GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS rawked "Paris (Ooh La La)" for Conan.

GENERATIONALS are advance streaming Actor-Caster... and I'm digging it, in its twee sort of way.

COLD CAVE is advance streaming Cherish the Light Years. Think late-80s Factory Records.

RON SEXSMITH stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set.

SHARON VAN ETTEN did a session with Morning Becomes Eclectic.

THE DEARS stopped by Oregon Public Broadcasting for a chat and mini-set in audio and video.

FLEET FOXES drop "Bedoin Dress" in advance of Helplessness Blues.

SMITH: Their chart-topping cover of the Bacharach-Dixon-David classic, "Baby, It's You." Because I'm feeling a little Death Proof.

OWEN PALLETT talks to Spinner about Morrissey, The Strokes, Arcade Fire and more...

RHETT MILLER of The Old '97s talks to Gibson about everything from over-indulging on the streets of Austin to texting lyrics to Bob Dylan. (Thx, LHB.)

RICHARD ASHCROFT talks to BlackBook about the United Nations of Sound.

BOB CLEARMOUNTAIN, master music mixer, is profiled by The Wall Street Journal.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules is your surprise No. 1, as a sequal that may never have been made but for DVD sales takes in 24 million against a 21 million budget. Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch -- an apparently disappointing film -- disappointed at the ticket booth also, taking in 19 million against an 82 million budget. It will be lucky to clear much over 50 million, and will need overseas receipts to break even (even that's not a sure thing; Watchmen grossed less overseas than domestically). Is the WB going to worry about Snyder helming the Superman reboot? Limitless took the third spot with 15.2 million on a mere 19.5 percent drop. Limitless is already in the black, and sure to get blacker.  The Lincoln Lawyer held the fourth slot with 11 million, again with a small 16.7 percent drop -- but its receipts to budget ratio is about the opposite of Limitless. Even so, it should break even in North America.  Rounding out the Top 5 is Rango with 9.8 million, breaking the 100 million mark, with another 75 million overseas to date.

REESE WITHERSPOON got hitched to entertainment agent Jim Toth.

LINDSAY LOHAN will be removing "Lohan" from her official name. Meanwhile, a legal technicality could save her from going to jail for her alleged probation violation - or at least delay it. But cops are reigniting their investigation into allegations she attacked a Betty Ford staffer.

BRITNEY SPEARS took to the Palms Casino Resort's Rain Nightclub stage in Las Vegas Friday night for a surprise performance. Video at the link.

CHRIS BROWN & RHIANNA: Together again? Brown's spokeswoman will no longer be representing him after the star trashed his GMA dressing room, smashed a window and left without his shirt from the morning talk show earlier this week.

MADONNA: A high-profile charitable foundation set up to build a school for impoverished girls in Malawi, founded by the singer Madonna and fellow devotees of a prominent Jewish mysticism movement, has collapsed.

NATALIE PORTMAN: Did she do 85 percent or 5 percent of the dancing in Black Swan?

MILA KUNIS will star opposite James Franco in Oz, the Great and Powerful.

AMY ADAMS will play Lois Lane in the Superman reboot?

ELIZABETH TAYLOR was late to her own funeral, by her own request.

YEMEN: Pres. Saleh said he is "ready to step down with respect and dignity" but only to qualified caretakers of government.

SYRIA: Security forces reportedly withdrew to the outskirts of Daraa, where protests demanding the release of youths arrested for spraying anti-government graffiti spiraled into daily confrontations with security forces, who then repeatedly opened fire. With 61 people confirmed killed by security forces, the country's status as an island of stability amid the Middle East storm seemed irretrievably lost.

LIBYA: Pro-Gaddafi forces have abandoned Ajdabiyah as rebel forces took control of the city. Rebels are advancing on Brega as Gaddafi's forces have launched an attack on Misrata. The US and Europe are considering arming the Libyan rebels. Sky News has video of Gaddafi's goons dragging a woman away who claimed she was raped and tortured by agents of the regime. OTOH, Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi, the Libyan rebel leader, has said jihadists who fought against allied troops in Iraq are on the front lines of the battle against Gaddafi's regime.

