THE NEW YEAR STARTS HERE:

...with THE BEAT FARMERS!  Making a tradition of this more sober than usual, professionally-shot, early BF gig recorded at Universal Studios, including "There She Goes Again" (VU); "Road to Ruin," "Bigger Fool," "Reason to Believe" (Springsteen), "Powderfinger" (N. Young), "Happy Boy," "Big Ugly Wheels," "Bigger Stones," "Gun Sale at the Church," "Dallas Blues," "I Wanna Be Free," "Lakeside Trailer Park," "Death Train," and "Seven Year Itch."  If you're new to the band, my picks would be "Bigger Stones," "Happy Boy" and the cover of your choice.  BONUS:  Now how much would you pay?  But wait... there's more!  If you really want to see someone put the "bar" in "bar band," watch these NSFW clips from Houston, TX of the late Country Dick Montana leading the band through "Lucille" (K. Rogers) -- complete with his favorite beer bottle stunts -- followed by "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Wino," "Are You Drinkin' With Me, Jesus?" and "Mondo."  SUPER-SPECIAL BONUS: Country Dick rolls out "California Kid" and "Anarchy in the UK" (Language warning).

WORLD CAFE's Best of 2015 includes Father John Misty, Courtney Barnett and more...

THE ALABAMA SHAKES perform three tracks from their forthcoming Austin City Limits set.

TOM JONES stopped by Morning Becomes Eclectic for a session.

THE SMITHS: Early demos surface at a Morrissey fan site.

U2: Crushingly obvious, I know. 

NICK CAVE & SHANE MacGOWAN: "What a Wonderful World."

ABBA wishes you a "Happy New Year,"  but it doesn't sound anywhere as celebratory as "Take A Chance On Me." 

THE MOUNTAIN GOATS perform "This Year" at the M-Shop in Ames, IA.

OTIS & CARLA have a "New Year's Resolution."

JOE JACKSON: Pate frequently attempted "One More Time" to often 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?"  BONUS: The appropos finale, "Got The Time?"

GUNS N' ROSES: Some version including Axl Rose and Slash, will headline the Coachella Music & Arts Festival, with a possible stadium tour to follow.

THE BEATLES were a big hit on Spotify.

THE MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS of 2016, according to Stereogum and Consequence of Sound.

IN MEMORIAM: Musicians and entertainers remembered by NPR Music. 

THE ZOMBIES: "This Will Be Our Year."

BILL COSBY was arrested and charged Wednesday with drugging and sexually assaulting a woman at his home 12 years ago — the first criminal case brought against the comedian out of the torrent of allegations that destroyed his good-guy image as America’s Dad.

ROB KARDASHIAN was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with diabetes.

MARK SALLING (Glee) was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of having child pr0n.

THE X-FILES: REOPENED has a 21-minute behind-the scenes documentary online. [Spoiler Alerts]

THE WORST FILMS of 2015, according to The A.V. Club . 

'GENERAL" LEE HOLMAN is the second member of the Harlem Globetrotters to die in the past several days. 

AL QAEDA: Even as the Obama administration scrambles to confront the Islamic State and a resurgent Taliban, an old enemy seems to be reappearing in Afghanistan: Qaeda training camps are sprouting up there, forcing the Pentagon and American intelligence agencies to assess whether they could again become a breeding ground for attacks on the United States.

BELGIUM: Authorities say they have foiled an ISIS inspired terror attack targeting landmarks in Brussels. Nevertheless, New Year fireworks and festivities have been cancelled because of a terror alert.

RUSSIA:  For the first time in 24 years, the U.S. Navy’s intelligence branch has published an unclassified report warning against a rapidly rearming and increasingly aggressive Russian fleet.

A GERMAN SHEPARD, Home Alone, captured on a Go Pro camera.

20 GENTOO PENGUINS arrived at the Detroit Zoo by FedEx.

A RACCOON commits a daring donut heist.

TWO DOGS were reunited with their family following the devastating EF-3 tornado in the Dallas suburb of Rowlett.

A SLOW NEWS DAY, and a bit of a sick day, but there is this sad news:

JOHN BRADBURY, the drummer from groundbreaking UK ska band The Specials, has died aged 62. Bradbury's beats were a foundation of the Two Tone sound. The band’s major hits include "Ghost Town", which was a number one in 1981, as well as "Free Nelson Mandela", "Racist Friend" (later, um, homaged by TMBG) and my personal fave, "A Message to You Rudie" (which can be heard at a very appropriate moment in Grosse Point Blank).

