THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

with ELVIS PRESLEY! The King died on August 16, 1977, but remains a global pop phenomenon, so it's worth a recap of highlights from his legendary career.  For the 30th anniversary, Canada's Star-Phoenix, discussing ten important parts of Elvis history worth reliving, noted: "His was a sequined coat of many colours: '50s Greaser Elvis. Military Elvis. Hollywood Elvis. Aloha from Hawaii Elvis. Vegas Elvis. And, ultimately, Dead Fat Elvis."  The BBC had friend and aide Sonny West recall life with The King. 

ACTION NEWS 5 still has its local coverage from Aug. 16-17, 1977 (here, here, here and here) on the Tube, where you can also see funeral footage from the UK.  Here's read the obit that ran the next day in the Washington Post. Elvis Presley News recaps the international headlines from the event and links to the eulogy at his funeral. On a happier note, check out what is likely the first footage taken of Elvis, with backstage shots of Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Buddy Holly in 1955; shades of Walk The Line!  Let's start with his performance of "Hound Dog" o­n The Milton Berle Show six months later, not o­nly because it's historic, but also because Paul Miller and I often reached for it when we would stumble into our KUSR shift at the last minute -- on the broadcast, Uncle Miltie vamped for awhile, which gave us time to pull records for the show.  He was also iconic in "Jailhouse Rock" that year.  Elvis sang a mashup of "Love Me Tender" and "Witchcraft" with Frank Sinatra when he got back from the Army.  All of his movies -- such as "Viva Las Vegas" --made money, but his musical career stalled in the 1960s until he electrified and charmed the public with his televised '68 Comeback Special.  1970 finds him singing "In The Ghetto" and "Suspicious Minds" in the jumpsuit, though pre-bloated.  I'm going to throw in "Little Sister" just 'cause I like it.  Sadly, in a few short years, bloated jumpuit Elvis would be delivering a wacked-out take on "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" -- though to be fair, this audio-only version from 1969 is even more demented and he knows it.  I would rather remember Jumpsuit Elvis for the signature horns that open "See See Rider."  a tribute to his enduring legacy as the fact that he could hit the charts decades after his death with a remix of "A Little Less Conversation," a video subtly recalling "Jailhouse Rock," and Paul Oakenfold's remix of "Rubberneckin'". The King may be gone, but the brand lives on, making millions and recruiting new fans under the watchful eyes of Elvis Presley Enterprises and CKX, Inc.

GREETINGS FROM GRACELAND:  It must be said, however, that Elvis Presley Enterprises did not have a good handle on the King's affairs in the years immediately following his death.  Chicago radio personalities Steve Dahl and Garry Meier won a local emmy for their 1981 comedic look at what was then a very seedy exploitation of Elvis in Memphis. (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7.)

MOJO NIXON & SKID ROPER: "Elvis Is Everywhere."

TREVOR POWERS advance streams Mulberry Violence.

ROY MONTGOMERY advance streams Suffuse.

GOLDEN DRAG streams Pink Sky.

BIG RED MACHINE shares "Deep Green" and "I Won't Run From It."

MITSKI shares “Two Slow Dancers.”

DAVE GROHL becomes a one-man band and debuts a new 21-minute instrumental in his Play documentary.

WOODSTOCK: On Aug. 15-17, 1969, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in a lovely natural amphitheater in Bethel (not Woodstock), NY for "three days of peace and music," including sets from Crosby, Stills and Nash, The Who, Santana, Joe Cocker, Jefferson Airplane, Arlo Guthrie, Canned Heat, Jimi Hendrix, and the proverbial many more.

AC/DC reunion confirmed... for reasons as yet unknown.

MICHAEL NAU (Cotton Jones, Page France) talks to Aquarium Drunkard about  building his new  record live, how that immediacy shaped the songs, and how doubts fuel his seemingly carefree jams.

MELODY'S ECHO CHAMBER: Melody Prochet emails Noisey about her psychedelic new LP.

THE NUMBER ONES looks at Herman's Hermits' adorably obnoxious earworm "I'm Henry VIII, I Am."

NOW SHOWING: This weekend's wide releases include The Meg, which is currently scoring 49 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; Dog Days, currently scoring 58 percent; Slender Man, which is scoring 20 percent; and BlacKkKlansman, scoring 98 percent.

