Burned By The Sun........

Jack White Charged With Aggravated Assault
And hires same lawyer as Eminem. Apparently this isn't the first time he has beat up Jason Stollsteimer, a report was filed about a year ago after a fight in Stollsteimer's apartment. From the Detroit Free Press.

The Darkness to Address Their Country
According to the NME, Justin Hawkins of the Darkness will address England on Christmas Day. If you live in England and don't want to listen to him, you can watch the Queen or Victoria Beckham instead.

Libertines Rarities
For download here. The site has the Legs 11 demo album and a bunch of B-sides, as well as some stuff by the Vines (if you actually like them).

Yikes!
Okay, since I own a Mac I had NO CLUE how awful this page looked on a PC. Really. It was blinding me, sorry about that, PC users. Hopefully this new template will work, since I designed it on a PC. Now I'll probably go home in a couple weeks and find it's all dysfunctional for Macs.

What the Hell?
Again, I am not in LA. I am in Milford, MI at my parents' house on their dinosaur of a computer (and a PC no less). So um, anyway, there's supposed to be a column on the right side of the blog with a bunch of cool links and mp3s. It's supposed to be to the immediate right of the text. At least that's how it looks on my Mac. But on this computer the column is at the end of the text, and it looks really weird. Has it always looked like this on PCs? I'll see what I can do about remedying this problem.

The Christmas Song Motherlode?
Every year the Chicago rock talk show Sound Opinions has this guy named Andy Cirzan on the show. He collects weird, obscure Christmas songs year round, and burns them into mixes. Well, now you can download his mixes from the past three years here. I haven't checked them out yet, since I'm on my parents' dinosaur of a computer. But I bet they're sweet.

Pitchfork's Top 50 of 2003
Check it out here.

The Who, David Bowie For Isle of Wight
...says NME. I want to go! Although, you'd have to sit through the Stereophonics.

Review of the Benefit For Striking Grocery Workers in LA
...also from NME. I wonder if these Tom Morello acoustic sets are any good?

This Movie Is Gonna Rule
Check this out. If you're too lazy to click the link, a documentary about the Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Dandy Warhols, narrated by Courtney Taylor, is gonna be playing at Sundance next month. Word on the street is that it's great and features a lot of fighting, drugs and general mayhem.

Free Download From The Stills
You can get a previously unheard demo version of "Lola Stars and Stripes" from their official site. The story behind the song is here.

New Courtney Love Song
"Mono" can be streamed from here (Link via stereogum). I think it's pretty disappointing, but what do I know? I liked Celebrity Skin better than Live Through This.

If the line "Fuck You, I Won't Do What You Tell Me" Ever Meant Anything...
Yesterday I became re-obsessed with one of my favorite childhood bands, Rage Against the Machine. Today, I was surfing the web, and what do I find but an article about their performance at the 2000 Democratic Convention, and another article about the riot that ensued. I remember watching tv for any news about it, being really pissed that I couldn't go (I lived in Michigan at the time), since Rage was like, my favorite band in the whole world. The first article reignites those feelings of being screwed over. If the ending of "Killing In the Name" (see title of post), ever carried any meaning, it would have been at that gig, which was really an enactment of everything that Rage ever put in their songs. It will probably go down in history as the ultimate Rage concert, and I can only wish I was there. Even if the cops would've popped a cap (ok, ok a rubber bullet) in my ass.

Drink Responsibly
With these tips from The Onion.

Never use alcohol to escape feelings of failure and loneliness. Use Vicodin.

Before heading out to the office holiday party, tape a handcuff key to the inside of your watchband. Just trust us on this one

Another List
The Onion's Best Albums of 2003

Just One More Thing From The Onion
I found this story hilarious. But you would too if you had a cat like this:

Beatles Reunion in the 70s?
Beatles reunion rumors will never die. Remember how everyone thought Klaatu was the Beatles, but they were just a bunch of Canadians? Well anyway, some auction house has a tape they claim was recorded on November 2, 1976, right here in LA. Doesn't it seem kind of sad that we know this information from an auction house? The music of the young is now bringing in revenue for auction houses and its history can be found in private collections and the foyers of the rich. It just doesn't seem right. Or maybe I'm just a sap.

The New Vines Single...
...is called "Fuck the World". And it sounds really, really funny. Hear for yourself.