ALSO: DAVID LOWERY, Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker frontman, has filed a 150MM class action lawsuit against Spotify.

I SHOULD RETURN TOMORROW with the traditional NYE party.

OVER 42 MILLION SERVED: Thanks for stopping by!

WAVVES dropped a no-frills video for "My Head Hurts" among the holiday proceedings.

BRANDI CARLILE, LUCIUS, DAWES, and SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS played a holiday gig for WFUV, only partly holiday-themed.

FOALS stopped by Morning Becomes Eclectic for a session.

THE 2015 AMERICANA HONORS & AWARDS, replete with live performances, have been reposted online.

RADIOHEAD dropped their unused theme for Spectre.

ALEX CHILTON would have turned 65 yesterday, so let's enjoy the Box Tops' "The Letter" and Big Star's "In The Street"for the final Twofer Tuesday of 2015.

LEMMY — a.k.a. Ian Fraser Kilmister of the band Motörhead — has died at the age of 70 according to reports. The Guardian profiled the hard-living elder statesman of hard rock in August. Stereogum recaps the Motörhead discography.

PATTERSON HOOD writes about Vic Chestnutt.

HENRY ROLLINS talks to The Quietus about listening to The Stooges in Antarctica, his love for Joy Division and why he'd never appear in a reformed Black Flag.

STEVE STRANGE: The New Romantic is remembered by Spandau Ballet's Martin Kemp.

COLUMBIA HOUSE seeks a second life in vinyl.

DOCTOR STRANGE: Entertainment Weekly has your first looks at Benedict Cumberbatch as Marvel's Sorcerer Supreme.

KANYE WEST bought KIM KARDASHIAN 150 presents for Christmas.

MIRANDA LAMBERT followed GWEN STEFANI on Twitter around the same time that news of Lambert's new beau, singer Anderson East, broke.

BEN AFFLECK & JENNIFER GARNER find it annoying to still be living together after their separation (shocka).

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN is set to direct the upcoming action thriller Dunkirk, based on the 1940 evacuation of Allied soldiers in France.

MEADOWLARK LEMON, whose halfcourt hook shots, no-look behind-the-back passes and vivid clowning were marquee features of the feel-good traveling basketball show known as the Harlem Globetrotters for nearly a quarter-century, died on Sunday in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was 83.

BABY BUNNIES In Cups.

A MONKEY stole a bus and crashed into parked cars in India.

A CHINESE ZOOKEEPER bragged of eating endangered species.

DOGS trained to pose for cameras.

FATHER JOHN MISTY updates John Lennon's "God" at the Troubadour.

MARTIN COURTNEY of Real Estate stopped by World Cafe for a chat and mini-set.

SQUEEZE: Difford & Tilbrook stopped by World Cafe for a chat and mini-set.

RICKIE LEE JONES stopped by World Cafe for a chat and mini-set.

BONO & FRIENDS busked on Grafton Street in Dublin on Christmas Eve to raise money for homeless charities.

THE POGUES: Shane MacGowan uses his new teetth to give a pretty Grinchy interview to Vice.

STEVIE WRGHT, who fronted the band the Easybeats in the 1960s and is widely regarded as Australia’s first international pop star, has died at the age of 68.

WILLIAM GUEST, a member of Gladys Knight and the Pips from 1953 to 1989, died on Thursday in Detroit. He was 74.

CAMERA OBSCURA's keyboardist, the late Carey Lander, remembered by by bandmate Tracyanne Campbell.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, with 153MM in its second weekend, 5444MM domestic and over one billion dollars worldwide, continues to shatter just about every record it encounters and is now seems pretty likely to dethrone Avatar as alltime champ by the time it's done. Daddy's Home placed a distant second, but 38MM makes it Will Farrell's best debut since Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby. Maybe all those TV showings of Elf helped.The production budget for Daddy's Home was around 50MM, which means this will likely make a tidy profit as it runs into January.  Joy shows with 17.5MM, a likely tribute to the draw of Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper and barely enough to think the studio can profit against a 60MM budget.  Sisters came in fourth, but the holidays gave it a leggy 13.9MM, about what it made in its debut. Alvin and the Chipmunks The Road Chip rounds out the Top Five with 12.7MM.  Below the fold, Concussion debuted at sixth with 11MM, which is probably enough to take it to profit against a 35MM budget.  The seventh place expansion of The Big Short was also successful at 10.5MM against a 28MM budget.  The remake of Point Break debouted in eighth with 10.2 MM against a 105MM budget...but this seeming flop may be saved overseas where it has grossed 43MM (40MM of which is from China alone).

ROBERT DOWNEY JR., who spent time behind bars in the late 1990s on drug convictions, received a Christmas Eve pardon from Gov. Jerry Brown, effectively removing a black mark from the movie star's checkered past.

MADONNA's 15-year-old son has flown the coop so he could stay with his dad.

CHRIS BROWN & SCOTT DISICK are sober buddies?

KHLOE KARDASHIAN is continuing her commitment to the rehabilitation of Lamar Odom.

CARSON DALY wed his longtime love, fiancée Siri Pinter, in a private ceremony on Wednesday.

DEADPOOL dropped a red-band trailer for the holidays.

HASKELL WEXLER, Oscar-winning cinematographer (and he should've won another for his Herculean last-minute effort on American Graffiti) has died at 93.  Seriously, he was working in Los Angeles on already scheduled jobs during the day and helicoptering to Petaluma to work on American Graffiti every night, providing enough light to hold camera focus whilestill  making it look naturalistic.

SACHA BARON COHEN & ISLA FISHER donated a million dollars to aid refugees in Syria.

ARIZONA: The man accused of training and arming two men who went on to attack a “draw Muhammad” cartoon contest in North Texas has been indicted on charges that he accessed an Islamic State list that recorded the names and home addresses of U.S. service members.

BELGIUM: Authorities have announced the arrest of a ninth suspect linked to last month’s Paris attacks, a man they said had been in contact with the suspected ringleader’s cousin.

IRAQI troops who have fought their way deep into the Islamic State stronghold of Ramadi were consolidating their positions on Friday ahead of a planned final assault to capture the city.

AN ORANGUTAN turns her blanket into a hammock.

A FLOCK OF CHICKENS was set loose in Oregon's Department of Revenue.

SOME PIGS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS: Why Asia Craves America's Pig DNA.

A COYOTE was stopped by airport security in South Carolina.

THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY STARTS HERE:

... with CHRIS ISAAK, live at Universal Studios. Your holiday-themed numbers include "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Hey, Santa," "Last Month of the Year," "Blue Christmas," and "Christmas on TV." Bonus: Dreidel banter! Double Bonus: "It's a Bad Brains Christmas, Charlie Brown."

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS:  Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.  Mental Floss has "The Real Story Behind A Charlie Brown Christmas (and why it almost wasn't shown)." The WaPo has reflections from producer-director Lee Mendelson.

DARLENE LOVE & RONNIE SPECTOR duet on "Sleigh Ride" and "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree."

THE POGUES:  It's not Christmas Eve in the drunk tank (or even St. Patrick's Day) without a "Fairytale of New York."  From 2012, here's the backstory. And at The Week, Michael B. Dougherty argues that it's the greatest Christmas song of all time.

ANTON BARBEAU, an occasional collaborator of the late Scott Miller, crafted his own "Xmas Song."

DEAN WAREHAM Does The Holidays.

NORAD will be tracking Santa, per usual. CNET has a history and behind-the scenes story.

THE 25 BEST CHRISTMAS ALBUMS, according to Complex. BONUS: The L.A. Times rounds up the Merry and the Meh, including the evolving Christmas Time Again, by The dB's and Friends.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY of Christmas Songs.

BILLY MACK: Because "Christmas Is All Around."  ALSO: Is Love Actually is an awful movie? PLUS: We now know for sure what happened to Harry and Karen.

THE FLAMING LIPS perform "White Christmas" as only they can.

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS: "The Keep That Keeps Giving."  Not to be confused with "The Gift," which is not Christmasey at all.

THE COURTEENEERS drop a video for "Winter Wonderland" that's not that Winter Wonderland.

CALEXICO: Speaking of presents, here's their "Gift X-Change."

THE MUPPETS: "Ringing of the Bells." Not to be confused with Super Furry Animals.

JON BON JOVI sings "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" to R2-D2 in his first professional recording.

