
6. Oh My Gosh- Basement Jaxx
7. Minature Disasters- KT Tunstall
8. Basket Case- Green Day
9. North Country Boy- Charlatans
10. The Doberman- Kasabian

Bonus-
11. Life On Mars- Bowie
12. She Moves In Her Own Way- The Kooks

To express how I feel,

just a little Dancing Hugh from 'Love, Actually.'

And, is it sacrilege that I prefer the Girls Aloud cover of 'Jump' to the original Pointer Sisters's version? Wait, just answered my own question.....

No sex for you!

In the spirit of the Soup Nazi episode of Seinfeld, maybe there will be a shag Nazi as part of the national plan to encourage adults to abstain from sex outside of marriage.

• Launching nationwide initiative to end boredom
• Starting 24-hour hotline they can call anytime the urge to have sex strikes; $2.99 a minute
• Suggesting that at any moment their parents could walk in
• Reinstating Prohibition
• Convincing Al Green to record "No Need To Rush It, Baby"

via Feministing

Martin Hannett turns on the holiday lights

Oh wait, I'm sorry, Andy Serkis turned on the holiday lights on Regent Street, not the late, great Joy Division/ Happy Mondays producer Hannett. Sir Ian McKellen was there, too.

Most people would have gone for the obvious Gollum/Gandalf joke, but hell, I'm not going to miss a chance to bring up my favorite movie ever, 24 Hour Party People.

Roland Mouret at the friggin Gap?

I have GOT to move to the UK. Oh wait, Speaker Pelosi! Speaker Pelosi! Speaker Pelosi! Damn, that feels good to say. But Mouret at the Gap? Man.....

HIGH Street store Gap put the “sold out” signs up today after eager shoppers snapped up posh frocks created by Roland Mouret.

Buyers queued outside shops an hour before opening to get their hands on the designer’s dresses, which went on sale priced between £45 and £78.

A Gap spokeswoman said demand for the tunic and shirt dress designs had been “phenomenal”. She added: “It has been very busy today. Some stores have sold out completely.”

Speaker Pelosi! Speaker Pelosi!

Hit 'em with the freaking chair, Nancy!

What is wrong with this picture?

People's Choice Awards nominations. The stupid. It burns.

Group: Black Eyed Peas, Nickelback, Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Pop song: "Hips Don't Lie," Shakira; "Promiscuous," Nelly Furtado; "Stupid Girls," Pink.

I ask you, where the FUCK is Gnarls Barkley in either of these categories? NICKLEBACK? Are you JOKING me?

This brings to mind one of my favorite quotes from possibly my favorite movie ever, 24 Hour Party People:

"You know what the public is in favor of? Public executions."

Casino Royale Trailer

In the spirit of the continuing 007 theme I've got tonight...

Oh my EFFING GOD

I'm Shaken AND Stirred. Jeez Louise!

K Fed? Buh-bye!

I can't improve upon this from GoFugYourself. Snicker.

Letter of Fug: Part WHOO HOOOO

Dear EVERYONE,

I TOLD Y'ALL I WAS GONNA DO IT.

To Kevin: HA HA. I was just waiting until I started to get hot again to file the papers. Check out my cute, post-baby body. HOW DO YOU LIKE THIS? Yeah! That's what I'm TALKING ABOUT. It's a CLASSY dress on a HOT BODY and I still have LIKE A LOT MORE DOLLARS THAN YOU DO. So you can SUCK IT. When I told you the other night that I was bringing sexy back, I was NOT kidding, even if you did laugh. Who's laughing now?! (I am.)

I hope you enjoy the case of Pabst I gave you to celebrate your stupid "album" dropping, because that is the LAST THING you are going to get from me EVER. I hope your cornrows all fall out and you trip on your manpris and you break your face and you crash your car.

To Cameron Diaz: Watch yourself.

To the rest of world: YOU'RE WELCOME.

LOVE, BRITNEY!

Random

Clicked on iTunes to take my mind off of wanting to slap the crap out of Chris Matthews, and hit shuffle. The first four songs were-

1. American Idiot- Green Day
2. Sound of the Underground- Girls Aloud
3. Bye, Bye Badman- Stone Roses
4. Shoot the Runner- Kasabian

Nice, don't you think? And hopefully a sign of things to come:)

Hee.

Truer words have never been spoken.

He tosses off perfect quotes in the most casual of circumstances and he’s always gleefully talking shit/propping up some other band.

