THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

...with THE PIXIES! The documentary loudQUIETloud is streaming in full via Hulu. Chock full of awesome, is what it is.

THE KNIFE is advance streaming Tomorrow, In A Year. Electro is not really my genre, but it might be yours.

CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG and BECK stopped by Morning Becomes Eclectic for a chat and mini-set. Ms. Gainsbourg also talks to TIME about the collaboration.

FRUIT BATS also stopped by MBE for a chat and mini-set.

JIMI HENDRIX: "Valleys of Neptune" -- the title track from the upcoming LP of unreleased material -- premiered at Spinner.

I SLEPT WITH JOEY RAMONE: Mickey Leigh -- Joey's younger brother -- talks to All Things Considered.

ALL SONGS CONSIDERED: Tracks from the Hotrats, the Besnard Lakes, Surfer Blood, Midlake and more feature in the latest installment of the long-running series.

THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS spawns an extensive streaming playlist in honor of the Saints going to the Big Game.

CHEAP TRICK: "I Want You... to Want Me," on Aussie TV, circa 1979. Nary a cord in sight.

MEMORABLE GRAMMY PERFORMANCES, compiled by NPR.

GIRLS frontman Christopher Owens and his escape from the Children of God cult is just the start of an article from the Austin American-Statesman.

THE 10 BEST FULL-ALBUM COVERS (cover albums, not album covers), according to Flavorwire.

MAGNETIC FIELDS: Stephin Merritt starts an inteview with MetroWeekly by debunking his Wikipedia entry.

FIERY FURNACES: Matthew Friedberger is interviewed by The Flagpole (and vice versa): "The percentage of people in the world who know about us is pretty low. A lot more people know about Coca-Cola and The Beatles," he deadpans. "It's flattering that you know anything about the band at all, frankly."

BOWERBIRDS are profiled by the Santa Barbara Independent.

THE TOP TEN ROCK BIOPICS, according to the Times of London.

CUTOUT BIN: From the MC5 to the Magnetic Fields, from the Byrds to Sonic Youth, from James Brown to the Knack, plus Cracker, the Godfathers, Bob Mould, Chris Bell, the Sweet and more -- this weekend's fortuitous finds are streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NOW SHOWING:  This weekend's wide releases are Edge of Darkness (featuring the return of Mad Mel Gibson), which is currently scoring 60 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; and the rom-com When in Rome, which is scoring 06 percent.

TIGER WOODS: Alleged escort Loredana Jolie says the disgraced golfer is such a freak in bed, his stint in a rehab for sex addiction probably won't cure him.

BRITTANY MURPHY's husband Simon Monjack reveals he's suing Warner Brothers for wrongful death; talks about how drug rumors destroyed Brittany's career; denies rumors that he was drunk on the set of The Caller; and talks about Brittany's final moments.

JESSICA SIMPSON had a windy moment during a business meeting.

BRADGELINA: The real story behind Brad Pitt's new real estate.

LINDSAY LOHAN is going topless in Robert Rodgriguez's Machete.

J.D. SALINGER, reclusive author of The Catcher in the Rye, got even more reclusive at 91.

MIRAMAX, R.I.P.

PAKISTAN: Pres. Asif Ali Zardari has a black goat slaughtered at his house almost every day to ward off "evil eyes" and protect him from "black magic."

AFGHANISTAN: Al Jazeera claims that a plan is being considered to pay up to 1 billion to Taliban fighters to persuade them to lay down their arms.  Members of the Taliban's leadership council have met secretly with the United Nations representative for Afghanistan to discuss the possibility of laying down their arms, a UN official said on Thursday. Coincidence?

PLAYING WITH A CHICKEN on the New York subway.

OSCAR the LABRADOR had 13 golf balls removed from his stomach after his owner noticed his stomach was rattling.

A DOG had a lucky escape after he got stranded on an ice floe that had carried him over 70 miles up a river and out onto the icy waters of the Baltic Sea.

PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL is not being replaced by a robot.

