JIM JAMES (or do you say "Yim Yames"?) performs on PBS’s Austin City Limits. The Black Angels open.

MINOR ALPS: Juliana Hatfield and Nada Surf's Matthew Caws stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set.

STORNOWAY is streaming the You Don't Know Anything EP. Nice. (Thx, Chromewaves.)

THE BROTHER KITE is streaming Model Rocket. Nice jolt.  (Thx again, Chromewaves!)

GAP DREAM advance streams Shine Your Lght. Electronic, yet a bit psychedelic.

PRINCE shared a demo of a new song entitled “Da Bourgeoisie”.

TEMPLES drop "Mesmerise" ahead of their debut LP, Sun Structures.

MARSHALL CRENSHAW plays his classic "Someday, Someway"... for Merv!

KATHLEEN HANNA looks back at th soundtrack to her life at Pitchfork.

HOW SWEDEN Became a Pop Powerhouse: "The trail begins with Abba." 

OS MUTANTES are profiled by Orlando Weekly.

FORMER GROUPIES OF REDDIT dish the dirt.

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE SEQUEL? Sigh. How about a movie about filmmakers visited by an angel who shows them how much better the world is without one?

JUSTIN BIEBER: Invites to his Gatsby party came with a non-disclosure agreement, but word is out it was full of naked women.

TAYLOR SWIFT is profiled at length by New York Magazine.

50 SHADES OF GREY: Dakota Jackson, already promoting.

CHRIS PRATT: The Parks & Rec vet talks Delivery Man and Guardians of the Galaxy with the HuffPost.

ROB FORD, Toronto's scandal plagued mayor was stripped of many of his powers following a heated debate in which he knocked over a female city councilor.

ISRAEL: Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that Iran already has enough uranium for five nuclear bombs.

EGYPT: Authorities said "Islamic jihadists" were behind the killing of an officer from the Interior Minister on Nov. 17. The Christian community is reportedly afraid to complain to the government about its condition. Protestors took to Tahrir Square in Cairo to protest against the army.

LIBYA: A bomb attack on the convoy of Benghazi's head of security killed one bodyguard and injured another. Three people were arrested after a shooting at a Benghazi checkpoint. Libya's intelligence chief and his assistant escaped from their kidnappers at a checkpoint south of Tripoli.

SYRIA: Rivalry between rebels and Islamists has replaced the uprising's lofty ideals, leaving veteran commanders despairing.

A POLITE DOG wipes his feet, y'know.

RACCOON rescued from a Winnie-The-Pooh situation.

DAISY THE SOW gave birth to 27 piglets in nine months. That'll do, pig.

LIONS: The ultimate status symbol in the Persian Gulf.

JIM JAMES (or do you say "Yim Yames"?) performs on PBS’s Austin City Limits. The Black Angels open.

MINOR ALPS: Juliana Hatfield and Nada Surf's Matthew Caws stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set.

STORNOWAY is streaming the You Don't Know Anything EP. Nice. (Thx, Chromewaves.)

THE BROTHER KITE is streaming Model Rocket. Nice jolt.  (Thx again, Chromewaves!)

GAP DREAM advance streams Shine Your Lght. Electronic, yet a bit psychedelic.

PRINCE shared a demo of a new song entitled “Da Bourgeoisie”.

TEMPLES drop "Mesmerise" ahead of their debut LP, Sun Structures.

MARSHALL CRENSHAW plays his classic "Someday, Someway"... for Merv!

KATHLEEN HANNA looks back at th soundtrack to her life at Pitchfork.

HOW SWEDEN Became a Pop Powerhouse: "The trail begins with Abba." 

OS MUTANTES are profiled by Orlando Weekly.

FORMER GROUPIES OF REDDIT dish the dirt.

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE SEQUEL? Sigh. How about a movie about filmmakers visited by an angel who shows them how much better the world is without one?

JUSTIN BIEBER: Invites to his Gatsby party came with a non-disclosure agreement, but word is out it was full of naked women.

TAYLOR SWIFT is profiled at length by New York Magazine.

50 SHADES OF GREY: Dakota Jackson, already promoting.

CHRIS PRATT: The Parks & Rec vet talks Delivery Man and Guardians of the Galaxy with the HuffPost.

ROB FORD, Toronto's scandal plagued mayor was stripped of many of his powers following a heated debate in which he knocked over a female city councilor.

ISRAEL: Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that Iran already has enough uranium for five nuclear bombs.

EGYPT: Authorities said "Islamic jihadists" were behind the killing of an officer from the Interior Minister on Nov. 17. The Christian community is reportedly afraid to complain to the government about its condition. Protestors took to Tahrir Square in Cairo to protest against the army.

LIBYA: A bomb attack on the convoy of Benghazi's head of security killed one bodyguard and injured another. Three people were arrested after a shooting at a Benghazi checkpoint. Libya's intelligence chief and his assistant escaped from their kidnappers at a checkpoint south of Tripoli.

SYRIA: Rivalry between rebels and Islamists has replaced the uprising's lofty ideals, leaving veteran commanders despairing.