EGYPT: In post-revolutionary Egypt, where hope and confusion collide in the daily struggle to build a new nation, religion has emerged as a powerful political force, following an uprising that was based on secular ideals. The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group once banned by the state, is at the forefront, transformed into a tacit partner with the military government that many fear will thwart fundamental changes. Shocka.

A CORGI who responds only to Liverpudlian.

A SHEEP gave birth to a dog on a Chinese farm. Supposedly.

FRED, the ringleader of a group of baboons infamous breaking into cars to chow down on sandwiches and snacks, was put down in Cape Town.

A DOG AND ITS FECES escalate into a shootout in rural Mississippi.

A HERD OF RARE BISON may have fled Poland for Ukraine.

THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

... with THE BYRDS!  Pretty much because I dig them as we turn into Spring (or Fall).  Let's start with a rare 1965 clip of their breakthrough smash cover of "Mr. Tambourine Man."  There are screaming girls, plus go-go dancers when they hit Shivaree for "All I Really Want to Do" and  "Feel A Whole Lot Better."  Next up is a rare sync of "I Knew I'd Want You." There are even more dancers when they cover Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" for Shindig! on June 23, 1965, while I'm pretty sure that's Ed Wynn introducing "Chimes of Freedom."  You might recognize the voice introducing "Bells Of Rhymney" from poolside in August 1965 and "It Won't Be Wrong" from a corral in January 1966 on Where The Action Is.  BONUS:  Want a couple in color?  Here's "Turn, Turn, Turn!" and "Mr. Spaceman."

FUTUREHEADS did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter.

THE DODOS stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set.

RAPHAEL SAADIQ played songs from his new Stone Rollin LP for Morning Becomes Eclectic.

BADLY DRAWN BOY also played new tracks for Morning Becomes Eclectic.

J MASCIS drops "Not Enough" as a free track from Several Shades of Why.

THE ISLEY BROTHERS: "Shout." Shindig. Friday. A little bit louder now.

SHARON VAN ETTEN spoke to Phoenix New Times about her interesting connection to Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio, being the black sheep of the family, the Pitchfork Festival, and more. (Thx, LHB.)

STEVE EARLE talks to the Telegraph about Treme, Harry Potter and why he dislikes the attitude of Cormac McCarthy.

BON IVER tells Rolling Stone he "forgot how to write songs."

ELVIS COSTELLO once gave Dave Wakeling (English Beat, General Public) grief about his work for Greenpeace.

CUTOUT BIN: From Bruce Springsteen to Devo, from Jackie Wilson to Fountains of Wayne, from Metallica to Billy Bragg, plus Joan Jett, Wire, Derek & the Dominoes, Flesh For Lulu, GbV, the Cars and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds are now streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NOW SHOWING: This week's wide releases are Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, which is currently scoring 42 percent on the ol' Tomatometer, and Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch, currently scoring 24 percent.

CHARLIE SHEEN is said to have added a third ‘goddess' to his Warlock tribe. - 26-year-old Megan Levant.

CHRIS BROWN publicly apologized a day after storming backstage following an interview and performance on "Good Morning America" -- but claimed he got angry because the interview went beyond "talking points" his camp submitted, something ABC News denied. Brown will still be performing on Dancing With the Stars next week as planned... but cast members have been told not to comment on the incident. (Anyone else suspect this is a stunt?)

COURTENEY COX & DAVID ARQUETTE are working on their relationship.

RACHEL ZOE had a boy.

JESSICA BIEL & GERARD BUTLER: No romance.

ASHLEY GREENE was spotted majorly getting her flirt on with Chris Evans.

KAT DENNINGS (so great in Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist) talks to Complex about all sorts of stuff. And looks fantastic in time for Gratuitous Friday.

ZSA ZSA GABOR was hospitalized after learning of Elizabeth Taylor's death.

STEVEN SEAGAL joined Maricopa County (AZ) Sheriff Joe Arpaio in busting a cockfighting ring in a tank.

MIA WASIKOWSKA (Alice in Wonderland, Jane Eyre) is profiled by BlackBook.

