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    August 27

    For Another 5K You Can Wash Their Clothes

    From Showbiz Spy, a story that speaks for itself:

    A Canadian rock fan has won the chance to join THE WHO's road crew for a day after landing the winning bid at an online auction.

    The unnamed man paid $25,100 for the opportunity as the eBay Giving Works/Auction Cause sale ended on Sunday (24Aug08).

    The proceeds from the auction will benefit California charity K9 Connection, which brings teenagers and homeless dogs together. The students train the strays with a view to getting the dogs adopted by a loving family.

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    Madonna's Politics: As Subtle As Her Sex Book

    It's nice when the musicians get involved in the politics. It might even make a difference sometimes, and even if/when it doesn't, who gets hurt when, say, Bruce Springsteen puts his good working class name on the line and gives the ok to John Kerry, or when a known redneck like Toby Keith vaguely acknowledges that there might be some merit to electing Barack Obama? Well, no one, that's who. But what about when Madonna compares Senator John McCain to, oh, Robert Mugabe, global warming, and Adolf Hitler? Maybe meaning no longer exists in the classic sense, but it can still get beat down by ludicrous comparisons.
    12:12 PM | Add a comment | Read comments (3) | Permalink | Blog it
    August 19

    Is Avril Too Sexy?

    That's what Islamists in Kuala Lampur seem to think! A group there has attempted to ban Avril Lavigne's forthcoming Malaysian concert appearance on account of her sexy stage moves.

    "It is considered too sexy for us. ... It's not good for viewers in Malaysia," said Kamarulzaman Mohamed, a party official. "We don't want our people, our teenagers, influenced by their performance. We want clean artists, artists that are good role models."

    Not even Avril is safe. This is how they get you.

    2:13 PM | Add a comment | Read comments (7) | Permalink | View trackbacks (1) | Blog it
    August 12

    Joss Stone for Obama

    This story is a little baffling, for several reasons:

    Joss Stone will provide Barack Obama with a song to serve as the theme for his election campaign.

    Obama, the Democrat candidate for this November's US presidential election, reportedly made a personal request to the British soul singer to pen the track.

    Stone obliged, with a source revealing to The Sun: "Joss is a big supporter of Barack Obama and was very excited to be asked to do this for him. He sent a personal message asking her to get on board.

    "He has always admired her music and thinks she is the perfect choice because of her unique appeal to black and white voters. She believes he is going to be the first black American president and she is honoured to be a part of that."

    11:44 AM | Add a comment | Read comments (7) | Permalink | View trackbacks (1) | Blog it

    Neil Diamond Ain't Going Nowhere

    After 40+ years of hits, including a number one album just a few weeks ago, and a sold-out concert tour that's fixing to earn him $168 million (wha???), the great Neil Diamond tells the NY Times that he doesn't feel like he's ready to give it all up yet. This should come as news to no one with common sense.
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    August 11

    Billy Joel Confronts His Critic(s)

    A lot of music journalists make nice to the artist in person or on the phone, then savage him/her in print. It's an easy way to get a good interview, but can make for a somewhat cowardly reputation. Especially when the subject is one Mr. Billy Joel, who objected to the two-faced approach of an Aussie journalist, and wasn't afraid to say so, in public and in print. I love Billy Joel's music, though not all of it, and hate the way people tear him apart so aggressively while secretly tapping their feet to "Allentown" or whatever. I must say this story warmed my heart.
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    R.I.P. Isaac Hayes

    Black Moses, 1942-2008. Sad, sad, sad. One of the great innovators. Go download Hot Buttered Soul and Shaft, or rent Wattstax if you've never seen it.
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    August 04

    David Byrne Finds a Way to Justify Playing Talking Heads Songs Live!

    In honor of Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, his forthcoming LP collaboration with Brian Eno, David Byrne is mounting a six-month tour on which he will only play songs he made in collaboration with Eno, which includes the new record, but also 1981's My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, and, of course, a few early albums by a little band called Talking Heads. Byrne hasn't played TH material since the band broke up in 1991, and I don't think I'm being cynical when I suggest that a lot of people have been waiting him out.

    Tour Dates:

    Sept. 16: Bethlehem, Pa. (Zoellner Arts Center)

    Sept. 17: Baltimore (Lyric)

    Sept. 18: Newport News, Va. (Ferguson Center)

    Sept. 20: Atlanta (Chastain Park)

    Sept. 21: Asheville, N.C. (Thomas Wolfe Auditorium)

    Sept. 22: Nashville (Ryman Auditorium)

    Sept. 23: Memphis (Orpheum Theatre)

    Sept. 25: Austin, Texas (Paramount Theatre)

    Sept. 26: Austin, Texas (Austin City Limits)

    Sept. 28: Albuquerque, N.M. (Kiva Auditorium)

    Sept. 30: Phoenix (Orpheum)

    Oct. 2: San Diego (Humphrey's)

    Oct. 3: Los Angeles (Greek Theatre)

    Oct. 4: Santa Barbara, Calif. (Arlington Theatre)

    Oct. 6: San Francisco (Davies Hall)

    Oct. 8: Santa Rosa, Calif. (Wells Fargo Center)

    Oct. 11: Park City, Utah (Eccles Center)

    Oct. 12: Denver (Buell Theatre)

    Oct. 14: Minneapolis (State Theatre)

    Oct. 15: Milwaukee (Pabst Theatre)

    Oct. 17: Omaha, Neb. (Kiewit Hall)

    Oct. 18: St. Louis (Fox Theatre)

    Oct. 19: Kansas City, Mo. (Uptown Theatre)

    Oct. 21: Louisville (Palace Theatre)

    Oct. 23: Cleveland (Allen Theatre)

    Oct. 24: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Theatre)

    Oct. 25: Indianapolis (Clowes Hall)

    Oct. 26: Chicago (Opera House)

    Oct. 29: Toronto (Massey Hall)

    Oct. 30: Montreal (Metropolis)

    Oct. 31: Boston (Wang Center)

    Nov. 1: Atlantic City, N.J. (Borgata)

    Nov. 3: Red Bank, N.J. (Count Basie Theatre)

    Nov. 5: Albany, N.Y. (Empire State Plaza)

    Nov. 7: Pittsburgh (Carnegie Music Hall)

    Nov. 8: Philadelphia (Tower Theatre)

    12:13 PM | Add a comment | Read comments (5) | Permalink | Blog it

    Dr. Queen

    Brian May, godhead guitarist of the late, great Queen, is publishing his doctoral thesis, which concerns the astronomical phenomenon known as "zodiacal light," or false dawn—light that appears before sunrise in the sky. Uhhh, so that is happening. Also, possibly not coincidentally, the reformed Queen, featuring Paul Rogers of Bad Company on vocals (I think they should be called "Queen"), is putting out a record called The Cosmos Rocks. In the business of entertainment, this is called synergy.
    12:12 PM | Add a comment | Read comments (4) | Permalink | Blog it