AN XMAS FLASH MOB from the Berklee College of Music broke out into an impromptu performance of the classic Christmas carol “O Holy Night” at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts.

GLAM XMAS:  I started the month with Wizzard's awesome "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day" and Slade's "Merry Christmas Everybody" (1973's UK Xmas No. 1). The circle is now complete.

HALL & OATES: "Jingle Bell Rock," reduced to its molten kitchy essense.

THE MOST COVERED CHRISTMAS SONGS, according to FiveThirtyEight.

MARIAH CAREY's “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has slipped to number two in the ranking of holiday shoppers’ most-heard songs.

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS:  The real deal, not Jim Carrey (may take a moment to load).  Then he slunk to the ice box. He took the Whos' feast. He took the who pudding, he took the roast beast. He emptied the ice box as quick as a flash. Why, the Grinch even took the last can of who hash.

DAVID BOWIE & BING CROSBY'S cross-generational duet o­n "Little Drummer Boy." This historic even was recreated by Will Farrell and John C. Reilly. Plus, Jack Black and Jason Segel have done a cartoon cover. 

NOW SHOWING: Christmas will see the wide openings for: Daddy's Home, which is currently scoring 35 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; the remake of Point Break, not screened for critics; David O. Russell's Joy, currently scoring 62 percent; Concusssion, scoring 60 percent; and the expansion of The Big Short, scoring 86 percent.

THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS:  Many people believe human activity is causing global warming.  I blame Snow Miser and Heat Miser.

CHICAGO CHRISTMAS MEMORIES:  If you grew up in Chicago (and I suspect other places), the season is not complete without watching the short cartoons of "Hardrock, Coco & Joe" (a story fantastic, a story so queer), "Suzy Snowflake" and the jazzy version of "Frosty the Snowman."

THE BEATLES fan club messages for 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969.

TEN OR TWELVE UNDERRATED Holiday Tracks (Some of which already appear here).

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOU...FROM PHIL SPECTOR: Essayed by Aquarium Drunkard and NME.

THE TRON 1982 HOLIDAY SPECIAL, courtesy of Funny Or Die.

THE SEX PISTOLS & THIN LIZZY played "A Merry Jingle" for Top of the Pops.  BONUS: The Pistols' final UK show was a Christmas benefit.

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: Pate even had a song titled "Rope Around The Moon," so watch the whole thing. BONUS: Vintage Bailey backlash from warped, frustrated old people at the New York Times and Portfolio. DOUBLE-BONUS: 22 TV variations on It's A Wonderful Life.

RUDOLPH, THE RED-NOSED REINDEER:  Pull up an ice block and lend an ear!  Herbie wanted to be a dentist.  NTTAWWT.  BONUS:  The Rankin-Bass classic continues to inspire ads like 2009's Verizon ad, following 2008's Apple ad, even more so 2007's AFLAC commercial, and AT & T bringing in Rudolph and Santa for 2015.

FESTIVUS:  For the rest of us.  Technically already started, so I can be one of your grievances.

SCARY GHOST STORIES: I overheard Andy Williams crooning "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" in a store this month, and the lyric about "scary ghost stories" never really struck me before.  Took me a second, but I supposed he was referring to Dickens.  It turns out -- as noted by a coworker -- that this was a thing in Victorian England...  and the modern day. BONUS: Krampus, which has now inspired a major motion picture. DOUBLE BONUS: NME rounds up 10 Deliciously Scary Christmas Movies. TRIPLE BONUS: 18 Killer Santas From Film and TV.

TEN UNFORGETTABLE Musical Christmas Moments On Film.

THE 30 BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES, according to Empire magazine.

DRECK THE HALLS: A Holiday TV Specials Retrospective.

23 TV EPISODES based on "A Christmas Carol."

NAT KING COLE:  His chestnuts are roasting.

MAYMO THE BEAGLE gets 210 bottles for Christmas.

100 ANIMALS in Santa hats. You're welcome.

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, as told by cats.

A SHETLAND PONY in a Christmas foursie.

14 ANIMALS Who Tried to Ruin Christmas.

CHRISTMAS ON CHRISTMAS ISLAND involves millions of crabs.

AN AUSTRALIAN FAMILY shot into the Guinness Book of Records in 2011 after decorating their home with an astonishing 331038 Christmas lights. If the video at the link doesn't work, try this one.