ROCK AND ROLL THE VOTE (PART 2)

Because Gary Glitter is a convicted pedophile, and playing this song advocates improper kid touching, the New England Patriots are dropping "Rock and Roll (Part 2)" and looking for a new song. Here is the official voting ballot:

Which of the following do you think should be the new Touchdown song?

The 1812 - Overture
Ain't Talkin' Bout Love - Van Halen
Elevation - U2
Song 2 - Blur
Thunderstruck - AC/DC
Yeah - Usher

The song will be "unveiled" at Gillette Stadium on 9/10 . . . if they score a TD (they're playing the Bills, so it's almost a foregone conclusion). I predict the winner will be AC/DC, with U2 as the dark horse (due to the deep Irish ties in Beantown). The Blur song seems like more of a hockey song, and I love that band Overture but I would have chosen their classic hit "William Tell".

* * *

In other news, the new Audioslave album, Revelations (9/5) is streaming on VH1.com. I'm not a big fan, and having seen both Soundgarden and RATM in concert, the whole is considerably less than the sum of its parts (or something to that effect). Chris Cornell still has the best voice in rock and roll today, I just wish he was using it to sing better songs.

QUICK NOTES: THE FREESTREAMIN' BOB DYLAN

Bob Dylan's new album is currently streaming on AOL Music. He's pulling out all the stops this time, even doing commercials for Apple iTunes resplendent in black cowboy gear (hey, Johnny Cash is no longer using it). Wait, what is he saying--he's looking for Alicia Keys? I have no idea what the old man is rambling about. He was also recently complaining about the audio quality of modern albums, and about how the kids on his lawn should remove themselves from it. The Raconteurs, are touring with Zimmy this fall. Interesting. Considering there's already a Dylan & Jack (poor quality) recording of "Ball & Biscuit (Live)" out there, there's a chance they might perform together.

Jack White's other band, The White Stripes, will be on The Simpsons on 9/16, in an episode titled Jazzy and the Pussycats.

Beck has two new songs streaming on his goofy-ass site. To find them, hover the mouse over the upper right corner, and a boom box will drop down and start playing the songs, "Dark Star" and "Nausea". (Careful while listening, as the second track streams about 4x louder than the first one.)

Modest Mouse have a new album coming out on 12/19, and have even come up with a name for it (and its a doozy): We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. Well done! I think I've figured out new guitarist Johnny Marr's post-Smiths/Morrissey career choices: only perform with bands where the lead singer won't overshadow your guitar playing (see also: Electronic w/ Bernard Sumner and Neil Tennant, and The The).

MORE CURE

The Cure have given three more of their albums the deluxe remastered double CD treatment: The Top (1984), The Head on the Door (1985), and Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me (1987). Each of the first discs features a remastered version of the album, while the second discs have over a dozen extra tracks in the form of demos, outtakes, and live cuts. I'm trying to figure out if I need to buy any of these (again), and I don't know where to start.

The Top is a bleak, cacophonic 10 song collection written and recorded at a turbulent time for band leader Robert Smith, and it shows (exhibit A: "Bananafishbones"). Fueled by drink and drugs, he played nearly every instrument in the studio, while moonlighting as guitarist for Siouxsie and the Banshees. It has its moments ("Piggy In The Mirror"), but it's mostly a strained, harsh effort. (5 thumbs up)

Released the following year, The Head on the Door marked a jarring departure from the gloom and doom, as the lead-off track "Inbetween Days" showcased the band's keen pop sensibilities. Naturally, the lyrics still describe failure and isolation (heck, it's a CURE album), but at least they were letting a little light into the dusty attic on this one, with minimal filler. "A Night Like This" is a classic pop song. (8 thumbs up)

Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me is the most fully released of the three releases, although it's a bit of a sprawling mess. Originally released as a double album ("Hey You!" rejoins the album after being omitted from the initial CD release; I guess they didn't think it would fit--how quaint) this disc has something for everyone, with the uptempo ravers ("Why Can't I Be You?"), the dirges ("The Snakepit"), and the uncategorizable ("Hot Hot Hot!!!"). But it was the ebullient "Just Like Heaven" officially put them on the map in the U.S., and it still holds up. (7 thumbs up)

Having purchased all three of these upon their release the first time around, I can't justify re-buying any of them for the remastering alone, since the extra tracks on each of these releases are curiosities at best. The astonishing 17 extra tracks on Top are all completely unessential and would be a bit grating to sit through; the 16 on Head are mostly upbeat but not very polished; the 17 tracks on Kiss Me³ are the exact same songs from the album in different forms, and everyone of them seems like a mere footnote.

