Bri Blahg… Gall Stones, And Rolling Stones… Music News Round Up 10/27/09

by Brian Phillips (@BrianBlahg)

Springsteen Cousin/Road Crew Member Dies Suddenly

Last night’s show in K.C. canceled after the death of Lenny Sullivan. The 36 year old was Bruce’s cousin and assistant tour manager.

Ailing Clapton Drops Out Of Rock Hall Show

Gall stones have sent the legend to the bench. Springsteen was to appear too, but with Sullivan’s death his appearance may be in jeopardy as well.

It’s Not Funny, It’s Sad

They’re calling it Weezer and Weezy… “I Can’t Stop Partying” is Lil Wayne with Weezer , a track from Ratitude, which drops today. I don’t know what Rivers Cuomo is trying to prove. Is it a cynical grab at Top 40 airplay ala Chris Cornell and Timbaland, a passive aggressive swipe at their record company, or just a big joke? My problem with the whole enterprise is that the only people compromising are Weezer. From Lil Wayne, to Kenny G, to Jermaine Dupri… this is the kind of crap these people churn out. Weezer are the ones purposely embracing plastic, two dimensional, hit radio garbage regardless of their motivations.

Bonus Coverage. This is the saddest day for middle aged musicians since Sammy Hagar recorded “Mas Tequila.”

Morrissey Upgraded To Lonely And Miserable

Doctors say Mozz is doing better after fainting on stage over the weekend. Morrissey you see does not “pass out” he faints.

Bonus Coverage. The first thing they do in a revolution is “hang the dj’s:”

Bri Blahg… Another Bri Pod Countdown

by Brian Phillips (@BrianBlahg)

Several months ago I started writing columns about what my Ipod played for me on the way to work in the morning. Self absorption? Perhaps…. Still people occasionally ask me to write more. Here then is another installment in our occasional “Bri Pod” series.

1. The Beatles “Two Of Us”

A few weeks back this song came up in a conversation I was having with members of White Rabbits about obscure (being a relative term here) Beatles songs. A lot of their stuff sounds a bit dated, but this simple folk pop tune holds up quite nicely. For all the elegant simplicity of this track, “Let It Be” was the most laborious of The Beatles career as you can read here.

7 more tunes after the jump…