"Yvette Vickers, an early Playboy playmate whose credits as a B-movie actress included such cult films as "Attack of the 50-Foot Woman" and "Attack of the Giant Leeches," was found dead last week at her Benedict Canyon home. Her body appears to have gone undiscovered for months, police said.

Vickers, 82, had not been seen for a long time. A neighbor discovered her body in an upstairs room of her Westwanda Drive home on April 27. Its mummified state suggests she could have been dead for close to a year, police said." [LA Times]

I didn't know Yvette Vickers by name, but I did once own a t-shirt that had her iconic (ironic?) picture on it (see above) a picture of a poster of a movie she was in on it (Allison Hayes is the one in the picture), and Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans surely know the classic "Attack of the Giant Leaches"... which you can watch in full below...

Continue reading "Yvette Vickers, RIP"

Polyphonic Spree...

Southern Comfort will host a series of free shows beginning this August. The tour's two main headliners will be Ghostland Observatory and the Polyphonic Spree. DJ Lord of Public Enemy is set to open. The tour will bring the Polyphonic Spree to NYC's Webster Hall on October 1st.

What's the catch? You'll have to sign up for Soco's text messaging list to receive a ticket code.

SoCo is also involved in a new video series on Playboy.com called "Uncovered." That features musicians performing acoustic covers of their favorite artists -- the first edition, up now, is Dinosaur Jr. playing The Cure's "Just Like Heaven." Upcoming acts include Black Lips, A Camp, The Dears, Patterson Hood and Phosphorescent (who just announced a Brooklyn show). A partial list of who's playing what, with the SoCo tour's schedule and all upcoming Ghostland Observatory dates, below...

Continue reading "Polyphonic Spree, Dinosaur Jr, Ghostland Obervatory, Dears, others playing free SoCo shows, making Playboy videos"

photos by James Trevenen

As suspected, the reunited lineup of Jane's Addiction took the stage at the annual Playboy Rock the Rabbit party in Austin last night (3/19).

In a move that was either pure coincidence or pure brilliance, the Playboy bash was held in an empty grocery store attached to a slightly skeevy strip mall in a decidedly unsafe area of Austin. It's difficult to think of a more perfect setting for Jane's tawdry, tarty rock (the bevy of Bunnies parading around the party were a nice touch too). Whether it was due to the joy of feeling at home, or the joy of playing music together again, Jane's came out feisty, fiery and fierce.

On this night, there were no selections from Jane's softer side, just plenty of pummel, from opening number "Three Days" to the incredibly raucous set-closer "Stop!" Showing a swagger that only the best bands possess, Jane's threw haymakers, with guitarist Dave Navarro pulling solo after solo out of his axe, frontman Perry Farrell patrolling and posing, and the reformed rhythm section of Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins remaining in lockstep.

Songs like "Standing in the Shower ... Thinking" (during which Farrell patted his crotch dry with a towel, then tossed it into the crowd), "Ted, Just Admit It ..." and a particularly massive "Ocean Size" sent the crowd into hysterics -- there was even some crowd surfing, which sent the Bunnies scattering -- and showcased a band still very much at the top of its game. Navarro and Farrell shared a smooch, Avery and Perkins exchanged knowing nods, and frankly, it was as if those 17 years never happened. [MTV]

Metallica plays a more-official SXSW party tonight (3/20) at Stubb's. Kanye West is rumored to appear as the guest at the FADER House where Kanye's label GOOD Music is having a showcase (makes sense). More pictures from the Playboy party below...

Continue reading "Jane's Addiction last night (pics), Metallica tonight (at SXSW)"

today in NYC
* DANCE
* Bettye LaVette @ Joe's Pub
* Alice Russell @ Le Poisson Rouge
* OK Go, Longwave & Oppenheimer @ MHOW
* The So So Glos & others @ Death By Audio
* Dr. Lonnie Smith Quartet @ Jazz Standard
* Apache Beat, Mixel Pixel, Night Owl & more @ Cake Shop
* Reigning Sound, Davilla 666 & The Turbo Fruits @ Maxwell's
* The Homosexuals, Pterodactyl & Unsacred Hearts @ Mercury Lounge
* Airborne Toxic Event, Henry Clay People & Alberta Cross @ Bowery
* Drawlings, Nite Jewel, Predator Vision & Jacques Detergent @ Monster Island Basement
* Foreign Exchange (Phonte of Little Brother + Nicolay) featuring Yahzar @ Highline Ballroom

Apache Beat is listed under a fake name at Cake Shop tonight.

