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Yo La Tengo to Play "Saturday Night Live" Stage Show

You may be experiencing a lot of déjà vu flipping through the channels of late. Yep, that Writers Guild of America strike is still on, and your favorite television shows are stuck in re-run mode for now. But that doesn't mean the folks behind those shows aren't fixin' to do their thing. Some of them, in fact, will do that thing this weekend.

The cast of "Saturday Night Live" will perform a special "On Strike!" edition of that program this coming (you guessed it) Saturday night, live on stage at New York City's Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. A Hollywood Reporter piece quotes "SNL" cast member Amy Poehler as saying, "We are doing this to raise spirits, raise awareness, and raise money for our hardworking production crews who will be having a hard holiday season if this strike continues."

That's all well and good, but this being a music publication, we'd be shirking our duties if we didn't tell you about "Saturday Night Live"'s musical guest for the occasion: none other than Hoboken's finest, Yo La Tengo.

Ira, Georgia, and James join the "SNL" gang and guest host Michael Cera November 17. Proceeds from the gig, as Poehler suggested above, go to the show's production staff.

Beyond that, Yo La Tengo have all eyes on Hanukkah. [MORE...]
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Lily Allen to Host TV Show on BBC Three

Photo by Anoulay Tsai

Seems like only yesterday we were bringing you news of Lily Allen's latest not-strictly-musical undertaking. (And if you haven't seen our update to that story, take note: Lily's management company originally confirmed that she would indeed be the new face of Agent Provocateur. However, hours after our story ran, the confirmation was rescinded, with no explanation. Agent Provocateur has not responded to our questions at this time.)

But today's a new day, and Lily's not the type to lay around in her knickers just waiting for the next thing to come along. Starting early next year, she'll be at the helm of a new variety show on BBC Three. According to The Guardian, the show is called "Lily and Friends". BBC News reports that the program is "based on the social networking phenomenon that helped launch her music career." Brits get Lily Allen, and we Yanks are stuck with Tila Tequila? Blast!

The show's audience will apparently consist of Lily's MySpace friends, with viewers presenting some of the show's segments and grilling celebrity guests. Bands both "chart-topping" and "unsigned" will join Lily on the show, and the progress of the lesser known acts-- chosen by the audience-- will be charted at length on a network created specifically for the show. It seems most of the details of the show are still being worked out; in fact, it was just about a month ago that Lily mentioned on her blog that she'd been "having meetings about a potential tv show."

So what else is Lily up to? Well, she's got that Jane Austen movie in the works, and a live track on that WXRT charity comp. And hopefully making a new record.

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Jay-Z Tapes Episode of VH1 "Storytellers"

Ahh "Storytellers", that VH1 institution that has allowed viewing audiences insight into the creative processes of James Taylor, Counting Crows, and Jewel (also kind of a lot of actually good artists). Now Jay-Z has joined the flock of mostly acoustic singer-songwriter types, and his episode of the program will premiere November 8.

Jay-Z taped the hour-long episode at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn on October 24. His set featured eight tracks from the forthcoming American Gangster (out November 6) with backing from a 12-piece band he called the Roc Boys. Of course, interspersed throughout the performance are revelations of the songs' inspirations.

The Roc Boys will also accompany the Def Jam head honcho on his tiny tour of the U.S. scheduled to start November 6 in L.A. Didn't get tickets to the shows? Too bad. Apparently, they were gone in 60 seconds.

One other piece of Jay-related news has surfaced recently: The impending signing of Jadakiss to Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam. In an interview with MTV.com, Jay said, "[The deal] is not done. It's about 90 percent [complete]." [MORE...]
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New Stephin Merritt Song Coming to Volvo Ad, iTunes

Photo by Clay Walker

That Volvo ad with Stephin Merritt is nice, isn't it? I know I respond more favorably to whatever product's being hawked when said onslaught'o'commerce is soundtracked by one of my favorite maestros making their way through a purty tune (though they really couldn't play that Feist ad any more if they tried, eh?). But, as Merritt's a heck of a songwriter (and "The Wheels on the Bus" is intentionally annoying, if catchy), I'll take a Merritt original over a reinterpretation any day.