BRADGELINA: Angelina Jolie is hitting back at ex Brad Pitt, claiming his purported child support payments were actually a loan.

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME (spoiler) suggests more survivors from Infinity War.

CASEY AFFLECK is speaking publicly about bowing out of presenting the best actress Oscar and past harassment allegations against him amid the MeToo and Time's Up movements.

CHER is releasing an album of ABBA covers. Behold, a pale horse!

LANCE BASS may get into HGTV's plans for the Brady Bunch house.

MAN ARRESTED for taunting bison at Yellowstone.

THOUSANDS OF ANTS form a bridge to attack a wasp's nest. No Stan Lee cameo.

DRUNKEN WASPS have Britain under seige.

SEAL PUPS: Don't take them to your hotel room. The More You Know. Swoosh.

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE: "Stone Free," live in Frankfurt. Dig this, baby.

BRANDI CARLILE plays the Newport Folk Fest.

UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA visits KEXP.

MAC MILLER brought THUNDERCAT and friends for a Tiny Desk Concert.

ART BRUT returns with “Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out!”

THE DODOS return with "Forum."

CURSIVE returns with "Life Savings."

MATTHEW DEAR returns with "Bunny's Dream" and "Echo".

THE BREEDERS share a video for “Nervous Mary.”

THE BAND: Robbie Robertson details how the group's singular sound evolved in the basement of the house they called Big Pink.

AEROSMITH's old tour van was discovered in a Massachusetts forest.

AC/DC are rumored to be working on new music with former frontman Brian Johnson and ex-drummer Phil Rudd, after the pair were spotted together in Vancouver.

THE NUMBER ONES looks at the Rolling Stones' earthshaking classic "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."

BRADGELINA: Brad Pitt claims he's paid Angelina Jolie nine million in child support.

THE OSCARS will cut back on televised awards, but add "the Popcorn Oscar."

LINDSAY LOHAN critiques the MeToo movement.

RICHARD GERE is reportedly set to become a dad again just a year short of his 70th birthday. 

MATTHEW PERRY recovers after an operation to repair a ruptured bowel.

THE BRADY BUNCH house was sold to HGTV, right out from under Lance Bass.

MARGOT KIDDER's death has been ruled a suicide.

GIRAFFIC PARK.

SNAKE EATS PIGEON on the sidewalk as a horrified crowd watches.

COWS help corral a suspected car thief.

52 BABOONS escaped their enclosure at the Paris zoo.

JON PRATT: Pate's frontman plays "Moving fast, When you ought'a move slow."

BOZ SCAGGS stops by World Cafe.

JIM LAUDERDALE stops by World Cafe.

RAINBOW KITTEN SURPRISE plays World Cafe Nashville.

TITUS ANDRONICUS shares a mixtape of stripped-down material.

JOHN GRANT shares a doggo-filled video for "Love is Magic."

JOHN PEEL: The legendary DJ, profiled circa 1968.

GUNS N' ROSES may make another album. Or at least spend years talking about it.

THE REGRETTES talk about Lollapalooza, Wayne's World, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more.

THE NUMBER ONES looks at the Byrds' folk-rock classic "Mr. Tambourine Man," the only Bob Dylan-written song ever to reachthe top of the chart.

KATHLEEN TURNER's interview with Vulture is an instant classic.

BRADGELINA: Angelina Jolie is sick of being married to Brad Pitt and is asking the divorce judge to end her marriage and make her single again, even before the judge deals with some nasty child custody issues. Jolie alleges Pitt hasn't paid her any “meaningful” child support for a year and a half. OTOH, a "source" claims Jolie can’t see past her anger for Brad that he is on his way to getting joint custody.”

JOHNNY DEPP's Notorious B.I.G. thriller City Of Lies has been pulled from the schedule a month before it was set to hit theaters.

TOM HARDY's Esquire profile begins with a woman lying in the street, bloody, and slipping in and out of consciousness.

MANIAC: Emma Stone and Johan Hill's Netflix project has a trailer online.

ELLIE GOULDING and her boyfriend Caspar Jopling are tying the knot, sharing the happy news in the most traditional fashion.