"Chromeo Fights Crappy Music w/ Playboy Rock the Rabbit" in the video below...

The debut video by the Merge-signed Telekinesis below...

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday?"

Metallica. And Jane's Addiction! (maybe)

In possibly related news, "Stay tuned for more info on the Annual Late Night Playboy Party presented by Jack Daniel's in partnership with C3 at SXSW in March."

In definitely related news, Jane's Addiction is playing Sasquatch and will soon announce more tour dates with Nine Inch Nails.

photos by Ryan Muir

Unlike last year's semi-swanky, semi-outdoors, semi-conventient location, this year's SXSW Playboy party (Thursday night, March 13, 2008) felt more like a rave in a big abandoned (yet conveniently located) warehouse (which ended up being the same location as the late night VICE party that happened later in the week). LIKE last year, there was a bunch of Playboy models running around in blue bunny outfits, and there was plenty of free alcohol available all night....well past Austin's 2am bar closing time.

I got there right before Moby started (around 1?), and left almost before Justice finished (around 4). I'm a big fan of classic techno, and especially classic Moby, so Moby's classic techo-heavy set kept me more than happy - especailly when he closed with "Thousand". Justice's DJ set was good too, and the visuals were definitely entertaining, but I was really just a zombie by that point. I was thinking, "this would be really fun if I could do more than just stand here". Up until then my SXSW went something like this.....

Tuesday: last minute preparation all day, fly to Texas, arrive at midnight, check into hotel, sleep.

Wednesday: wake up early --> change hotels & run errands --> my Wednesday day party ---> run more errands real quick --> my official showcase till 2am.

Thursday: wake up early ---> get to Emo's by 10:30 for Thursday day party ---> dinner & short break ---> see Jens Lekman @ the Mohawk (which was as good as always) ---> Playboy Party ---> collapse

Ryan was not only more awake than me, he got to the Playboy party earlier, stayed later, danced a lot, and thought it was pretty much the best party he went to all last week (unless you count the all day Mess With Texas festival on Saturday). More of Ryan's photos (which also include openers The Rub, MGMT and The Heavy), below.....

Continue reading "Justice, Moby, MGMT, booze & Playboy bunnies @ SXSW 2008"

Continue reading "Justice & Moby playing the Playboy party @ SXSW "

The Little Ones did a good job with theirs...

All the other design's are at Playboy's site with more about the whole Rock the Rabbit thing HERE (and here).

DOWNLOAD: Hot Chip - No Fit State (audion Remix) (MP3)

For the second year in a row, Playboy’s Rock the Rabbit initiative will fuse rock, hip-hop, art and fashion in conjunction with Playboy magazine’s annual March music issue (on newsstands February 12, 2008).....artists will put their twist on the iconic Playboy Rabbit Head logo by creating limited edition t-shirt designs. Original prototypes of all t-shirt designs will be auctioned off, with proceeds benefitting Rock the Vote. A special collection of Rock the Rabbit t-shirts will be available nationwide at select Bloomingdale’s locations and online at ShopTheBunny.com.

Artists this year include Iggy Pop, Duran Duran, Daft Punk, The Shins, T.I., Gogol Bordello, Ghostland Observatory, Jamie T, Tokyo Police Club, The Pipettes, New Young Pony Club, Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s, Little Ones, OFFICE, The Oohlas, The Heavy, Working For A Nuclear Free City, The Beasts of Eden, DJ Dimitri from Paris, and Hot Chip. Tickets for Hot Chip's upcoming Terminal 5 show go on sale Saturday. All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Hot Chip tickets, Rock the (Playboy) Rabbit, tour dates"

The cult of Girl Talk @ Diesel party, SXSW - March 16, 2007

Girl Talk was all over SXSW. I didn't even try to see him, but ended up catching him twice. Once was at the Diesel-U-Music party on Friday night (March 16, 2007). It was where I went after the Iheartcomix party was busted. He went on right after Tokyo Police Club who went on after Matt & Kim.