Let's Have a Patrick Swayze Christmas
One of the coolest Christmas songs ever has got to be from the geniuses behind the tv show Mystery Science Theater 3000. Crow T. Robot decided to write a christmas carol about his favorite movie, Road House (starring, you guessed it, Patrick Swayze. If you haven't seen the movie...don't). Surely it is the only carol in history with the lyric, "It's my way or the highway this Christmas at my bar/ I'll have to smash your kneecaps if you bastards touch my car."

As usual, right click and "Save Target As"

Let's Have a Patrick Swayze Christmas

Don't Fuck With Jack White
It looks like Jack White beat up Jason Von Bondie at a record release party for fellow Detroiters Blanche.

NME Story
Police Report (link via The Detroit Dish)

The Dish also has what sounds like an eyewitness account.

Amusing Ryan Adams Review
About Saturday's Chicago show by "the spiky-haired alternative-country poseur". From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Absent an historical musical context or a functioning b.s. detector, it is possible to mistake Adams for being as talented and clever as he thinks he is. But then there are plenty of people who can't tell the difference between plastic flowers and real ones, until they bend over to take a whiff.

I'm A Mega Music Nerd
Take the quiz here.

Desaparecidos Drop Off Plea For Peace Tour
The whole message from Saddle-Creek.com:

Desaparecidos are very sad to announce that we will not be able to finish the writing and recording of our new record for spring 2004. We were very excited to record but conflicting schedules for the members of Desaparecidos mean that it's impossible for us to do so. This also means we will be unable to take part in the Plea for Peace tour with Cursive. We believe in the cause 100% and hope everyone will support it. We apologize to all of our fans who are disappointed.

Top 10 Musical Peformances of 2003

I don't go to as many shows as some people, but this year I saw 89 individual performances (by 74 different bands). Here are the top 10 (with atrocious photography by me!)

10) The Polyphonic Spree @ Coachella, 4/27
They really do look like a religious cult, but a happy cult, or maybe the world's greatest church choir. It was just the craziest thing, people would be walking by the stage and they'd stop dead in their tracks to watch. Later in the set frontman Tim DeLaughter asked, "Who wants to join the Polyphonic Spree?" Everyone raised their hands.

9) Wilco @ Comerica Michigan Tastefest, 7/2
"Is this a tastefest?" Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy asked the audience. "Cause this next song is tasty!" Only Tweedy could get away with such a line. Anyway, listening to songs from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and Summer Teeth played live on a beautful summer evening while the sun sets is a zen-like experience. And then of course there are the rockers from Being There. Just an awesome show.

8) The Raveonettes @ The Troubadour, 4/8
I saw them play at the Virgin Megastore over that past weekend, and the set was okay, but I wasn't really expecting a lot from this show. I was surprised when it turned out to be absolutely incredible. It was just a really intense and rocking show, in such a small space. I remember a point in the show where bassist Sharin Foo thanked the audience, and mentioned the band wasn't doing more talking because Scandinavians are shy.
Some woman behind me added, "But nice!"
Foo: "Aw, thank you."
Someone else behind me: "No, thank YOU. You Rock!"


7) The Darkness @ The Roxy, 9/22
It was a Monday night on the Sunset Strip. And a crazed, sweaty audience was pumping their fists in the air and giving the devil horn salute to some guys with long hair, Les Pauls and zebra print spandex jumpsuits. Just what year is it anyway? This was, without a doubt, the biggest spectacle I've seen all year, with thundering riffs, falsetto singing and a penchant for the absurd. People ask if the Darkness are for real or if they're being ironic. When a band is this much fun, who cares?

6)The Hives @ Coachella, 4/26
"The Hives alone will give you your money's worth!" frontman Howlin' Pelle told the Coachella audience, who had paid $75 dollars to be there for the day. And they did. Pelle did his usual, but always entertaining, strutting and trash talking, and demanded a bigger reaction from us lazy Californians who "sit on the beach all day sipping pina coladas" (though he loves us for it). The set included the usual favorites from Veni Vidi Vicious and Barely Legal, but also included an amazing Mitch Ryder kind of stomper. I don't know if it was a cover or an original. I hope it's an original, cause if it is it's a huge step forward for them.

5) The Datsuns @ The Troubadour, 4/12
I have never seen a band get such a reaction out of an LA audience. Or any audience. Plus, I gotta give props to frontman Dolf for taking advantage of that big window that lets the audience see into the green room area. Most artists try to pretend it isn't there, or scowl when the audience is staring at them because they're taking too fucking long to get onstage. But Dolf used it to keep us entertained, he made faces and hunched over to pretend he was walking down stairs. The show ended when the band took the hi-hat and maybe some other parts from the drum kit (memory is fuzzy) and passed them into the audience. The roadies scrambled to get them back. One roadie fell on me and knocked me to the floor. I left that show checking to make sure I had all my teeth (I did). That was pretty crazy.


4) Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ The Henry Fonda, 4/18
Karen O is, like, the coolest jester of all time. She wears ridiculous neon clothing and dances around with this big, goofy smile on her face, and she didn't even get mad at those stupid drunk girls on the side of the stage who kept pinching her stockings for some weird reason. Plus, one cannot forget to mention her hilarious facial expressions, like the face she makes just after she sings the line, "But I don't think you're my type." She makes a face kind of like a fish and shakes her head while waving a finger like "nuh uh". Not to mention the music, the raw and powerful sound comes through much better live than on record. "Date With the Night" damn near blew the roof off the joint.

3) The Libertines @ Coachella, 4/27
As I think a lot of people know, these guys were supposed to headline the tent on Saturday night, but the tent crew fucked up and took too long setting things up, so they didn't hit the stage until 12:20 or so. They made it through "Horrorshow" amid cries from the audience for more vocals. Halfway through "Up the Bracket" Pete picked up the microphone stand and smashed it into four different pieces. The band walked offstage. And then the power went out, and a bunch of cops came into the tent and told everyone to disperse. "But we sat through GROOVE ARMADA for this band!" cried one girl.

Anyway, they did get to play a full set on Sunday, and I'd love to say I remember every thrilling second of it, but the truth is that it was over before I knew what hit me. All I remember is that it was energetic, chaotic, and awesome. I also recall the girl next to me had a sign that read "We're sorry the fuzz shut off your power last night. They're bastards!"

And we have a tie for the top spot....

1) The Stooges @ Coachella, 4/27
After the White Stripes walked offstage, there was a conga line of these huge guys yelling, "IGGY!!" and I thought, "Fuck yeah, Iggy!!" and I followed them into the mosh pit, about five rows from the stage. It was the most vicious mosh pit I have ever endured. As soon as the Stooges hit the stage with "Loose" the crowd morphed into a bunch of animals. During "Down On the Street" this one guy to my right yelled, "Yes!!  Yes!!  That's MY LIFE! That's the fucking truth! Tell the fucking truth Iggy!!  What?  That's not the fucking truth!! Don't lie, Iggy! Tell the Truth!"

The best part though, was when the guy to my left was literally and seriously (not ironically) growling and Iggy announced, "I don't wanna be a human anymore! I don't wanna be a human...I wanna be an animal! I wanna be.....A DOG!" and then we could hear the opening chords of "I Wanna Be Your Dog". And EVERYONE went apeshit. Basically, it's the kind of moment that'll change your life.

Maybe the Stooges should be the only number one. I dunno. But they're not right now because while it was the Stooges musically, it wasn't in terms of presence. Visually, it was like 'the Iggy show', which is very cool, but I prefer bands in which everyone plays a part in the band's stage persona. A good band should seem like a gang...which is why at number one we also have:


1) The Strokes @ the Shrine Auditorium, 10/23
One of the things I enjoyed about this show is that my ribs were not bruised (unlike the previous night at the Palladium). It was a relatively mellow affair at first (thanks to the presence of actual seats), but there was a strange tension in the air, like a gas leak that finally blew up when a group of people started fistfighting on the edge of the balcony. Having this to follow, the Strokes put on the best show I've ever seen them do and abruptly trashed their instruments. They also removed any lingering doubts anyone might have had about them being able to entertain an audience numbering over six thousand. Big venue? No problem.

And the thing is, they're probably only going to get better.

So, lately I've been totally obsessed with Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. As people may or may not know, the record was released in 1998, and the band has never been heard from since. I just found out about this article, which explains not only the story behind the record but why there hasn't been a follow-up.

Popbitch reports the following:

Rammstein singer Till Lindemann is starring
in a new children's movie called "Amundsen, the
Penguin" on German TV. It's about a 12-year-old
girl named Anna, whose uncle Cornelius, a marine
biologist, brings her a penguin from Antarctica.

This brings back memories. Does anyone else remember Rammstein? And that "Du Hast" song? I had a couple of friends who LOVED that song. I thought it was cool how the lead singer set himself on fire, though I was mad I didn't think of it first. I mean, seriously, setting yourself on fire, how awesome is that?

Anyway, I always knew that Lindemann would make a terrific movie villain. He has the greatest evil laugh EVER. Hopefully he gets to use it in the film.

