THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

with ELVIS PRESLEY! The King died 34 years ago next week, 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 BBC Archive.  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!  You can also see him play "I Got A Woman" live o­n his first TV appearance in 1956. I also include 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 -- Uncle Miltie vamps 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, which you can see on the Tube.  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.)

WOODEN SHJIPS is advance streaming West.

FAIR OHS is streaming Everything is Dancing.

BRAID is advance streaming the Closer to Closed EP.

ASTRID SWANN streams Hits, a electronic-y Pavement covers collection. (Thx, LHB.)

THE VACCINES stopped by KEXP for a brief mini-set.

OUTSIDE LANDS: Rolling Stone has a streaming playlist of acts playing the eclectic San Fran fest.

GUIDED BY VOICES: The Carefree Kitchens Are a Blast.

JIMMY CLIFF drops a cover of The Clash's "The Guns of Brixton," part of an upcoming collaboration with Rancid's Tim Armstrong.

NEKO CASE joins MY MORNING JACKET on "Islands In the Stream," written by the Bee Gees and a hit for Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.

SONDRE LERCHE talks to PopMatters about his first proper song, the new album's hit single "Private Caller," and the importance of remembering one's dreams.

ICEAGE -- staking out a rough patch of turf somewhere in the badlands between U.K. postpunk (think Wire and Joy Division) and American hardcore (think Minor Threat) -- is profiled at Straight.

MTV's WEIRD VIBES, Ep. 1: It's Not Easy Being a Buzzband.

ACE FREHLEY talks about his upcoming memoirs. Had to post this for Pate bassist Mike Kelly. BONUS: Paul Stanley has a fourth child.

JANI LANE, former lead singer of the rock group Warrant, was found dead in a Los Angeles-area hotel Thursday night, TMZ reported.

CUTOUT BIN: From the Clash to the Sweet, from the Jam to Robert Plant, from Elvis Presley to Buzzcocks, from Roy Orbison to Joan Jett, plus the Specials, Wonder Stuff, Small Faces, 13th Floor Elevators and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds are now streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NOW SHOWING:  This weekend's wide releases include Final Destination 5, which is currently scoring 53 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; 30 Minutes or Less, which is scoring 46 percent; The Help, which opened Wednesday with 73 percent; and the Glee 3-D concert movie, scoring 67 percent.

LINDSAY LOHAN  is firing back at reports that she was spotted in Venice Beach buying something that looked suspiciously like an illegal substance from someone that gave her a Ziploc baggie.

GEORGE LOPEZ gets cancelled on TBS.  Some wonder whether it's Conan's fault, as opposed to the sheer awfulness of the Lopez show.  At least George still has Sandra Bullock as his fairy godmother.

BLAKE LIVELY: A "Rules" Girl?

KATE MOSS wedding pics.

ERNIE & BERT "remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation."

THE BEST TV SERIES with over 5000 votes at IMdB.

THE LEAST LIKELY SCREEN COUPLES, according to writers at The A.V. Club.

YEMEN: Tribesmen claimed they killed Yassir al-Shalily, a leader of the AQAP front group Ansar al Shariah, during fighting in Mudiyah.

JORDAN: The state security court is trying 150 Salafists for their role in an attack on police in Zarqa that wounded 83 officers.

AFGHANISTAN: Secret exploratory peace talks between the United States and the Taliban leadership have broken down after details of the negotiations were leaked.  US special operations forces killed the Taliban commander and the shooter who were responsible for last weekend's downing of a helicopter in Wardak.

ONE of these DOGS will be affected by static.

RUNAWAY COW: Hunters, animal rights activists and even her best friend have failed to lure Yvonne the German cow back to the farmyard. Now they're bringing in the bull.

A BEAR breaks up a Monopoly game in New Hampshire. No one passes "Go" or collects 200 dollars.

A SNAKE HANDLER has been slammed in Australia after he let 'deadly' snakes bite his 10-year-old daughter to prove they had been de-venomized.