Also, in the picture, my darling Noel has thankfully gotten rid of his Neil Young-circa- Crazy Horse-looking pork chop sideburns.

Sydney Bristow sez vote, bitches.

Or she'll sick Spy Daddy or Mommy on you. Or Sark. Yummy. Okay, so it's JUST Jen Garner. Do your civic duty. VOTE.

La Faithfull, healthfull

Well, thank God. I adore Ms. Marianne.

Singer and actress Marianne Faithfull has made a full recovery from breast cancer, her publicist has said.

Doctors in France diagnosed the disease in September forcing the star to postpone her world tour.

The cancer was found in its "earliest stages", and following surgery last month, the 59-year-old has decided to resume her tour in spring next year.

The star said: "It has been an extraordinary experience and, in many ways, extremely positive. I didn't realise how many true friends I had.

"I feel so lucky and loved and thank everybody for all their good thoughts."

Limp-baugh

Rush - Moving Pictures

Oh, but this is good.

The start of something good

- to roughly paraphrase Rufus.

You know how sometimes you think, if I would happen to lose one of my senses, which would truly be the worst? I'd have to say, my sense of hearing. (As my vision is already shot to hell). That being said, I truly love music.

So, I'm starting on writing a series on my favorite features of popular music. Dear God, I'm afraid I'm going to sound like either the most insane or most pretentious bitch on the face of the planet, but what the hell.....

I realize that quite a few of these performers may not be the 'best,' but they're my favorite, so bite me....wink;)

My absolute favorite guitar players and their work I love (in a very particular order)-

1. John Squire- The Stone Roses. Fluid, classical structure to his playing. Minimal, yet unbelieveably gorgeous runs and solos. No wanking here, friends.

-essential cuts- the last guitar run in 'This Is the One' off the Roses 1st album. Possibly the most perfect song in pop music. Ever. 'Made Of Stone.' Not far off from perfection. 'Sally Cinnamon,' the song that always brightens my day, if only from residual E vibes from the Roses in Madchester-era Manchester. Squire's guitar parts tend to remind me of a plane taking off. Kind of random, but there you are.

2. Keith Richards- Rolling Stones. He is the Human Riff. A fashion icon. A badass. Captain Jack Sparrow. Allegedly. Total prototype for the romantic working-class Brit guitar slinger.

-essential cuts- 'Brown Sugar' or 'Before They Make Me Run.' Or 'Happy.' My favorite Stones song, evah!

3. Jimmy Page- Led Zeppelin. He's fucking Pagey, man! On my study abroad experience at Iowa State, 'The History Of British Rock and Roll'- my last credits before graduation, God Bless the Cyclones, I got my picture taken in front of Jimmy's house in London (the one with all the stained glass windows). Fucking roll of film was ruined in transport, though. Story of my life.

-essential cuts- 'The Wanton Song' and 'Out On the Tiles.' Ooo, and 'Misty Mountain Hop.'

4. Noel Gallagher- Oasis. Why? As someone who is such a pop culture whore- who has to check themselves when making claim to a particularly clever comment or saying, that I didn't actually crib said particular statement or saying from someone- I truly appreciate someone who wears their influences on their sleeve.

What's so wrong with emulating the Beatles? The Stones? The Jam? The Roses? The Pistols? Uses the Buzzcocks's trick of concealing a sad lyric in a bouncy tune? Nothing, I say. Also, he's quite cute, isn't he?

- essential cuts- 'Whatever'- the strings arrangements are utterly superb, 'Listen Up!,' smooth and haunting guitar part, 'Acquiesce,' "Because we need each other, we believe in one another,
And I know we're going to uncover, what's sleepin' in our soul."

I don't care, I taste Ambre Solaire

Jackson Pollack's Number 5 just sold for $140 million. Sadly, this is the only piece from Pollack's catalog that I am familiar with.

Why? It's mentioned in a very innocent sounding, yet extremely dirty Stone Roses song, 'Going Down.' Strangely enough, the reason that I realized that the song was positively filthy was not the title. What was it? The bass line. Absolutely raunchy. Lovely.

Think I'm going to listen to it right now, and have Rose-y dreams. Errr, wait, that sounded bad. Stone Rose-y dreams. That's better. I think.

**Ambre Solaire may sound exotic to we Americans, but apparently, it's a cheap suntan lotion made by Garnier. Who knew?

Nice

Primal Scream on Jools

Bobby, Einstein (Innes), Little Barry (Marr-looking MoFo) and my man, Mani.