My assessment: these are strictly for the überfan, though Head on the Door might be worth it for the 4 tracks that never saw the light of day before in any form. Overall, I think it's best to just save your money for the next classic album on the list to be given the remastered deluxe treatment (*COUGH*disintegration*COUGH*).

IT'S A LYRICS ZOO OUT THERE!

I hate looking up lyrics online, because there are about 4000 sites, most of which have about 3 pop-up ads per page, and 40 irritating links asking me if I want some Tom Waits and/or Shakira ringtones. Uhm, no thanks.

However, Lyrics Zoo is a little better and comes with a bonus: the lyrics sometimes also have an embedded YouTube video on the page. In some cases it's a produced video, in other cases it's a rare live video. Here are some examples:

Arctic Monkeys - When The Sun Goes Down. Being outside of England, I don't know half the things he's singing on this album. You may recognize Stephen Graham who plays the "scummy" pimp; he played Tommy in Snatch, alongside Jason Stratham's Turkish.

Thom Yorke - Analyse. Quick quiz: which one is more depressing, the video or the song? You're BOTH right!

Wilco - Jesus, Etc. (Live). Great song, whose lyrics took on an ominous tone after 9/11 (lines like 'skyscrapers are scraping together' particularly). Wilco is always a great live act, as evidenced by this clip from a recent Canada show (7/12/2006).

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dani California. Funny, Spinal Tap-esque video tour through rock history, though I cringed a little at the Nirvana Unplugged "parody".

Spoon - Anything You Want. This is a live performance from Austin City Limits. Great band, I'm surprised more people haven't heard of them. "I'll be in the backroom drinking my half of the beer."

VIDEO DUMP: OK GO "HERE IT GOES AGAIN"

This video is fantastic, for OK Go's "Here It Goes Again". A lot of people prefer the dance moves they bust out in the video for A Million Ways, but this one ups the ante. I've never had as much fun as OK Go on treadmills.



OK Go - Here It Goes Again [YouTube]
OK Go - A Million Ways [YouTube]

ARCHIVES.ORG

Internet Archive has a mindblowing collection of recorded media, including films, TV commercials, and various audio files. Check out the fascinating Wayback Machine, which archives old websites (like this Gateway 2000 site from Christmas 1996).

You can also find some excellent stuff in the Live Music Archive. Most of the concerts up here are audience recordings of highly variable quality, although a few are from the soundboard (you can sample them before DLing them. I just got myself a copy of a Spoon show that I was at, back in 2003--pretty damn cool. Here are a few highlights from the many bands available:

SPOON (I was at this 4/9/2003 Irving Plaza show; I remember Joe Davis pointing out the Kinks cover to me.)
ELLIOT SMITH (This full band show from 9/28/2000 is excellent. On the other hand, this drunken 1/31/2003 show, recorded 10 months before his death, is pretty chilling and shows how far he'd fallen.)
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE (Eddie Vedder joins them during a hometown concert in Seattle on 11/9/2004.)
THE FRAMES (This short but sweet 2/6/2006 soundboard show from the Dublin band sounds great.)
TENACIOUS D (You know what time it is? Tenacious D time, ya muthafucka, go! Fuck yeah! Check out this show from 9/28/2001 with Phish's Page McConnell joining them on keyboards.)

SMITHS REUNION HITS A SNAG

When I heard about Andy Rourke selling his bass guitar on ebay a while back, I thought that was the first domino that would lead to an Eagles' Hell Freezes Over-esque money-grab reunion (a rare instance where I'd be behind such a thing). Unfortunately, Marr found gainful employment, officially joining Modest Mouse after jamming with them in the studio. That will delay the reunion by a few years, methinks.

