When Actors Play Musicians

This week's cover subject looks like the guy who played Buddy Holly in a Hollywood film, and last week, Hannah Levin mentioned rumor that Nicole Kidman is picked to play Dusty Springfield. All this got me thinking...whatever happened with this guy...

...being picked to play this guy?

Anybody heard anything? Is that happening? I can't remember.

Topics: Aesthetic

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Good 'ol Al...

My favorite quote of the day comes from 50-year-old Al Jourgensen, telling Cleveland Scene why he's finally pulling the plug on Ministry after 25 years:

"Frankly, I'd rather be at home with my dogs than traipsing around the country like a drunken idiot in a tour bus, trying to find a truck stop to crap in."

Topics: Aesthetic

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Wanna Tour the World with Alicia Keys?

Apparently, Alicia Keys isn't above some American Idol-style gimmickry; dunno if this contest is in lieu of actually paying a backup singer, but, as per the singer's camp:

Eleven-time Grammy award winner Alicia Keys is looking to find a new background singer through her MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/aliciakeys). The lucky winner will get a chance to tour with her as part of the worldwide "Lexus Presents Alicia Keys As I Am Tour."

People interested are asked to submit a 30 second or longer video of them singing an original song acapella to Alicia Keys' Myspace page. Qualifications include being a female between the ages 21-30 with R&B/Soul singing experience. Contestant must also have a valid passport, and must be physically fit and able to dance. Deadline for submissions is May 5. A winner will be selected around May 15.

Topics: Aesthetic

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Can A Band With 17 Members Fit Onto The Comet's Stage?

Of course it can! In this week's issue, Justin F. Farrar writes with great enthusiasm about Athens, GA psych-tribe Dark Meat. Here, you can get a glimpse of what to expect when all 17 members cram their asses and instruments in the Comet Tavern this Sunday, May 4 (oh, and remember Kent State that day while you're at it). The spectacle of these Southern kids is enough, but dig that sound too. It's like the Albert Ayler trio leading a mariachi band through the French Quarter at 2 a.m. Insanity.

Topics: Aesthetic

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While The Shoe Companies Are At It...

The shoe companies are having such a shit-ton of fun making shoes in homage to rock bands...but please, Converse, if you're listening...when will you officially release those Weapon high-tops with the monogrammed "Axl" over the Converse logo?!?!? You know...the ones he wore in Guns N' Roses' "Estranged" video when he swam with the dolphins. Please, Converse...it's worth the lawsuit, isn't it?

Topics: Aesthetic

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Made For Running to the Hills

Sure, Jonah from Schoolyard Heros has a pair of the Killers edition, but I just got my hands on the brand-new "Trooper" Vans. My status as metal dork is complete:

Iron Maiden plays White River Amphitheatre on June 2.

Topics: Aesthetic

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For The Vernal Equinox

Spring is officially here. It's Thursday. Good Friday is tomorrow. Easter is Sunday. What could be appropriate for today than David Axelrod's symphonic jazz-break masterpiece, "Holy Thursday"?

Absolutely nothing.

In honor of the visual satisfaction that Spring brings, here's a video of some stunning moving images of Dublin, shot from the 15th floor viewing deck of Liberty Hall, the tallest building in Dublin that has been proposed to be demolished, set to the music of "Holy Thursday." Isn't it lovely?

Topics: Aesthetic

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Animating Radiohead

Like Radiohead? Like to draw/design/animate/make weird shit with your computer? Then you should enter this online contest at Aniboom — they're looking for someone to create an animated music video for any song from In Rainbows. First prize, well, you get to make a full-length animated video. And you get $10,000. And maybe you can top the awesome "Paranoid Android" clip, though that might prove difficult.

Topics: Aesthetic

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Nirvana, Falling Trees, Chainsaws

Hell, this almost makes up for Last Days. In the Arts & Leisure section of today's New York Times, director Gus Van Sant gives an interview in which he says "[Nirvana's] songs really sounded like falling trees and chain saws."
I've read plenty (but not everything) on Nirvana, and I swear this is the first and only time I've heard someone make such an appropriate comparison to their music. I've heard the lumberjack comparisons, and how the Northwest's gray skies and rain are evident in the sogginess and dreariness of their music, but never something so fitting as "falling trees and chainsaws."
But maybe I'm wrong.
Either way, take a listen to "In Bloom" up above and notice how the riff sounds like Douglas firs crashing to the ground. It's not lumberjack rock, it's clear-cut rock.

Topics: Aesthetic

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Tilson On 45th: Why Can't This Happen Everyday?

Greatest. Afternoon. Ever.
First I'm standing at the bus stop on 45th, reading a book by David Mamet and enjoying this thing they call sunshine. I hear loud hip-hop being blasted from a car, which is nothing unusual, but still I look up to see where it's coming from.
It's TILSON from THE SATURDAY KNIGHTS! He spots me, I spot him. He turns the volume down on his jams and leans out the window of his black Land Rover...
"Hey Brian, what's happening, man?!?"
"Dude! Not much! Waitin' on the bus...you?"
"Headin' up to Light in the Attic to see if our album's finished being mastered yet."
"Right on."
We exchange a few other pleasantries, but then the light turns green, Tilson rolls on, and suddenly I realize my day just got a whole lot brighter...

Topics: Aesthetic

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