So don't touch that dial, 'cause it seems Volvo will follow the "Wheels" ad with another spot later this month featuring "I'm in a Lonely Way", a new Merritt composition. What's more, according to Merritt's website, the tune from that ad will appear on the iTunes store under Merritt's given name October 3. That's today, right? It is, but as of press time, the track's not up just yet. These things take time.

Speaking of which, still no word on what's up with that Magnetic Fields album-- for which we were promised both a title and a release date some three months ago-- due early next year.
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Did "Saturday Night Live" Rip Off Aphex Twin?

On Monday morning, as it made the rounds on the AIM and the blogs and that del.icio.us, "Iran So Far" was yet another mildly amusing Andy Samberg-helmed "Saturday Night Live" digital short. In case you missed it, it's a slow jam featuring some hushed rapping about Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, buoyed mostly by Fred Armisen's Ahmadinejad impression and a surprise guest appearance by the actually-OK-in-miniscule-doses Adam Levine. As these things go, it did the trick, but it's no "Roy Rules".

But it's Tuesday now, and the internet's still abuzz about "Iran So Far". As our postmillenial attention spans don't permit mere amusement to retain mere chuckle fodder for more than maybe a day and a half, that can only mean one thing: CONTROVERSY.

Turns out, the Silk-style backing track of "Iran So Far" was lifted from an unlikely source: Mr. Richard D. James, better known to you and me as Aphex Twin. Samberg (or whoever) lifted the piano track for "Iran" straight offa "Avril 14th", a tune from Aphex Twin's 2001 double LP Drukqs.

Mr. James' publisher, Chrysalis Music, was apparently less than amused by the uncleared sample, which-- according to TVGuide.com, prompted NBC to take the video off the show's website (replaced, it seems, by "COMING SOON") and their official YouTube channel.

It's at this point that the plot-- never the show's strong suit-- thickens. According to The Daily Swarm (who first reported all this nuttiness), an "SNL" source confirmed that the sample was, indeed, Richard D. James' work, and that a clearance procedure is currently in progress. In addition, Daily Swarm reports that Chrysalis Music has confirmed that NBC didn't actually need permission to use the song for "ephemeral use," and won't, until they plan to air the show again. The internet being roughly as ephemeral as a stone tablet, the video remains yanked from all official NBC sites until, presumably, some clearance agreement is made.

Will Mr. James and the brass at NBC ever settle their differences? Will "Iran So Far" ever flash across our TV screens again? What will Andy Samberg Jodeci up next?

In the meantime, check out Aphex on a few dates this winter, or watch Spoon and Seth Rogen on "SNL" this Saturday night. [MORE...]

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Austin City Limits TV Schedule Finalized
Chances your mom likes this news item more than most: 78%

"Austin City Limits"-- the long-running PBS music show your TiVo loves to watch while you're out sloppin' it up on Saturday nights-- will kick off its 33rd season October 6 with a performance from the incomparable Norah Jones. But, um, it gets a bit more exciting after that.

A week after Ms. Jones is a two-fer featuring the Decemberists and Explosions in the Sky, with subsequent performances from Arcade Fire, Wilco, Bloc Party, Roky Erikson, Regina Spektor, Femi Kuti, Lucinda Williams, Crowded House, and Kings of Leon, among many others. Encore presentations of shows featuring Van Morrison, Gretchen Wilson and P4K news team fave Miranda Lambert also grace the schedule, which wraps with a dispatch from San Francisco's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. Hey, that's hardly strictly Texas!

Additionally, the folks at "ACL" are hard at work revamping their website, which when complete should store a wealth of expanded content ("the stuff Forkcasts are made of"). Thanks, dudes! [MORE...]
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QOTSA to Appear on Anthony Bourdain Holiday Special
Kohl's ads right around the corner...

Photos 1 & 2 by Aliya Naumoff, photo 3 by Lyndsay Siegel

Josh Homme and his Queens of the Stone Age crew give off badass rock'n'roller vibes like it's their job, which it sort of is. So if seeing them dressed to the nines in holiday sweaters best suited to little old ladies doesn't totally contradict their image, it at least complicates it. Truth told, who among us doesn't like to get in touch with his or her inner octogenarian once in a while?