This song is more fun than a barrel of monkeys. With liquor.

Random 10 and some

1. Sunshowers- M.I.A.
2. I Don't Mind- Buzzcocks
3. She Bangs the Drums- The Stone Roses
4. Anarchy In the U.K.- Sex Pistols
5. Shine On- Jet
6. Out Of Space- The Prodigy
7. Country Girl- Primal Scream
8. High Fidelity- Elvis Costello
9. Push the Button- Sugababes
10. Love Will Tear Us Apart- Joy Division

Bonus-
11. Rocking Chair- Oasis
12. American Idiot- Green Day

Happy Friday, from the Mondays

Fantastic song. Also, would like to send a shout-out to the casting persons from '24 Hour Party People.' Spot on, y'all. Spot fucking on.

Daffydd tells the horrible truth

After the Haggard scandal broke today, it felt right to post this, if you get my drift. And I think you do! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

(With apologies to the Monty Python boys).

Oh. My. GOD. The NME is trying to kill me, again

I'm absolutely in tears reading this. Lucky bastards at the concert.

Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller joined forces onstage at a charity gig in London tonight (November 2).

Gallagher, watched by his brother and bandmate Liam and backed by a two bandmates including Oasis bandmate Gem Archer, was joined by his buddy onstage at KOKO, at a show in aid of drugs charity Focus.

Together they performed Weller's 2005 hit single 'Come On/Let's Go' and 'Thick As Thieves', a classic by Weller's old band The Jam, from their 1979 album 'Setting Sons'.
Noel also covered his heroes' The Beatles' 1967 classic 'Strawberry Fields Forever'.

Earlier comedian Russell Brand had acted as MC, introducing opening act The Holloways, and then Dirty Pretty Things, standing in for Kasabian. Their guitarist Serge Pizzorno is suffering from laryngitis, or as Noel put it onstage later when dedicating 'Cast No Shadow' to his pal, "something pretentious like that".

DPT were joined by a guest of their own, The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess, who sang with Carl Barat on the singles 'Deadwood' and 'Bang Bang You're Dead' as well as his own group's 1997 hit 'North Country Boy'.

Gallagher, who was playing acoustically (with Archer on electric guitar), played a set including the Oasis classics 'Wonderwall', 'Don't Look Back In Anger' and 'Slide Away', and rarely performed B-sides such as 'Fade Away', 'Listen Up' and set opener '(It's Good) To Be Free'

I'm absolutely DYING here. 'Thick As Thieves' is one of my absolute fave Jam tunes, and 'Listen Up' is definitely in my top 5 Oasis tunes. (I like the echoey guitar part. Very fluid and lovely). And DTP and Tim did 'North Country Boy?' My favorite Charlatans song? Jesus.

Also, get well soon, Serge, you sexy bitch... Grrr.....

If my dear friend and co-worker Jen reads this before tomorrow, I guarantee you that she's saying to herself, "Gee, wonder if we're going to be spinning Jam, Charlatans and Oasis tunes at the shop tomorrow?"

Nice hat

Diamond Lil in concert.

Oh Lord

Before becoming a florist par excellence, in a former life, I used to teach social studies in Houston, Texas. I loved my students to pieces, most of them anyway. The 16 year-old 6th graders? Not so much. Since this was a very poor area, many of my students had fairly fluid home situations, so I kind of functioned as a parent/big sister/teacher/dork who instructed my students on the finer points of rock and roll. Let's just say, most of them felt pretty comfortable around me, so they sometimes shared a bit too much. Sometimes, this was hysterical.

Which brings me to this. During my school's open house in the fall of 2004, some of my former students-who were now in junior high-came back to see their old school. Rick Perry and Chuck Norris had just made a public appearance at their junior high to campaign for something or another. This is how it was described.

"Miss, we had to sit in the gym for a really long time and watch the dude with big hair (Perry) and some old white guy (Norris) talk and jump around and stuff. For real."

I just about passed out from laughing. So I read this, and am not surprised at all. You hang with Good Hair Perry, you can't have a lot going on upstairs. Besides the hair.

Alleged Chuck Norris Fact: "There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live." It's funny. It's cute. But here's what I really think about the theory of evolution: It's not real. It is not the way we got here. In fact, the life you see on this planet is really just a list of creatures God has allowed to live. We are not creations of random chance. We are not accidents. There is a God, a Creator, who made you and me. We were made in His image, which separates us from all other creatures.