A POLITE DOG wipes his feet, y'know.

RACCOON rescued from a Winnie-The-Pooh situation.

DAISY THE SOW gave birth to 27 piglets in nine months. That'll do, pig.

LIONS: The ultimate status symbol in the Persian Gulf.

MIKE MILLS & BILL BERRY joined PETER BUCK onstage at the 40 Watt Club to perform REM's 1984 single “(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville.” Looks like Scott McCaughey, too. (Photo via Tommy Warren / ‏@bigwheat.)

SHEARWATER advance streams Fellow Travelers. Each of its 10 songs pays tribute to an artist with whom the band has toured.

BILL CALLAHAN, live from at a historic synagogue in Washington, DC.

JIMMIE DALE GILMORE stopped by KUTX to play a couple. 

WASHED OUT stopped by WFUV's Studio A for a mini-set. 

ANDY ROURKE joined JOHNNY MARR on The Smiths' "How Soon Is Now?” and “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want.” It's Partial Reunion Monday, ahead of Twofer Tuesday. (Photo via doorsixteen on Instagram.)

THE ZOMBIES discussed Odessey and Oracle and played a few on the BBC, way back in May. New to me, though.

ANDREW WK & MARKY RAMONE talk about touring together at The Independent.

ROY HARPER, who sang on Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar" and was paid tribute on Led Zeppelin's "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper", has been charged with sexually abusing a girl from the age of 12, during the mid-70s.

BILLY SQUIER: The King of Hip-Hop?

NOW SHOWING: Thor: The Dark World tops the chart with 38 million, on a reasonable-for-a-sequel 55 percent drop. That's 147 million to date domestic, with another 333 million overseas.  But the real story may be The Best Man Holiday placing with 30.6 million -- part of a very good year for African American-centric films. All the better against a 17 million budget (tho not so good for 12 Years A Slave, which slid 30 percent).  Last Vegas crept up a notch to show with 8.9 million and about 47 million so far against a 28 million budget.  Free Virds slips to the fourth slot with 8.3 million and 42 million so far against a 55 million budget.  Bad Grandpa rounds out the Top 5 with 7.7 million and 90 million so far against a 15 million budget.  Below the fold, Ender's Game slides badly, perhaps beyond disappointment.

ALEC BALDWIN recieves a mere 2-week suspension from MSNB, following the actor’s calling a photographer either a “c***sucking f**” or a “c***sucking fathead,” as Baldwin maintains. He claims he was unaware that calling a man "c***sucking" might be considered an anti-gay slur.  He also trotted out his gay hairdresser to defend him. You really can't make stuff like this up.

LAMAR ODOM is set re-sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to a source for Us Weekly.

KATIE HOLMES tweeted a possible commentary on ex-husband Tom Cruise.

JUSTIN BIEBER: That girl who filmed him sleeping in Brazilmay have a triple-x film credit.

CHARLIE SHEEN & DENISE RICHARDS were seen jetting out of Van Nuys Airport with their daughters Saturday as Sheen's custody battle with Brooke Mueller over ther sons continues.  ALSO: Sheen offers to help Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. Of course.

IDRIS ELBA is expecting a baby with girlfriend Naiyana Garth.

LIBYA: The United States military is considering a mission to train Libyan security personnel with the goal of creating a force of 5000 to 7000 conventional soldiers and a separate, smaller unit for specialized counterterrorism missions, according to the top officer of the American Special Operations Command.

SYRIA: A regime helicopter exploded in the sky over Jassim village in Raqqah. Fighters are reportedly massing for a major battle in Qalamoun in Reef Dimashq; thousands of Hezbollah fighters are said to be gathering near the Lebanese border, and thousands of Al Nusrah and rebel fighters are said to be gathering nearby.

IRAN: A senior Obama administration official said on Friday that a solution could be found for one of the major stumbling blocks to an agreement that would freeze Iran’s nuclear program, and that the accord might be achieved next week.

THE DIRTIEST GORILLAS at the zoo.

BUTTERBALL FACES A TURKEY SHORTAGE: Everybody panic. OK, not vegans.

THE SQUIRREL THREAT: A flying militant terrorizes Bambi.

CAT outfoxes DOG.

THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE...

... with THE RASCALS!  I was delighted to find one of my fave clips, their cover of "Mickey's Monkey" in a medley with "Turn On Your Love Light."  A second live medley includes a pair of Rascals originals, "I've Been Lonely Too Long" and "Come On Up." Plus, a copy of "A Girl Like You" has returned to the Tube.  Round it out with the live-instudio version of the obligatory "Good Lovin'."

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

AMOS LEE stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set. 

PETER CASE played a mini-set at KUTX.

CHVRCHES played live at MusicFest Northwest.

LEE HAZLEWOOD & NANCY SINATRA: "Some Velvet Morning." Can I tell you about Phaedra?

THE COCTEAU TWINS: Head Over Heels turns 30. Get off My Lawn. 

BILLY IDOL: Rebel Yell turns 30. Get Off My Lawn.

HOW SELLING OUT Saved Indie Rock. Actually, the tradition of up-and-coming rockers doing ads dates back into the Sixties.

