THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

... with THE SOUND OF MOTOWN!  This Ready Steady Go! special from 1965 kicks off with Dusty Springfield joined by Martha Reeves and The Vandellas on "Wishin And Hopin'" and "Can't Hear You No More" followed by The Supremes singing "Stop! In The Name Of Love," and The Temptations singing "My Girl," and Martha Reeves and The Vandellas return for "Dancing In The Street."  The Supremes come back with with "Shake," followed by Martha Reeves and The Vandellas with "Nowhere To Run." Up next is the Supremes with "Baby Love," Smokey Robinson and The Miracles with "You Really Got A Hold On Me," The Temps with "The Way You Do The Thing You Do," Martha & the Vandellas with "Heatwave," Dusty with "The Sweetest Boy In The World," the Miracles with "Ooh Baby, Baby" and "Shop Around,"The Supremes ask "Where Did Our Love Go?", then a medley with Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder and all performers joining in on "Mickey's Monkey," all backed by the Earl Van Dyke Sextet.  Keep listening and you'll get some duplicates, but also The Temps' "It's Growing,"  Stevie Wonder's "Kiss Me Baby" and Marvin Gaye's "How Sweet It Is" and "Can I Get A Witness?"

THE ORWELLS leave their Chicagoland garage to play KEXP. 

ALEC OUNSWORTH of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah performs solo on KEXP.

ANGEL OLSEN stopped by World Cafe for a chat and mini-set. 

LOS LONELY BOYS turn up at WNYC Soundcheck, behind a new LP playing with Santana-esque Latin blues jams, traditional conjunto, '70s soul and even, yes, soft 80's-styled yacht rock.

T. REX: "20th Century Boy." For the weekend.

OFF!: The supunkgroup is profiled by Magnet.

COVER SONGS: How can music nerds avoid sounding like jerks when discussing them?

ROLLING STONE: The magazine that  ripped every album Led Zeppelin ever made.

SMASHING PUMPKINS will reissue Adore with three, count 'em three, bonus discs.

CUTOUT BIN: From Arcade Fire to Frank Zappa, from the dB's toVan Halen, from Bruce Springsteen to Morrissey, plus the Hoodoo Gurus, Dusty Springfield, AC/DC, Midnight Oil and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds are streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NOW SHOWING: This weekend's wide releases are: Rio 2, which is currently scoring 52 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; Draft Day, currently scoring 50 percent; and Oculus; scoring 74 percent. The Raid 2 expands wide at 79 percent.

STEPHEN COLBERT will succeed David Letterman as host of The Late Show.

SELENA GOMEZ fired her mother and stepfather — as her managers anyway.

AMANDA BYNES is off her meds. This should end well.

COLIN KAEPERNICK has come up in a sexual assault investigation; no charges as of yet.

HILARY DUFF is calling off her divorce from hubby Mike Comrie?

STAR WARS: EPISODE VII may feature a total unknown.

UKRAINE: The US has accused Russia of using its energy supplies "as a tool of coercion" to try to control Ukraine. Eastern Europe could be on the cusp of the largest military buildup in decades as NATO considers deploying troops to alliance member states bordering Russia, adding to the estimated 40,000 Russian troops gathered along Ukraine's eastern border.

VENEZUELAN President Nicolas Maduro hosted opposition leaders on Thursday at the start of mediated talks intended to stem two months of political unrest that has killed dozens in the OPEC nation.

IRAN: At a time when the West would like to think its negotiating partner is adopting a new, softer tone, Iran’s executions have only increased over the past year, according to a report by the Human Rights and Democracy Report.

EGYPT: Officials said they were preparing a dossier to show Muslim Brotherhood involvement in major terror attacks in Egypt.

HORSE YOGA: Let's go to the video.

A CROCODILE  was barred from shopping at a TJ Maxx store in Roseville, California.

SPERM WHALE POOP: A cure for global warming?

WHEN THE CATS REVOLT, you will know why. Oh yes, you will.

THE BOTH: Aimee Mann and Ted Leo drop a video for "Milwaukee."

DAMON ALBARN plays a mini-set of new stuff at XFM.

NICOLE ATKINS plays a set at the Rockwood Music Hall for WFUV Live.

SAM FERMIN delivers a set of ambitious, epic pop music in their visit to KEXP.

JAMES VINCENT McMORROW haunts KEXP's studio with his stunning falsetto.

THE KLAXONS drop "Atom To Atom" ahead of  Love Frequency.

TOMMY JAMES & THE SHONDELLS: "I Think We're Alone Now," at the Village Square. No, really.

MAD WORLD: Stereogum excerpts an oral history of new wave music, including some choice quotes from Echo & The Bunnymen frontman Ian McCulloch discussing The Killing Moon...and Bono.

NIRVANA: Who will sing at their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Joan Jett?

ANTEMASQUE = Mars Volta + Flea.

THE TOP 10 BOB MOULD SONGS, according to The Guardian.