SOLANGE KNOWLES joined OF MONTREAL on the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" to help kick off the band's tour.  I will send you to Stereogum to see the part of the show where Susan Sarandon spanks a pig onstage.

CARIBOU's "Odessa" gets Best New Track status at Pitchfork.

SPOON stopped by Morning Becomes Eclectic for a chat and mini-set, while Britt Daniel talked to All Things Considered about the band's new album.

THE DEARS did three free songs for Daytrotter.

YEASAYER is offering "O.N.E." as an advance track via its website.

THE RAVEONETTES: "Boys Who Rape." Should all be destroyed. Warnings for graphic and profane material.

YO LA TENGO: Tulsa World notes that "even after a quarter-century in the music business, Yo La Tengo still might be the ultimate buzz band."

MAGNETIC FIELDS: Stephin Merritt's career is surveyed by Exclaim!

OWEN PALLETTshares a few of his favorite things for Pitchfork's Guest List.

AC/DC are set to soundtrack the forthcoming Iron Man 2.

CHARLIE SHEEN's wife, Brooke Mueller, is now seeking treatment at a drug and alcohol rehab center in North Carolina.

BEN AFFLECK has fallen off the wagon and is boozing again despite swearing off alcohol for good when he checked into rehab in 2001, according to RadarOnline.

JOHN TRAVOLTA has flown a jetliner carrying relief supplies into the Haitian capital, along with doctors and ministers from the Church of Scientology.

BRADGELINA were reportedly sharing a cozy dinner when the breakup rumor hit the Internets.  Jolie and her brother James Haven have joined forces to release a video tribute to their late mother Marcheline Bertrand - featuring home movies from 1981.

KIEFER SUTHERLAND was the target of a sinister con man who trapped him in an elaborate Ponzi scheme involving a cow.

GEORGE LUCAS is making a CGI-based musical about faeries?

JOAN JETT talks to CinemaBlend about The Runaways, real and filmic.

YEMEN: US military teams and intelligence agencies are deeply involved in secret joint operations with Yemeni troops who in the past six weeks have killed scores of people, among them six of 15 top leaders of a regional al-Qaeda affiliate.

AFGHANISTAN: NATO said on Wednesday it had finalized an agreement with Kazakhstan on the transit of supplies to Afghanistan, hoping it will reduce its reliance on a route through Pakistan that has been attacked by the Taliban.  Meanwhile: "In 33 out of 34 provinces, the Taliban has a shadow government," said a senior official with NATO's military intelligence in Kabul.

PING-PONG KITTY: Let's go to the video.

HEY, IS THAT A LIZARD IN YOUR PANTS, or is it 44 of them?

A GOLDFISH has stunned his owner by spending the last five years swimming around upside down.

A BLIND DOG that had stopped breathing for ten minutes after plunging into the icy sea was saved - after a burly builder gave him the kiss of life.

ST. VINCENT and BON IVER teamed up on Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" at a Haiti benefit.

PHOENIX covers Bob Dylan's "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands," in less than half its original length.

JOANNA NEWSOM is streaming a new song, "81," from her upcoming triple album, via Drag City.

IGGY POP -- and his distinctive voice -- are featured at All Things Considered, with classic video clips included. 

BASIA BULAT has an interview, video and downloadable performance at the National Post.

YEAH YEAH YEAHS dropped a new video for "Skeletons."

WYE OAK talk to Prefix about their new album, their musical histories and the joys of waiting tables.

SERGE GAINSBOURG, and his freaky biopic, gets coverage from TIME.

KILLING JOKE: The Quietus covers the original lineup's first recording in 13 years.

LOS CAMPESINOS! Gareth talks to Drowned in Sound about the glockenspiel he's auctioning for Haiti.

TIGER WOODS' wife Elin has called off her divorce from the golf superstar, sources tell RadarOnline.

BRADGELINA split rumors continue, fureled by the author of a book about the couple and a Daily Mail story claiming that Brad Pitt has secretly purchased a bachelor pad to help him sort out his split from Angelina Jolie.