But for what occasion did these hard rocking dudes don such festive duds? A holiday television special, of course. Specifically, an episode of chef Anthony Bourdain's Travel Channel show "No Reservations", according to a report from Rolling Stone's Rock & Roll Daily blog.

The forthcoming episode finds Queens rocking the basement of Bourdain's Connecticut home while he is upstairs cooking a holiday feast for them to enjoy together. In addition to their own tunes, the band also performs a version of "Silver Bells", renamed "Turkey Bells".

The report goes on to say the episode will include "karaoke, surly adolescents, and a Japanese businessman." As for those sweaters, Homme said, "I think someone Googled the word 'horrible,' and that's how we found them."

Queens of the Stone Age have plenty of tour dates to keep them busy until the wacky holiday special airs. Their next show is tomorrow, September 14, in Austin, Texas.

Oh, and below, we've included a picture from the MTV VMAs of Homme with Mastodon's Brent Hinds, who we're told is recovering well from his head injury.


[MORE...]

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Hold Steady's Finn Goes Back to School, Fishes on TV

"Big heads and soft bodies make for lousy lovers," Craig Finn of the Hold Steady has been known to sing; not exactly the kind of sentiment you want seeping into academia, homebase of that unfortunate trifecta.

Nevertheless, Craig will brave the hallowed halls-- well, the hallowed dining hall, anyhow-- of his alma mater, Boston College, later this month as he participates in a "master class" with American Studies prof Carlo Rotella.

The event will feature Craig talking about "his life, career, and music" in conversation with Rotella in BC's Lyons Dining Hall on September 25 from 7:30-9:00 P.M. Auditors, take heed: the chat is open to the public.

Potential topics of debate: "Words: Will they, in fact, save your life?"
"All your favorite books: Well written, or simply reliant on context?"
"Discuss: Killer parties and their role in intellectual circles."
"The beer bong: Novelty or necessity?"

Oh, and on an as-yet-undetermined date in the future, Craig will be the featured guest on ex-Minnesota Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek's "Kent Hrbek Outdoors" sports program. Hence the picture of Craig with a big fella and a fish up there.

God, I wish this band was my uncles.

In other Hold Steady news, they've got that tour with Art Brut coming up, which guitarist Tad Kubler predicts "should be a fucking blast" (no objection here). Before that, Koob reminds us, the band has "a few weeks off in September which will be focused on writing. No promises, but we're hoping to have a new jam or two for the fall tour."

Sweet! As for Franz, he'll be at the FMC Policy Summit next week, leaving Galen and Bobby plenty of time to hang out, read comics and maybe catch a flick. [MORE...]

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Animal Collective to Make National TV Debut October 5

Animal Collective are kind of a big deal in this little world of ours, but it's easy to forget that, to the general populace, the music they make is a little, uh, weird. Still, 1:30 in the morning is as fine a time as any for weirdness/bong hits, both of which seem to suit Animal Collective rather well.

So, when you're flipping to and fro betwixt "Tuna Wranglers" and "Talk Sex with Sue Johanson" on Friday night, October 5, you may come across Animal Collective, making their national television debut on the "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" television program.

Clearly the home of both a spastic, yelping host and a masturbating bear is a fitting choice for the Animal Collective's broadcast entree, but one wonders just who'll be sitting on the couch, glancing cock-eyed across the stage, while the Collective racket is going down. There's just something about this sentence-- "Comedian Dane Cook, star running back LaDainian Tomlinson, and musical guest Animal Collective!"-- that seems a little askew (other guests purely hypothetical). Then again, so does "Mary-Kate Olsen, Wayne Brady, Lyle Lovett, and Quackers the S*?#" Eating Duck," and that's on tonight. However it goes, we're gonna Forkcast the shit out of it. Quackers, keep your distance.

Beyond their time at Rockefeller Center, Animal Collective have that tour thing happening, and that new record we liked a lot. [MORE...]

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BSS, Pornos, Grizzly, National Join Feist on "Letterman"
UPDATE: Fun with Grizzly Bear's Ed Droste!

