Body Double: Ozzy and Laverne

I love this post on TMZ.com

LOL! Holy sh*t. They even got the large crucifix necklaces.

Vegan Guitarist, Ira Black, Quits Lizzy Borden

It was a strange pairing anyway: a carnivorous, blood-and-guts metal band with its own vegan shredder. It was bound for a break.

And, if you remember, Ira Black just went on a hunger strike when jailed (non-violent crime, of course: unpaid fines) and the county had no specially-prepared meals for him (taxpayers would LOVE that!). If only Ira was under house arrest like Bernie Madoff, everything would have been fine.

After getting out of jail, Ira got involved in a new project — departing Lizzy Borden. He issued a statement through blabbermouth about his departure and Lizzy:

After all we’ve been through together, we remain friends, even though we didn’t always see eye-to-eye with the personal and business dealings with the band. We had some good times and we made some great music together that I am proud of. It was an honor to play with them, as I grew up as a teen listening to their first couple of albums and I will cherish our time together. Now it is time for me to move on and do something new. I am looking to the future with my new band PROPHESY, and I am also working on a solo record, called ‘BlackHouse’, that will have notable guest musicians and friends, including Marten Andersson from LIZZY BORDEN playing bass on a song. So I wish the band the best of luck.

Ira’s a popular subject. In fact, the Veggie Pride Parade, NYC. wants to have Ira Black at their post parade rally in Greenwich Village. Next parade: May 17, 2009.

Would Ira diss his spandex to dress up as a bean sprout for the parade?! You never know.

www.myspace.com/irablack

Green Day Will Continue to Address America’s Ills in its Music

With their new disc, 21st Century Breakdown, just about to be released, Green Day promises to keep a critical voice on the problems of our country. In an interview with USA Today this week, frontman Billie Joe Armstrong says about the new material:

“It’s about reflecting what’s been happening the past three years and putting it to melody with some bold statements.”

I’m sure some of those “bold statements” include a guy named Bush. I doubt Obama will ever get such Green Day treatment but there are plenty of bad politicians to rag on in the near future.

Personally, I like what a song called “March of the Dogs” has to say about the hypocrisy of organized religion. But Armstrong explains:

“I have nothing against religion. It’s about preying on people’s blind faith.”

Amen.

Got a Great Song For Free: The Decemberists’ “The Rake’s Song”

This has been my favorite song of late. “The Rake’s Song” starts off with a beautifully punk-tinged vocal and then the music evolves into a driving heavy force of classic indie rock. It reminded me of the first time I head Arcade Fire’s Funeral… the intensity!

I never gave The Decemberists a chance before. Getting word of this free song, a few weeks ago, I went to their site to check it out. And, for this, I will be picking up their new release, The Hazards of Love, in March. So, hey, giving away free material does work. However, is there a precedent for a song being too good for a band to be giving away free? If so, this might be the perfect example. The Decemberists quickly closed the window on the giveaway, as it is now available on iTunes for 99 cents.

Send In the Clown’s: Vote for Photos by Slipknot’s Drummer in Billboard Contest

Clown’s photos have been entered in Billboard Magazine’s Year in Music Moment Photo Contest.  A total of 5 photos are in consideration. Check them out — like the one above — by clicking here. Vote for the Clown (aka Shawn Crahan)! I did. I always liked the guy’s work.

I Slept Through the Grammys

After I put my kid to bed I reminded myself: don’t forget to put on the Grammys… but instead I went to pick up some Chinese Food. And after eating some delicious Mongolian Trio (a really tasty sauce dish of shrimp, chicken, and beef over thin noodles), I put on the television. But I got engrossed in The History Channel: a documentary about JFK and the lone gunman theory. Stuff I’ve seen a million times before.

During the commercials I fell asleep.

It was only later, as I moved myself from the couch to the bed, that a fear grew inside me of Robert Plant cashing in with Krauss. The killer Krauss connection cancels out Zeppelin for good.

