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......

This is my first post on LAist, so I just want to start out by saying I'm thankful for Tony Pierce inviting me to contribute to the site based off of the WGA strike photos I've been sending him. Speaking of photos, I'm very thankful that the scary drugged out clown (pictured above) didn't attack me when I got "all up in his clowny grill" and snapped that picture at Tuesday's rally on Hollywood......

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......

MAY 7 1833 -- Johannes Brahms BIRTHDAY 1840 -- Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky BIRTHDAY 1903 -- Bing Crosby BIRTHDAY 1961 -- Phil Campbell (Motorhead) BIRTHDAY 1972 -- Reginald Dwight legally changes his name to Elton Hercules John. 1972 -- Rolling Stones release Exile on Main Street 1973 -- George Harrison releases Give Me Love [Single] 1980 -- Black Sabbath, with vocalist Ronnie James Dio, begin a four night stand at London’s Hammersmith Odeon Theater to promote......

Now that I have recovered from nine days and nights at SXSW, I can tell you that it's all downhill from here for the world's greatest music festival. No way could anything top that. 1750 bands and hardly any of them sucked. How does that happen? Plenty of free food, beer, no lines if you had a badge. Stalwarts like The Stooges, Pete Townshend, Robyn Hitchcock, Public Enemy, Peter Case, Rickie Lee Jones, and......

The Fratelli's doing "The Seeker" with Pete Townshend at SXSW Now that SXSW has wrapped, indie bands and up n comers are scattering around the country like cockroaches startled by the kitchen light. Tonight we have three groups that LAist was lucky enough to see out in Austin. We caught Bloc Party putting on an energetic and uplifting set in the back of Stubbs, we saw The Fratelli's do a light-hearted acoustic set on......

About once a month here in LA there will be a night of rock that is perfect. A night where you really should do yourself a favor and take advantage of the overflowing monkey cup of killer tunes happening in our own backyard. A night so filled with great music that if you don't go outside and listen to the music you should really ask yourself why you a) read this blog b) have......

Looking to go to a music festival? Coachella is sold out, so instead, you should mosey out to Austin, Texas (Mar. 14-18) for this music spectacular, which features 1,300 acts from around the world. Walking from venue to venue is like putting your radio tuner on seek -- every style of music is represented. Besides performances, musicians like Pete Townshend, Iggy Pop, David Byrne, Emmylou Harris, Gilberto Gil, and Booker T. Jones are giving......

There are really only two major music festivals that truly matter, like really matter: Coachella and South by Southwest. The former happens over two three days in the desert near Palm Springs, the latter rages for about a week on the dusty streets of Austin, Texas. SXSW features over 1,000 bands. You buy a wristband and you wander from bar to bar, club to club, alleyway to patio and you get to see some......

This was not a very happy week for the -ist network as one of our own, Phillyist co-editor Star C. Foster, passed away early in the week. Her wit, intelligence, and good nature shone through the site, making Phillyist an immensely fun read. She was loved by many and will be missed by all. Phillyist paid tribute to her this week with a heartfelt letter to her and an obituary. And now, the awkward......

Although it might be tempting to stay home tonight to watch the results come in, they won't all be in until early tomorrow morning. So do yourself a favor and look at that list. Look at it. That is probably the best lineup of shows we've seen in LA all year. If you don't see a show tonight, on a beautiful night, pretty much the last day of summer, then well... good. More beer......

- "I think that blogs should die a sudden death," Jared Leto said while wearing mascara. - Best Week Ever - "I'm not sure I can stomach continuing to read National Review." - The Corner - The mid-term election has hit an all-time low when Al Franken's face is photoshopped on the body of a man wearing adult diapers. - Think Progress - AZ GOP Congressman one of the Foleyish men with a Page Problem?......