By JG

Twenty-five years ago Barb Morrison ran away from her suburban life in Largo, Fla., to make music in New York. You could say she made it.

My high school friend and I got back in touch via MySpace a little less than a decade ago, but I’m not sure she knows that I fondly remember the first time I smoked weed in her bedroom, listening to avant-jazz.

I always looked up to Barb for her tireless brain and immense musical talent.
I am not a bit surprised that she became the successful iconoclast she is today.
Between the time I knew her and now, she has gotten off drugs, cigs and alcohol.

She has played in numerous bands, been a DJ, traveled throughout the Eastern and Western hemispheres and dated “every type except a straight male.”

Producer Barb Morrison with friends Deborah Harry and Perry Farrell

She also became a prolific DJ and music producer is now one half of the Super Buddha recording team in Brooklyn, N.Y. Barb and her studio partner, Chas Nieland, have collaborated with Pink on the video “Hello Bonjour,” received their first gold record for “In the Flesh” on The Best of Blondie and charted at No. 5 on Billboard’s dance chart for the remix of Deborah Harry’s “Two Times Blue.”

Her MySpace bio reads, “I am never bored. Ever.”

Last year she traveled to Greece, Turkey and Thailand. She even skateboards for kicks.The stylish gender rebel sports a spunky look that mixes up punk, urban and designer fashion, defying her 42 years of age.

You could say Morrison’s a punk rocker at heart with her finger firmly on the pulse of mainstream success. She doesn’t conform to any scene or subculture.
If that weren’t all, she’s a die-hard Tampa Bay Bucs fan, too.

Morrison shares some stories about her life back in Tampa Bay and as a busy music-maker today.

Early years: I started playing in punk bands at the age of 14. I was playing sax and drums. At 17, I saw the Pretenders play at Tampa Jai Alai. I jumped onstage and got to sing like two lines of a song before the bouncers tackled me. But that was all it took. The next day I went out and bought a beat-up acoustic guitar for $15 and learned on that ’til my parents bought me a fender Strat, and then it all started to make sense. I was collaborating with this genius bass player named Glenn Stevenson. We were getting our music played on WMNF (Community Radio in Tampa), so I figured it was time to try to get on the radio in NYC after that.

Onto bigger things: I left when I turned 18 in 1985. Like I said, my music was getting played on local radio stations in Tampa and at the time there wasn’t much of a scene the way there is now, so I thought NYC was the best choice for music. I left with $1,000, a suitcase, my Fender Strat and my sax. It was a pretty smart move. The first week I was in New York, I saw Salvador Dali hailing a cab on Seventh Avenue and I thought, “Okay, I can live here.”

Co-producing: Chas Nieland and I met back in the ’90s. Our bands used to play on the same bills together. We really wanted to collaborate on something together, something that wasn’t band related. Around that same time I got a call to do a 13-minute piece of music for a choreographer in Miami. So that was our first real project. That piece led us to our first film score for The Safety of Objects starring Glenn Close. Next we scored the pilot for the Showtime series The L Word and from there it just took off. All the while we were producing CDs for our friend’s bands while we were doing film score so it all kind of melted together. … We obviously work well together. We’ve been doing it for about 10 years. We just trust and respect each other’s ideas.

Some big names she’s produced: We started out producing all the bands in the East Village and then got our first break when Deborah Harry heard something we had done. She asked us to do a new version of the Blondie classic “In the Flesh.” She and the band liked it so much they added it as a bonus track on Blondie’s Greatest Hits: Sight & Sound and it immediately went gold. It was our first gold record so everything sprung from there. We’ve worked with Rufus Wainwright, Scissor Sisters, Franz Ferdinand, Lily Allen, Antony & the Johnsons, as well as continuing to do more film and television scores.

What are some CDs you’ve had in rotation recently?
I really like the new Kaiser Chiefs CD; the new U2 is growing on me. I also listen to the radio a lot. A lot of hip hop and R&B. Chas just told me he loves the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but I haven’t heard it yet.

You’ve commented in the past about how you don’t like some indie music. Please explain.
My goal is to get the artist’s message to as many ears as possible. So the indie crowd tends to be on a smaller scale than a mainstream pop crowd. I’m always thinking big. Also, I’ve always been a fan of lush arrangements and huge hooks. It’s what I grew up on.

