All The Boys And All The Girls Are Dying To

I've always loved Britney Spears. I even dressed as her my sophomore year of college along with my dormmates for Halloween. (See below. Hit Me Baby One More Time Brit, Stronger Brit, and ME! Slave 4 U Brit.) I was always rooting for her in those crazy shavin' head times, through the weight gain, the K-Fed years, the Brit Brit, and the crotch flashin' party times. I look on her lovingly as I do Drew Barrymore, Liza Minelli, Lindsay Lohan, and Corey Feldman-- Hey, Dream a Little Dream was a great film!!

Now after hearing the new single off of her latest album CIRCUS, If You Seek Amy, I know my love will never die. Britney Forever!

VDAY: What's the V stand for again?

I'm not one to really buy into the Valentine's Day hype of cheesy heart-shaped boxes of cheap chocolates, but I love to make things for people at any occasion, especially my most special person. I found these simple vegan Vday treats made by The Discerning Brute and Todd Oldham, and thought they were shareable (though I'd probably still put some real butter and milk in that cake! I come from the Paula Dean school of thought!)


DBTV Valetine Special: TODD OLDHAM HEARTS YOU from The Discerning Brute on Vimeo

After that I got to thinking about Todd and his House of Style days, but couldn't find any real crafty tips. I did find clips from his more recent show, the total snore, Handmade Modern, including this hilarious one where Amy Sedaris appears to be making Todd nervous while terrible muzak plays over their craftmaking:



Then this lead me to Amy's appearance on Chelsea Lately to promote her book, I Like You, where she (along with Todd) give Vday a whole new meaning.

Christian V. David

HAHAHA.

Deaf Combo

This is how I felt about the Grammys:

(That's Grace Slick abusing her baby with her moms for LIFE mag, btw.)

Why do they feel the need to "refresh" songs by forcing two artists that don't make sense to perform together???? Sugarland and Adele? I hate Adele. J.Timb and T.I.? Awkward. Stevie Wonder and the Jonas Brothers? Well, he couldn't tell who he was singing with so I can't blame him. Who let John Mayer sing Bo Diddley??? Barf. I kind of liked the marching band with Radiohead, but I'm so sick of Radiohead these days I could just die. Apparently Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift sang a song together. I'm really glad I missed that. Jay Z and Chris Martin?? Oy! Need I say more?

I'm bummed Lil' Wayne didn't win Album of the Year, but he got rap album (and performed with a very preggo MIA plus T.I., Jay-Z and Kanye), so everybody wins. Robert Plant's still kickin' around. I guess he deserves it. I listen to Houses of the Holy all the time.

Here's that Katie Couric interview where Katie talks to Wayne about smoking pot, and makes weird gestures implying that her butt is sizzling hot. Just watch if you didn't:

His Eyes Were a Blue Million Miles

RIP Paul Newman
You will forever live on in my bedroom atop this fabulous pillowcase (Scored on Ebay for 6 bucks!), and in my salads. 

Here's a screen test from Paul's early years, alongside James Dean:

With that, we shall review a bunch of songs about blue eyes to remember the azure pools that were his.

REM- Pale Blue Eyes (Really Awesome Cover! Live in Passaic 1984)


Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band- Her Eyes Were a Blue Million Miles (Big Lebowski fans?)


Elvis Presley- Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain (Another version by Charley Pride: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmVEMMnAQvo Willie Nelson also does a great job too, but duh. It's Willie Nelson.)


The Black Crowes- Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye (This song comes on my iPOD shuffle about every 3 songs. It's really weird.)


Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young- Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (Live at Woodstock)


Stray Cats- Baby Blue Eyes (Where did Brian Setzer disappear now? Oh, he reunited these dudes for a "Farewell" to Australia--and to his pride-- tour, of course!)


The Blue Comets- Blue Eyes (Although it's all in Japanese, so who knows if that's what they're saying? Cool song anyway. Organ organ organ!)


Timmy Curran- Blue Eyes (This guy was a pro-surfer and just released an album. I actually kind of like this cheesy folky song, although he has a new souped up heavily produced version that's even cheesier with a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkrAZI92Oxo)

Bullet- White Lies, Blue Eyes (This is the kind of shit you start finding once you dive into a wormhole on Youtube.)


Steve Lawrence- Pretty Blue Eyes (This guy is like a white Sam Cooke-- sort of.)


Lastly, here is an amazing tribute video someone made to figure skater Evgeni Plushenko (Yeah, no clue who he is either.) to The Who's 'Behind Blue Eyes'.