JENNIFER ANISTON has given 500K to Doctors Without Borders, Partners in Health and AmeriCares for their recovery efforts in Haiti.

JESSICA SIMPSON wants to send 50K pairs of shoes to Haiti. And she has a new dog, to replace the one nabbed by a coyote.

PAULA ABDUL has been offered a million-dollar development deal from ABC -- if she judges Dancing With the Stars.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE wins the Hasty Pudding award from Harvard University, and still seems to have Jessica Biel's attention.

NATALIE PORTMAN is dating her choreographer on The Black Swan, which may be why his live-in gf moved out.

CLINT EASTWOOD is America's Favorite Movie Star. Who would dare tell him otherwise?

HARRY POTTER and the DEATHLY HALLOWS: Coming in 3-D.

TIM BURTON will preside over the jury at the 63rd Festival de Cannes.

AFGHANISTAN: One of the country's most notorious warlords, accused of widespread abuses including the massacre of thousands of Taliban prisoners, has been reinstated by Pres. Karzai in a top army post despite Western demands for sweeping reform.

IRAQ: More than 80 were wounded -- and 18 were killed -- in a suicide attack on Baghdad's police lab.

LION and MAN, embrace and kiss after a court rules they can stay together... Mass hysteria!

TWO BRITISH CROCODILES have been taught to recognize when a keeper calls their names at the Blue Planet Aquarium.

A SUN BEAR at the St. Louis Zoo is the Gene Simmons of bears.

BLACK ANGUS COWS are being hunted in Arkansas.

SOME MOUSE SPERM can discriminate between its brethren and competing sperm from other males, clustering with its closest relatives to swim faster in the race to the egg.

BEACH HOUSE made its TV debut playing "Zebra" for Fallon.  The band was also profiled by the Baltimore Sun. The album stream is immediately below.

NEW RELEASES: Albums from Charlotte Gainsbourg, Beach House, David Bowie, Patti Griffin and more are streaming this week at Spinner.

MIDLAKE is advance streaming The Courage of Others via NPR.

DEVENDRA BANHART stopped by the World Cafe for a chat and mini-set streaming via NPR.

PORT O'BRIEN did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter.

NEIL YOUNG played "Long May You Run" solo on Conan O'Brien's final Tonight Show.  Conan joined Will Farrell and ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons on the show's closer, "Freebird." And yes, Farrell brought the cowbell.

TICKETMASTER and LIVENATION merger approved. Music lovers preemptively start walking bow-legged.

KEITH RICHARDS, Lord of the Undead, is reportedly on the wagon after doctors' advice and the (bad) example of bandmate Ronnie Wood.

THE TWILIGHT SAD: PopMatters talks with lead singer James Graham about life on the road, and on the dole.

LOU BARLOW talks to Eye Weekly about his current solo LP, the Dinosaur Jr. reunion, and more...

PATTI SMITH recalls meeting Jimi Hendrix.

TIGER WOODS: From pills to Elin impersonating her husband on a text, two inside sources provide the Daily Beast a full account of what happened the night Tiger crashed his SUV-and triggered a scandal.

NANCY KERRIGAN: The former Olympic figure skater's brother faces assault charges after the sudden death of her father.  Mark Kerrigan has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

GARY COLEMAN: Arrested on a domestic violence charge. Obligatory Willis reference goes here.

JANE LYNCH ("Glee," "Best in Show," "A Mighty Wind") will marry her girlfriend, Dr. Lara Embry, this May.

KRISTEN STEWART thinks young Twilight fans should watch her strip in new newest flick, Welcome to the Rileys.

GREMILINS and GHOSTBUSTERS going 3-D?

JOHNNY DEPP: Not dead, contrary to what you may have heard on Twitter.

IRAN: Ahmadinejad said Iran will announce enrichment of uranium to 20 percent purity at the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution next month. Opposition leader Mehdi Karoubi acknowledged Ahmadinejad as the country's legitimate president. EU foreign ministers met to discuss new sanctions on Iran.

IRAQ: Three car bombs detonated 10 minutes apart outside the Sheraton, Al Hamraa, and Babylon hotels in Baghdad, killing 36 and wounding 71 more.  The man known as "Chemical Ali" was hanged Monday for ordering the 1988 poison gas attack that killed more than 5000 Kurds.

BLACK BEAR vs HOUSE CAT: Let's go to the video.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT: A chicken with two butts.

150 FERRETS were rescued from armed robbers by Mexico City police.

A SEXY SPARROW is exposed as the world's most promiscuous bird.

THE BLOBFISH, possibly the world's most unattractive creature, is in danger of being wiped out.

THE BLIND BOYS of ALABAMA join LOU REED on "Jesus" at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

SHE & HIM premiere a new song, "In the Sun," at P-Fork. This nifty track features guest vocals Tilly and the Wall.

SOCIAL STUDIES did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter, three unreleased, including a cover of "Let's Live For Today."

MAGNETIC FIELDS: Stephin Merritt talks to Drowned In Sound about the sincerity of folk music, the influence of alcohol on creativity and future ventures into writing stage and film musical scores.  DiS is also streaming the Realism album.

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS premiered a new song with a NSFW title to download or stream via the 'Gum.

WILCO is offering two live shows for download, and asking that people donate to OXFAM and Doctors Without Borders.

PRINCE wrote a new song, "Purple and Gold," for the Minnesota Vikings. I know he's a fan, so why this?

GIRLS: I'm relinking "Lust For Life" a bit earlier than I normally would -- profanity and all -- because I have an earworm.

YO LA TENGO: James McNew talks to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about the Popular Songs album, cover songs, longevity, soundtracking, and more...

DAVID BOWIE tells The Guardian what's in heavy rotation on his iPod.

FYFE DANGERFIELD of The Guillemots gives Drowned In Sound a track-by-track tour of his solo LP.

THE NOUGHTIES saw a never-ending 1980s revival that left no trend unturned. But has it finally run its course?

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: It's Avatar for a sixth straight week, with another 36 million on a fantastic 16 percent drop.  By today, Avatar should pass Titanic's 1.85 billion worldwide take.  Legion debuted in the second slot with 18.2 million against a 26 million budget.  The Book of Eli drops 48 perectent to make 17 million in the third slot.  The Tooth Fairy opened in the fourth slot, with 14.5 million against a 48 million budget.  The Lovely Bones rounds out the Top Five with 8.8 million on a 48 percent drop.  Below the fold, Extraordinary Measures opened in seventh place with seven million against a 31 million budget.

BRADGELINA have seen divorce lawyers and signed a £205 million split deal, according to the uber-reliable News of the World. Multiple sources close to the family tell People that the rumors are false.

ANDY DICK was arrested in West Virginia on two felony counts of sexual abuse in the first degree.  He groped some folks in a bar.

THE HOPE FOR HAITI TELETHON has raised a record-breaking 58 million, with more donations continuing to pour in from around the world.

TIGER WOODS is not the man pictured at a Mississippi sex rehab clinic.

NICOLE KIDMAN has hired Angelina Jolie's manager, after becoming box office poison.

THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS went to these folks. Congrats to the winners, especially the cast of Mad Men.  So far, I think awards season has been a little unkind to The Hurt Locker and Up in the Air.

SERPICO on Serpico.

JEAN SIMMONS, the woman behind Spartacus, has died after losing her battle with lung cancer at the age of 80.

TERROR in the UK: The terror threat level was raised from "substantial" to "severe", meaning a terrorist attack is considered "highly likely." Fears that Islamist terrorists plan to hijack an Indian passenger jet and crash it into a British city helped to prompt the weekend's heightened alert.

YEMEN: American law enforcement officials have been told to be on the lookout for female suicide bombers who may attempt to enter the United States.

THE ANACONDA BREEDING BALL: Let's go to the video.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT: An albino fawn.

CAT RESCUED from a chimney. Ho, ho, ho.

A NY DAIRY FARMER shot and killed 51 of his milk cows in his barn before turning the rifle on himself.