What about bands like TV on the Radio, Arcade Fire or Spoon, which get pigeonholed in the indie genre but produce on a large scale, get good reviews and make TV and film appearances (soundtracks, SNL)?
Chas is much more fond of all those bands, which is a reason he and I work so well together. We’ve pretty much covered everything between the two of us. He will walk into work with Arcade Fire on his iPod while I’m listening to Ne-yo. The reason I think those bands aren’t in the pop genre is because of their lack of hooks, although chas will probably disagree with me. Pop music is short for popular music, and you can’t be afraid to really milk a hook. People love it. They always have and they always will.

What’s your take on the Bucs this year?
Well, I’m kinda getting sick of playing Atlanta, New Orleans and Carolina. I miss being in the NFC Central, but I’m standing behind them while they rebuild, and I totally plan on being down there for that Giants game since I HATE the Giants!

What’s your favorite late-night food in New York these days? Let us live vicariously through you …

Late night is best for Little Italy. The best spot there is a place called Umberto’s, where you can get the best sauce, oysters, calamari and everything until 4 a.m. every night. It’s the real New York. Mob boss Joe Gallo was murdered there in the ’70s. The place is all vibe. Also for late night Chinatown is awesome. The best place is Wo-Hop. But you gotta go to the downstairs one. It’s been there since 1938 so you can imagine the stuff they’ve seen in there. Delicious and reasonably priced. An excellent choice if you’re stuck with the bill!
Yeah, I’m not really awake during the day!

By Gina Vivinetto

No Doubt performed live on the Today show yesterday. Here are links to the performance: “Don’t Speak,” “Spiderwebs” and “It’s My Life.”

They sounded okay, not great, but that’s got a lot to do with the horrible mix. And, yes, Gwen forgot lyrics. Damn. As a singer, I can say: it happens to the best of us.

The band was especially bleached three of the with all four No Doubters sporting peroxide blonde hair and Gwen clad in what looks to be my junior high New Wave boyfriend Tom’s bleached trousers. Noted: Ms. Stefani wore her signature 1990s hair knots, signifying she is back in full-on band mode. As opposed to solo mode, which would entail her bringing along the Harujuku Girls.

In fact, everything about Gwen reeked of her No Doubt days — the clothes, the moves — except for the fact that fame and fortune have made her emaciated. Somebody wanna get Ms. Stefani a sandwich?

Anyone going to see No Doubt on its reunion tour? I’m hoping to see them in a few weeks on my visit home to Florida. It will be my first time seeing Gwen with the band. If it’s as good as her solo show, I’m in luck.

Your thoughts?

By Carrie Waite

I like to think I’m a pretty connected person. What with MySpace (is anyone on there any more?), Facebook, RSS feeds, the “blogosphere”, Twitter and even good old fashioned email, one would assume that one would have heard about ones favorite band, Wilco, having announced news of an upcoming record, before today. One would be wrong. Somehow the news, that Wilco has nearly completed their next as yet to be named album, slipped through the matrix on it’s way to me. Until now. It’s expected to be available round June. Just in time for my birthday. Thanks, Jeff!

This new record is stated to feature a guest appearance by Feist on at least one track, titled “You and I”, which makes me hope for more of the loveliness that kept my ears glued to their last record, Sky Blue Sky.

Rumored tracks, in no particular order and subject to change:

Deeper Down

Conscript (aka I’ll Fight)

One Wing

Solitaire

Wilco (the song)

Country Disappeared

Everlasting

Bull Black Nova

Sonny Feeling

You and I

Wilco performed their title song back in October on The Colbert Report, (Check it out here).

And if you’re not sick of Wilco yet, my pal Tracy and I are also heading down to the Sarasota Film Festival to pal around with Steve Buscemi (not really, but they say he’s going to be attending) and catch a screening of the upcoming Wilco documentary, Ashes of American Flags: Wilco Live  directed by Brendan Canty (Fugazi) and Christoph Green. Canty and Green are the creative force behind the gorgeus Burn to Shine DVD series. 

Here’s my wishlist, just in case they decide to make a Burn to Shine here in Tampa Bay and need suggestions (in no particular order):

Dumbwaiters

Pink Lincolns

Ronny Elliott

Will Quinlan and the Diviners

Rebekah Pulley 

Blast and the Detergents

Mosley

Have Gun Will Travel

The Weapons of Ass Destruction

Giddy-Up, Helicopter!

Magadog

Car Bomb Driver

Who else should be on the list?

By Cathy Wos

I recently watched the 20th Anniversary Edition of Heathers and it’s still so Very.