Because I'm Not Broke Enough...
The Strokes to tour the US In February and March.

In Other News, The Sky is Blue and Grass Is Green
According to an interview with Chicago rock critic Greg Kot, Rolling Stone editors will change the star ratings given by the writers of the review.

Kot: It helps credibility or whatever to have pieces published in Rolling Stone, and I like it because they've never changed a word that I've written. I have always said exactly what I wanted to say in reviews. Occasionally, I've been surprised to see that the star ratings get changed, but that's the editor's decision.

Struck: They change your ratings?

Kot: Yeah, they do. They have. It is weird. Occasionally they'll bump up a record that I didn't feel was as good, and they don't change a word of writing, so it's like weird, it's like you read the review and it reads like a two-star review but there is a three-star rating on it. So it's just kind of strange, but the editors do have the right. I guess it is in the fine print of the review section that the editors determine the star ratings and not the writers, but often that gets misinterpreted. The writers are blamed for everything [laughs]. So it's like, "How did you give that thing three stars?" And I say, "I didn't. I wanted two stars on it." So that gets a little frustrating. But I have to say that the editors there have been great for the most part.

A Music Geek's Worst Nightmare
One man ponders what he would do if his record collection were to disappear overnight.

I've Dealt With These People All My Life...
I gotta give props to this guy who works at a Barnes and Noble in Northville, Michigan (not far from where I grew up) for not losing his damn mind. If you want to know why you should NEVER EVER live in suburban southeast Michigan, read some of these anecdotes.

More Coachella Speculation?
Pitchfork discusses various gigs that the Pixies are rumored to play next year, and adds that they are suspected to be on the bill for "next May's Coachella festival". I thought it was always held in April...Anyway, they also add the rumor is supported by a comment made by Thom Yorke in Urb that both Radiohead and the Pixies are being courted for 2004.

Desaparecidos, Cursive To Join Plea For Peace Tour
If you haven't already heard there's more info here.

The Guardian answers three important questions:

In recent decades, rock music has been short on reclusive, "lost" figures. Mavers fits the bill perfectly: acclaimed as a musical genius, he has not released a record in over a decade. Depending on what stories you believe, in that time he may or may not have entered a monastery, become a heroin addict or secretly written Paul Weller's comeback hit Changing Man.

Whatever happened to Lee Mavers?

Cold turkey is not so bad after you've done it "10 or 12 times"

How is Keith Richards still alive?


He was an elemental source. Somehow he evoked this force - I'm not talking about magic or the counter-culture or anything - but he was invoking the force that he imposed when he was on stage, especially in that era.

How can I have more Hendrix in my life?

Lyrics of Misery
This is what happens when kids who speak english as a second language listen to Staind and Linkin Park...you get lyrics like:

I feel so dirty, I flirt with it!
Stop looking at me!
I feel so betrayed and enslaved by my own feelings!
Stop from taking me!

It's so full of hurt in this cage of me!
Can you feel it?
It feels that my life has been suck out of me!
Can you feel me?
It feels that my being is enslaved by the demon in mind!

Or maybe it's just proof that fans of despair rock are barely literate. Interpret as you like.

Do You Have Problems?
Well, you're in luck, because MTV2 has given Andrew WK his very own show, which he is going to use to dispense advice. Email your problems to him here.

New Warlocks Album
Plans have been made to work with house producer Andrew Weatherall (Primal Scream, Happy Mondays).

Eminem In Trouble With the Secret Service?
As if having to deal with those guys at the Source wasn't enough, a track called "We Are American" has surfaced on the internet and features the lyric:

"Fuck money, I don't rap for dead presidents. I'd rather see the president dead."

The Secret Service are aware of the song, and are working out "what action, if any, will be taken."

The Strokes Cover the Clash
They played "Clampdown" both nights in London. Have they ever done covers before?

The Beatles Save Michael Jackson's Ass
Despite constant reports speculating Jackson's bankruptcy, Rolling Stone suggests Michael Jackson won't be hurting for cash anytime soon due to a fifty percent interest in Sony/ATV Music Publishing. The catalogue could rake in $80 million in 2003. Much of that income is from the 251 Beatles tunes owned by the company. This company does not own the rights to Jackson's own material, another major asset, Mijac Music Publishing (valued in 1999 at $128 million), does.

Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic may run for lieutenant governor in Washington.

This is great.