As you may know, there were very few fans of The Smiths when they were together; I don't remember anyone ever giving them a good review here in the U.S. Now suddenly they're on everyone's "greatest albums of all time" lists? Not only are 4 of their 5 albums on the Rolling Stone Top 500 Greatst Albums of ALL TIME (that's right, 80% of their albums, more than the Who or Led Zep), but "Blender's 500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die!" list has them on there:

THE SMITHS
Singles
REPRISE, 1995
Arguably the greatest British singles band of the ’80s. From the sublime (“How Soon Is Now?”) to the faintly ridiculous (“There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”), these 45s remain some of the most intoxicating and original songs committed to vinyl.
Standout track: “How Soon Is Now?”

Okay, NOBODY was giving them praise like this when these songs came out. Fuck music journalists and their revisionist crap. Really.

MYSTERY WHITE BOY: THE MOVIE

After the success of Ray and Walk the Line, it appears a Jeff Buckley biopic is in the works, tentatively titled Mystery White Boy. It will chronicle his early musical career through his untimely drowning death on May 29, 1997, and will be directed by Brian Jun.

I'm not sure how to feel about this one. JB was one of my favorite artists, and I even got to see him in concert twice. I can't even imagine who would play him, although someone suggested James Franco of recent Spiderman movie fame (who I suppose looks a bit like him; I sincerely hope he doesn't try to sing like him).



I guess I'm merely curious to see to what degree they screw this up. This treatment worked for Johnny Cash and Ray Charles, most likely because details of their early years are pretty far removed, and since they'd both recently died Hollywood could embellish the truth all to hell. But to me this is different; even his mother Mary Guibert, who handles his estate, said he wouldn't have anything to do with such a movie if he were alive. Personally, I don't he'd have a crappy MySpace site either, but at least they're striving for "authenticity".

I feel I might be saying the same thing I said after the disappointing Andy Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon: just watch the original Andy Kaufman stuff.

I hope I'm wrong.

Jeff Buckley Official Site

THE INFORMATION ABOUT . . . UHM, THE INFORMATION

According to NME, Beck's new album will be called The Information (10/2/06). When I heard it was produced by Nigel Godrich, I was hoping for something along the lines of their previous collaborations, Mutations and Sea Change, but apparently this one is more hip-hop (ugh) . . . or is it? Beck says: "in a way it is and in a way it isn't". Uhm, okay. Hey, at least it's Beck, whose new website is fucking crazy (NME says there are 4 new songs here, but damned if I can find them).

Beck describes the new album cover as "modular", with stickers provided so you can design it yourself. Uhm, what about those people that are getting this on iTunes? Will he provide stickers for my mp3 player?

Beck is probably the most underrated singer/songwriter of his generation. Yeah, that's right. Just pick up the 10th anniversary edition of Odelay, and you'll see. If it ever comes out.

Meanwhile, here's the video for "Girl" from 2005, which is heavy on the MAD Fold-Ins. The all ighty ollar?



Beck - Girl (2005) [YouTube]

WHAT I'M LISTENING TO: BAND OF HORSES

I have been listening to the latest Band of Horses album a lot lately, entitled Everything All The Time (recommended by Rob G. on our trip from Philly to Chicago). Formed in Seattle, WA, these two guys have put together an album of pure, straightforward pop-rock: no frills, no guitar solos, plaintive vocals. Lead singer Ben Bridwell reminds me a little of Doug Martsch, and once you get over his accent (where words like "sure" come out sounding like "shoe-urr", and "stand" is "stee-yand"), it's a really enjoyable listen from start to finish.

The Subpop Records website has two free tracks on it (see below), and their official website has some demos and non-album tracks (which every band should make available). There's also a streaming song here. Now if they could only change their name . . .

Band: Band of Horses
Members: Ben Bridwell (vocals/guitar), Mat Brooke (guitar)
Album: Everything All The Time
Label: Sub-Pop
Best Tracks: Great Salt Lake, The Funeral, Wicked Gil.