The Anti-Hughes teen movie blew apart sappy stereotypes and happy endings where the Prom Queen and the Juvenile Delinquent date and the Jock falls in love with the Freak. The Popular Girl and the JD may date in Heathers, but their teen angst bullshit has a body count.

The script was the key.
The dialogue was so witty. The catchphrases timeless. To this day I still say: “Jealous much?” and “Great pate, but I gotta motor if I wanna be ready for that funeral.”

Daniel Waters is delusional.
The screenwriter really thought that Stanley Kubrick would direct Heathers. I mean, he really thought that. The Shining references make so much more sense now.

A new generation is discovering Heathers.
But will they get it? Is it still relevant? I hope so. There would be no Mean Girls without Heathers. (In fact, the director of Mean Girls is Daniel Waters’ brother, Mark.)

Young Adult writers Rachel Cohn and/or David Levithan must be equally obsessed with Heathers. The movie is mentioned in Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List. There is a band in N&ENKL called My Dead Gay Son. I wish I had thought of that.

Heathers was made at the right time.
This movie would never get the green light in a Post-Columbine world.

Foreshadowing?
When I heard this quote from the principal “Now I’ve seen a lot of bullshit… angel dust, switchblades, sexually perverse photography involving tennis rackets…” ) I always assumed that it referred to Robert Mapplethorpe. However, the legal battle in Ohio occurred after Mapplethorpe’s death and after Heathers was filmed.

I Don’t Patronize Bunny Rabbits!
The adults in the movie are caricatures. Until you get to the bunny rabbit scene. Veronica’s mother delivers the best speech of any parent in any teen movie. Take that, John Hughes!

“‘Treated like human beings’”? Is that what you said, little Ms. Voice-of-a-Generation?” How do you think adults act with other adults? Do you think it’s all a game of doubles tennis? When teenagers complain that they want to be treated like human beings, it’s usually because they are being treated like human beings.

Be careful what you mock.
Jeremy Applegate (Paul Boyce) prays to never commit suicide. In 2000, he did so in real life.
Kim Walker (Heather Chandler) uttered the famous line “Did you have a brain tumor for breakfast?” and died of one in 2001.

By Cathy Wos

I blame Michelle. She was my best friend from high school and she introduced me to Mickey Rourke. To be more specific, 9 1/2 Weeks and apple schnapps from her grandmother’s alcohol cabinet. My life would never be the same.

Now don’t get me wrong. I had already discovered the Bad Boy. In fact, I bonded with Michelle over our mutual Dead Crush, James Dean. But Mickey was ALIVE and he was raw and sexual and vulnerable and yes, he was crazy. These were the salad days: Pope of Greenwich Village, Angel Heart, Barfly (which I watched with my father ?!?!? and he nicknamed Mickey Snagglepuss). I will admit this here and only here – I even loved Year of the Dragon. Mickey was heading toward a long and prosperous career and then he gave it all up…for boxing.

I received tickets to see Mickey box a mechanic from Hialeah for my 19th birthday. Joe Queenan was Mickey Rourke for a day and smoked 81 cigarettes. Kim Basinger said kissing him was like licking an ashtray. I was undeterred.

I suffered through years of bad movies and bad personal choices. My personal shorthand for this time period? The Carre Otis Years. And don’t jump on my case. I am not blaming the victim or excusing Mickey’s bad behavior. There was a lot of shit going on in that relationship that I don’t pretend to understand. Although it is clear that they do NOT belong together.

Mickey had become a punchline and I wore my love for him like a badge. There were glimmers of hope: Spun (which is a movie he apparently hates) and Sin City. But for the most part he was uninsurable and morphing into caricature through years of boxing damage and bad plastic surgery.

And then came along Darren Aronofsky.

When I first heard the buzz surrounding The Wrestler I got that feeling. Here was The Redemption of Mickey Rourke. Here is the role I always knew he had in him, the role he lived. And sure enough, he’s been invited to The Big Dance. Will he win an Oscar? I placed my bet on this dark horse long ago. He does have competition among fellow Bad Boy, Sean Penn. And Mickey is still…Mickey. He has accepted a certain amount of politics in Hollywood, but he still refuses to play the game. He thanked his precious dogs in his Golden Globe acceptance speech.

His best friend Loki died this week. I wonder how he copes with losing his 18-year-old dog. I, myself, am in the process of saying goodbye to my own feline best friend who is sick. His name? Mickey. I think you’ve figured out by now that he’s not named after the Mouse.