No shit. The next morning I find out that it was Robert’s night alright. The man never won anything with Led Zeppelin, but here he was winning everything with Alison Krauss. No shit.

Goodbye Led Zeppelin reunion. For good, this time.

I’m glad I slept through the Grammys.

Christian Bale’s Infamous Profane Tirade Gets A Dance Remix

The incredibly profane tirade by actor Christian Bale (pictured above) that has been prominently featured on the Internet over the past few days has now received its inevitable dance remix. And the results are absolutely hilarious. The dance remix even features a “special appearance” by Barbra Streisand.

Bale, of The Dark Knight and American Psycho fame, went ballistic when arguing with the Director of Photography on a film set. Bale’s rantings were recorded by the crew and recently made public.

To listen to the dance remix of Bale’s freak out, click below:

To listen to Bale’s rant in its original form on TMZ.com, click here.

NOTE: The tirade and the dance remix contain an incredible amount of profanity. If you are offended by blue language, consider yourself warned.

Holy potty mouth, Batman! What would Commissioner Gordon make of your foul language?!?

Is Pearl Jam’s Plan to “Self-release” Their New Album a Good Thing?

According to Rolling Stone, Pearl Jam plans to self-release their next album. That’s right, no label contract at all.

Eddie Vedder tells the mag:

“The new record feels good so far — really strong and uptempo, stuff we can sink our teeth into.”

Financially, it may not pay off huge — as it would with a major label’s publicity behind the record. However, the band is well known enough that they could easily pull a Radiohead (name-your-price download) and make enough money.

I always liked the band’s fuck the machine attitude (remember their boycott of Ticketmaster in 1994?). And, it seems, it will continue.

Pete Doherty Calls Dirty Pretty Things Breakup a “Publicity Stunt”

Dohboy is at it again. At Trinity College in Dublin, the Babyshambles leader, flouted the cigarette ban, gave an interview with the audience, talked some trash, was awarded the honorary patronage of the University’s Philosophical Society (???!!!), and played an acoustic set that included The Who’s “Substitute “(and his new single, “Last of the English Roses,” below).

But really, does Doherty really think Dirty Pretty Things got enough of a publicity boost from announcing their breakup? That’s asinine. Maybe he feels that the talk from DPT’s Carl Barat about a Libertines reunion was the publicity stunt? Who knows?

I think it’s a nasty little comment directed towards his ex-Libertines bandmate, Barat, is all.

Doherty goes as far as saying that Dirty Pretty Things are “…still together, I think.” Personally, I hope the Dirty Pretty Things are still together. They’re a great band. And I’m yet to see them live… hoping they come to the States soon. They haven’t really made their mark here, yet, even after the aforementioned “publicity stunt.”

I like Pete Doherty, and his music, and his band Babyshambles, and, of course, his work with The Libertines… but sometimes his antics are another thing.

To read more about the event, go to nme.com

Robert Plant Discusses Reasons For Scrapping Led Zeppelin Reunion In Interview With Absolute Radio

In a recent interview with Absolute Radio DJ Ben Jones, Robert Plant (pictured above with Alison Krauss) spoke about the reasons behind his decision not to tour with a reunited Led Zeppelin. Citing John Bonham’s absence, Plant told Jones:

“The reason that it stopped was because we were incomplete, and we’ve been incomplete now for 29 years.”

Plant also said that he feared tarnishing Led Zeppelin’s legacy, stating:

“I think the thing about it is really, is that to visit old ground, it’s a very incredibly delicate thing to do, and the disappointment that could be there once you commit to that and the comparisons to something that was basically fired by youth and a different kind of exuberance to now, its very hard to go back and meet that head on and do it justice.”

To hear Ben Jones’s interview with Plant and Alison Krauss on the Absolute Radio Web site, click here.

To read an NME.com article about Plant’s comments to Absolute Radio, click here.