ELVIS HAS ROCKED THE BUILDING

I finally saw the first part of Decades Rock Live: Elvis Costello, and it might have been even more rewarding than the concluding part; I was really impressed with both Death Cab for Cutie and Fiona Apple. DC4C joined Elvis for "Accidents Will Happen" to kick it off, and they did an excellent rendition of "Kinder Murder" (off Brutal Youth), before Ben & Elvis did a nice acoustic version of "I Will Follow You Into the Dark". As for the latter song, it really benefitted from Elvis' weathered vocal delivery, which gave it more depth and weight, whereas Ben can sound a little too maudlin. Fiona Apple joined up with the Elvis & the band for the deep cut "Shabby Doll", and then she absolutely HURTLED HERSELF into "I Want You" like she was possessed; she literally gave me goosebumps. Elvis then did a great version of one of Apple's songs (that she chose) "I Know", and she hopped up and down like a giddy schoolgirl when he was done.

Finish up with the aforementioned Billie Joe from Green Day, and ladies and gentlemen, you've got yourself quite a show.

Note to VH1 and the show's producers: this is the way it should be done. Seriously, this show easily blew away all the other "DRL" shows combined. Not only that, but it showed everyone that despite his uneven output and strange projects as of late, Elvis Costello is a singer/songwriter/performer without peer.

(Fittingly, one of Elvis' videos was played on MTV's first day, and 25 years later he's still pumping it up.)

YOU SHOULD SING SOLO (THAT NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU)

Sorry, that's just a joke my dad used to say. Speaking of solo, after Audioslave release their 3rd disc this September, Chris Cornell is planning on releasing his 2nd solo album. Which reminds me: what the hell happened to Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil? Did he quit music and become an accountant or something? Can we get him to record some songs with Chris? This has to happen.

Bob Dylan also has a new solo album coming out entitled Modern Times, his 145th. Kris pointed me to a website called Second Hand Songs, a handy website that helps you find out how many times a song has been covered, and/or find out the original songwriter. On the "Most Covered Authors" list, Lennon and McCartney are #1 and #2, with Zimmy being #3 and Hank "Not Ready For Some Football" Williams, Sr. #4. I got a little confused after that when I saw Douglas Colvin, Jeffrey Hyman, and John Cummings at #5, #6, and #7, until I realized that's Dee Dee, Joey, and Johnny Ramone, respectively, of The Ramones. Oh, sure, of course. And Kris' favorite Jacques Brel is #24, one notch higher than David Bowie, coffee achiever, mover and shaker.

I'm going to admit something to you: I've never really liked Paul Simon. Sure, Simon & Garfunkel were great (Bookends is still a fantastic album), and Kodachrome is okay, but I also thought Paul's solo stuff was always a bit cloying and self-indulgent (like Beatle Paul), especially Graceland. Yeah I know, it's a universally loved album, but if I hear "You Can Call Me Al" one more time, you can call me a maniac because I'm going to go on a killing spree. However, I was struck by his new song, "How Can You Live in the Northeast?" I couldn't believe it was him, because it was straightforward, brooding and simple, and curiously devoid of a roomful of South African chanting singers. Okay, maybe I'm being hard on him. Good song.

The Killers new song, When You Were Young, sounds like a trainwreck; it's just not very catchy, his voice is grating after about 30 seconds, and the song just dies right in the middle. I predict they're going to have a tough sophomore slump with Sam's Town (isn't that a warehouse club, like CostCo?).

Oh, and Interpol almost broke up, they don't run a MySpace site, and Carlos D (bassist, keyboard arrangements) almost joined Trail of Dead (he's quoted as saying: "I needed something more musical, something that didn't sound exactly like a modern day, well-produced Joy Division rip-off") . . . but never mind because none of that happened. They're happy and living in NYC (or moving to NJ?), and working on their 3rd album.