By Cherie Currie

GOD!!! I’ve been hearing of all these girls that claim they were a member of my band, The Runaways. Frankly, I don’t remember them! I will not name names, I don’t want to be cruel, but hey! In the midst of all that’s going on with the movie, all the blood, sweat and tears that were shed by us five girls: Sandy West — RIP, we love and miss you, baby, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, me, and Jackie Fox, I can’t think of a single person that deserves to carry the torch as the family that were, as Jackie puts it, “The Famous Five”.

Yes, Vicki Blue joined after Jackie left. I only did a photo session and a rehearsal or two with her. She did go on tour and was a ‘part’ of the band. Micki Steele was a part of the trio before Jackie and I were involved but there was no deal. (So glad she succeeded with The Bangles. She’s a truly gifted artist).

Frankly, I’m sick of these women, staking their claim to something that we (the original five) made happen. And if you (meaning these girls) think that I’m going to stand by idle and let you bask in the sunshine that we five worked our asses off for, you are sadly mistaken.

This movie The Runaways is based on my book. I spent years working on the new version, which the movie is based on. I refuse to let these gals walk in and claim they were or are a part of it in any way.

I’m so proud of Joan Jett and Lita Ford that they continued on in this ‘heavier then hell’ business and made a success of themselves. You are true pioneers and I love you both with all my heart.

The Runaways were five girls that kicked some major ass. We fought the male-dominated musical world against all odds. I refuse to let anyone other then us bask in glory of what was a fight like no other.

If you want to ’stake your claim,’ you have to go through me baby… and GOOD LUCK!!!

Respectfully,
Cherie Currie of the one and ONLY, The Runaways!

By the way, with the hope that The Runaways be graced by the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame, the ORIGINAL five members should be inducted. No one else.

Cherie Currie was the lead singer of The Runaways. She’s a professional musician, actress, author, and one of the few women in America who create chainsaw art. She writes Cherie Currie’s Guide to Life because she loves you.

By Carrie Waite

Growing up as a little one in the 1970s, my father ALWAYS had a beard. Always, in some form, in some various stage of growth, he was hairy and scary. I had this photograph of him that I was slightly obsessed with because you could actually see his bare face in it. It was either a mugshot or one of those photo booth pics. Let’s go with mugshot.  And I really hated his beard. Every time he’d pick me up for one of those “Dad Weekends”, he would insist on kissing my delicate little face and it felt like sandpaper ripping my skin off. But now, I seem to surround myself with the very thing that frightened me as a little girl. Hairy scary men.

So, tonight we started talking about how all the bands that are popping up in my iPod mix freaking have beards (maybe we’ll cover the ironic mustache trend in a future post, but don’t get me started on that right now). Half the magazine covers at Borders sport a beard (either a beard or Obama this week).

Death Cab For Cutie on The Big Takeover, Fleet Foxes on Under The Radar and even Zach Braff was all sorts of fuzzy on the cover of Geek Monthly. I heard your band must have at least one bearded member to get signed to Sup Pop nowadays and the New World Brewery is like a gang, no make that a secret club for boys with beards most nights. It makes me jealous that I can’t grow one.  

I admit it.  I think beards are pretty sexy, now. Even the scraggly, unkempt ones can have a certain Grizzly Adams charm to them. What is it about the beard? Is it simply a fashion accessory? A resurgent cultural phenomenon? Just plain laziness (this one gets my vote)? Damn manly though, if you ask me.  

Perhaps it’s a sign that my beloved indie-rock has become a “mature” genre. God forbid, are we getting old? Why do all my favorite men look homeless?

Sexiest beard has to be Dave Grohl’s

By Gina Vivinetto

Remember Dave Stewart, the wooly guitarist of The Eurthymics, the 1980s British duo that also featured Annie Lennox?

Stewart has been busying himself over the years with his solo music, studio and production work and, now, designing a custom sex toy.

According to The Sun, Stewart is the man behind a pricey new vibrator – 2000 pounds in England, which converts to…hold on…about $1,300 in the States.

Stewart, 56, has created the diamond-studded “Little Steel Tonight” vibrator. It’s made of solid steel, with a satin finish, and it’s got 28 diamonds adorning it along with the lyrics to Stewart’s new single, “Let Do It Again.”

Stewart also created a more affordable vibrator called the “Little Chroma Tonight” which retails for about $135.

