If you didn't know, you do now. This, the thing we thought would never happen, is in fact happening. Words cannot be used in an eloquent enough way to express how fucking rad this is. Ok.. The Doors could do a reunion tour with Morrison who it turns out faked his death, and it would be really damn cool for some people. None of them are me.

We will be there in force. I've been getting contacted from multiple angles about this one. I have my ticket. Monday show. Second of the two.

I have grown up on this band. I love this band. There is no way I could have ever seen them when they last toured due to age. Hell fucking yeah. If only Dave Blood was not dead.

Dead Milkmen Reunion Shows

] Eighteen scholars from U.S. universities discussed
] sexual, racial and artistic aspects of Jackson's life and
] music Thursday and Friday in the first academic meeting
] to study him.

] "He has grown up in front of us, so we have a great
] investment in him, even though some people today
] may find his image disturbing."

Yale attempts to ask, "what the fuck is Michael Jackson"? The answer my friends, is tapping your foot to the wind..

CNN.com - Yale scholars pick apart Jackson - Sep 26, 2004

] The Department of Homeland Security ordered a United
] Airlines jet flying from London to Washington rerouted to
] Bangor, Me., on Tuesday afternoon so it could intercept a
] passenger, Yusuf Islam, the musician formerly known as
] Cat Stevens, two government officials said.
]
] Mr. Islam was "denied entry into the United States," said
] an official, and was in the custody of Immigrations and
] Customs Enforcement. The plan on Tuesday evening was to
] deport Mr. Islam, who is a British subject, the officials
] said.

The peace train Stevens was riding on was forced to land in Maine. Officials made a statement saying we should just remember there's a lot of bad and beware, beware, oh baby baby it's a wild world. Cat Stevens can no longer get by on just a smile, because he gave money to the wrong people.

The New York Times | Cat Stevens, threat to national security

Punk Legend Johnny Ramone Dies At 55. Guitarist Co-Founded The Ramones In 1974.

All real punks die of... cancer?

NBC 4 - Entertainment - Punk Legend Johnny Ramone Dies At 55

What a sad joke this is.. Microsoft finally gets a music store to market, and it doesn't even include the "Sounds Like" technology for browsing artists/songs/albums. I think that's enough of a omission to conclude that the integration/assimilation of the company I used to work for was a complete and total failure. I'm guessing they ported over the radio system to MS technologies, then they just disbanded the team. There does not appear to be any presence of the unique, cool, and damn useful artist/song/album grouping we had. Instead, there is a form of Amazon like collaborative filtering.

MSN Entertainment - Music: Home

You know, they really could have gotten better acts then what I'm seeing.

] I'm A Conservative
] Iggy Pop
] (Soldier)

Oh yeah, just look with the eyes of imagination and picture how this would go over..

] I used to lead a quiet life
] In fact it was a bare existence
] I passed out on many floors
] I don't do that any more

That screams W.

] Hello my friends
] Is everybody happy?
] Hey look me over
] Lend me an ear
] I'm a conservative

Hear hear..

] I like the small black marks on my hands
] I'm a conservative
] I like the crazy girls that I screw
] Hey I know them all well

Laura, that crazy thing.

] And when I run out of bread I laugh
] All the way to the bank
] Sometimes I pause for a drink
] Conservatism ain't no easy job

See, this says something about the current policy on the deficit.

] I smile in the mornings
] I live without a care
] Nothing is denied me
] And nothing ever hurts

They say Bush is a morning person. He certainly plays tough guy well.

] I got bored so I'm making my millions
] When you're conservative you get a better break
] You're always on the rigltt side
] When you're conservative

Think sports teams and token CEO positions.

] You walk with pride
] Pride is on your side
] Pride pride pride
] Is on our side
] Oh boy
] Pride is on our side

Ok, so this doesn't fit. Maybe for Cheney's daughter..

] I like my beer
] I like my bread
] I love my girl
] I love my head

Yeah..

] I'm in the clear man
] I'm in the dear
] Because I'm a conservative
] I'm a conservative
] I really am
] Ohyeslam

Rah rah.