I. NEED. JOB.

I don't read Gawker daily, but I just caught up on the back-posts and, wow, they are on top of their shit! I wasn't really going to talk about this, but since GAWKER is, I suppose I will too.

Last Thursday, June 26th after organizing a huge breakfast for some PR company beauty product launch in the place of my previously happy employment, I was called to a meeting with the general manager of the place. In that meeting, the grand announcement was that the restaurant had been sold, and everyone there was immediately out of a job. That place was Bette-- owned by Miss Bungalow 8 "Nightlife Queen" Amy Sacco, which Gawker knew about the next day. CRAZY.

Here's the article:

Is this the end of Amy Sacco? We're going to say it is. The onetime NYC nightlife queen's restaurant Bette in Chelsea—formerly considered a complement to her club Bungalow 8, a food-and-fun empire that would never be destroyed—is closed. No big to-do; just a lock on the door, and the end of an era. What happened?

A tipster to Eater says:

At Bette last night for the closing party. I live and work in the area and dined there fairly regularly. The bartender told me that Amy Sacco sold the restaurant and gave the staff about 8 hours notice.

Cold. Why, we remember a few years back when we were talking about Sacco's "quest for total domination," and HBO was planning a story about her rise to fame. She had so much success in the city, she said she'd rather die than return to her native Jersey.

Then things started to slowly go downhill. Rumors flew that Sacco was stiffing her PR agency; the usual suspects started placing bets on when Bungalow 8 would close. Her doorman struck out on his own. She tried to export her magic to London, but failed to find the same popularity.

Sacco recently called New York nightlife—and herself—"overrated." Now she's been proven right.

YES, GAWKER. The notice given was completely cold. I cannot say much more, as I loved working at Bette. I loved all those I worked with, although I stood in the same room with Amy only once the entire time I worked there (She did give me hand-me-downs from goody bags she didn't want though, which was nice.) I actually had gotten up at 5am to throw a private event beginning at 7am that ended up being a total stressful nightmare, to only have my hard work followed by the news that I was out of a job before noon. I might as well tell you friends, lurkers, and stalkers, I was and still am in shock.  The meeting promptly commenced with a round of drinks on Bette. Cheers! 

(I did not attend the closing party, however. I chose to stay home and ordered Chinese food, watched movies with my boyfriend, and sulked like a good sport.)

NOTE: Even though it's easy and fun to pick on Ms. Sacco, we should all be looking at this from a much broader angle. I've watched the cover counts in several popular restaurants in NYC decline over the past year or so, and it wasn't because they had lost their edge. People simply can't afford to blow all their dough on decadent dining right now! Sacco's decision to chuck Bette was probably just good business sense. She's simply cutting off the (non-profitable) fat to save room for the meat (i.e. whatever other endeavors she is sitting on these days.) As I mentioned in my previous post, Jann Wenner may be looking to do the same thing! Everyone knows the economy is in the toilet, but if the rich kids are watching their backs, is anyone looking out for the rest of us?

Suicide Jumping: Not Just For NYU Students Anymore

What oh what could make this beautiful 20 year old supermodel off herself?

I'm dumbfounded and it seems that her friends are too, but Russian model, Ruslana Korshunova, is believed to have leapt to her death from the balcony of her Downtown NYC apartment building yesterday afternoon. She would have been 21 on July 2. Source

In other celebrity gossip:

Jann Wenner may be selling US Weekly.

During Wenner's recent appearance on "The Charlie Rose Show," Rose questioned him regarding sales of Rolling Stone to Conde Nast getting rumors swirling. An industry rep from Conde Nast stated that it wasn't the Wenner founded Rolling Stone they wanted, but much more valuable US Weekly as it would "make perfect sense for Conde Nast to buy." Seems like Wenner is looking to make bucks ($750 million according to the NY Post) to keep his baby afloat in times of crisis, perhaps? If Jann Wenner is downsizing and conserving, how bad off are the rest of us? Yikes! If you're ever in midtown or the financial district, look out for flying dudes in business suits-- and models too, I guess.

The Sick And The Dead

Amy Winehouse (only sort of) Has Emphysema at Age 24
Earlier this week, the boozy bluesy floozy's dad told the press she has an "early stage of emphysema" from her crack and tobacco shmokin'. Now her publicist is refuting this with the statement that she has "traces of emphysema." I don't really see the difference, but either way she is now "covered in nicotine patches" and recovering. Do they make crack rock patches? Maybe that would help.