Stewart, the father of four, was married to Bananarama’s Siobahn Fahey from 1987 to 1996. He’s now married to Dutch photographer Anoushka Fisz.

By Tina Federspiel

Everyone has a favorite tune that just shakes you to the core. One that moves you in a way beyond reasoning and makes you look at life from a different perspective. A song with drums that hit you in the right spot and guitar that makes you want to take up lessons immediately. It’s amazing the effect that music can have on you.

And it’s different for everyone, which is so great.

While it may be a favorite tune at the top of your list, it may be at the bottom of someone else’s. And that’s ok. That person has their own favorite tune and so on and so on.

A great tune will never leave you. It won’t cheat on you and won’t leave you stranded or feeling lonely at any time. In fact, it will find you and take you to a safe place. It’s always loyal and will make you feel better no matter what kind of mood your in. For me, it has to be a rockin’ tune. It can’t be some mamby pamby shit. A slow song is appropriate in its own time and place, of course. But it’s the rockin’ tunes that brings life back into you and give you that second wind.

One of my favorite things to do is walk around this city with my headphones in and set my iPod to a great tune. its like I’m in my own little music video and I’m walking in slow motion. I notice so much more while walking around and I find myself smiling a lot. Which makes people smile back and puts me in a good mood. Anyplace is a great place to listen to a rockin’ tune, but the best places for me –and I do turn it up way loud — are riding on the subway, driving in the car, riding in a taxicab, at the gym, walking around the city getting from A to B or walking home from a late night out. The fact that the earphones are tucked in tight makes it all the better because it blocks everything else out. Sweet.

Some of my favorites songs that stay at the top of the list over the test of time are:

1) “What Ever Happened To My Rock ‘N” Roll?” by the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
2) “Rock ‘N’ Roll Queen by The Subways
3) “I Wanna Be Adored” by The Stone Roses
4) “Rock ‘N’ Roll Star” by Oasis (Notice a theme here?)
5) “New York Girls” by Morningwood
6) “No Easy Way Out” by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (Although I almost took this off the list when it made a cameo in the movie The Guardian. Way to let me down, boys)
7) “Life on a Chain” by Pete Yorn
“She Sells Sanctuary” by The Cult
9) “I’ll Stick Around” by Foo Fighters
10) “It’s On The Rocks” by The Donnas

Great guitar riffs. Rockin’ beats. Head banging, air drum and air guitar playing! That’s what I’m talking about.

I guess as much as I try to act like I’m an alternative girl, I’m a Rock ‘N’ Roll Sweaty Bitch at heart.

Our pal Lorna Bracewell, a popular musician, activist, and now blogger in the Tampa area, has written a fun blog post listing rock songs about women murdering men. It reads:

“The idea for this post was born of my accidental experiment with decaffeinated coffee a week or so ago. (You can read more about that here.) One of the completely random and wholly undeveloped thoughts that “seeped in and out of my foggy, throbbing brain” during the course of that experiment was the following: There are a lot of really good songs about women murdering men. I’ve decided to explore and defend this claim. Here’s a list of the songs I was attempting to think about and some speculation as to why I/we enjoy them so much.”

Lorna lists a few favorites: “Janie’s Got A Gun” by Aerosmith and the Dixie Chick’s “Goodbye, Earl.”

Read the rest of Lorna’s post here and let her –or us– know what other songs about women killing the menfolk we can think of.

By Gina Vivinetto

As anyone knows me knows: this is the most important day in rock ‘n’ roll. I’m going to take this opportunity to reprint an article I wrote for the St. Petersburg Times in 2004 when I was the paper’s pop music critic. It’s five years old, so don’t be fooled by the ages listed:

Raise a toast this day, rock ‘n’ rollers. It’s a special one for music lovers.

Jan. 8 marks the birthday of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll (today Elvis would have celebrated number 69), and the birthday of several more notables in rock history.

David Bowie turns 57.

The Doors’ Robby Krieger is 58.

Little Anthony Gourdine of Little Anthony and the Imperials: 64.

R. Kelly celebrates number 35.

Terry Sylvester of the Hollies is 57.

Shirley Bassey turns 67.

Even the late concert promoter and Grateful Dead buddy Bill Graham, who devoted his life’s work to rock music, was born on this day in 1931.

Can you imagine what rock would be like if Jan. 8 were wiped off the calendar?