By the way, without him, I don't have any power. But with Him, the Bible tells me, I really can do all things - and so can you.

Blimey.

What is wrong with this picture?

Look at this headline.

Scots Take Kylie Minogue Over the Boss, Yo La Tengo Ruins Hannukah, Should Gnarls Rerecord “Crazy”?

Now, read this.

When legendary UK summer rock festival Glastonbury returns next year, Bruce Springsteen will be headlining! Oh wait. No he won’t. This long-standing rumor has been put to rest. Bruce definitely will not be playing, according Emily Eavis, the festival organizer who originally was quoted as saying the Boss would headline the event. “He wasn’t even in the picture at any point, really, despite what some people have written,” she reportedly said. So who do we get instead? Possibly Razorlight and Kylie Minogue. Nice moves, Eavis.

Can you tell me what is wrong with the above? No? Well, let me tell you.

THE GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL IS NOT IN SCOTLAND. IT'S IN FUCKING ENGLAND! NOT SCOTLAND. THE VERY 'WOO, WOO, GROOVY' SECTION OF THE SOUTH OF FUCKING ENGLAND. (Paraphrasing Eddie Izzard). THAT'S WHERE IT IS! NOT SCOTLAND!

(And, on a slightly less shouty note, I'd like to point out that La Minogue and La Borrell are slightly bigger, make that massively bigger deals over across the pond).

Damn it, shouldn't a writer for Rolling Fucking Stone know that Glastonbury is in England? Or anyone, since it's kind of important in the whole Knights of the Round table thingy? Since Rolling Stone's blog appears to, ahem, liberate story ideas from the NME, you'd think they would have picked up on that fact. But, NOOOOO.

Of course, in the same article, the writer refers to a musician named 'Snoop Dog,' who may have some problems, since there already is a rapper named 'Snoop Dogg.'

Boy, I'm a bit ranty today, aren't I? You damn kids need to get off my lawn!

To hell with it.

I'm going back to bed. By myself. However, since I'm over 30, I apparently am ALLOWED to shag the male of my choice with impunity. Oh wait, I'm not married.

Gee, I wonder when the whackjobs in charge of the Department of Health and Human Services will decide that unmarried over-30's screwing pose a threat to the moral fabric of this country. GAH.

I'd like to point out that the dipshit making the announcement is named Wade Horn. Horn. Hee hee.

The federal government's "no sex without marriage" message isn't just for kids anymore.

Now the government is targeting unmarried adults up to age 29 as part of its abstinence-only programs, which include millions of dollars in federal money that will be available to the states under revised federal grant guidelines for 2007.

The government says the change is a clarification. But critics say it's a clear signal of a more directed policy targeting the sexual behavior of adults.

Via ShakesSis

They have to be joking me

How. In. The. Hell. Could. This. Be. EVER. Considered. A. Good. Idea?

BALTIMORE - Johns Hopkins University has suspended the Sigma Chi fraternity because of a "Halloween in the Hood" party that drew protests by black students.

The invitation to the party, posted on the Web site Facebook, encouraged guests to wear "regional clothing from our locale" with jewelry including "bling bling ice ice, grills" and "hoochie hoops."

The party, held Saturday night at the fraternity house, featured a skeleton pirate hanging on a noose.

Black Student Union members protested the party on Monday, saying the appearance of the image and the language on the invitation highlighted racial tensions at Hopkins and the strained relations between the university and the surrounding community.

And I hope to shout that the Black Student Union members weren't the only students protesting this bullshit.

Wait just a minute

"No" means nothing once sex has started

Thanks, I guess, to Jessica at Feministing for bringing this scary piece of news to our attention: A Maryland appellate court yesterday ruled that the state's rape law is clear on the fact that no doesn't mean no if it comes in the midst of consensual sex.

The three judge panel yesterday tossed out a rape conviction on the grounds that when the jury on the case asked the judge to clarify whether a woman could legally withdraw her consent after the start of sex, the judge should have informed them that she could not. According to this panel, Maryland law is not ambiguous on this point

Are you trying to tell me that if I was having 'relations' with some guy, and he pulled out jumper cables/small animal/another person/a gun/whips and chains/some horrible and nasty thing of unknown provenance, I couldn't say, "Look here, buddy, you need to go fuck yourself, because I'm certainly not going to continue to do so?" AND THERE WOULD BE NO LEGAL RECOURSE?