Kermit Love Croaks

The "Sesame Street" costumer, who also designed costumes for renowned ballet choreographers Twyla Tharp and George Ballanchine saw his last "sunny day" today, when he died at age 91 from congestive heart failure. He was co-creator, along with Jim Henson, of Big Bird and designer of costumes for Mr. Snuffleupagus, Oscar the Grouch, and Cookie Monster, among others who resided on "Sesame Street." He insisted that he was not the namesake for the green guy with an affection for one obnoxious pink pig, but judging from his choice in partners, I beg to differ.


Failure: George Carlin's Heart
I was never a huge George Carlin fan, but his success is worth noting, so I made up some appropriate words to go on his tombstone:

Here Lies Beneath one gorgeous George
Many of his words were quite poor
Though his tongue sharp, he did amuse
Your mom, your sister, and banged them too
Now he's gone from a failed heart
But no one will forget his profane art

"Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, Cocksucker, Motherfucker, Tits.”
May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008

Impetuous Imus Eats Shoe (Again).
Don Imus has another snack on his cowboy boot after a conversation regarding football player Adam 'Pacman' Jones' recent request to no longer be referred to by his nickname leads to another questionable remark. Jones, whose nickname is associated with six prior run-ins with the law, would like to relinquish himself from the bad boy reputation. Upon hearing this news, Imus responded, "Well, what color is he?" Given that Jones is black, Imus blurted, "Well, there ya go..." After losing his job last year when he referred to Rutgers' team, the Scarlet Knights as "nappy headed ho's", Imus really has no room for slip-ups. Now he's back-peddling, and it's not exactly cute to watch. I keep expecting him to say, "What?! I love black people! I even allow them in my home!"

Breathe In, Breathe Out

Just received Gavin Rossdale's "comeback" disc, Wanderlust, with the cover bearing what else but his beautiful face. The inside was much less desirable than its outer shell. Quite honestly, I only listened to the whole album once, and the most notable song on it was, "This is Happiness" in which the chorus repeats -- duh-- "This is happiness, this is happiness." Gavin may be happy these days, (Which he very well should be with a beautiful, successful wife, adorable kid, jet-setting life, plus let's face it, he will always be a total babe) but nobody wants to fucking hear about it! Then again Gavin was always something of a soft-hearted hippie (See here for ref.) With all its embarrassing fuzzy, melodramatic mumbles and one highly vomit-inducing ballad released as the single (Love Remains the Same), Wanderlust is definitely a WONDERBUST!

Sorry Gav. I still loved you way back when. I even had a t-shirt purchased at Spencer Gifts that read, "I <3 Gavin!" in the 7th grade, and saw you play a double bill with my other 90's faves, Veruca Salt!

I'll still hold the good ol' days close...

Nomination Goes to Obama but Don't Hate on Your Mama!

Sixty-two years after the date (June 3, 1946) the U.S. Supreme Court banned segregated interstate bus travel leading to the African-American Civil Rights Movement, the very first black man has received a nomination for presidential candidate. Not only did he receive the nomination, but he won it against an opponent who happens to be the first woman to furvently campaign for the position, and who just may end up running alongside him as his VP (His very loving remarks in his acceptance speech last night may begin to justify those rumors.)



In further coincidental moments in history, today (June 4) marks the anniversary of the approval of the 19th Amendment in 1919. Also on this day, I received a sad email from the Hunter College listserv regarding the infamously brash (and sexist) Chris Matthews speaking at the college's commencement ceremony today. The email is below:

HUNTER COMMENCEMENT DEGRADED BY THE INCLUSION OF INVITED SPEAKER CHRIS MATTHEWS

June 1, 2008

Dear Hunter College Community,

As you may know, MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews has been invited to speak at Hunter’s graduation day ceremony on Wednesday, June 4th. Administrative staff at Hunter looked for a speaker who could address political issues in this election year and decided to invite MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann. After agreeing to speak, Olbermann then backed out of his commitment and instead of returning to the drawing board, a Hunter staff member called MSNBC to see who they could send in Olbermann’s place. Matthews was offered and accepted. There was no formal vetting or real consideration given to the selection of this particular graduation speaker.