Think of the rock history we would have been denied: No “Hound Dog”, as done by Elvis, with leg wiggle. No Bowie dressed as Ziggy Stardust. No “Light My Fire.” (Krieger wrote the tune.) All those legendary Dead concerts at the Fillmore in San Fran – poof! Gone.

You wouldn’t be reading this article. My birthday, too, is Jan. 8, as I’ve been proud to say my whole life.

As has Jeremy Gloff.

The Tampa singer-songwriter turns 29 today. Gloff says he found out back in middle school that he’d been born on a special day. Already a music obsessive, “I bragged to everyone about it,” Gloff says. “If the day Buddy Holly died was the day music died, than Jan. 8 has got to be the day the music was born.”

With 12 albums under his belt, tireless Gloff shares a work ethic equal to that of Presley and Bowie.

Could it be a Capricorn thing?

Astrologists say Capricorns, folks born between Dec. 22 and Jan. 19, are a hard-working bunch. Like the goats who represent us on the zodiac, we see a mountain, and by golly, we climb it.

Unfortunately, Capricorns are also supposed to be uptight, prone to mood swings and gloominess, and fastidious to the point where it’s an unpretty line between our orderliness and others’ obsessive-compulsive disorder.

“My CD collection is totally alphabetized,” Gloff admits. “It’s sorted by release dates, all the albums in a row by the date they came out. Even CD singles are organized in between by the date. I’m totally Type A.”

When I spoke with Krieger last year while he toured with the Doors 21st Century, we discussed magic Jan. 8. We jawed about astrology – turns out, Krieger is into the stuff and, like Elvis and Bowie, always searching spiritually.

Krieger said that, like most Capricorns, he’s finding himself less gloomy and more playful as he gets older.

We giggled about how Krieger, in his 20s during the 1960s, believed all of the bad things going on in the world and in his life were part of a great conspiracy.

Paranoid? A Capricorn? Well, the astrology books say we’re “cautious.”

Cautious like Elvis, with his “Memphis Mafia” and rampant conspiracy fears? Walled up in Graceland, shooting TV sets, windows and anything else that reminded him of a reality he couldn’t deal with. Ultimately dying “down at the end of Lonely Street” in his bathroom, fat, bingeing, addicted to the drugs that were meant to combat the mood swings and gloominess and paranoia.

Or David Bowie, holed up, high on cocaine in Berlin during his 1970s recording blitz? Dressing in vintage war clothes as the Thin White Duke, his alter ego too “cautious” to blink in public.

Gloff’s no paranoid freak, but he does see similarities between Bowie and himself:

Like Bowie did during the 1970s, Gloff wears his sexuality on his sleeve or, in the case of Gloff’s pic on Romantico, his latest disc, across his chest. Gloff’s vintage iron-on T-shirt reads: Made for Loving Him. He also changes his look a lot. Right now, Gloff’s head is shaved, but his hair has been an assortment of colors, and he’s been known to wear electrical tape as part of his onstage wardrobe.

Also, as Bowie did several times during the 1970s and the 1980s, Gloff toys with a musical alter ego. When Gloff records his peppy, naughty electronica dance music, it’s under his J.Glo alias.

Gloff gives props to the King, too, but he’s says he’s not much of an Elvis freak. The King’s former queen, however, is another story.

“I’m a huge fan of Priscilla Presley,” Gloff says, “She always had good hairdos, even on Dallas.“

Anyway, Happy Birthday, everyone. It’s a rock ‘n’ roll party. Get yourself a slice of cake, that is, if The King left any for the rest of us.

By Gina Vivinetto

Krautrock superstars Kraftwerk are in the news a lot this week. Billboard reports that the band has accepted the opening slot on Radiohead’s spring tour of Latin America.

Kraftwerk

What a great bill that is for fans of songs about the technology, computers, robots and um, loving technology, computers, and robots. Except, in my opinion, it should be called a double bill because Kraftwerk is too important to be called anyone’s “support.”

Radiohead

Alas, Kraftwerk has probably sold a tiny fraction of the albums Thom Yorke and company have despite the fact that they’ve been around twice as long and have influenced countless rock and electronica musicians.

In other Kraftwerk news, according to the band’s official web site, founding member Florian Schneider, has left the group.

This leaves only one original member remaining in the band, Ralf Hutter. Geez, that will really change the live show. (I’m just kidding, because they all stand motionless behind behemoth keyboards and pretty much look identical).

Have you seen Kraftwerk live? Radiohead? Does this sound like double-bill heaven to you? Do robots go to heaven?

