“That was the toughest bunch of opening acts we’ve ever had to follow,” noted Roger Daltrey midway through the Who’s set on Saturday night at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion. It can’t be easy having to follow your own best material, but they did so anyway, capping off a spectacular VH1 Rock Honors taping that began with heartfelt tributes from Incubus, Tenacious D, Foo Fighters, Flaming Lips and Pearl Jam. The annual Rock Honors program has... [continue]

Neil Innes is nothing if not a gentleman, a distinctly British one at that. Innes was - literally - the John Lennon of the Rutles, recently memorialized here with a thirtieth anniversary showing of the great Beatles-taunting mockumentary All You Need Is Cash that put the four principal actors on stage together for the first time. The anniversary of the film was also marked with the premiere of a multi-media stage show, Rutlemania, that featured... [continue]

Beach Boys fans are well acquainted with author Domenic Priore, who performed the heroic feat of gathering every word ever written about the Beach Boys’ Smile, and publishing all of it, with minimal but insightful commentary, as Look! Listen! Vibrate Smile! in the mid-1990s. It was nothing if not thorough, kind of like a researcher’s entire file drawer dumped on your desk with notes attached to each artifact. His latest book shows he hasn't lost... [continue]

Richie Hass and wife Michelle Richie Hass has lost his battle with cancer. Richie was a founding member of local art-band Zoogz Rift And The Amazing Shitheads, and played a number of instruments in a number of bands, most recently seen on vibes in Saccharine Trust, behind the drums with the Page Turner Band and playing bass for Freehead. Richie was an incredibly natural musician, proficient on every instrument he picked up. On the... [continue]

Last night Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by none other than Justin Timberlake. In another unusual spin, she chose The Stooges, fronted by Iggy Pop to perform two of her hits, "Burning Up" and "Ray of Light.". Stooges bass player and occasional LAist contributor Mike Watt rocks out in the above clip. Stay tuned at the end of the video for some backstage scenes from last night's induction,... [continue]

Prior to the Melvins' eardrum-shattering and patriotically inspiring performance at the Echoplex, Buzz Osborne was kind enough to share his thoughts on the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, the digital revolution, and the potential for "peculiar" art in today's world. Video by Bob Thompson for LAist... [continue]

Christmas Eve is here. And today is no time for cynicism, irony or nastiness of any sort. Time instead to make something nice to eat, clink your glass with a loved one, and count your blessings with total sincerity. Preparation is over. The moment to let it go and be happy starts now. To help set the mood, we offer twenty of the most joyous, uplifting, totally Christmasey of all Christmas songs known to man.... [continue]

With all the seasonal emphasis on warmth, love and need-gratification, it's no surprise your nether regions are jingling right along. It is The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year after all. Go ahead and unwrap something nice a day early, you could use the stress relief. We submit six not-safe-for-work entries to inspire reindeer games beneath the tree. CLARENCE CARTER - Back Door Santa HOME GROWN - Christmas Crush KENNE HIGHLAND AND HIS VATICAN SEX... [continue]

Power-pop is above all feel-good music, designed to hit all your pleasure centers at once, which makes it a natural fit for Christmas time. Click below for five super-charged riffs to restore your faith in humanity. THE SHITBIRDS - Christmas is a Comin' (May God Bless You) With a name like that you may be expecting sonic assault, but this local troupe, led by elfin chanteuse April March, aims for maximum joy and adorable-ness. THE... [continue]

Need some butt-rock to motivate your ass out the door to finish shopping? Luckily it's not just Satan, Satan, Satan all the time with these guys. TWISTED SISTER - Heavy Metal Christmas (Twelve Days of Christmas) That's quite a swag bag Dee Snider's accumulated by day twelve... twenty-two pairs of spandex pants, thirty studded belts, thirty-six quarts of Jack... but one wonders where he can possibly fit twelve Ozzy tattoos on his body. ENUFF Z'NUFF... [continue]