What is this, a particularly ill-considered and timed April Fool's Day joke?

Little Britain

Dear God, I love 'Little Britain.' And Rob Brydon.

Life On Mars

I haven't mentioned my intense love for "Life On Mars" on BBC America. It is utterly fantastic.

John Simm is awesome as Sam Tyler- and I'm not just saying that since he played Bernard Sumner in 24 Hour Party People- and I have a slight thing for Phillip Glenister, who is extremely attractive to me in an older English guy sort of way. Also, I adore Liz Wright as Annie, whose unrequited crush on Sam had damn well be requited before the series ends.

The show is only going for 2 seasons, so there's no danger of the post-coital awkwardness that David and Maddie faced on Moonlighting. Seriously, Sam and Annie need to hit it before the series ends. Watch the show, you'll agree.

I am just DYING here, people

HOT DIGGITY DOG!

Oasis, Arctic Monkeys and U2 were the big winners at the 2006 Q Awards, with Oasis being crowned best act in the world today.

The band's Noel Gallagher also collected the classic songwriter award at the London ceremony.

The Arctic Monkeys - who had four nominations - won the best album and the people's choice awards, while U2 picked up the prize for innovation.

May I point out that, honest to God, Jesus, Allah, Buddha, WHOEVER, I seriously own CD's by almost all of the bands honored at the Q awards, and in some cases, i.e. Oasis, Weller and the Screamers, own almost their entire back catalog? Wow, what a run-on sentence.

AND that I saw the Arctics in concert in Chicago, and would have attended the Kasabian concert, were it not for a family funeral?

Hot damn, I'm good. Here's a lovely piccie of Noel as a reward for reading that crap piece of writing, though. Fwwahh, Mr. Gallagher.











Okay, I have GOT to quit re-reading Bridget Jones's Diary once a month. Alright, weekly. V.v.v. bad for writing technique. Dammit.

Oh, I would have enjoyed this

Paul Weller opened the BBC Electric Proms in London last night, with a greatest hits set featuring guest appearances from Carl Barat, Amy Winehouse and Richard Archer.

Set list?

"Blink And You'll Miss It"
"Paper Smile"
"From The Floorboards Up"
"Out Of The Sinking"
"Wild Blue Yonder"
"The Changingman"
"Porcelain Gods"/"I Walk On Guilded Splinters"
"Above The Clouds"
"Savages"/"Fly Little Bird"
"I Heard It Through The Grapevine"
"Don't Go To Strangers"
"You Do Something To Me"
"Come On/Let's Go"
"Peacock Suit"
"In The City"
"Running On The Spot"
"Foot Of The Mountain"
"Sunflower"
"That's Entertainment"
"Down In The Tube Station At Midnight"
"Broken Stones"
"Town Called Malice"

Dear GOD! So awesome......

David Bowie - The Jean Genie

Love this song. Love Mick Ronson.

It's amazing

how such seemingly innocuous things can wind up being so important in the grand scheme of things.

C86, the unassuming mail-order cassette compiled by NME, through which the indie sound and scene first coalesced, will have its 20th anniversary celebrated tonight with the first of two gigs at London's ICA, the venue where many of the tape's bands performed.

A double-CD released this week, CD86, sets out the wider scene these bands were part of, and a documentary, Hungry Beat, will be released next year. It is a remarkable upsurge of interest in a scene that self-consciously kept itself on the fringe of the mainstream, but nevertheless became hugely influential.

and

After punk's Year Zero attitude, and early 1980s' synth-pop, this return to the past is one of C86's defining legacies. Primal Scream's "Velocity Girl" began the tape, and inspired The Stone Roses, in turn sparking Oasis, who would be signed alongside Primal Scream by McGee, shortly before conquering the world with their fuzzed Beatles riffs. From The Living Room to Knebworth was not such a long trip.

Jet - Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Masterplan

God, this is a great song. Video, too.