THE CUTOUT BIN: From the B-52s to Slim Harpo, from Billy Bragg to Roky Erickson, from the Smiths to Lloyd Price, plus the Meat Puppets, Flamin' Groovies, Los Lobos, The Turtles and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds are streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NOW SHOWING: The Best Man Holiday is this weekend's sole wide release and is currently scoring 63 percent on the ol' Tomatometer.  Basically with Hunger Games coming next week, no one wanted to open anything near that mindspace. So expect Thor to bring the hammer down again.

JAKE GYLLENHAAL was sent to the emergency room after punching a mirror on the Los Angeles set of his new film Nightcrawler Wednesday morning.

ADAM LEVINE will be announced as “Sexiest Man Alive” by People next week? Really?

MATTHEW McCONNAUGHEY is GQ's Leading Man of the Year.

ALEC BALDWIN's stalker was found guilty. Meanwhile, Alec went homophobic again.

KHLOE KARDASHIAN & LAMAR ODOM are in couples therapy.

CHRIS BROWN is still in rehab, despite resurfacing in Los Angeles for a bite to eat on Wednesday.

MARK WAHLBERG wasn't targeting Tom Cruise with his recent remarks, but yeah, Cruise needs to shut it.

DR WHO was nearly extermianted at birth.

SYRIA: Hassan Nazrallah, the head of Hezbollah, said the group would not withdraw from Syria so long as the Assad regime needed it.

LIBYA: The terrorists who attacked the Benghazi consulate last year knew the location of the safe room where Ambassador Chris Stevens and his security team sought shelter, according to a congressman who spoke for 90 minutes with the diplomatic security agent severely injured in the assault.

EGYPT: The Interior Minister said authorities are aware of a Muslim Brotherhood plot to bring "violence and sabotage" to Egypt on Nov. 19.

IRAQ: The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant killed 41 Iraqis in a series of attacks throughout the country.

YUKI the SHIBA INU says hello.

THE RAREST MAMMAL ON EARTH: Spotted in Vietnam.

A COYOTE joins a cross-country champrionship in Phoenix.

WORLD'S OLDEST CREATURE: KIlled by scientists checking its age. Oops.

CULTS took "The High Road" to the Tonight Show.

MAGIK MARKERS are streaming Surrender to the Fantasy.

DEATH GRIPS are advance streaming Government Plates. Not my bag, but Pate bassist Mike Kelly's probably. Plus, even my Dad has heard of their antics.

BLITZEN TRAPPER stopped by Morning Becomes Eclectic for a session.

NO AGE dropped by KEXP to play a progressive lo-fi set. 

NICK LOWE (as part of Rockpile) plays "So It Goes," circa 1978.

LOS LOBOS turns 40, talks to the L.A. Times at Lucy's El Adobe on Melrose. Get Off My Lawn.

DID GRUNGE REALLY MATTER? The A.V. Club suggests it became "an evolutionary dead end." I think the author underestimates what it did to the marketplace.

PAUL McGUINNESS, the only manager U2 has had in its 30+ year history, is stepping aside and Live Nation reportedly is set to buy Principle Management

THE TOP 100 ALBUMS of 1988, according to Slicing Up Eyeballs readers. 

ALEC BALDWIN's alleged stalker Genevieve Sabourin told a packed court room how the actor seduced her with the promise 'of the night of your life', then had sex with her only to leave in the morning before she woke up. The French-Canadian actress also described a kinky episode of phone-sex.

MARK WAHLBERG: Not a fan of actors comparing themselves to soldiers.

KIM KARDASHIAN & KANYE WEST: Already planning a second child?

LIAM HEMSWORTH talks Miley Cyrus and Eiza Gonzalez while promoting The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

CHRIS BROWN is suing a woman accusing him of battery.

JENNIFER ANISTON & JUSTIN THEROUX have reportedly put their wedding on hold again.

JONATHAN RHYS MYERS was made to wait for a substantial part of his 100K-per-episode Dracula pay until after production ended; the network was concerned about his addictions.

50 SHADES OF GREY: Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson are the cover story at Entertainment Weekly.

ANDY KAUFMAN: A woman claiming to be the comedian's daughter also claims his cancer death was a hoax.

THE UNITED STATES State Department designated the Nigerian jihadist group Boko Haram and its splinter group Ansaru as global terrorist organizations.

SYRIA: The Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham issued a call for all Muslims and factions to come to the front as the group lost many fighters in recent clashes in Aleppo, and threatened to disarm or take to sharia court those armed groups and fighters who do not respond to the call.

IRAN signed a pact with the IAEA giving it "managed access" to some of the country's nuclear facilities, but not to its most sensitive sites, including the Parchin complex.

LEBANON: In a rare public appearance, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned in Beirut that the failure to reach an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program would result in "war in the region."

CATS lunch with a baby monkey.

THE SQUIRREL THREAT: Militant rodents practice battle formations.

HERMAPHRODITE SEA SLUG stabs mate in head during sex.

A SWAN terrorized a newsstand.