By Gina Vivinetto

“All you’ve got to do in this country today is just be on television and you’re more known and respected than anyone who paints a great painting or creates great music or writes a great book or is a great dancer. People were already calling me ‘Mr. Tyson,’ or saying, ‘I know who you are. You’re that guy who’s married to Cicely Tyson!’ And they would be sincere when they said that. It taught me that a bad, untalented person who is on television or in the movies can be more recognized and respected than than a genius who doesn’t appear on the screen.”

–Late jazz great Miles Davis discussing what it was like being married to film star Cicely Tyson.

I once heard that Miles slapped a man across the face when he asked, “Aren’t you Cicely Tyson’s husband?”

By Gina Vivinetto

Oh no, I just read that Ron Asheton, legendary guitarist of The Stooges, has died. Ron was 60.

Ron was found dead this morning in his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In recent years, The Stooges, which also included Ron’s brother Scott Asheton and the great Iggy Pop, had reunited and in 2007 the band released The Weirdness, a critically acclaimed album of new material.

By Tina Federspiel

Living in New York city for the past two years has been one of the greatest experiences thus far in my life. For a music lover, it’s the ultimate city to live in. But it doesn’t stop there. If you love art, ethnic food, different cultures, and checking out the live music scene on any given night of the week, then this is the city for you.

I moved here from St. Petersburg, Florida for a job and, to be honest, I dreaded coming here at first and I’ll tell you why. The main reason was that I would have to become accustomed to doing my laundry at a laundromat and this really bummed me out. Never take for granted the fact that you can do your laundry in your home at any time. Like all things, it took some time getting used to. Now I’ve grown accustomed to doing it on a Friday morning and I bring a good book with me while people are watching. It’s very therapeutic. (There are some crazy fucked-up people in this city and they are FUN to watch).

The other reason was having to get rid of my car. Again, at first it took a lot of effort to get motivated to get on the train and go somewhere. But now, with this being the “green” era, I feel good about not owning a car and contributing to the deterioration of the ozone layer and global warming.

So in retrospect, moving to New York was a good thing.

And the music: Wow, where to begin? I never knew how many bands came out of New York: Ambulance LTD, The Damnwells, Yeasayer, MGMT, Sonic Youth and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, to name a few. And, you can almost guarantee that your favorite band will make it through this city more than once a year. How many times does that happen in your town?

I’m constantly looking for that ultimate band to move me at a live show. A band to leave me with an all-natural high that I’m still grinning about days later. A band so good, you have to buy a T-shirt. That’s right, I said it: I’m a T-shirt buying whore and I’ll wear them anywhere I want to.

One band to always get out and see if you get the chance is Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. If you know me, you know they’re my all-time favorite.

No new stuff this past year, but I always seem to catch a new song they recorded here and there. Worth the money for a ticket any time they play!

By Simone Stenfors

Best live concerts/gigs:

1) Bad Manners

2) The Sonics

3) The Urban Voodoo Machine

4) The Jim Jones Revue

5) Rebel Yell

6) Girlschool

7) Autorama

The Glitterati

9) The Helacopters

10) The Delinquents

My Top CD’s:

1) Sixx A.M., The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack

2) The Barbarellatones, The Devil’s Dildo

3) London Egg, In The Beginning

4) The Jim Jones Revue, The Jim Jones Revue

And my tip for 2009 is:

The Ruby Friedman Orchestra
from Los Angeles.

Simone Stenfors is a writer, photographer, and muse on the London music scene. She is currently writing a memoir.

Best Gay Lady Albums

By Trish Bendix

Jennifer O’Connor, Here With Me
Folk rock with the focus on her guitar, JOC sings about her relationship with her girlfriend, and even puts her on the cover. The video for the title track is adorable – also starring her girlfriend. Someone is in love.

An Horse, Rearrange Beds
Australian duo with lesbian singer Kate Cooper, AKA Sara Quin’s new favorite band. Mine too. Dare I say, like Tegan and Sara’s brand of charming indie pop but better?

Sia, Some People Have Real Problems
Another Aussie but with some ridiculous pipes. She has as much quirk in her as she does soul, which is an interesting mix, especially on songs about her leaving her BF because he was on drugs. No gay-type songs about her new love JD yet, but I’m holding out hope for 2009.

Joan as Police Woman, To Survive
Bisexual chanteuse that’s still kind of under the radar; still prefaced in every review with “dated Jeff Buckley, played behind Rufus and Antony.” Still ruling on several instruments, including the viola.