Dixie Chicks Shut up and Sing Trailer

Friday random ten

---

1. Dixie Chicks- Goodbye Earl
2. Kasabian- Shoot the Runner
3. Ozzy Osbourne- Crazy Train
4. Aretha Franklin- The Weight
5. Lily Allen- LDN
6. Smiths- How Soon Is Now?
7. Scissor Sisters- She's My Man
8. Clash- Julie's Been Working For the Drug Squad
9. Happy Mondays- Tart Tart
10. Eagles- Tequila Sunrise

I'm of the opinion

I've been shockingly accurate with predictions related to pop culture lately. So I'd like to go out on a limb, and say that I believe that Paul Simonon, bassist from The Clash, is due for a revival of sorts. Why would I say this?

1. In Vanity Fair's August issue, both Kate Moss and Hedi Slimane (Dior Homme) name-checked Paul as their respective most 'stylish man.'
2. Luella Bartley (fashion designer) told InStyle (UK edition) that she thought Mr. Simonon was quite cool (paraphrasing a bit there).

I'm making an educated guess here. Also, see the following. Since Damon Albarn's side projects tend to be bulletproof, I feel fairly safe in saying the previous.

Simonon was of course the symbolic part of The Clash, the stylistic totem on the London Calling cover. Damon's art school leanings must have relished the chance to work with him. Since The Clash Simonon has played rockabilly in Havana 3AM and has developed a career as an artist with a fair hand in striking landscapes.

Guess Who's Back?

Oh, yeah- DSL is working at home. Thank Christ. Will resume regular Anglophillic blogging shortly, dolls.

About this past month...

The following things have happened in the past month or so- in no particular order.

1. DSL at home? Kaput. My computer-whiz cousin is currently laying his hands upon the computer, so there is hope.
2. The gigantic pain in my ass that I work(ed) with? Quit via the answering machine and is now working for the competition.
3. My grandpa passed away. Miss the old coot already. Didn't go to the Kasabian concert, as the wake was the same night. Apparently, some things are more important to me than music. Who knew?

For anyone who cares, will resume regular blogging soon.

Also, Jet's new CD kicks ass.

Killers in Blackpool

I adore the Killers for many reasons, mostly because they are massively influenced by New Order, and love Oasis- hello, why would I NOT love them- and because my dear friend, Carrie, literally attended Sunday school with Dave Keuning in the bustling metropolis of Pella, Iowa.

Let me tell you people, there are not that many famous people from Iowa. Okay, so there's John Wayne, Donna Reed, the Everley Brothers, Ashton Kutcher, Elijah Wood and Ron 'Office Space, Band of Brothers, Sex and the City' Livingston.

So when an honest-to-God guitarist with a wildly successful band emerges from the tall corn state, well, we're going to claim him. Kiss off, Las Vegas.

(I know I'm not citing as Iowegians that crap band Slipknot. Though they are from Des Moines Why? Because they suck. Hard).

So reading stuff like this? V.v. cool.

The specifics of these new songs are lost in the sound mix, swirling around the Victorian arches of a venue whose acoustics were not built for rock'n'roll, but the reaction to the familiar favourites - "Somebody Told Me" and "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" in particular - is such that, if I had hairs on the back of my neck, they'd be bristling like a pestered hedgehog.

The Lay-dees Do America

Oh, hell yes!

Little Britain stars David Walliams and Matt Lucas have revealed plans for a film version of their hit BBC show.

"We've had some sort of interest from America," Walliams told ITV1 chat show host Michael Parkinson.

"We've got a sort of film development deal out there and also we might do something for TV out there," he added.

The comedy duo have signed a deal with Pop Idol producer Simon Fuller to develop a US version of Little Britain for the American cable network HBO.

Crack is whack

After 14 years of marriage to Brown, she could lay claim to almost as many "Houston, We Have A Problem" headlines as she could platinum records. Her last record was released three years ago, and that was a phoned-in Christmas album, notable largely for a please-God-make-it-stop version of "Little Drummer Boy" in which she duetted with her and Brown's daughter, Bobbie Kristina, and accomplished the unimaginable feat of inspiring nostalgia for the David Bowie/Bing Crosby version.

Ms. Jones's knickers

Bridget Jones's famously large pants have gone under the hammer for £2,000, a charity has said.

Personally signed by Hugh Grant, they were auctioned to raise cash for the Royal Parks Foundation (RPF) during a special charity party in London's Hyde Park.