Mr. Matthews has gained notoriety throughout the country for years of insensitive, sexist comments on his show “Hardball” and his insulting treatment of women—not only, most visibly, Senator Clinton but also his television colleagues who happen to be female.
Matthews referred to Clinton as a "she devil," called her a "strip-teaser" and "witchy." He has referred to men who support her as "castratos in the eunuch chorus." He has commented on the physical appearance of women including his CNBC colleague Erin Burnett, calling her “beautiful” and “a knockout” during a discussion of economic news. In an interview with John and Elizabeth Edwards, Matthews asked the former Senator, “Does she bite your balls like this when you go home?” He then went on to ask, “What is this with the equal marriages? Why do people marry their equals? It used to be different. What happened to the Stepford wives? The good old days?” These are but a small sample of Matthews’s on-air sexist comments.

It is, in our view, disgraceful for Hunter College, for all of us who love this institution and most of all for our present and future students who look to Hunter as a bastion of women’s empowerment, to confer this honor on someone whose words in public so contradict the most basic feminist and civic values. Inviting him to be our speaker is asking him to represent Hunter College on this important occasion, and this should never have happened. We are outraged.

We urge President Jennifer Raab to adopt a process in the future that would prevent such mistakes. We hope you’ll join us in this call to improve the process by which the college selects commencement speakers. Write to President Raab to encourage her to establish a more careful, transparent, and democratic process. Her email address is: jennifer.raab@hunter.cuny.edu.

Sincerely,
Students, Adjunct Faculty, Policy Committee of the
Women and Gender Studies Program

While many of the quotes in this letter are not word for word, I did find the correct ones, and they are pretty damn close. (i.e. Does she bust your balls like this when you come home?, and more!)

Some people take Matthews as an innocent blowhard-- a comedian or entertainer of sorts-- but when he is delivering comedic "news" commentary, perhaps he should be on Comedy Central right between The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Regardless of his intentions, I agree he is not the appropriate choice for a college graduation.

This is not to say I hate chauvinistic comedians. So, here's Andrew Dice Clay talking about how much he likes Bush (I can't tell if this is political commentary or not.)

OOOOOoooooh!

Backwoods Barbie

Growing up in North Carolina, my musical taste was very much shaped by that of my parents. By the age of 7, my top 5 list consisted of Elvis Presley, REO Speedwagon, Bon Jovi, Rod Stewart, and the one and only Dolly Parton.  I don't remember the first time I fell in love with Dolly, but I do remember always feeling the ache in my heart as she would tell of her life growing up as a poor girl in the familiar Blue Ridge mountains on Coat of Many Colors, imagining the the devilish emerald eyes that stared out of the face of Jolene, and fantasizing that one day I would be strong and sassy enough to kick my chauvinistic boss's ass (who would look just like Dabney Coleman, of course), and wear my hair in a blonde bouffant. 

Dolly's was also the second concert I ever attended at the very mature age of 8( The first being Bon Jovi--NEW JERSEY Tour 1988, baby! Yeah!) Seated in the lawn section of the the enormous amphitheatre in Charlotte, NC (Right down the road from the race track, nah mean?), I could barely see Dolly's tiny frame, but her hair and cleavage gleamed like top of the Chrysler building. A slow drizzle began to fall from the sky, hinting at the downpour that would soon arrive. Being only 8, it would be years before my first wet t-shirt contest, so we decided to run for cover. Luckily, the venue was nice enough to welcome all who could fit under the shelter into the VIP seats, and I was sitting just 10 rows from my hero chugging Courvoisier (Okay, Shirley Temples, whatever)! After the show, I remember standing outside peering through a fence that I was sure separated me from Dolly's sequinned glory. I tried to visualize myself getting my t-shirt signed by the lady, as if it would make it come true. It never did.

I'm still pretty excited about her new album though, and here's the review I wrote for it that can be found in this month's BUST.

DOLLY PARTON- Backwoods Barbie
"People always comin' up to me askin,' 'Dolly what's your secret? Your attitude just seems so good. How do you keep it?'" rings the first inspirational notes off Backwoods Barbie, Dolly Parton's first release off her newly formed independent label, Dolly Records. Gracing the cover pin-up style, elegantly lounging in the back of a classic pink pickup truck, decked in full Dolly get up (Platinum wig, double F's, animal print top, and a smile like a ray of sunshine.), the spunky country queen delivers an answer to that question with a handful of self-penned gospel soul-yankers, and touching twangy tunes. Never a simple gal, Dolly kicks her cowboy boots up with a glitzy fiddle-burning bluegrass cover of the Fine Young Cannibals' "She Drives Me Crazy," and a church-choir backed version of Smokey Robinson and The Miracles' "The Tracks of My Tears." The production of Backwoods Barbie may be slightly top-heavy, but so is Dolly and we like her that way.