JANE EYRE: The Wasikowska piece reminds me that I forgot to post a review of this latest adaptation of the Bronte classic.  It was quite well done, particulalrly by Wasikowska, but felt a bit bloodless at times.  To be sure a gothic romance is all about repressed emotion, but occasionally I thought there shouldbe a bit more emotion displayed, just to underscore the repression.

CAPTAIN AMERICA has a new trailer online.

YEMEN: Pres Saleh is reportedly working on a deal to relinquish power. The Shabwa tribe took control of seven Central Security Forces compounds, effectively putting them in control of the province.

SYRIA: President Bashar al-Assad made a rare public pledge to look into granting Syrians greater freedom on Thursday as anger mounted following attacks by security forces on protesters that left at least 37 dead.

LIBYA: NATO warships began a blockade of Libya's coastline to choke the government's supplies of arms and mercenaries. Coalition bombers struck at military bases and ammunition bunkers, destroying a Libyan plane. Gaddafi's forces said the airstrikes have caused civilian casualties; the US denies the claim. Government forces continue to attack the cities of Ajdabiya and Misrata. US warplanes will keep flying strike missions over Libya even after the US relinquishes the lead command role to NATO.

DOG raids the fridge. Busted!

COYOTE delays flights in Atlanta, without using Acme products.

EL CHUPACAPRA explained. Up next: Yetis.

THE HAIRY BEAST with seven fuzzy sexes.

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART played "Heart in Your Heartbreak" at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

DESTROYER played a mini-set for KEXP in Seattle.

THE KILLS played songs from their forthcoming Blood Pressures LP for Morning Becomes Eclectic.

tUnE-yArDs was backed by a bassist and two saxophonists for a set at The Parish during NPR's SXSW day party.

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE has put together an over two-hour All Tomorrow's Parties mix.

THE CONNELLS: " '74-'45. " Read more about this Raleigh, North Carolina quintet at Trouser Press.

MAN MAN: Honus Honus talks to Stereogum about recording the new album, Mister Heavenly, and more...

THE VACCINES: Justin Young talks to the Spectator about the band's beginnings, recording and making it in America. (Thx, LHB.)

THE DODOS: Meric Long talks to Vulture about reclaiming control in the studio, discovering the electric guitar, and making money.

30 BOOTLEGS you ought to hear, according to NME.

ELIZABETH TAYLOR, the actress who dazzled generations of moviegoers with her stunning beauty and whose name was synonymous with Hollywood glamour, died of congestive heart failure Wednesday in Los Angeles. She was 79. Beyond the movies, Taylor helped elect one husband, John Warner, to the US Senate, worked for Israeli causes and raised 100 million dollars for AIDS research after the death fo friend Rock Hudson.  Read to the end of the NYT obit to learn that she outlived its primary author by six years. TCM will run a 24-hour memorial tribute on April 10.

CHARLIE SHEEN is not coming back to Two and a Half Men, according to sources connected to the show. Jeremy Piven is being considered as a replacement on the hit sitcom. Judge Goldberg wants to view the agreement that Brooke Mueller and Sheen reached before lifting the restraining order she got against Sheen.

LINDSAY LOHAN won't be taking the plea deal that would have included jail time in connection with her grand theft charge, according to RadarOnline.

CHRIS BROWN: ABC has decided not to press charges after his alleged window-smashing meltdown at "Good Morning America" Tuesday.

BRADLEY COOPER & RENEE ZELLWEGER: Another version of the breakup story.

RACHEL BILSON & HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN: Dunzo. Again.

JESSICA BIEL was spotted cozying up to her Playing the Field costar Gerard Butler.

BRADGELINA and their brood are the big People cover story this week.

PAUL REISER returns with a new sitcom, replacing Perfect Couples in NBC's Thursday night lineup.

BOARDWALK EMPIRE star Paz de la Huerta was arrested after she allegedly threw a glass at former reality star Samantha Swetra on Sunday.

JAPAN: Hideaki Akaiwa is a stone cold badass. A must-read.

YEMEN: Parliament passed an emergency powers act, which calls for a 30-day state of emergency.