Top 10

1. Smiths- Vicar In a Tutu
2. Sheryl Crow- Abeline
3. Joy Division- Transmission
4. Primal Scream- Kill All Hippies
5. Velvet Underground- Stephanie Says
6. Gnarls Barkley- Smiley Faces
7. Stone Roses- (Song For My)Sugar-Spun Sister
8. Hard-Fi- Cash Machine
9. Beatles- Hard Day's Night
10. Beyonce- Crazy In Love

Electronic

This is so funny to me-

"Bernard was like the Pied Piper, but dressed all in white," laughs Marr. "He'd come back to the studio about 4am with an entourage of our friends, and we'd get a chance to road-test our new songs. One time we had "Idiot Country" blaring out and Bez [of Happy Mondays] was talking to my wife. I noticed he wasn't dancing, so I slowed the tempo down until he started to shuffle again. That's when I knew we'd got it right."

Oh, that Lily

As I really enjoy her album (import, obviously), I'm glad to see Lily Allen trying to break Fortress America. And I'm assuming the song 'Cheryl Tweedy' is not complimentary to the new Mrs. Ashley Cole. Hee.

Friday Top Ten

Ooo, this is a nice one. Wish it was a different Sir Tom song, though.

1. Whiskey In the Jar- Thin Lizzy
2. Temptation- New Order
3. Going Underground- The Jam
4. I Only Want To Be With You- Dusty Springfield
5. Delilah- Tom Jones
6. I'm Every Woman- Chaka Khan
7. Going Nowhere- Oasis
8. Loose Fit- Happy Mondays
9. Walk Away- Kelly Clarkson
10. DARE- Gorillaz

Bonus-
11. Nitty Gritty- Primal Scream

Heh. Heh.

I'd just like to point out that last fall, when the whole 'Cocaine Kate' scandal broke, there was many a nervous nellie media-type person that lamented La Moss's 'career-ending' mistake.

What happens just shy of a year later? Girlfriend's new Agent Provocateur's ad crashes the A.P. website.

Get DOWN with your bad self, Ms. Moss.

Woo!

I must say, bands that I've seen (or am going to see) in concert this year have done quite well for themselves. The Arctics win the Mercury, and Kasabian, whose gig I will be attending in October, currently have the #1 album in the U.K. Obviously, I am the deciding factor. Ha.

Arctic Monkeys capped a year in which they released the fastest selling debut ever, reinvigorated the music industry and lost a founder member, by winning the annual prize which is designed to reward the best release of the year regardless of genre or sales.

The Sheffield four-piece, whose mixture of classic guitar melodies and acutely observed lyrics garnered critical and commercial acclaim, won the prize for Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not.

Oh HELL yes!

Best. Oasis. Song. Ever.

Oasis are set to release a single this year ahead of their forthcoming best of 'Stop The Clocks'.It's understood that a re-recorded 'Acquiesce', which originally appeared as the B-side to 'Some Might Say' in 1995, will be the release.

Top 10

Oooh, cover-licious!

1. Lily Allen- Knock 'Em Out
2. Libertines- Boys In the Band
3. Aretha Franklin- Eleanor Rigby
4. Oasis- Little By Little
5. Kasabian- L.S.F.
6. Sugababes- I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor
7. Stone Roses- Simone
8. Otis Redding- Try A Little Tenderness
9. Rolling Stones- She's A Rainbow
10. The Jam- Heatwave

Hypothetically

If you worked part-time, at any job, and kept getting your hours cut, despite needing them, would you try and pull the following (keep in mind, you're working that particular day with the owner's daughter):

1. Leave to get lunch at a local bank's customer appreciation day. The bank? 3-4 blocks away.
2. Come back a half an hour later with take-out lunches from the bank.
3. Eat leisurely.
4. When the OK (owner's kid) says, "Wow, was the line long?" reply, "No, it was only about 5 minutes."

This poses the question, exactly how stupid do they think I am? Also, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER 25 MINUTES, YOU MORONIC HEIFER????

Would you attempt this? I'm not thinking I'm that brave. And it's a good thing she's so dense, as she's likely unaware that the OK is about to go medieval on her dumb ass.

Just would like to point out

that last night, on the VMA's, during Beyonce's performance, I texted my dear friend,Joy, and said the following:

What. The. Hell. Is. Beyonce. Doing? It's like Inspector Gadget attempting the dance section from Rhythm Nation 1814.

So, imagine my suprise when I read the AP's account of the show, and the reporter said that it was like an awkward Rhythm Nation-type routine.

I AM a genius. Or a pop culture whore. Possibly (probably) both.

Willie

This sounds good-

Nelson recruited Ryan Adams as producer; is this meant to be some sort of Jack White/Loretta Lynn move? After a few listens, we don’t really care. Songbird is too good.