Always one of my favorite comediennes, here are some of my fave Dolly quotes:

"Now the majors are what they used to think I was: History." Regarding major labels.

"There's two kinds of mountain women: the kind that get married and have a bunch of kids, and the kind that stay single and have a bunch of kids!"

"Someone told me I should run for president. I said, don't you think that we've had enough boobs in the White House?"

"I wanted to be the first woman to burn her bra, but it would have taken the fire department four days to put it out."

"You'd be surprised how much it costs to look this cheap!"

Falling (WAY) Down

Wow. NYLON is really starting to embarrass me, and Scarlett Johansson is making even more of a laughing stock of herself. What does Tom Waits have to say about her musical blasphemy??!



She's hot. Yes. She's a mediocre actress. Okay. But for the love of Tom Waits' toasted lungs, PLEASE PUT DOWN THE MIC!! I mean, I know she is comfortable in front of the camera, but did we really need THREE (un, deux&trois) videos for the single off "her" new album. And now a magazine cover with her welding a guitar!! At least, she is doing what she knows how to do best-- Looking sorta sexy sorta straddling it, rather than sorta playing the thing.

As for the the other bands on the cover:
Courtney Love-FREAK SHOW
Beth Ditto- LOVE The Gossip. Don't LIVE the lifestyle of The Gossip.
Kim Gordon- Free Kitten just released a new album after 10 years. Didja hear??!
Spiritualized- The new album is pretty good. Sounds like everything else he's done. I'll always love Jason Spaceman.
Duffy, Santogold- Don't Care, Don't Care
The Virgins- Listening to them is as boring as being one.
The Breeders- New album sorta sucks sadly, but check 'em out on tour with Lincoln Hawk!
We Are Scientists- I like these guys sometimes.
Ladytron and the Vines- Welcome back from 2001.
Portishead- Welcome back from 1991. Okay, 1997.
Missy and Lil Mama- Nylon is an equal opportunity music reviewer.

Brew-skie for you-skie?

We are all well aware of the vices used by most of our recent Presidents (and potential ones.)

I.E.


"I didn't inhale."




BUT how about our very first Commander-In-Chief? Looks like the first George W. liked to relax with a cold one every now and again (Of course, he had to make it himself.)

"To Make Small Beer." By George Washington.
From his 1757 notebook.

My friend has been working in the archives at the New York Public Library and sent me a copy of this beer recipe written by George Washington. See here: http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/spe/rbk/gwbeer.html

This is only one of the cool things she has archived while working there, and much of this material is available for the public to see! Books. Check 'em out!


Thanks to Jacob for unearthing the C-Raisin's vid.

Happy Quinceañera to BUST!

Hey! Go buy the new BUST!



Besides the fact that hilarious Amy Sedaris is on the cover, it's their 15th Anniversary issue, AND I wrote an article on Isabella Rossellini's crazy (yet informative) new short movies about bugs doing the nasty for it.



Check out GREEN PORNO in its entirety on the Sundance Channel's website.

Should I STAY or Should I GO!!

Since Gossip Girl is almost over, I must get in some commentary here. The season finale is next week! I feel like the show just started. Damn.

All I really have to say is:

1. I hope Dan gets oral herpes. How could he turn his back on Serena so quickly? WHAT A SNAKE!

2. WHERE THE F- WAS JENNY??!




No one even mentioned her during the whole episode, even though she wasn't at her dad's big errr "gig." Did I miss something? A murmur of her name? "Oh Jenny is off at Grandma's house in Queens?" Something??! Maybe they were too star struck by Lisa Loeb (DUDE, somebody must be struggling to make rent. I seriously hope they had her on suicide watch after singing that song for the 429734982397th time. Seeing her panties on her reality show was real enough for me. Seeing her cling to her last 15 seconds by playing the character of herself [a washed up 90's one hit wonder] is just too depressing. Please, don't stay, Lisa. GO. FAR AWAY!)

Man, I can't believe the season is almost over. I can't wait to hear S call G a 'manipulative little B' and scratch her eyes out.

Have You Ever Really Loved Free Vodka?