LIBYA: Western airstrikes Wednesday hammered Libyan government tanks and artillery that were shelling the rebel-held city of Misurata, residents reported, but sniper fire from downtown rooftops continued to claim civilian lives on the fifth day of US and allied military intervention. The US. government does not know very much about the rebels who now see it as a friendly ally in their fight to overthrow Gaddafi.

EGYPT: US Defense Secretary Gates gently prodded Egypt's interim leaders not to rush to new elections, saying the new political movements that helped push longtime President Hosni Mubarak from power in February need time to develop into organized political parties.

A LOST PENGUIN washes up in Lima, Peru.

DEAF PUPPY Learns Sign Language.

STRAY CAT Rescued From Soup Can.

MINIATURE HORSE Fitted With Prosthetic Leg.

JENS LEKMAN played new songs, including "Every Little Hair Knows Your Name," in London.

THE OBITS are advance streaming Moody Standard and Poor, which sounds like garage-punk goodness.

THE HEAD AND THE HEART played a set at Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop in downtown Austin for SXSW. Their hybrid of Americana and chamber-pop also gets a post from Paste.

SEA OF BEES played a Tiny SXSW show for NPR in Austin.

WILD FLAG, and indie supergroup featuring members of Sleater-Kinney, Helium and Minders, played a set at The Parish for NPR's SXSW day party.

THURSTON MOORE drops the Beck-produced "Benediction" in advance of Demolished Thoughts.

THE EXCITERS: What's a bear doing in the video for "Tell Him"? I have no idea.

THE MOUNTAIN GOATS: John Darnielle talks to Exclaim about his novel-in-progress, and to Billboard about his more prolific musical output.

STEVE EARLE discusses addiction, his son Justin and his new novel.

VETIVER: Andy Cabic talks to the Charleston City Paper about Devendra Banhart, the band's upcoming LP, and more... (Thx, LHB.)

DAVID BOWIE's unreleased record Toy' mysteriously leaked online a decade after being shelved in 2001.

CHARLIE SHEEN: Ex-wife Brooke Mueller's lawyers have notified the court that they want the restraining order against Sheen to expire.  Why? Maybe he has agreed to take a psych exam.

LINDSAY LOHAN continues a week of partying in NYC. Meanwhile, her ex-con dad was arrested Monday night on domestic violence charges involving his ex-girlfriend, Kate Major.

CHRIS BROWN exploded in rage behind the scenes at "Good Morning America" yesterday, smashing a window and storming out without a shirt, after on-air questions about the Rihanna incident. This despite reports he knew the questions were coming. ABC staffers called the cops afterward, which could spell big trouble for the famous singer who is currently on probation.

REBECCA BLACK, the 13-year-old singer whose video for her song "Friday" became the fascination of the Internet (primarily for its awfulness), may be laughing all the way to the bank.

RUSSELL BRAND, whose looks-awful remake of Arthur is coming soon, is profiled by Details.

KATE WINSLET coached Evan Rachel Wood through her first nude scene.

CLEOPATRA: A biopic with Angelina Jolie attached as the Egyptian queen may fall to director David Fincher.

YEMEN: Of all the uprisings and protests that have swept the Middle East this year, none is more likely than Yemen to have immediate damaging effects on US counterterrorism efforts.

BAHRAIN, the latest proxy battle between Iran and Saudi Arabia for regional dominance, calls into question which model of stability and governance will prevail in the Middle East, and which the US will help build.

LIBYA: Is the battle for Libya the clash of a brutal dictator against a democratic opposition, or is it fundamentally a tribal civil war?

AFGHANISTAN: Pres Karzai announced that Afghan forces will take control of the provinces of Kabul, Panjshir, and Bamiyan, and the cities of Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Mehterlam, and Lashkar Gah.

GUILTIEST DOG EVER: Who ate the kitty treats? Let's go to the video.

KNUT, the celeb polar bear, likely died from brain damage, his zoo keepers said today as plans were revealed to have the polar stuffed and put on display in Berlin museum to allow fans a chance to say their farewells. Not creepy at all.