CHRIS MARTIN fears GWYNETH PALTROW is leaking cheating rumors to make him look less sympathetic.

MICKEY ROONEY's funeral delayed by family feud.

JOHNNY DEPP & AMBER HEARD: The inevitable pregnancy rumor.

THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR died suddenly and horrifically, right in front of his wife at 54.

NAYA RIVERA & BIG SEAN called off their engagement.

JASON SEGEL & KATIE HOLMES are not a couple, in case you were wondering.

JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS is on the cover of Rolling Stone; spot the historic error.

STAR WARS: EPISODE VII is reportedly planning to build out an extensive re-creation of Tatooine in a Morocco-like environment.

AN ELK JAM in Montana almost leaves one behind.

MOSQUITOES: They buzz. They bite. And they have killed more people than cancer, war, or heart disease.

THE COW OF THE FUTURE PROJECT: Bovines with backpacks. Not kidding.

A RAT terrorized NYC subway riders. Video at the link.

THEE OH SEES "Drop" the title track to their upcoming LP.

WOODS advance stream With Life and With Love.

WILLIS EARL BEAL surprise streams Curious Cool.

THE HOLD STEADY plays a mini-set at WNYC Soundcheck.

DUM DUM GIRLS play a mini-set at WNYC Soundcheck.

TUNE-YARDS drops “Wait For A Minute,” a surprisingly conventional smooth jam.

SNIFF 'N THE TEARS: "Driver's Seat," from the Boogie Nights soundtrack and Craig O'Neill's vault.

KIM DEAL talks to Stereogum about her solo singles series and the future of the Breeders.

DEAN WAREHAM is profiled by T magazine.

SCREAMING FEMALES: Jenn Pelly highlights the new album, Live at the Hideout, and shares a video from the shows at Pitchfork.

MY HUSBAND'S STUPID RECORD COLLECTION: A Wife's Tumblr. At least they aren't fighting about it.

SCARLETT JOHANSSON is profiled by Vanity Fair and Glamour. And don't call her Scar-Jo.

PEACHES GELDOF: Police find no drugs or suicide note.

MILEY CYRUS talks about heartbreak, sex, Disney and depression at Elle.

KIRSTEN DUNST shocked Harper's Bazaar UK readers with her traditional view of relationships between men and women.

SIMON COWELL is "not proud" of his affair, but likes the baby well enough.

ARCHIE is not long for this world. (But not really.)

THE SINISTER SIX: The villains from Amazing Spider-Man 2 are already being spun off.

RUSSIA warned Tuesday that any use of force in Ukraine's eastern region could lead to civil war, as Kiev seeks to regain control after pro-Moscow uprisings in three cities.

VENEZUELA: A coalition of opposition parties says it is willing to enter into talks with the government as long as certain conditions are met.

IRAN: US Secretary of State Kerry warned that Iran has the capability to produce fissile material for a nuclear bomb in two months.

CAT IN THE BOX: Very Suddenly.

THE SQUIRREL THREAT: It's Squirrel Week; Get Informed.

A DUCK was busted for home invasion in North Reading, Mass.

A MICRO-PIG loaned to a school got sent to slaughter. Oops.

SHARON VAN ETTEN is "Taking Chances" in her latest video.

SWEET APPLE, ft. J Mascis and other indie vets, stream The Golden Age Of Glitter.

JESSICA LEA MAYFIELD advance streams Make My Head Sing.

SHEARWATER brought Jesca Hoop along to their mini-set at WNYC Soundcheck.

THE REPLACEMENTS, in a recording studio.

THE SMITHEREENS: Pat DiNizio sings "In a Lonely Place" with Suzanne Vega and "Blue Period" with Belinda Carlisle. A duo of duets for Twofer Tuesday.

THE NATIONAL did a Reddit Ask Me Anything.

JASON ISBELL talks to Under The Radar about writing sober and his musical roots.

DEBBIE HARRY was bisexual back in the day.

THE FOUR TOPS: The making of "Reach Out (I'll Be There)."

CHRIS MARTIN denied cheating on Gwyneth Paltrow with a TV assistant.

PEACHES GELDOF, second daughter of musician Bob Geldof and the late Paula Yates, has died aged 25, leaving a husband and two sons.

JUSTIN BIEBER is persona non grata at the hottest nightclubs in Miami.

ROB LOWE: It's not easy being handsome.

MICHAEL FASSBENDER caught canoodling with...Naomi Campbell?

CAPTAIN AMERICA 3 opens on May 6, 2016.

PETER MAYHEW will reprise his role as Chewbacca in Star Wars: Episode VII.

UKRAINE: Pro-Russia demonstrators in eastern Ukraine declared separatist republics in two cities on Monday, and Ukrainian officials accused Moscow of orchestrating the moves as the first step toward launching an invasion.

