Sorry I missed y'all yesterday but we're back. With just a few days before Xmas you may still have a hankering for your own personal favorite holiday shows and movies. LocateTV which is still in its Beta might be able to help you - just go to the site and type in your flick or program and it will hunt it down for you whether it be on TV, DVD, or online. Next week watch for a rant from me about this season's poor offerings. In a way, it's a good thing that there's been a hiatus in writing and producing new content, perhaps the networks have had more time to think about what they put on the TV for us to consume. more ›

Not long ago a little band called Jet had a little tune that sounded like the White Stripes a little. Apple used the hyperactive rockabilly flavored single "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" to hype its iPod and the band went on to sell millions of records because of the arrangement. Tonight Feist, an artist no one knew about until Apple used her catchy little song for an iPod commercial, is headlining at the... more ›

Artist: Neil Young Album: Chrome Dreams Two Label: Reprise Records Release Date: October 23, 2007 “An ambulance can only go so fast”, sang Neil Young thirty-three years ago in the stony career meditation “Ambulance Blues.” “It’s easy to get buried in the past/ When you try to make a good thing last.” It’s kind of funny to think about guys like Pete Townshend and Eric Clapton making records about the perils of aging at... more ›

Daniel Johnston at SXSW, 3/07 more ›

There's some great productions opening around town this weekend -- here's a sampling: Bad Seed Buzzworks Theater Company puts on a comic remake of Bad Seed, written by Maxwell Anderson in the 1950s and banned for its homosexual references and other Freudian theories. It’s the story of an 8-year-old murderess born without pity. We can’t wait for this one! Lounge Theatre. 6201 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. 323.960.5563. Tickets are $25-$30. Opens Saturday at... more ›

The Rentals - "Please Let That Be You" Hootenanny - Social Distortion, Nekromantix, Dave Alvin, Mojo Nixon, Lee Rocker, Big Sandy, Supersuckers, Wayne Hancock, Throw Rag, Michael Ubaldini, Angel City Outcasts, Mad Marge, Custom Made Scare, Gypsy Trash, Shitkickers, Deke Dickerson, Long Texans, Flame Throwers, Good Man Down, Roger Miret & the Disasters @ Oak Canyon Ranch The Decemberists, Band of Horses, Andrew Bird @ Hollywood Bowl The Rentals, Goldenboy @ Spaceland Stupid Flanders... more ›

A Word or 54 (or so): I know that there are some folks who are happy to be getting a few new episodes of the doomed Studio 60 - enjoy it while you can. Funny how there is no cohesive letter-writing campaign to save that one, at least not a campaign that is getting any press. Tonight - Thursday - June 7th, 2007 Dodgers @ Padres (KCAL, 7:00 p.m.) Pirate Master (CBS, 8:00 p.m.)... more ›

A Word or 21: Mark Burnett can't come up with anything new other than Pirate Master - and you thought Survivor had gone down the tubes. Tonight - Thursday - May 31, 2007 Orioles @ Angels (Fox Sports, 7:00 p.m.) Dodgers @ Nationals (PRIME, 7:30 p.m.) Pirate Master (CBS, 8:00 p.m.) Series premiere! Reality show set up to piggyback on a movie not produced by this network - lawsuit anyone? 2007 Scripps National Spelling... more ›

A Word or 17: Season finales are upon us friends, keep your eyes open for your favorite shows wrapping things up. Tonight - Thursday - May 10, 2007 Indians @ Angels (Fox Sports, 7:00 p.m.) Dodgers @ Marlins (PRIME, 7:00 p.m.) Survivor: Fiji (CBS, 8:00 p.m.) Major challenges this evening. My Name Is Earl/The Office/Scrubs (NBC, 8:00 p.m.) Season Finale!/Will Michael be replaced?/JD and Turk head to a surgeon convention Smallville/Supernatural (the CW, 8-10:00... more ›

Call it overpriced. Call it overrated. Call it crappy, sour-priced crud. But call it deceptive? Bryan Williams thinks so, and that's why the West Hollywood "legal recruiter" is suing Pinkberry, the newest craze in frozen dessert treats. Williams' lawsuit does not ask for punitive damages. He simply wants the wildly successful yogurt chain to tone down its claims that the product is frozen yogurt. A statement from a California Department of Food and Agriculture... more ›

A Word or 52(approx): Gouge away if you wish, but Lost was excellent last night. I need some comic relief tonight so it's My Name Is Earl in Smellovision (go get your TV Guide now with the Smell Card) and the Office for me - I can't commit to more than that, I have a couple bottles of beer waiting for me. Tonight - Thursday - May 3, 2007 Angels @ Royals (FoxSports, 7:00... more ›

A Word or 157: It's all about the Prime Time tonight. The Office and 30 Rock have a real chance at getting some serious viewership since both Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy are simply rehash episodes (even though they are billed as 'New'). Tina Fey has been hitting everything from Good Morning America to Conan (and Baldwin made an appearance on Letterman last night) in an attempt to push 30 Rock more - it's... more ›