BATWOMAN: Out actress Ruby Rose has been tapped to play the lesbian superhero for the CW.

COWBOY NINJA VIKING is in trouble.

CATS Got Glammed Up For The 2018 Algonquin Cat Fashion Show.

THE BALLAD OF SUZY GREENBURG, the 'sly turtle' who 'ran' away from her Philly home.

A MONSTER SNAKE hogs the road.

THIS MUTANT CRAYFISH Clones Itself, and It's Taking Over Europe.

FUN BOY THREE play "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "Summertime" for Twofer Tuesday. I suppose I should remind the young'uns that singer Terry Hall co-wrote "Lips."

THE LONE BELLOW plays the Newport Folk Fest.

DARLINGSIDE plays the Newport Folk Fest.

M WARD plays the Mountain Stage.

ERIC BACHMANN shares “Jaded Lover, Shady Drifter.”

BRYAN ADAMS joined TAYLOR SWIFT in the most ambitious crossover event of 2018.

BOB DYLAN (1961-67) gets almost three hours of discussion and analysis in Part 1 of a three-part Political Beats, with The Daily Beast's Andrew Kirell.

COURTNEY BARNETT talks to the Creative Independent about songwriting, finding a work/life balance, and overcoming creative anxiety.

FOREIGNER: They're getting the band back together.

THE NUMBER ONES looks at the Four Tops' desperately catchy "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)."

BEYONCE reveals she is 'descended from a slaveowner.'

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: Dave Bautista has said that he is ready to leave the franchise if James Gunn's script isn't used.

HARVEY WEINSTEIN says emails show he had a "consensual intimate friendship" with one of his rape accusers.

ROBERT REDFORD is retiring from acting.

KELLY CLARKSON is filming a pilot for a syndicated daytime talk show.

ONE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD: Here's your first look at Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate.

CATFIGHT: Bring It.

AN ESCAPED GOAT has been on the lam in Hackettstown for over a year.

GOATPOCALYPSE: Rental goats escaped and swarmed an Idaho neighborhood.

A BABY BLACK RHINO will melt your heart.

NEVERTHELESS, I HAVE SOME THINGS:

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Mission: Impossible - Fallout repeats atop the chart with 35MM on a mere 43 percent drop, less of a drop than Rogue Nation in its second frame.It's on track to be the franchise's biggest domestic grosser.  Christopher Robin placed with 25MM, which means it needs to be a little leggy to make bank against a reported 75MM budget; in the dog days, it could happen. The Spy Who Dumped Me shows with12.4MM against a 40MM budget and likely disappoints in its big screen run.  Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! takes the fourth slot with 9MMon a 40 percent drop; it's currently outrunning the original, but the size of the drops suggests it will wind up short of the first one. The Equalizer 2 rounds out the Top Five with another 8.8MM on a 37 percent drop; it may match the original's 101.5MM domestic.

ANGELINA JOLIE denies splitting with her lawyer as the legal battle with Brad Pitt "enters a new phase."

PATRICK STEWART will reprise his Next Generation role as Jean-Luc Picard more than two decades after the syndicated favorite wrapped its run.

DEMI LOVATO wants to focus on sobriety and almost certainly rehab. 

HAYDEN PANETIERRE & WAYNE KLITCHKO  have chosen to end their engagement and break up.

ELLE FANNING & MAX MINGHELLA: Dating rumors.

THE FACTS OF LIFE: A reboot is in the works with help from Leonardo DiCaprio and Jessica Biel.Meanwhile, Charlotte Rae, who endeared herself to a generation of TV fans as the affable Mrs. Garrett on the long-running NBC sitcom, died Sunday at her home in Los Angeles. She was 92.

THE FIRST ATOMIC BOMB WAS DROPPED ON HIROSHIMA on this date in 1945. The act that ushered in the nuclear age, but also helped end World War II, still stokes controversy. Three men involved in the attack o­n Hiroshima share their memories with the BBC. Film showing the effects of the attack was classified for decades, as were the complete (unredacted) "Magic" military intercepts, which tend to show Japan was not about to surrender. Those interested in a relatively neutral view of the events leading to the bombing could do worse than 1995's Hiroshima, a joint Canadian-Japanese production for Showtime.  Hard to find tho.