THREE YOUNG KOMODO DRAGONS have gone missing from a zoo in Indonesia, a spokesman said Tuesday, warning that the lost lizards were dangerous and fast on their feet.

A STOLEN OSTRICH in Romania showed the homing skills of a pigeon by escaping and running all the way home at 40mph.

CATERPILLARS On A Plane!

A PET TURTLE sparked a fast-moving fire in a New York City apartment after crawling out of its tank and knocking over the terrarium's heat lamp.

ALLIGATOR Not Expected at Sentencing.

PINETOP PERKINS, one of the last old-school bluesmen and the oldest Grammy winner, died Monday at his home of cardiac arrest. He was 97. All Things Considered has a profile up from his Grammy nomination, while the New York Times has a full obit for the boogie-woogie master who did not put out an LP under his own name until age 75.  One of Pate's drummers, Jon Hahn, played with Perkins.  Indeed, there's almost a picture of it. Thus, for Twofer Tuesday, I feature "Got My Mojo Working" and "Caledonia."

NEW RELEASES the Strokes, Richard Ashcroft, Keren Ann, Pet Shop Boys and more are streaming this week via Spinner.

PETER BJORN & JOHN are advance streaming Gimme Some.

TRUE WIDOW is advance streaming As High As the Highest Heavens.

SHARON VAN ETTEN played a mini-set for KUT at SXSW.

FLEET FOXES dropped "Battery Kinzie" in advance of Helplessness Blues.

NOAH & THE WHALE previews "Give It All Back" live in the studio for SPIN.

THE CARS dropped a video for "Sad Song" from their upcoming, necessarily Ben Orr-less reunion LP.

YUCK: Daniel Blumberg talked to Drowned In Sound about the band's debut LP, touring, "overnight" success, influences, etc.

THE DODOS: Meric Long spoke to PopMatters about everything from how the band arrived at their signature sound to the logistics of finding a third tour member.

ELBOW bassist Pete Turner talked to PopMatters about where the band's new record will sit in relation to the rest of their flourishing career. Guy Garvey talked to Under the Radar about the new LP, his BBC radio show, Jesca Hoop, and more... (Thx, Chromewaves.)

BILLY BRAGG cancelled his US tour to mourn the death of his mother. Condolences.

SAMMY HAGAR claims he was abducted by aliens, which would explain a few things.

CHARLIE SHEEN reportedly had a secret meeting with top execs at the FOX network, while CBS reportedly wants him back on Two and a Half Men. Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez talk to the Telegraph about The Way, Apocalypse Now, and the trouble with Charlie Sheen.

TIGER WOODS has been seeing 22-year-old Alyse Lahti Johnston, but the beautiful blonde told a friend she's only interested in a good time from the golfing superstar.

SCARLETT JOHANSSON & SEAN PENN seemed very much a couple when they joined a small group of friends for dinner Saturday night in West Hollywood.

BRADLEY COOPER & RENEE ZELLWEGER: Their split reportedly had to do with Renee wanting a ring.

THE HOBBIT, long-delayed, began filming.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES: The most recent report is that Joseph Gordon-Levitt has joined the cast, but not as Alberto Falcone.

YEMEN: Major General Ali Mohsen Saleh, the commander of the first armored division and the northwest military commander, has joined protesters to oppose President Saleh. Two other brigadiers also have abandoned Saleh.

TURKEY forced a second Iranian aircraft suspected of transporting illegal weapons and nuclear materials to Syria to land at Diyarbakir for inspection. Another Iranian plane forced to land last week was not found to contain banned materials.

LIBYA: The government claimed that UN forces bombed one of Gaddafi's compounds during airstrikes in Tripoli. The US wants to hand over command of Operation Odyssey Dawn to another country within a matter of days, but so far NATO has been unable to reach an agreement on taking control of the implementation of the no-fly zone in Libya. Turkey is leading the objections.

A BASSET HOUND, dressed as Sherlock Holmes, running in slo-mo.

SPUDLINA, a spineless hedgehog, wears a sweater to keep warm.

FROG and Beans.

CATS are a bigger threat to birds than wind turbines. Thank goodness the New York Times is on the case.