MISSING PERSONS: SINGERS

There is a new epidemic that is sweeping the concert scene this summer, and this time we're not talking about herpes. Lead singers of major rock bands are disappearing in record numbers, and it may have already happened to your favorite band without your knowledge. Even though their frontmen have gone AWOL, more often then not these bands continue to tour without them. This phenomenon is akin to a chicken still running around with its head cut off; it may still continue to function for a short time without any apparent ailment, but it will eventually collapse and die. Oh, and it's pretty disgusting to watch.

The biggest problem, however, is that most of these bands tour using their original name. Although some bands have made this clear through highly notable personnel changes and/or lawsuits, like Pink Floyd without Roger Waters, or Van Halen without David Lee Roth, there are many others are not so forthcoming. This is false advertising at its finest; at least the makers of a food called "blueberry muffin mix" are required by the FDA to state, albeit in the smallest font they can find, "includes imitation blueberry flavored bits". However, the rock music industry is not required by law to disclose the missing main ingredient that made us fans of the band in the first place, with disasterous results.

At least some bands make strides to hint at their inadequacies. For instance, The Doors, touring with Ian Astbury on lead vocals to replace the irreplaceable Jim Morrison, at least had the decency to call themselves "21st Century Doors". Last year, even though the Michael Hutchence-less INXS unfortunately deceided to retain their name, at least they chose a replacement singer through a well-publicized reality show (and you, the viewer, are partly responsible for the stiff they ultimately chose). This summer, The Cars, touring without lead singer Rik Ocasek or deceased bassist/singer Ben Orr, have added Todd Rundgren to their lineup to become "New Cars" (and no, that's not a "new car smell" that you're getting a whiff of). Unfortunately, not all bands are this honest towards the ticket buying public. (Don't get me started with Jefferson Airplane/Starship; there are two incarnations out there, neither of them featuring Grace Slick.)

Something has to be done about this travesty. Until the government steps in and stops this criminal activity, I have made a handy list of the offending culprits who are covering up the true identities of their band members, and I have proposed new names that at least hint at the changes they have made without totally confusing their fan base.

Styx - Dennis DeYoung = Stynx
Foreigner - Lou Gramm = Foreignest
Alice in Chains - Layne Staley = Jerry in Debt
Queen - Freddie Mercury = Queenless
10,000 Maniacs - (Natalie Merchant + Robert Buck) = 9,998 Maniacs
Journey - Steve Perry = Journey's End

TOP 500 SONGS WITHOUT WHICH BECAUSE WE SAID SO

A few years ago, we tried to compile the TOP 500 SONGS BECAUSE WE SAID SO, after Rolling Stone put out their TOP 500 SONGS OF ALL TIME list. This guy started a whole blog with the intention of naming 500 songs he couldn't live without. It sounds like it's possible, right? I mean, we had the benefit of THREE people suggesting songs, and we weren't really "serious" about it. So we should have been at least 3x as productive, in theory.

As it turns out, we both failed to finish our lists. He just recently called it quits in the mid 300's (377, to be exact), while we flamed out about halfway through. He says, in his inimitable English manner, "Anyone who can find more than 500 songs . . . that they can't live without is probably spreading their jam a little too thinly on the toast." Well put, Guv'nah!

Anyway, we did get three lists out of it: 500-401, 400-301, and 300-255, so that's something.

Together, we'd have a list of over 600 songs. Here's the punch line: we only have 7 songs in common.

Time - Pink Floyd
Bela Lugosi's Dead - Bauhaus
Fairytale In New York - Pogues (featuring Kirsty MacColl)
Song 2 - Blur
Riders on the Storm - The Doors
Stop Draggin' My Heart Around - Nicks, Stevie and Tom Petty
EVery Breath You Take - The Police

Okay, that's the last I speak of this.

THIEVES, TRANSFORMERS, AND HOT BLOGGERS

There are all sorts of lowlife types out there: bootleggers, stalkers, paparazzi. But this is a bizarre combination of the three: a website has posted some recordings of U2 rehearsing new songs at their house on the French Riviera. That's right, some thief captured this with a handheld recorder while walking on the beach. I guess whatever is wafting through the air is "free". This shit is a new low.