LA's airwaves have been blessed with legendary personalities over the years - Chick Hearn, Vin Scully, Jim Ladd, and Rodney on the Roq just to name a few. Just as important was Richard Blade who for decades educated LA over KROQ's air by spreading the good news of Depeche Mode, The Smiths, Duran Duran, The Cure and so many of our favorites from the '80s when KROQ ruled the world. His "Flashback Lunch" hour... more ›

A Word or 46: Boy what a hubbub over this American Idol dreck - didn't the show producers see what a joke Howard Stern made of People magazine's "Most Beautiful People" contest back in '98? That's what you get for inexperience and idiocy, watch the guy with bad hair win. Tonight - Thursday - April 5th, 2007 The Office (NBC, 8:00 p.m.) Supersized 40+ minute version Survivor: Fiji/CSI: Crime Scene Investigation/Shark (CBS, 8-11:00 p.m.)... more ›

He's probably best known for his "Hi How Are You" tshirt that Kurt Cobain often wore, but if you don't know Daniel Johnston's music you're really missing out and you should definitely pick up the award-winning DVD, "The Devil and Daniel Johnston". Equally amateurish and darkly genius, Johnston's tunes lie somewhere between Brian Wilson and Wesley Willis while being heavily influenced by the Beatles. more ›

A Word Or 28: Fox did it again last week. The top 5 most watched programs were a combination of American Idol, Are You As Smart As a 5th Grader?, and House. Tonight - Wednesday - March 14th, 2007 Dick Tracy Marathon (TCM, 5:00 p.m.) The classic from the '40s Clippers @ Rockets (KTLA, 5:30 p.m.) Suns @ Mavericks (ESPN, 6:00 p.m.) Blue Jackets @ Ducks (PRIME, 7:00p.m.) Jericho (CBS, 8:00 p.m.) The Marines... more ›

Tonight - Thursday - March 8th, 2007 The Yakuza Papers (IFC, 5:00 p.m.) All 5 flicks from the gangster saga. Survivor: Fiji (CBS, 8:00 p.m.) More shenanigans from paradise. American Idol (Fox, 8:00 p.m.) Carrie Underwood performs, top 12 finalists revealed. Scrubs (NBC, 9:00 p.m.) Sad news for the Army guy. Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? (Fox, 9:00 p.m.) Well, are you? 30 Rock (NBC, 9:30 p.m.) Last one before show goes... more ›

A Word Or 45 (or so): Fox has got it down, the top 5 most viewed programs on TV were on Fox, 3 were episodes of American Idol and the other 2 were Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? Someone at Fox is smart enough to know that most American adult's aren't. Tonight - Wednesday - March 7th, 2007 Lakers @ Bucks (KCAL, 5:00 p.m.) Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (TCM, 5:00... more ›

The remaining 10 guys performed on American Idol last night, and thankfully, it wasn't two hours of excruciating torture like last week. First, it was only a 90-minute show to make room for Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader. (Hence, the shameless Jeff Foxworthy shots in the AI audience. He hosts the show, so you know it's gonna be redneck good.) And while the guys greatly improved from their first outing, they still... more ›

Tonight - Tuesday - February 27th, 2007 Wuthering Heights (TCM, 7:00 p.m.) Get Bronteed with the original '39 film. NCIS/The Unit (CBS, 8-10:00 p.m.) Pull on the Depends for 2 hours of non-stop CBS action. Dateline NBC/Law & Order: Criminal Intent/Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC, 8-11:00 p.m.) Perverted Justice/Poisoned journalist/A rape in Philadelphia Gilmore Girls (the CW, 8:00 p.m.) Rory gets offered an interview with the New York Times. Primetime (ABC, 9:00... more ›

This might be a good week to give your piggybank the ol' smasheroo and excavate your couch cushions for awol monies. The CD player NEEDS your donations. Don't delay. Rush out now in a buying frenzy. Here's a glanceable list of new noteables and rightous reissues being handed down today. Ten octzillion more after the jump... Arbouretum - Rites Of Uncovering (Thrill Jockey) The Bird & The Bee - Bird And The Bee (Blue... more ›

Infinity (the Journey cover band that played Spaceland on Friday) is a lot of fun to see live. Here are some other bands that are hopefully fun live..... more ›

LA native Josh Kun demolishes the myth of the tweed jacket wearing, Euro-centric cannon defending, Ivory Tower clinging English professor. As an intellectual jack-of-all-trades, Kun’s interest in mainstream and far-flung aspects of pop culture ensures he’ll never succumb to the latter component of the "publish or perish" maxim. In addition to his position as Associate Professor of English at UC Riverside, Kun contributes to numerous periodicals and is the author of numerous essays, such as the introduction to Papa, Play for Me: The Autobiography of Mickey Katz. Other projects include his forthcoming book, Audiotopia: Music, Race and America (due this fall from UC Press), and a post as contributing critic to "The Movie Club" with John Ridley (coming to AMC in May). His professional roster also encompasses multimedia curating, serving as a DJ and VJ, consulting on matters related to Latin music and numerous aspects of pop culture, and writing about Tijuana. more ›

What's Los Angeles reading these days? more ›