Mmmm Hmmm

That is all.

Cat Power

Bastards!

With yet another Catwoman to appear in the Batman franchise, it's time to vote for your favorite!

Lee Meriwether

                Julie Newmar

                Eartha Kitt

                                Halle Berry

Michelle Pfeiffer

                                                             Anne Hathaway

[No judgments if you're partial to Batgirl.]

                Yvonne Craig

I need your bastardy help

My school is entered in a video contest with a prize of $10K at stake. We're a small school so I hope you'll go HERE, register to vote for us, and then vote up to 10x per day starting Monday. If you can beg, blackmail, or blow your co-workers and loved ones into doing the same, I'd much appreciate it. Our school is Josephine Dobbs Clement Early College High School.

EC Again!

Sorry for my lack of recent involvement. Thank God I pay Eric to take up my slack. April is the cruelest month at school, unless you count March and February. Anywho, I'm back bitches and I'm taking no prisoners. Next Sunday will mark my next appointment with my idol and godhead, Elvis Costello, who brings his Spectacular Spinning Songbook to the Durham Performing Arts Center. As a nod to the diversity of this amazing guy, here is a list of my concert history and EC's show format for each:

1) Berkeley, CA in 1991. Supporting Might Like a Rose and playing with the Rude 5 which includes Marc Ribot and a couple of the original Elvis' 70s band.
2) New Orleans, LA in May of 1994. Supporting Brutal Youth. Drove from Jackson to see this show which featured the Attractions together again. The next night....
3) Memphis, TN. Saw this outdoor show at Mud Island with some bastard. I only have four words to say about the opening band: Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm.
4) Philadelphia, PA 1999. My girlfriend took us to Philly to see Elvis as a birthday present. Tower Theater was great, and so were EC and Steve Nieve. I got them both to sign the limited edition EC/SN box set, my prized musical possession (besides my Subteens CD that has one of Jay's boogers on it).
5) New Orleans, LA 1999. EC and keyboardist Steve Nieve play a gorgeous set and Elvis actually gets the noisy ass crowd at the House of Blues to STFU when he sings off-mic. You coulda heard a pin drop.
6) Oxford, MS. EC plays at Proud Larry's, a tiny bar downtown, in order to warm up his new songs for the recording of the Delivery Man. Most of those new songs were played twice with lots of classics and deep cuts scattered in. Amazing to see him in a dive. The next day I got Steve's autograph when I ran into him in a record store on the town square. 
7) New Orleans, LA 2005. Elvis with the Imposters at the HofB. Bob Andrews of the Rumour (a New Orleans resident) hops up to play a couple of songs with the boys. My only picture with Elvis is ruined when some jackhole walks in front of the camera. I have a pic of EC and my right hand.
8) New Orleans, LA 2005. A scant month later, EC plays the JazzFest. David Hidalgo of Los Lobos joins for a few songs. Three months later, Hurricane Katrina comes and leads EC to record The River in Reverse, which leads to the next show in...
9) Vienna, VA in 2006. Elvis and Allen Toussaint are touring together with the Crescent City Horns and the Imposters. A very joyful show with great new brass arrangements of the songs, deep cuts from AT's catalog, and a nice salve for the still painful memory of Katrina.
10) Washington DC 2007. Elvis celebrates thirty years in the biz and plays stuff from just about every album. Allen Toussaint is in town and joins in towards the end. An amazing setlist and a great time with yet another bastard. Cover highlight: Hey Bulldog!
11) Cary, NC 2007. A few months after the raucous show in DC, EC and SN perform with the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra. Lots of new arrangements and a peaceful night under the sky enjoying an outdoor show.
12) Cary, NC 2009. Elvis brings his bluegrass band and plays rearranged versions of his hits plus stuff from Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane. Cover highlight: Femme Fatale and Mystery Train.
13) Durham, NC 2012. Sunday Elvis brings his spinning songbook. People from the audience get to spin the wheel and he'll play the song. Included are thematic jackpots like 'Time' and 'I Can Sing a Rainbow'. Recent covers have included Please Please Me, Out of Time by the Stones, and Purple Rain.

Post your concert obsessions!

Have we gone over this before?

I can't recall if we've 'discussed' the New Pornographers. If not, Finally There's Plans to do so. Great pop and Neko Case features throughout, which should put Joe on board at least.

Shit

One of the big ones.

Levon Helm was simply one of the greatest drummers ever. But he was also one of the most influential musicians and important artists of our time. Levon had a depth of feel that does not exist anymore. His brilliantly economic parts, lyrical phrasing and incredible touch and tone on the drums were as unique as his song writing and timeless voice. His impact on me cannot be overstated. Getting the privilege to double drum with him last year at our Solid Sound festival was one of the greatest thrills I could ever imagine. He was a passionate man with an extremely gracious, warm and giving personality. That he made some of his best music in the final years of his life, is a testament to his greatness and historical significance. He will be dearly missed.

-Glenn Kotche

Awkward

I think I've earned all of these!

Dumt & Farligt

Swedish for stupid & dangerous.

My Weekend Plans Include ...

Joss Whedon script with lots of twists and turns. 72 on Metacritic!

I'm in.

You've Gotta Fight! For Your Right! To, Uh...

Shit

Character actor William Finley has passed. He was 69.

In his honor, here are five things you might not know about Phantom of the Paradise.

Missed It By THAT Much

I can't stop watching this.  And laughing.  Your turn.

Shit

Organizers for the upcoming London Olympics were disappointed when they spoke to the Who's manager -- and were told that Keith Moon would be unavailable. Story here.

This just in: Generalissimo Francisco Franco...

What Do You Need?

Get More: www.mtvu.com

This is my song for the summer. Is it getting any radio?

Love the CCOKC

Codeine Velvet Club

Remember The Fratellis?  Yeah, it's that dude. 

Enjoy, you moochers.

It's Friday, Monkeys!

Be true to your DNA, which is 95-98% chimp. Some of us probably a little more than others.

Poobah-Inspired Musical Find

I've never watched The Prisoner, but I'm intrigued now. 

Beloved Children's Books, Part Deux

Beloved Children's Books

Oh the Vanity!

Any of you fine bastards ever order a personalized plate? This is my first. Our upstanding educator can clue us in to the proper pronunciation. I think he recognizes the word.
You have to list three options on the request. [See mine above.] High praise to anyone who recognizes my first option without using the Google.

I (almost) Never Repost Shit Like This

But this is too damn funny. 

Less Is More

This is total genius: a German advertising agency (Jung von Matt) came up with these LEGO minimalist cartoon characters. I can name most of 'em. Can you?