Ryan Adams has a pretty cool song streaming on his site.

Sleater-Kinney was supposed to be live on NPR.org, but it was cancelled due to a blown transformer at their D.C. show. Well, you know what they say about Transformers: more than meets the eye. Anyway, it could have something to do with the HEAT WAVE we're having (it was 100.6° for a high yesterday at my apartment).

This chick is HOT and has a kick ass music blog. I shouldn't quote Eddie Money, but I think I'm in love. Oh, she's probably already married to Pete Yorn's drummer or some shit.

Check out this banner week at the PNC Bank Arts Center:

Thursday, 9/14/06: Aerosmith / Motley Crue
Friday, 9/15/06: Def Leppard / Journey
Sunday, 9/17/06: SANTANA
Thursday, 9/21/06: The Who

Egads. What freaking YEAR is it?

25 YEARS AGO: WHEN THE M STOOD FOR MUSIC

Today is an auspicious day in "music" history, as it marks the 25th anniversary of the debut of MTV: Music Television. As hard as it is to believe, they showed nothing but music videos back then (!) and while everyone might know that the Buggles "Video Killed the Radio Star" was the first one ever shown on MTV, what the hell else did they show that first day? Well, I thought you'd ask, so here it is! MTV's playlist for August 1, 1981 (thanks Stereogum):

# The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star
# Pat Benatar - You Better Run
# Rod Stewart - She Won't Dance
# The Who - You Better You Bet
# Ph.D - Little Susie's on the Up
# Cliff Richard - We Don't Talk Anymore
# The Pretenders - Brass in Pocket
# Todd Rundgren - Time Heals
# REO Speedwagon - Take it on the Run
# Styx - Rockin' the Paradise
# Robin Lane & The Chartbusters - When Things Go Wrong
# Split Enz - History Never Repeats
# .38 Special - Hold on Loosely
# April Wine - Just Between You & Me
# Rod Stewart - Sailing
# Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
# REO Speedwagon - Keep on Loving You
# The Pretenders - Message of Love
# Lee Ritenour - Mr. Briefcase
# The Cars - Double Life
# Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight
# Robert Palmer - (Looking for) Clues
# Shoes - Too Late
# Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty - Stop Draggin' my Heart Around
# Rupert Hines - Surface Tension
# Madness - One Step Beyond
# Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
# Pat Benatar - I'm Gonna Follow You
# Tom Johnson - Savannah Nights
# Rockestra - Lucille
# Styx - The Best of Times
# Carly Simon - Vengeance
# Iron Maiden - Wrathchild
# Blotto - I Wanna Be a Lifeguard
# Rod Stewart - Passion
# Elvis Costello - Oliver's Army
# REO Speedwagon - Don't Let Him Go
# The Silencers - Remote Control/I'm Too Legal
# Juice Newton - Angel of the Morning
# Rockpile - Little Sister
# Bootcamp - Hold on to the Night
# Cliff Richard - Dreaming
# Lee Ritenour - Is it You?
# Fleetwood Mac - Tusk
# Michael Stanley Band - He Can't Love You
# REO Speedwagon - Tough Guys
# Blondie - Rapture
# The Who - Don't Let Go the Coat
# Rod Stewart - Ain't Love a Bitch
# The Pretenders - Talk of the Town
# Rainbow - Can't Happen Here
# Andrew Gold - Thank You for Being a Friend
# Gerry Rafferty - Bring it all Home
# April Wine - Sign of the Gypsy Queen
# Kate Bush - The Man With the Child in His Eyes
# David Bowie - Ashes to Ashes
# April Wine - Just Between You and Me
# The Specials - Rat Race
# Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
# Bootcamp - Victim
# Rod Stewart - Tonight's the Night
# Nick Lowe - Cruel to be Kind

Kate Bush, Michael Stanley Band, Gerry Rafferty, Juice Newton, Blotto--totally awesome! But seriously, that's a Whole Lotta Rod. Please stop the REO Speedwagon, I want to get off! And there's nothing funnier than .38 Special and their TWO drummers-I guess they didn't have the heart to fire either of them.