Rebel Cred? I Don't Think So...
As reported several months ago, Keith Richards is pretty pissed off about Mick Jagger becoming 'Sir Mick' in a few days, seeing knighthood as a repudiation of the Stones' aesthetic. He even told "Uncut", "I don't want to step out onstage with someone wearing a coronet and sporting the old ermine." Um, I guess I wouldn't either. Anyway, I had to bring up this article because of this line:

Despite his near spotless rebel credentials, Jagger, 60, is scheduled to become "Sir Mick" at a Buckingham Palace ceremony on December 12.

Rebel credentials?!?! Mick Jagger? The guy who turned "Let's Spend the Night Together" into "Let's Spend Some Time Together" for a television performance in the 60s? The guy who released the abominable Goddess In the Doorway (which got a five star review in Rolling Stone, written by none other than his buddy Jann Wenner)? The guy who is mentioned in practically every piece of literature about the Stones as the businessman of the group? Gimme a break. Jagger's rebel cred is anything but spotless.

I Hate the Grammys
I wasn't gonna write a single thing about the Grammys, because they just get more atrocious and depressing every year. Although, this year isn't as bad as last year. I don't think. Anyway, some artists who are actually decent have been nominated, so I'll just focus on the positive and list those folks and what they're nominated for (in alphabetical order):

Bob Dylan
-Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals (w/Mavis Staples - "Gonna Change My Way of Thinking")
-Best Male Rock Vocal Performance ("Down In the Flood")

Coldplay
-Record of the Year ("Clocks")
-Best Short Form Music Video ("The Scientist")

David Bowie
-Best Male Rock Vocal Performance ("New Killer Star")

Eminem
-Record of the Year ("Lose Yourself")
-Song of the Year
-Best Male Rap Solo Performance
-Best Rap Song

Flaming Lips
-Best Alternative Music Album ("Fight Test")

Fountains of Wayne
-Best New Artist (I'm totally fucking serious)
-Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal (for "Stacy's Mom")

Johnny Cash
-Best Short Form Music Video ("Hurt")

Missy Elliot
-Album of the Year
-Best Female Rap Solo Performance ("Work It")
-Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group (w/ Ludacris-"Gossip Folks")
-Best Rap Song ("Work It")
-Best Rap Album

Outkast
-Record of the Year (for "Hey Ya")
-Album of the Year
-Best Urban/Alternative Performance
-Best Rap Album
-Producer of the Year, non-classical
-Best Short Form Music Video

Radiohead
-Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal ("There There")
-Best Alternative Music Album

White Stripes
-Album of the Year
-Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal ("Seven Nation Army")
-Best Rock Song ("Seven Nation Army")
-Best Alternative Music Album

Yeah Yeah Yeahs
-Best Alternative Music Album

Jack White to Perform at UCLA
Why the hell didn't I know about this earlier! He's gonna perform with Alison Krauss (cool) and Sting (yikes) at Royce Hall on Dec. 8. Also, there will be a discussion with Cold Mountain director Anthony Minghella and a bunch of the actors from the movie are gonna be there. I'm trying to find out how much tickets are but the website is useless.

New Stooges Album in 2005?
Since noticing how kickass the Stooges still are live, Iggy Pop has decided to do another record with the Asheton brothers. Iggy and Ron should get together next year to start writing, and will hopefully get in the studio in time to have the album out in 2005. Rick Rubin will likely produce. The article also says that Jack White was gonna play bass for the Stooges, but since he wanted to do a whole album, it didn't pan out. He may be a collaborator on the new album though.

'Hey Ya' Number 1
...on the Billboard singles chart. When was the last time that the top spot was occupied by something good?

He Didn't Do It!
Justin Darkness was held at JFK airport because he had the same name as a criminal police were searching for. In other news, the Darkness plan to spend three months touring the US next year. That's probably not enough.

This Is So Fucking Scary...
Clicking this link may give you nightmares. Don't say I didn't warn you.

That last site kinda reminds me of this one.

The great thing about the internet is you never know who's kidding and who isn't.

The Darkness Christmas Single...
Isn't available for purchase until the 15th (in the UK), but it's available on your favorite filesharing network. It's pretty much what you would expect, a power ballad featuring falsetto singing and sleigh bells. I love the cover art:


Good News From the Rumor Mill
Maybe, just maybe, Creed broke up. Some guy on a message board reports:
I don't have a link cause everyone is tight lipped but I do know a singer that auditioned last week for the guitarist's new thing. He confirmed that they are no longer a band.

I know, I know. Just because you want to believe something doesn't make it true. But what if it is?