VENEZUELA: President Maduro is set to meet opposition leaders for the first time since the start of street protests that left 39 dead. Two close friends of Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López were found dead Sunday in a Caracas park. Globovision news channel chief correspondent Nairobi Pinto was taken captive Sunday at the entrance to her apartment building.

EGYPT: Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy said there is evidence linking the Muslim Brotherhood and Ansar Jerusalem.

LIBYA: Protesters blocked roads in Tripoli, in solidarity with demonstrators conducting a general strike in Benghazi to protest the government's failure to provide security.

SYRIA: A vehicle blew up in a market near a police station in rebel-controlled Homs city, killing 29 Islamic fighters, including two commanders. State media said the car was being packed with explosives, but some activists said an ammunition depot had been struck by a regime rocket, while a rebel said the Al Nusrah Front and others had been preparing a car bomb.

DOGS EATING CABBAGE: Nom nom nom.

MORAY EELS have a second set of jaws, like in Alien.

IGUANAS invade Cape Coral.

ALMOST 400 COWS forced a plane to make an emergency landing.

ST VINCENT marked the anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death by covering "Lithium" at the Riv in Chicago.

THE AFGHAN WHIGS advance stream Do The Beast.

THE BOTH: Ted Leo and Aimee Mann advance stream their self-titled debut.

BEN WATT (Everything But The Girl) advance streams Hendra.

SLINT streams the remastered Spiderland. 

KURT COBAIN died 20 years ago last Saturday, but we've never stopped thinking about him. The Guardian posted a trove of its original coverage at Buzzfeed, and republished its reporting on his death on their own site (SPIN reupped its 1994 coverage also). LHB re-upped a collection of Nirvana covers. Everett True, who knew the singer, struggles to resurrect the spirit of the band. Stereogum ranks Nirvana's Top 10, and it doesn't include "Smells Like Teen Spirit."  I'll link to the Unplugged versions of my two faves, "About A Girl," and "All Apologies," with the hopes you vcan hear them better than Everett True can.

JOHN LYDON is set to star in a new production of the stage musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. Is he an anti-Christ, or is he?

ALEX CHILTON: Mark Hemingway reviews the first proper biography of Chilton, A Man Called Destruction, and recaps the history of Big Star's indie icon along the way.

DANCING WITH THE TSARS: A number of musicians make big bucks playing for dictators.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Captain America: The Winter Soldier easily tops the chart with 96.2 million. For perspective, consider that for movies not opening in November (when Thor: The Dark World made 5.1 million less in 2013) or the Summer blockbuster seasons, only The Hunger Games and Alice In Wonderland opened at over 100 million. The Cap sequel has also already grossed 207 million overseas -- more than the first Cap did in its entire theatrical run.  Marvel's trajectory for what were once considered second-tier superheroes is nothing less than astounding, the stuff of movie history.  Noah places with 17 million on a 61 percent skid accelerated by the return of the Avenger.  Divergent shows with 13 million on a 49 percent drop and crosses the 100 million mark. God's Not Dead moves up to the fourth slot with 7.7 million on a mere 12 percent drop. The Grand Budapest Hotel rounds out the Top 5 with 6.3 million on a 26 percent drop as the Wes Anderson pic finally hit wide release. At 87 million worldwide, it's already Anderson's biggest release, though only third domestically.

KEVIN FEIGE, the Marvel Studios exec who has been a main driver of this phenomenon, is profiled at BusinessWeek.

ANNA KENDRICK got nasty musically on SNL.

CHRIS BROWN may face a felony prosecution in Washington DC.

SNOOKI is pregnant with her second child.

HAYLIE DUFF is engaged to boyfriend Matt Rosenberg.

CHIWETEL EJIOFOR (12 Years A Slave), may be the next Bond Villain.

DEMI LOVATO appears to be topless in leaked cellphone pictures.

THE GOONIES are finally good enough for a sequel.

MICKEY ROONEY, the pint-sized actor who was one of MGM’s giant box office attractions in the late ’30s and early ’40s, has died, sources confirm. He was 93.

AUSTRALIA sent planes and ships to investigate signals detected by a Chinese ship in the hunt for a missing Malaysian jet, saying they matched black box beacons and were an “important and encouraging lead”.

UKRAINE accused Russia's President Vladimir Putin of orchestrating the seizure of state buildings in two eastern Ukrainian cities by pro-Russia protesters on Sunday, in a further escalation of tension between Kiev and Moscow. 

VENEZUELA: Protests erupted in Caracas late Friday after Venezuela's attorney general charged jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez with responsibility for anti-government demonstrations that have shaken the country since February.

AFGHANISTAN: Afghan and Western leaders have described Afghanistan's presidential election and the turnout as a success.

WILLIE works the toilet paper roll.

AMOROUS FROGS, Voyeuristic Crocodile.

GASOLINE LOVING SPIDERS force a second Mazda recall.

GOAT ESCAPE aided by a human in Des Moines. And the goat ate the ticket.