Unfortunately, they're not showing the VJ segments, just the videos, but it's still a pretty interesting time capsule (we didn't get cable until 1983 or so, but some of these same videos were still in heavy rotation).

Anyway, The Who just finished "You Better You Bet" (this album marks the time when I started hating them), and Bootcamp is on right now, which begs the question, "Who the fuck is Bootcamp?" (Not even Allmusic.com knows.) Meanwhile, we have Nazareth's "Holiday", leading into Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty, which is ironic since Tom just released a new album last week, and these two are playing some shows together this summer and will no doubt be dragging that song out. Does she sing "Edge of 70" on tour? Okay, that was a cheap shot.

I want my old MTV!

UPDATE: Apparently, something called MTV Overdrive is streaming the first hour, commercials and VJs intact, for broadband users. Pretty funny.

QUICK NOTES

I caught most of Decades Rock Live: Elvis Costello & Friends, and came to the conclusion that the old man can still rock. Backed by the Imposters (keyboardist Steve Nieve/drummer Pete Thomas from the original Attractions, and bassist Davey Faragher, formerly of Cracker), and joined by special guests Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Fiona Apple, and Death Cab for Cutie, he effectively blew away the previous VH1 Classic shows in this series (the others I've seen some of featured Heart and Cyndi Lauper). Billie Joe and Declan teamed up for excellent renditions of "Alison", "Good Riddance", "No Action", "Radio Radio", "Pump It Up", and everyone joined in for "What's So Funny 'Bout (Peace, Love, and Understanding)" and "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" (The Miracles). Excellent stuff.

The next James Bond movie, "Casino Royale", will have its theme song sung by Chris Cornell. That's a shocker.

I guess the poor review of Nacho Libre and lackluster business of King Kong sent Jack Black back to his roots, as he has reunited with Kyle Gass to make a Tenacious D movie, entitled The Pick of Destiny. The website is pretty damn stupid, so let's hope the movie is funnier. Meat Loaf plays his dad, and Dio plays himself, while Ben Stiller and Tim Robbins make cameos, so it has potential.

I watched about 5 minutes of "Rock Star: Supernova" last week, and I'm already done with it. Gee, I've always wanted to know what Radiohead's "My Iron Lung" would sound like if Thom Yorke was replaced by Melissa Etheredge! No, not really. Blech.

Speaking of, Thom Yorke's "The Eraser" is out, and as far as I know no one has sat down and listened to this entire album from start to finish AND LIVED TO TELL ABOUT IT. Listening to more than 5 tracks in a row of this depressing blip-fest, and you're ready to slit your wrists.

The Pixies have decided not to record another album together, although they're having "fun" touring (I guess).

AOL Music lets you listen to full new release CDs in their entirety here.

Box set/bonus disc CD releases are usually superfluous and cater only to the überfan. However, R.E.M. got it right with their upcoming compilation And I Feel Fine . . . The IRS Years (1982-1987), which collects the best songs from the band's most prolific and creative period, including a few live songs and rare cuts. There are several other collections out there, but this the only one you will ever need to own (unless you're fond of "Out of Time" or "Automatic for the People"). It appears that you can buy it in both single disc and 2 disc collector formats (9/12/06), and it's remastered using the new EnLoudenator 5000 technique, making it 33% louder than your old CD! A companion DVD ("When The Light Is Mine") will also be released, collecting a bunch of their early non-lip synching videos and live performances. Meanwhile, check out these early Letterman appearances from 1983.

Seminal sad synthpoppers Depeche Mode, on the other hand, have re-released their three most crucial albums, Violator (1990), Music for the Masses (1987), and Speak & Spell (1981 debut), with a couple of "who cares?" B-sides and a "you'll probably only watch it once" documentary. Another bad move: why did Rhino (domestic) remove the SACD 5.1 layer that the Mute (import) hybrid CDs included? Meh. I don't see any need to (re) purchase these. The grabbing hands grab all they can, indeed.

Closing note: "The First Cut is the Deepest" proves that Sheryl Crow knows absolutely NOTHING about golf.