Days of our nights

If you’re feeling especially sinister, check out Chunklet, Athens, Ga.’s fantastically snarky music zine, to see if you can help with an upcoming, potentially gut-splitting feature: a Before They Were Rock Stars survey, in which the staff will be collecting all sorts of photos and anecdotes of music stars’ murky pasts for your cruel enjoyment. As the Web site says, “If you went to high school with the dudes from Dismemberment Plan or were in Julian Casablancas‘ frat, we need you!” Now, we bring this up because Kirkland’s own Lake Washington High School is, or was, quite the rock ‘n’ roll high—famous alumni include Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney), Jeremy Enigk (Sunny Day Real Estate), Dann Gallucci (Murder City Devils), among others. If you’ve got the Eastside dirt, send it to beforetheywererockstars@chunklet.com. If not, you can always participate in their other surveys, which include a list of the Most Overrated Records of All Time (send to overrated@chunklet.com) and a compilation of words that should never be used in band names again (“i.e. Sonic, Jesus, etc.”). . . . We told you all about Elvis Costello‘s stellar show at the Paramount last week, but we regret to inform you that you missed out on a new addition to the tour: Freaky-deaky Slingblader/humper of Angelina Jolie/ Hollywood redneck royalty Billy Bob Thornton will now be joining the Costello show for opening sets in Minnesota, Michigan, and Ohio. What, you didn’t know he was musical? . . . Artis the Spoonman may have been immortalized in Soundgarden’s 1994 hit, but he’s been a part of Seattle, and especially the street music scene here, forever. That’s why you should give all you can to a newly established fund to help defray his mounting medical bills. Artis is currently recuperating from a

May 16 heart attack. You can help by donating to the Artis the Spoonman Fund at KeyBank of Washington (Ballard Branch, 1536 Market) or by attending one of several benefits, like “Keep Artis Fine and Funky!” June 22 in Fremont after the Solstice Parade. Or just think of him the next time you’re stacking silverware in your dishwasher at home, and send good wishes for a speedy recovery. . . . All good things must eventually come to an end (a fact that everyone but the Rolling Stones seems to understand), and so it goes with Nation’s Broken Beats. After two and a half years of the best Monday night hip-hop and breakbeat git down around, they’re calling it quits with one final blowout on June 3. Just about every guest DJ they’ve ever had will be in attendance, as will the always tight break-dance crew Circle of Fire. So even if you attend the Red Bull Lords of the Floor battle out at Sandpoint Magnuson Park June 1-2, save some energy—and a little chunk of cardboard—for the 3rd. . . . It’s true we were in rapt attention at Mirah‘s Friday night Graceland show (though her voice could have been a little higher in the mix), but some folks still have their major-label priorities straight, like our man Andrew Bonazelli, who had this to say about Miss Manson and her producer flock at the Moore Theatre: “With all the Mirah hype Friday, it was easy to forget that formerly ber-hyped mid-’90s hit makers Garbage were in town, entertaining a Moore rife with preppy pop goths. Shirley Manson channeled Annie Lennox, sporting a blond buzz cut and clingy tank top, and kindly let the faithful determine the entire encore. Openers Abandoned Pools delivered a nasal but fairly raucous “next big thing” set. As for what happened at Linda’s or the Cha-Cha afterward, who fucking cares?” . . . New Order, a band who, unlike Ryan Adams, have more than two decades worth of music behind

them, are currently working on a box set to be released sometime around Christmas. . . . We mentioned the Bj�/B> greatest-hits album already in the works, but now she’s decided to put the track listing back in the eager hands of her loyal subjects. As of 1 p.m. Monday, May 27, the lines were open for voting on her Web site. There will still be a box set consisting of her own personal favorites released in conjunction with the hits, but if you want to cast your lot for “Big Time Sensuality” or “It’s Oh So Quiet,” do it at www. bjork. com/vote. . . . Speaking of Web sites, the fast growing phenomenon of bootleg mixes—ࠬa Christina Aguilera‘s “Genie in a Bottle” vs. AC/DC‘s “Back in Black”—has spawned a whole new generation of bastard children, including “Wouldn’t It Be Ecstasy?” (the Beach Boys‘ “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” meets Spacemen 3‘s “Ecstasy in Slow Motion”) and “Nasty Voices” (Janet Jackson‘s “Nasty” up against the Police‘s (“Voices Inside My Head”). Get some of the goods at http://falco.kuci.uci.edu/~brianm/lancelockarm. . . . We are shocked—shocked!–to announce the sad end of Hole. After months of near-catatonic inactivity, Courtney Love and Eric Erlandson officially gave word that the band would be calling it quits after 13 years, though the two stated that they may work together to “promote future catalog releases.” In the meantime, Love is still hard at work on a new album with ex-Hole drummer Patty Schemel and former 4 Non Blondes singer Linda Perry, pursuing (we think) a film career, and generally keeping the legal profession in business with various and sundry lawsuits.