Amanda Palmer, Who Killed Amanda Palmer?
Will anyone care that the Dresden Dolls broke up as long as Amanda Palmer is still making music? Highly unlikely. This album is proof that she is/was the creative mind behind the operation. (Extra points for St. Vincent cameo.)

Yo Majesty , Futuristically Speaking…
Shunda K and Jwl B are apparently on the outs right now, which is the saddest news since their debut full-length was hot. It’s nice to dance to music about making eyes at chicks without it being blatantly misogynistic.

Kaki King, Dreaming of Revenge
I’m so glad Kaki broke up with someone to write this record. Serious points to whomever inspired her to want to be “pulled out alive.” Glad she’s keeping up with the lyrics and vocals because her writing is just as pleasant as her playing.

Missy Higgins, On A Clear Night
Australia = musical mecca of totally gay women. Missy Higgins gave Grey’s Anatomy a boner, and this album was originally released a few years ago. Ahead of the times, this Aussie.

Ponytail, Ice Cream Spiritual
Oh.my.god. Serious heart attack having. So good, so spastic, so refreshing. Molly Siegel owns Yoko Ono. Art rock for people who hate the term art rock.

Hercules and Love Affair, Hercules and Love Affair
My favorite song is “Athene,” sung by lesbo Kim Ann Foxman (who is, by definition a stone cold fox). The whole CD, though, is contemporary disco that is so queer, even straight people like it. They get all hypnotized by the hip electronicness of it all.

New Bloods, The Secret Life
Rumor is they are breaking up. I will not have it, because this PDX trio is punk riot grrrl modern and I am feeling it. I wanted to see them in a cage match with Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato and some other Disney bitch. Raven Symone?

Bound Stems, The Family Afloat
A gay lady among men in this Chicago-band, Janie Porche is so obviously a dyke when she’s singing on this record. I might be able to tell it from her instrument playing, too, but I am too busy thinking how gay she is when she’s singing a duet. More Janie, B.S.!

The Organ, Thieves EP
Fucking teases. Way to release a post-humous EP that is amazing melodramatic Smiths-esque indie rock. You’re dead to me. (Your own fault.)

Thalia Zedek, Liars and Prayers
I find Thalia kind of scary, which is why reading her lyrics makes me want to cry. Her husky voice is perfect for her guitar-playing, though, which is pretty inaccessible. She’s the antithesis of any other lesbian singer-songwriter ever.

Tracy Chapman, Our Bright Future
I don’t know all the lyrics to “Fast Car.” I am an anomaly. But I also think Tracy’s genre-mixing on Our Bright Future is interesting, even though it’s been done before. Still, she brings something to the country-tinged tracks and the Broadway-infused rhythms on the song, “I Had It All.” I didn’t hate it.

By Carrie Waite

Best Albums:

Beck, Odelay (Re-issue w/ Bonus Disc)
The Black Keys, Attack & Release
Calexico, Carried To Dust
The Dirtbombs, We Have You Surrounded
Dr.Dog, Fate
Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes
Flight of the Concords, Flight of the Concords
Have Gun Will Travel, Casting Shadows Tall As Giants
The Magnetic Fields, Distortion
Rebekah Pulley, Back to Boogaloo
Will Quinlan & the Diviners, Navasota
Sun Kil Moon, April
Lucinda Williams, Little Honey
Wye Oak, If Children

By Nikki Navarro, guitarist, Giddy-Up, Helicopter!

Top Albums (in no particular order):

1. The Dodos – Visiter
2. Land of Talk – Some Are Lakes
3. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
4. Ra Ra Riot – The Rhumb Line
5. Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer
6. Des Ark – WXDU Volume Two
7. Mount Eerie, Julie Doiron and Fred Squire - Lost Wisdom
8. Mirah – The Old Days Feeling
9. Deerhunter – Micro Castle
10. First Aid Kit – Drunken Trees

Top Concerts:

1. Sunset Rubdown @ Empty Bottle (Chicago)
2. The Breeders @ SXSW
3. The Dodos @ SXSW
4. Ra Ra Riot @ SXSW
5. Black Mountain @ SXSW

Top Singles:

1. Land of Talk “Some Are Lakes”
2. Ra Ra Riot “Ghost Under Rocks”
3. Fleet Foxes “White Winter Hymnal”
4. Beyonce “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”
5. Rihanna “Disturbia”
6. Estelle & Kanye West “American Boy”