Photo by Rich Orris

Ever get the feeling indie rock's just turning into one huge clique? Britt Daniel and A.C. Newman are playing together, Patrick Wolf's kicking it with Grizzly Bear, Junior Boys are remixing the Decemberists, Peter Bjorn and John hook up with a new indie gal vocalist pretty much every time they play "Young Folks", and basically everybody's in Broken Social Scene. Now comes word that Feist (indeed in Broken Social Scene) will be joined onstage this very night (August 27) by members of BSS, the New Pornographers, Grizzly Bear, the National, and Mates of State.

Lucky for you, this gathering has an open invitation for anyone with a television and antennae that pick up CBS (or a computer and, cough, YouTube), as the performance in question is none other than Feist's "Late Show With David Letterman" appearance. Tune in at 11:30 p.m. (Eastern) tonight and catch Feist joined by choir comprised of Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning of Broken Social Scene, Carl "A.C." Newman of the New Pornographers, Aaron Dessner, Bryan Devendorf, and Scott Devendorf of the National, Nicole Atkins, everybody in Grizzly Bear, and both Mates of State.

Maybe she'll even rope "Letterman" guest Susan Sarandon into lending her pipes?

UPDATE: We just spoke to Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear, direct from the "Letterman" set. He told us that the song they're doing is "1234", and they're wearing white robes with sparkly arm bands. Droste described the experience as "just like summer camp-- basically we were sitting around playing dress up, eating cookies, clapping, and getting to know each other. All we needed were trust falls."

Feist kicks off a brief North American tour at the end of this month, then sets sail for Europe. [MORE...]

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Arcade Fire, Bloc Party, Wilco, Decemberists Do "ACL"
Plus: Regina Spektor, Explosions in the Sky, Lucinda Williams, Crowded House

"Austin City Limits"-- the television series, not its offshoot festival cousin that takes place September 14-16 in the Texas city-- has announced the initial lineup of its 33rd season, and it seems like the show keeps getting indier and indier (or indie could just be getting mainstreamier, but don't hurt yourself pondering that).

Artists performing on the program this season include the Arcade Fire, the Decemberists, Bloc Party, Wilco, Regina Spektor, Explosions in the Sky, Lucinda Williams, Crowded House, Norah Jones, Femi Kuti, Paolo Nutini, Ghostland Observatory, Old Crow Medicine Show, and everybody's favorite piece of Jessica Simpson arm candy... John Mayer (sorry Lachey!).

The upcoming season of "Austin City Limits" will begin airing on PBS stations nationwide in early October.
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Shins, Cornelius, Biz Markie, Smoosh Do Nick Jr. Show
Remember, kids: Caring is creepy

Cue the cartoon face mouth-trumpeting a fanfare! On August 20, Nickelodeon's young children's annex Nick Jr. will premiere "Yo Gabba Gabba!", a music series with an formidable slew of tuneful guest stars. The Shins, Cornelius, Smoosh, the Postmarks (as previously-reported), Rahzel, R&B stars Mya and Sean Kingston, and a mess of others will, according to a press release, help teach "simple life lessons for preschoolers." Non-musical guest stars include Elijah Wood, Laila Ali,and Tony Hawk.

Each episode will feature Biz Markie in a recurring instructional segment entitled "Biz's Beat of the Day", and Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh will also contribute a feature dubbed "Mark's Magic Pictures". Sub Pop singer-songwriter Chad VanGaalen is one of the show's featured animators.

Additionally, "musical character segments on the premiere episode feature songs 'Party in My Tummy', 'Snacky Snack Snack', and 'Try It, You'll Like It' which teach viewers that it is fun to eat healthy foods, and 'Clean It Up', which shows preschoolers how to have fun while cleaning up a mess." All I ever learned from "Sesame Street" was some damn thing about how many nuts there are in peanut butter. No duh.

Videos from the show will be airing on various Nickelodeon channels and their website in the run-up to the August 20 premiere.

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Do you have a news tip for us? Anything crazy happen at a show you attended recently? Do you have inside info on the bands we cover? Is one of your favorite artists (that's not somebody you know personally) releasing a new record you'd like to see covered? You will remain completely anonymous, unless we are given your express permission to reveal your identity. (Please note that publicists, managers, booking agents, and other artist representatives are generally exempt from this rule, but will also be granted anonymity if requested.)

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