Since the coming weekend will be filled with parties and their attendant hammerings, here are some suggestions for your trip to the liquor store in case you find yourself allergic to nog. (Warning, the bottom three selections are probably not safe to crank up at work, unless you work for LAist. In that case, consider these five songs an assignment.) CLYDE LASLEY - Santa Got Drunk On Christmas Clyde's just full of ideas, use him... [continue]

In order to inspire you to get those last-minute cards in the mail today, here are four very personal holiday messages to and from your favorite musicians. WILD BILLY CHILDISH AND THE MUSICIANS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE - A Quick One (Pete Townshend's Christmas) The garage-spawned Childish remains up to no good in his latest venture, the quite fab Christmas 1979. For this one, he reimagines the final third or so of The Who's... [continue]

For this evening, a selection of gentle acoustic guitars to assist in warming your bones by the fire. Acoustic instruments made of wood just fit the theme - the yule log, the Christmas tree, toy horses, and now, the wood stove where Sufjan Stevens' presents end up - oops! JOHN RENBOURN - I Saw Three Ships Renbourn, one half of the formidable guitar section for British psychedelic-folk pioneers Pentangle, gives his take on the... [continue]

OOOwww! Good evening Los Angeles! Wooo! How you all fee-ull? People. You know! I don't believe the LA Forum has a chimney... so if y'all want Santa Claus to come pay us a visit you're gonna need to raise the roof off this mother!! And I think if all twenty thousand of you flick your lighters in time with the beat we can turn this place into the biggest Christmas tree in the world!... [continue]

While I deeply love many different kinds of Christmas music, this is one form that tugs hard at the heartstrings. Soul music is just a perfect vehicle for the kind of unironic SINCERITY that I want from a good Christmas song, that makes their heartwarming messages hit home completely. Here's a few to put your mind at ease. BIG DEE IRWIN & LITTLE EVA - I Wish You A Merry Christmas An oldie but goodie... [continue]

Why do all these songs about frostbite conditions sound so wonderful in sun-drenched shirtless reverb? Ever try pushing a sled through sand? I don't recommend it. But I heartily recommend each of the following experiences. Don't worry, we'll get to more Beach Boys later on, today (with the exception of track four) it's all about those chiming guitars. THE VENTURES - Sleigh Ride This comes from their fantastic Christmas album, one of the greats...... [continue]

If you've attempted shopping this weekend, you have our sincerest sympathies. At this point in the holiday season, it's a good idea to take a moment, try to let the yule-rage subside, and remember the true meaning of Christmas: giddy little kids. GAYLA PEEVEY - I Want A Hippotamus For Christmas Truly childlike in its all-consuming greed, this song is a testament to the power of possibility in a child's mind. There is no... [continue]

Snow. It's great when you're watching it from inside a heated room, like magic dust bunnies dropping from the celestial ceiling. It's much less magical when you're trying to strategically pee inside your car door to defrost the locks. Call it lifestyle differences, we Angelenos prefer our holidays merry and BRIGHT with a high of 72. The following local heroes offer proof positive that a white Christmas is not a requirement for high spirits....... [continue]

A long time ago, but right around this time of year, I was sitting in a living room with a record collector pal, poring through the bins of seasonal vinyl from the likes of Jethro Tull, Merle Haggard and Fear. My friend looked up from his fourth or so glass of nog and remarked, "What am I listening to all this Jesus stuff for? I should put on the Blue Oyster Cult Hanukkah album."...... [continue]

During the six years relocated Clevelanders Biblical Proof of UFOs haunted the dives of Los Angeles, they made my world a better place. This one band brought so many of my favorite things in the same package. They had a simply colossal sound, shape-shifting between glacial-pace Black Sabbath grind and Who-like momentum, powered by memorable tunes and sweetened with angelic vocal harmonies. They could step on any stage, in any room, with lousy acoustics...... [continue]