Wow

Should this actually make it into print, I would be very interested in reading this....

NEW Order bassist Peter Hook is sharpening his pencil to write a book about legendary Manchester nightclub The Hacienda. And you might be able to guess the tone of the book from its provisional title - How Not To Run A Club.

Top ten

1. The Jean Genie- David Bowie
2. Ain't No Other Man- Christina Aguilera
3. Love Somebody- Robbie Williams
4. Wake Me Up- Girls Aloud
5. Days Go By- Keith Urban
6. Train- Goldfrapp
7. The Queen Is Dead- The Smiths
8. Lazyitis- Happy Mondays
9. Push the Button- Sugababes
10. Jeepster- T.Rex

Gee, I wonder

if I'm going to try for this. Okay, I SO am.

Oasis’ will soon be putting out a tour documentary Lord Don’t Slow Me Down, which will coincide with the release of their first Greatest Hits compilation Stop The Clocks. Here’s the twist: Guess the correct 18-song track listing and you could find yourself attending the film’s premier in the city of your choice.

Un-BELIEVABLE

I'm guessing this asshat has a 1 in 10 chance of getting his butt handed to him by we nasty career women. Schmuck.

"Don't Marry Career Women" is what the headline of the Aug. 22 Forbes.com story read. Just like that. "Don't Marry Career Women." It was easy to blink, shake your head like you were seeing things. Surely it was a joke, something out of the Onion. A provocative headline on a more nuanced story. But then came the text, by Michael Noer, an executive editor and writer for Forbes.com.

Chavs on a bus

The following post from NME's V Festival blog made me spit pop out my nose. Okay, wine, but it's still freaking funny.

Get Sammy L Jackson on the blower, we've come up with a hit! It's the surefire zillion-dollar sequel to Snakes On A Plane - Chavs On A Bus! An edge-of-your-seat shock thriller telling the story of an intrepid rock journalist who innocently boards a shuttle bus from Chelmsford station to the V festival site only to look around him and... CHAVS! Fucking shitloads of them! And there's no escape! "Awright mate, wanna laaaager? Who's this Kasabrian then, they a bit like Keane or what? Waaaaaagh wankaaaaaahhh!" Does our hero survive to watch Art Brut skipping with microphone leads and giving the crowd lengthy motivational therapy speeches? Um, yes, he does.

Weekly top 10

1. Walk On Gilded Splinters- Paul Weller
2. Minature Disasters- KT Tunstall
3. Mr. Brightside- The Killers
4. Smile- Lily Allen
5. There She Goes- The La's
6. North Country Boy- The Charlatans
7. Headshrinker- Oasis
8. Yesterday's News- Whiskeytown
9. Family Affair- Mary J. Blige
10. Breaking Into Heaven- Stone Roses

You have got to be kidding me

The Spice Girls have been voted the band most people would like to see get back together.

Even though it's been a decade since they burst onto the music scene with the undeniably catchy Wannabe and their Girl Power slogan, the five-some took 17% of the vote in the Yahoo poll.

They beat legendary music acts such as The Jam and the Stone Roses to take the top spot.

Empire

I am very excited about this album.

But they walk it like they talk it. Meighan lollops to the front of the Brixton stage, conducting a boisterous singalong to LSF (Lost Souls Forever) before throwing open his arms and offering himself up to the music and the crowd.

That Meighan can strike the pose without pomposity - and more successfully than the Jaggeresque mincing that the twisted club beats and prog rock riffs inspire in him - is the key to Kasabian's success. For all the self-aggrandising, Leicester's favourite sons, like the Gallagher brothers before them, are keenly aware that if they weren't up on the stage, they would be down in the crowd, la-la-la-ing their hearts out.

Interesting

THE filming of Control - the movie of Joy Division's tragic frontman Ian Curtis - has left his former band mates with some mixed emotions.

.

Peace, Love and Understanding

Seems to fit the events of this evening...

Flippin' Sweet

Challenger Ned Lamont appears to have defeated Lieberman by more than 10,000 votes, according to unofficial vote returns. With 95 percent of the precincts reporting, Lamont led Lieberman 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent. The vote tally was 139,496 to 129,271. Forty two percent of registered Democrats voted in the hotly contested primary, which many considered a referendum on the Iraq war.

The Divine Ms. Lily

Ooo- I like this. A lot.