Cult leader @ Diesel party, SXSW - March 16, 2007

The other time I saw Girl Talk was at the PACKED Pitchfork day party on the main stage of Emo's. Diesel had much more breathing room.

It's still unclear whether the mayor of Austin caught any Girl Talk shows at SXSW this year, but I'm sure Pennsylvania Congressman Mike Doyle would have been dancing on the stage had he been in Texas.

And had Girl Talk played the Playboy party, the mayor would have been sure to have seen Greg Gillis too. I'm actually surprised Playboy didn't book him now that I know he'll actually be making an appearance in their very own sister (brother?) publication...

First off, let's burst a few bubbles by mentioning that while Gillis will appear in an upcoming issue of Playgirl (specifically the "Man of the Year" issue), "he will be shirtless, in jean shorts and hightops...and doing air kicks," according to his publicist. In other words, if you've ever been to a Girl Talk show, you've probably seen more Gillis skin than Playgirl's readership. Be proud. [Pitchfork]

Oh well.

Previously
* Girl Talk @ Studio B ++ 2007 Tour Dates
* Girl Talk playing tonight & CMJ
* Girl Talk played Lit, playing Mercury Lounge & in your stereo

DOWNLOAD: The Gossip - Listen Up! (MP3)

'Illinois' & playmates @ the Playboy party, SXSW - March 15, 2007

I wouldn't have normally passed up the opportunity to see The Gossip and Voxtrot back-to-back (Thursday, March 15, 2007 - Kork showcase @ Emo's, SXSW), but majority rules, and in this case the majority of the group I was with at dinner that night couldn't get in to the show - so instead we found ourselves at the annual Playboy party. It was held at a TV studio-turned-party-space that was full of free food, free alcohol, free cigarettes, Playboy memorabilia, media, rock fans, and socialites. The music-loving mayor of Austin was even there.

Of course four Playboy playmates were walking around, hosting, introducting bands, and posing for pictures. They were dressed in semi-revealing bunny suits.

Ironically, Beth Ditto of the Gossip was back at Emo's showing even more skin.

OK, I exxagerated the "naked" part - Beth Ditto @ SXSW - March 15, 2007 (CRED)

You go girl. More below...

Continue reading "Beth Ditto naked & Playboy 'Rock the Rabbit' @ SXSW"

O'Death @ Cake Shop, NYC | Dec 31, 2006 (VIA)

Playboy made a list of "America's 10 Best Rock Clubs". NYC scored two of the ten spots with honors to going Mercury Lounge and Cake Shop. Here's the whole list:

• 12 Galaxies, San Francisco, CA


• Black Cat, Washingtonb D.C.


• Cake Shop, New York, NY


• Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR


• The Earl, East Atlanta, GA


• The Echo, Los Angeles, CA


• Emo's, Austin, TX


• Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL


• First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN


• Mercury Lounge, New York, NY

Compare that to the Plug Awards where are the following stages are currently duking it out for the "live music venue of the year" award:

• Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY


• Cake Shop, New York, NY


• Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR


• Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL


• Emo's, Austin, TX


• Joe's Pub, New York, NY


• McCarren Pool, Brooklyn, NY


• Mercury Lounge, New York, NY


• Schubas Tavern, Chicago, IL


• The Echo, Los Angeles, CA


• Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA


• Union Hall, Brooklyn, NY

NYC owns 50% of that list which includes even more love for Mercury Lounge and Cake Shop. Who's missing?

Photo of O'Death's New Years Eve show at Cake Shop from the Music Slut.

The benefit for Oasis Sanctuary (28 September 2004 @ 2 Rivers), though a bit unorganized, turned out to be an interesting event. The crowd was split about 50/50 between animal activists & Playboy bunnies (and their entourage). They advertised that "two-legged bunnies" would be in attendance. I didn't quite know what that meant till I got there.

Edie Falco showed up for a few minutes and donated some autographed memorabilia for the raffle. Peter Max also donated a bunch of paintings and prints.

Continue reading "Oasis Sanctuary Benefit @ 2 Rivers - pics"