Hope I Don’t Die Before I Get Old

Maybe it’s me, but I think Hilary Duff misses the point on this cover of a classic by The Who.

Kurt Cobain and Guitar Hero

Two things come to mind:

1. If Kurt had any inkling that this might be the fate of his image, he never would’ve blown his head off.

2. I never thought I’d say it, but thank god John had Yoko.

Joaquin Phoenix keeps up the ruse

A great David Letterman segment last night with Joaquin Phoenix, who’s still trying to convince us he’s given up acting for rapping.  Phoenix might just be our next great comic genius.

R.I.P. Lux Interior

Lux Interior (real name: Erick Purkhiser), who fronted the rockabilly/garage/punk act The Cramps, died yesterday at the age of 60 or 62, depending upon which story you read.

No hathos here, just a weird scene: In 1978, The Cramps gave a free concert at the California State Mental Hospital in Napa.  Here’s some footage from the resulting “Live at Napa State Mental Hospital” video.

Fear of a white planet

In the annals of poorly conceived cover songs, Duran Duran’s rendition of the Public Enemy classic “911 Is A Joke” deserves its own chapter. This atrocity appears on Duran Duran”s 1995 album, “Thank You,”  on which the band also brutalizes favorites ranging from Grandmaster Flash’s “White Lines” to Sly & The Family Stone’s “I Want To Take You Higher Again.”

I apologize in advance.

Here’s a live version:

And the version that appeared on the album:

Fight the power.

Say it to my face

In 1994, Jim Rome wasn’t a well-known guy. Then, on his ESPN2 talk show, he interviewed NFL quarterback Jim Everett.

At the time, Rome had developed the shtick of referring to Everett as “Chris” (after the great female tennis player Chris Everett), because of Everett’s perceived aversion to taking a hit. The quarterback did not take this with good humor. And Jim Rome was soon radio’s best-known sports talk host.

Let’s bring on the Super Bowl rage!

Gamerz need to eat, too

Nintendo Cereal. Fuel up, kids!