JOHN VANDERSLICE does an orchestral version of "Too Much Time" at ABCNews's Amplified blog.

PASSION PIT & HARLEM SHAKES played DC the other night; you can stream either set or both via NPR.

FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE played Mountain Stage; you can stream the gig on demand via NPR.

COWBOY JUNKIES also played Mountain Stage; you can stream the gig on demand via NPR.

RICHARD HELL is interviewed by The Virgins' Donald Cumming at ClashMusic. (Thx, LHB.)

MAYER HAWTHORNE goes full-on doo-wop for "When I Said Goodbye."

BAT FOR LASHES: Natasha Khan talks to Pitchfork about the new LP, touring, etc.

JARVIS COCKER is interviewed by director Wes Anderson for Interview magazine.

GOMEZ: Olly Peacock talks to the Dallas Morning News about trying to invade America and placing songs on House and Grey's Anatomy.

THE LEMONHEADS: Evan Dando is suing General Motors for re-recording "It's a Shame About Ray" using it in an ad.

BRITNEY SPEARS is dating her agent.

HUGH GRANT kicked a paparazzo in the groin.  Video at the link.

DAVID CARRADINE: More photos, more bizzare.

PHIL SPECTOR mugshot, sans funky toupee.

BRAD PITT spent almost a million bucks on a painting.

HARRY POTTER & THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE has a new clip online.

JESSICA ALBA apologizes for some alleged vandalism.

JESSICA BIEL & JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE are being pressured to procreate by Timberlake's mother.

IRON MAN 2: USA Today has your first look at Mickey Rourke as Whiplash.

IRAN: Powerful cleric Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, issued an open letter on Tuesday complaining that the country's supreme leader has remained silent in the face of "insults, lies and false allegations" by incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.  But keep in mind this election is maybe a notch above WWE wrestling.

AFGHANISTAN: US strike kills Iranian-backed Taliban commander in western Afghanistan.  Meanwhile, the new American commander in Afghanistan has been given carte blanche to handpick a dream team of subordinates, including many Special Operations veterans, as he moves to carry out an ambitious new strategy that envisions stepped-up attacks on Taliban fighters and narcotics networks.

DARREN the WAVING GOAT: Let's go to the video.

A DOZEN DUCKLINGS, rescued by police officer Eileen Emiddio.  Awww...some pics at the link.

JIMMY the MONKEY is working on re-creating the works of Shakespeare.

MOONLIT MANATEE BEACH ORGY attracts peeping toms to Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.