] And it would mean so much to me
] If you would only be like me
] Yes it could mean so much to me

Yep. Very convention worthy.

] Hey look me over
] Lend me an ear
] I'm a conservative

So, I'm sure Iggy Pop would have played The Garden for the GOP. Why the hell not?

The only act booked I even recognize is Brooks & Dunn, and I'm not proud of that.

] Charles died at 11:35 a.m., surrounded by family and
] friends, said spokesman Jerry Digney.
]
] Charles last public appearance was alongside Clint
] Eastwood on April 30, when the city of Los Angeles
] designated the singers studios an historic landmark.
]
] Blind by age 7 and an orphan at 15, Charles spent his
] life shattering any notion of musical boundaries and
] defying easy definition. A gifted pianist and
] saxophonist, he dabbled in country, jazz, big band and
] blues, and put his stamp on it all with a deep, warm
] voice roughened by heartbreak from a hardscrabble
] childhood in the segregated South.

Georgia is no longer on his mind.

AP|Yahoo - Grammy-Winning Crooner Ray Charles Dies

] Not content with asking for an arm and a leg from
] consumers and artists, the music industry now wants your
] fingerprints, too. The RIAA is hoping that a new breed of
] music player which requires biometric authentication will
] put an end to file sharing.
]
] Established biometric vendor Veritouch has teamed up with
] Swedish design company to produce iVue: a wireless media
] player that allows content producers to lock down media
] files with biometric security. This week Veritouch
] announced that it had demonstrated the device to the RIAA
] and MPAA.

Oh yes, this will be very funny. Lets see how the music service that requires your fingerprints does in the marketplace with counterparts such as Apple's offerings, which are decidedly "weak" in their protections and somewhat respectful of privacy. Well, they don't want my fingerprints at the very least..

For that matter, any general authentication platform that might make this worthwhile or attractive, will not be successful if companies hated by tech consumers are driving. Microsoft, for example..

RIAA wants your fingerprints | The Register

] Clear Channel Communications Inc. is under fire from
] smaller rivals worried that it will shut them out of the
] quickly growing business of offering live-concert CDs
] immediately after shows.
]
] San Antonio, Texas-based Clear Channel claims a key
] patent for the technology to offer such recordings, but
] competitors challenge whether that gives the company
] exclusive rights to create and sell instant recordings of
] live performances.
]
] The competing claims comes as Clear Channel, which is the
] No. 1 U.S. radio station owner, faces a trial in August
] over allegations that it abused its radio market clout to
] benefit its concert business.

] "Now virtually all performing artists like the Pixies, Billy
] Idol, and even Bruce Springsteen run the risk that if they
] record their own shows at any venue in the country, then
] sell the CDs that same night, Clear Channel can and will
] go after the artists and make them pay," said Lahr.

[ Rattle Says... ] Don't cry foul, cry bullshit..

Reuters | Clear Channel Rivals Cry Foul Over Live Concert CDs

Perhaps never before has such predictability promised such popularity.

GNR + STP = VR

Yes, my friends, it's just that easy.

Perhaps already sensing the inevitable meltdown of Velvet Revolver -- catch 'em while you can, kids -- Slash was a strutting, swaggering, all-or-nothing marvel at the 9:30 club Thursday, leading his much-hyped throwback band through a power-chords-aplenty 75-minute set that had a sold-out all-ages crowd of aggressive guys (and a few understandably skittish gals) eager to bang their heads -- and any other nearby noggins, as well.

After all, this is an LA-born band, and its sole function is to sell the naughty lifestyle of the Sunset Strip.

... Here's hoping Slash's next doomed band is just as entertaining.

This band is profiled in the Frontline program "The Way The Music Died."

Something to sample if you are into LA rock.

Axl keeps threatening to release another GNR album. That's unlikely, and if he does it will suck. These guys are certainly good for some drama, and maybe even an overdose. Someone must keep VH1 busy documenting something.

Who knows.. Maybe they will be able to keep it together long enough to make a rock album that doesn't suck, that manages to be unique. Its possible, damnit. I can't deal with anymore of this White Stripes Iggy Pop ripoff shit.

Velvet Revolver, Making a Bang