Last night the BF and I attended the opening of Bryan Adams' (YES, Mr. Summer of '69) Hear The World Ambassadors Photo Exhibit. Hear the World is a global initiative raising awareness about the importance of good hearing and the impact of hearing loss, and the opening was also to celebrate the beginning of Better Hearing and Speech Month. ( Press Release)

BF and I knew no one there, except for Renee Zellweger and Lydia Hearst, but for some reason, they didn't recognize us. As if! Both ladies look like chihuahua/preying mantis love children. Scary! I actually didn't see Renee Z, but the BF filled me in. B. Adams did call me "sweetheart" (Cause you know-- I am.) and kissed me on the cheek though, and The Virgins played. I saw them last summer at an old church in the East Village, and wasn't impressed. Still not, but it made the whole experience more fun-- so did the free vodka.

As did the cameraphone. See below.

Adams in white.

The Virgins laying it down for us. Get it "lay"? Aw, nevermind.

Hear no evil, snort no evil.

Trying to get my nickle back from Chad Kroeger.

Can't you hear me licking?!

Too much booty in the pants for Moby?

Um. I like this picture of my shiny party feet.


Just for old times sake, for the best usage of masks in a video, and for the fact that Johnny Depp is a total stud.

Hunka Hunka Marital Bliss

Today would mark the 41st wedding anniversary of Elvis(RIP) and Priscilla Presley had they still been together. I've been a huge Elvis P. fan since I was a kid beginning from the first time I saw Blue Hawaii with my mom at age 4. I got word that the hunk-a-burnin' love on screen was no longer alive, and cried my eyes out through the rest of the movie. My obsession has dwindled somewhat, but I still showcase my velvet Elvis proudly in my living room, and stand by the fact that Elvis' live rendition of "If I Can Dream" from his '68 Comeback Special is one of the most powerful songs I've ever heard. I've never been to Graceland, but my mom claims I was conceived in Memphis, TN while my dad was taking a class there. Elvis lives as long as I do!

Elvis Presley "If I Could Dream" '68 Comeback Special




YOIKS!!

Vinny vs. Josef

Is it just me or does Josef Fritzel (the disgusting Austrian man who held his daughter hostage for 24 years and fathered six of her kids) look exactly like scream king Vincent Price??

Vince:

Joey:


Seriously y'all, this is messed up.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/world/europe/29austria.html?ref=europe

LEAVE JIMI ALONE!!!

It seems that the media is quickly tiring of current celebs and their dry old naughty bits. After allowing Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian to further their fame with sex tapes, and exploiting the fuck out of every single young vagina in the biz (even Hermione from Harry Potter!), now they've moved on to the dead. No this isn't a necrophilia situation, but more of a vintage one.

First Marilyn Monroe supposedly was filmed having sex (not a huge surprise), but now they are showcasing the REAL Jimi Hendrix Experience!



"According to the sex-film distributor Howie Klein, who sold the tape to Vivid, the film surfaced when a collector discovered a tin labeled “Black Man” in a box of rock memorabilia bought at an unidentified auction in London. NYTimes 4/29/07

Oh, and of course Pamela Des Barres (Groupie Extraordinaire, author of I'm With The Band, and proud carrier of so many STD's I think they are starting to cancel each other out.) was interviewed in the--ahem-- film.

Eat the Rich

Yesterday while meandering down the the slumsville turned strip-mall-slash-strip-club that is now Bowery, I found myself inside the hole that was once CBGB and is now the fancy schmancy John Varvatos store. I know there has been a lot of media uproar about the store, and with due cause. The walls of the old club have been preserved (like a museum under squeaky clean plastic sheets), but the rest of the space is pretty anti-CBGB. While John Varvatos' clothes are pretty hot, and I'd love to dress my boyfriend in them, there is no way I'd pay $1200+ for a vintage (USED!!) leather motorcycle jacket. I took a short gander at the small collection of records obviously carefully selected for the store, and  I found The Only Ones' Alone In The Night proudly showcased for 50 bucks! Of course, Varvatos is also selling his Converse All Star collection for $100+ a pop as well-- the more dirt, the more cash. Even though Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop have publicly backed up the designer as a fave, it's still hard to stomach. CBGB had been going downhill in the quality of their musical acts for a long time, but the closing of the place is such a reminder of what is important to people in this city. Money will always rule. The closing of Tonic was even more of a blow, but that's old news and a completely different rant.

With gas prices and food prices skyrocketing, it's tough to see people spending a fortune on something that used to come next to free: Music. 

Check out musician Rebecca Moore's advocacy group for helping keep performance spaces open and affordable around the East Village and LES (if there are still any left anyway.)
http://www.takeittothebridge.com,

Let's play "Then/Now":

Then:

Now:

Then:

Now:

Then:

Now: