PHIL SPECTOR is likely to die in prison after the legendary music producer was convicted of second-degree murder for shooting the actor Lana Clarkson in a drunken and "sadistic" bout of Russian roulette.  The future was foretold by Ronnie "Z-Man" Barzell.  Right now, burly convicts are warming up their karaoke versions of "Be My Baby."

NEW RELEASES: Ida Maria, Booker T (and the Drive-By Truckers), The Boy Least Likely To, Death Cab and more are streaming this week via Spinner.

JILL SOBULE (also streaming at Spinner) has an interview + tracks from her fan-financed LP.

THE SWIMS did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter, two previously unreleased.  They remind me a bit of the Pooh Sticks, though that will mean nothing to almost everyone.

FREE SAMPLERS from a bunch of indie labels can be downloaded via Amazon.

THE DUKES OF STRATOSPHEARE, the psychedelic front group for XTC, play "The Mole From the Ministry" and "You're A Good Man, Albert Brown" for Twofer Tuesday.

BOB MOULD talks to Under the Radar about his new album, and revisits his  first solo LP, Workbook.

BAT FOR LASHES: Natasha Khan talks to the Birmingham Mail about her old day job, her two albums, etc.  She talks to the BBC about songwriting and naturalist David Attenborough.  The Beeb includes some video, too.

GLASVEGAS: Paul Donahue and Caroline McKay talk to Fazer about SxSW, how the band works up songs for demos, upcoming dates opening for U2, and so on.

SMASHING PUMPKINS: Billy Corgan blogs an update on his new direction.

MAD MEL UPDATE: Gibson's wife Robyn has filed legal papers to divorce Mel after 28 years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences."  There have been reports that Mel has been involved with another woman, which the actor denies.

BRITNEY SPEARS shouts, "What's up, Sacramento?!" at her concert in San Jose. Video at the link.

MADONNA is still keen on adopting four-year-old that Malawian girl, which is consistent with her pursuing the matter in court.

CHRIS BROWN has started dating again since his troubled relationship with pop chanteuse Rihanna ended last month, reportedly getting back together with another ex, Erica Jackson.

SCARLETT JOHANSSON responds to public outcry over her recent shrinkage.

DISNEY could sue itself for copyright infringement, though I think they would call it a lot of homage.

MARILYN CHAMBERS was found dead inside her Santa Clarita home Sunday, just days shy of her 57th birthday.  The cause of death remains unknown; an autopsy is due to be performed.

JONNY QUEST may be made into a movie not named Jonny Quest. M'kay...

IRAN: Roger Cohen argues in the New York Times that Pres. Obama must strike a "grand bargain" over Iran's nuke program, while Michael Rubin has a column in the Wall Street Journal reciting the failure of European engagement with Iran and quoting Iranian officials publicly admitting that their diplomatic efforts are a ruse. The Bipartisan Policy Center's most recent report on Iran's nuclear program describes the sort of diplomacy that would be required to stop an arms race in the Mideast, including getting China and russia to cooperate.

HEZBOLLAH has started putiing mushroom clouds in its propaganda.

PAKISTAN could collapse within months, says David Kilcullen, one of the more influential counter-insurgency voices in Washington.

AFGHANISTAN: The Taliban assassinates a female provincial official known for fighting for women's rights.

RACCOON HOUSE PARTY: Let's go to the video.

WHEN CROCS ATTACK: Early yesterday morning the 20-year-old man and a friend had been drinking, when they tried to swim across the crocodile-infested waterway near the Daly River community. That was a fatal mistake.

THE CANINE COGNITION LAB has opened at Harvard, where scientists hope to gain insight into more than the psychology of dogs from visiting pet pooches - including an alert German shepherd named Celia and a rottweiler called Taylor who loves to eat chicken.

BAILEY the GOLDEN RETRIEVER had surgery for a suspected tumor, but the vet found 17 garments, including nine socks, four gloves and a stocking.

THE SQUIRREL THREAT: Spokane, WA, plans to detonate squirrels using propane-fueled explosions. What could go wrong?

KANGAROOS overrun Australia's capital city: They bounce across the roof of Parliament House. They collide with cars. They come in through the bedroom window. Protected by a silver spoon.

THE WATER, CHAPTER ONE: A 15-minute short directed by Broken Social Scene's Kevin Drew, starring Leslie Feist and Cillian Murphy, is streaming this week at Pitchfork TV, which also has an interview with Drew and Feist.

TV on the RADIO stopped by the World Cafe for a chat and mini-set streaming on demand via NPR.

FRANZ NICOLAY did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter, including one popularized by Jimmy Durante.

THE HOLD STEADY: Franz's bandmate Craig Finn talks baseball with the Sporting News. (Thaks, LHB.)

ROBYN HITCHCOCK talks to the Philadelphia Daily News about his recent expedition to the Arctic, his new album, the box sets, etc.

METRIC drops "Help, I'm Alive" as the second video from their upcoming albumwhich Jimmy Shaw and Emily Haines discuss with Dose.

THE DECEMBERISTS: Slate's Jody Rosen lists the eight most pretentious lyrics from the band's new album.

BONNIE "PRINCE" BILLY is profiled at the Times of London, where has has some unkind words for Nick Cave and U2.

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS: Gruff Rhys talks to WalesOnline about the recording and rollout of the band's Dark Days/Light Years LP.

PETA asked the Pet Shop Boys to change their name. Yes, really.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Hannah Montana rules the cineplex with 34 million. The tracking numbers projected this one in the high teens, so it's a big win for the Mouse.  Fast & Furious came in second, but fell furiously, dropping almost 60 percent, and earning 28.8 million.  It cruised past the 100 mill mark in a week, but will likely run out of gas befor 200 mill.  Monsters vs. Aliens drops to the third slot, but a milder 31 percent drop brings in another 22.6 million; worldwide, it has recouped its 175 million producion budget.  The edgy Observe & Report debuts in the fourth slot with 11.1 million; that's low for Seth Rogen, but will certainly recoup its modest 18 million budget.  Nc Cage clung to the Top Five with Knowing, which made another 6.7 million.  Below the fold, Dragonball Evolution opened in eighth place.  Overall, the totals the past few weeks have been much better year-over-year.  Over the same weekend last year, the Top 12 earned about 81 million; this weekend, the Top 12 made about 130 million.

LINDSAY LOHAN & SAMANTHA RONSON are still talking, according to a friend of Lohan.  But DJ Ronson was dedicating Steam's "Na na na na, hey, hey, goodbye" to Lohan at a gig in SF and may have already moved on to a new woman.

WOODY HARRELSON popped a paparazzo, claiming he mistook the photog for a zombie.

BILLY BOB THORNTON canceled the rest of his Canadian tour after his now-infamous radio rant.

NICOLAS CAGE, JACKO & LOHAN are among the celebs hit hard in the economic downturn.

STAR TREK: Vanity Fair photo-profiles Scott Pine, while MTV has a clip of Kirk hitting on Uhura.

TARA REID is slinking back to the American Pie franchise.

TERROR in the UK: Hours after Britain's most senior counter-terrorism officer resigned in disgrace, a desperate search was under way for the terrorist bomb factory from which a suspected al-Qaeda cell planned to launch a devastating attack in Manchester. A dozen men are being questioned after raids that had to be rushed forward after Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick, the country's most senior anti-terrorism officer, inadvertently disclosed details of the police plans.

IRAQ: The activities of al-Qaeda in two of Iraq's most troubled cities could keep US combat troops engaged beyond the June 30 deadline for their withdrawal, the top US commander in the country has warned.

SENILE TALKING CAT: Let's go to the video.

POLAR BEAR ATTACKS a woman who climbed into the bears' enclosure at the Berlin Zoo during feeding time.  Lawyers call that assumption of the risk.

BLITZ the PITBULL stops an abduction attempt in Holland.

NINIO the ELEPHANT: Gay, or just going through a phase?

A SWARM OF BEES attacked the White House last Thursday.  The Secret Service should be checking for squirrel involvement.

THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

...with JOE JACKSON!  Pate frequently attempted "One More Time" to hilarious effect, so today I stick with Joe's early material, including "Sunday Papers" live on the OGWT, "Kinda Kute" on the Kenny Everett Video Show, a Beat Crazy-era run of "On Your Radio" the official clip for "It's Different For Girls" and a bracing live take on "I'm The Man." That last one is taken from the Rock Goes To College show, which also boasts this pulsing version of his signature "Is She Really Going Out With Him?"

NEKO CASE & WILL SCHEFF played DC's 9:30 Club last night, so you should be able to stream the sets on demand via NPR.

DAN AUERBACH of the Black Keys stopped by the WFUV studios for a session streaming via NPR.

CAMERA OBSCURA: Carey Lander does a quick Q&A the Daily Growl. (Thx, LHB.)

THE AVETT BROS get som local love from the Winston-Salem Journal.

MAN MAN releases a video for "Rabbit Habbits" starring Fred Armisen, Charlyne Yi, and Martin Starr.

BIGMOUTH STRIKES AGAIN: Slate essays Morrissey in middle age.

VETIVER: Andy Cabic talks to Tuscon Weekly about signing with Sub Pop, touring, etc.

MARIANNE FAITHFULL talks to PopMatters about suffering, her covers album, and Frank Sinatra.

CUTOUT BIN: From the Ramones to Terry Jacks, from Yo La Tengo to Prince, from Peter Sellers to Nirvana, plus No Doubt covering Adam Ant, Glasvegas covering The Ronettes, Band of Horses covering the Rolling Stones, a Pink Floyd demo, plus more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds are streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NEW RELEASES: This weekend's wide releases are Hannah Montana The Movie, currently scoring 35 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; Observe and Report, currently scoring 64 percent; and Dragonball Evolution, scoring 23 percent.

OBSERVE & REPORT apparently contains a date rape scene... and New York magazine does not think that's the worst of it.

BRITNEY SPEARS walked offstage minutes and three songs into her sold-out show in Vancouver, because too many people were smoking.  She returned a half-hour later.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN is named as the "other man" in a New Jersey divorce case.

LINDSAY LOHAN & SAMANTHA RONSON: People runs a piece speculating as to whether the pair will reunite, but all of the quotes are from Camp Lohan. Meanwhile, Lohan is dying her hair and getting tattooed.

BILLY BOB THORNTON gave a bizarre interview to the CBC to promote his band, the interest in which is not at all connected to his acting career, okay?

DAVID PROWSE, who wore the Darth Vader suit in the original Star Wars trilogy, has been treated for prostate cancer, which may explain why he went public with his complaint that he has not received residual payments for Return of the Jedi because producers told him that it has not made a profit.

MEGAN FOX is the top consideration top play She-Hulk, the girly version of the giant, green comic-book superhero.

GLOBAL WARMING: New research from NASA suggests that Arctic warming has been caused in large part by laws introduced to improve air quality and fight acid rain. Meanwhile, climate scientists say Australia -- beset by prolonged drought and deadly bush fires in the south, monsoon flooding and mosquito-borne fevers in the north, widespread wildlife decline, economic collapse in agriculture and killer heat waves -- epitomizes the "accelerated climate crisis" that global warming models have forecast.

NORTH KOREA: Kim Jong Il, who has not been seen in public since he suffered a stroke in August last year, has been unanimously re-elected Supreme Leader.

IRAN: The US will join direct talks between UN and European powers and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program.  Meanwhile, the theocracy's atomic chief declares the Islamic republic has installed around 7000 centrifuges at its Natanz uranium enrichment facility.

AFGHANISTAN & IRAQ: Pres. Obama plans to request new funding from Congress for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but he risks a backlash from antiwar lawmakers.

CAT & EAGLE, hangin' out together... mass hyteria.

CAT with PUPPIES, teaching them to catch mice... mass hysteria.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT: Horses with hair extensions.

CAT BURGLAR steals hats, shorts, underwear and 27 pairs of gloves.

TOKYO CAT CAFES: In an increasingly childless and aging nation, cat cafes are becoming staggeringly popular: "She's the prettiest girl we have at our cafe. Everybody wants to touch her, but we ask that customers only do so if she doesn't resist you."

WILCO provided "Side With the Seeds" to Entertainment Weekly as a preview from the band's upcoming DVD.

GLASVEGAS stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming now via MPR.

NEIL YOUNG is streaming his new film, Get Around, which features songs fromhis new album and footage of his earth-friendly car.

SILVERSUN PICKUPS are advance streaming their new album via MTV.

LONEY DEAR did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter.

NICO: "I'm Not Sayin'" the Teutonic chanteuse was a lot poppier before the Velvet Underground, but, yeah, I am.

NEKO CASE stppoed by the KUT studio for a chat and mini-set, including a cover of Harry Nilsson's "Don't Forget Me."

COVER ME: Assorted takes on Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" are collected at WFMU.

BOB MOULD talks to Paste about his evolving songwriting styles and more...

MAXIMO PARK: Paul Smith gives Drowned In Sound a track-by-track tour of the upcoming Quicken The Heart LP.

SAMANTHA RONSON has no plan to request a restraining order against Lindsay Lohan.

MADONNA made a "substantial donation"  to earthquake relief efforts in her Italian ancestral home.

BRITNEY SPEARS... and her Fed-Ex?

JESSICA SIMPSON is no longer with the Sony Nashville label.

HARRY POT-TER: Jamie Waylett -- who has appeared as Hogwarts school bully Vincent Crabbe in all six Harry Potter films -- has reportedly been arrested on drug charges after police raided his family home and discovered a cannabis farm in his bedroom.

ROB LOWE wins around in court against his nanny, as a judge upholds the non-disclosure agreement she signed.

STAR TREK: There's a clip of the rebooted Kirk and McCoy up at Yahoo! Movies. BONUS: Trek Yourself!

IRON MAN 2: Garry Shandling and Gary Oldman have been spotted on the set in Los Angeles? Oldman's manager denies the story.

RASHIDA JONES (The Office, Parks & Recreation) talks to The A.V. Club.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES author Seth Grahame-Smith talks to the BBC.

IRAN NUKE PLOT FOILED IN NYC: The Manhattan district attorney's office has smashed a sinister plot to smuggle nuclear weapons materials to Iran through unwitting New York banks.

IRAQ: Michael J. Totten trains his blog and camera on the Iraqi Army in Sadr City.

CAT AMBUSH: Let's go to the video.

THE SQUIRREL THREAT: The Capitol in Wisconsin is on full alert, but is using a cover story to avoid alarming the public.

RARE MEGAMOUTH SHARK caught and eaten in the Philippines. Oops.

CHIMPANZEES exchange meat for sex.

COW & DOLPHIN, Photoshopped together... mass hysteria.

THE THERMALS: "Now We Can See."

THE TING TINGS stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set you can stream via MPR.

DAN DEACON has an interview plus tracks streaming via NPR's All Things Considered.

SONIC YOUTH: Thurston Moore tlaks to Stereogum about his duet with a cellist, The Eternal album, Sonic Youth's upcoming No Fun festival appearance, and their Twitter.

NEBRASKA: Springsteen's 1982 album is reassessed at PopMatters in light of current economic conditions.

PETER CASE underwent emergency open-heart surgery in January and is getting benefit concert to help pay the bills. Which is as good a reason as any to remind folks of solo songs like "Dream About You" and "Who's Gonna Go Your Crooked Mile?", not to mention a Nerves gem like "Hangin' on the Telephone" and the Plimsouls classic "A Million Miles Away."

JENNY LEWIS talks to Metromix about her Disney and 'Big Lebowski' connections and more...

BAT FOR LASHES: Natasha Khan talks to The Quietus about her fashion dictact, what gentlemen should be sporting this season, and how divine intervention can help a shopping trip.

FRANK YANG talks to the National Post about his fab blog Chromewaves, the SxSW Hot Freaks showcase, and more...

AMERICAN IDOL, in my world, would have a Lou Reed Week.

LINDSAY LOHAN "was as orange as a carrot and her pupils were as big as quarters" as she sought out a party at the Chateau Marmont after her bust-up with Samantha Ronson.  Meanwhile, Ronson's family are looking into getting a restraining order against Li-Lo.  Lohan says she's in "absolute Hell," and was reportedly chugging vodka and crying about her breakup at h.wood club in Los Angeles Monday night.

MADONNA: The long-missing father of 3the -year-old Madge wants to adopt has turned up.

HEATHER MILLS says a reporter set up a fake charity to trick her into dishing dirt on her marriage to Paul McCartney and their infamous divorce.

SARAH JESSICA PARKER & MATTHEW BRODERICK finally dunzo?

CHARLIE SHEEN and Brooke Mueller's twin son Max was released from the hospital -- where he has been since his March 14 birth -- and returned home a few days ago.

MICKEY ROURKE knocks out Chris Jericho in a less than Oscar-worthy WWE performance. 

LEONARD NIMOY introduced a surprise premiere of the Star Trek reboot in Austin, TX. Videos at the link. The early reviews are pretty good, though I think that's to be expected from the audience that was at the event.

CHRISTINA RICCI will co-star in a movie Adam Sandler co-wrote about a man who discovers his parents were famous '70s porn stars.

AFGHANISTAN: A controversial law condoning marital rape and reintroducing Taliban-era rules for Afghan women has been shelved after an outcry in the West. A would-be suicide bomber aged 11 has been arrested alongside Taliban fighters.

IRAQ: An Iraqi tribal leader was assassinated near Mosul. Pres. Obama visited Baghdad for talks with Prime Minister al-Maliki.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT: A cat with an English accent.

MILITARY PORK: Researchers have dressed live pigs in body armor and strapped them into Humvee simulators that were then blown up with explosives to study the link between roadside bomb blasts and brain injury.

DEERNAPING FOILED: Passers-by called the police after the deer stood on the car horn.

DAY OF THE DOLPHIN: Dolphins' secret underwater language has intrigued generations of scientists, but no one has come close to cracking the code to understanding their mysterious sounds - until now.

SAM I AM: A Croatian poultry farmer is doing a cracking Easter trade in naturally-laid green-colored eggs.  BONUS: The Rev. Jesse Jackson.