Off The Record...

Perennial Favorites

Squirrel Nut Zippers

What is this current swing revival all about? We'll if your concerned about being in the mainstream and following trends then this is the album for you. This band has been in the forefront of such a revival, and take it up a notch by not only paying homage to ancient musical genres but also recreating and expand on them with amazing authenticity while also mixing and matching these styles. This album recalls the spirit of the Gatsby-era swing (Suits Are Picking Up the Bill, Trou Macacq), that will whip up enough energy to make your great-grandparents jump up and cut a rug.

At The Movies...

Halloween: H20

Twenty years after the slaughter of her schoolmates, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) has reinvented herself as Keri Tate, the no-nonsense principal of the California boarding school her son attends. But Keri's life is going all to hell. She's plagued by nightmares, hits the bottle regularly and vigorously, and is alienating her son. Her neurosis is that as Halloween approaches, will Michael Myers, her homicidal brother presumed to be dead, make a return of his own?  The original movie established the slasher rules that today's teen horror hits now both mock and follow, and H20 delivers the punch once more. This is definitely a movie to speed up

instant physical contact if your taking someone out on that first date.

On Video...

The Big Lebowski

Jeff Bridges and John Goodman head up an all star cast in this off beat picture from the makers of Fargo.  A twisting tale of mistaken identity, kidnapping, and lurid individuals, The Big Lebowski follows it's laid back hero's lead, frequently breaking out with insane bursts of inspiration.  Julianne Moore delivers a sweetly sinister performance as Lebowski's scheming daughter.  Put aside any preconceptions before you rent this and you will be pleasantly surprised by one slick and entertaining flick.

The Buzz...

Mike Myers has inked a $10million deal to star as Shaggy in the big screen live action version of Scooby-Doo.  Myers will also write the flick, which has yet to cast the roles of Velma, Freddy, Daphne and of course, Scooby.

A spiral-bound notebook once owned by the Beatles' road manager Mal Evans which holds draft lyrics for Hey Jude, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, A Day In The Life and Magical Mystery Tour is expected to fetch over $150,000.  Also, a record album that John Lennon signed for Mark David Chapman shortly before Chapman murdered the former Beatle is up for sale for $1.8 million.  Pretty Morbid...

Better buy stocks in Kleenex, the Backstreet Boys may be splitting up to pursue solo projects.

Nick Carter has gone into the studio with younger brother Aaron to record a single Loverboy, which will be out in the fall, Brian Littrell has a solo album in the works,  Howie Dorough has his eye on producing, AJ McClean is managing a group called Innocence, and Kevin Richardson is considering a modeling career. 

Eric Stoltz (Mask, Pulp Fiction) has joined the cast of the CBS drama Chicago Hope and has signed on to star in a TV movie for the network.

Fans of the 70's Saturday morning TV series H.R. Pufnstuf, Lidsville, Sigmund & the Sea Monsters and Land Of The Lost will be able to recapture the magic of their youth as Sid and Mary Krofft will be selling original puppets, costumes and fine art from the pop culture classics.

A new "Spice World" game for the Sony PlayStation will be released in coordination with the Spice Girls current tour of the U.S., the Sony PlayStation game is designed to reach out to a virgin market in the game industry, pre-adolescent girls.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is being touted as the replacement for Lee Majors in an updated version of the Six Million Dollar Man, who by today's standards will be upgraded to be worth billions.  Too bad, it would have been great to see Steve Austin fight it out with Arnold's alias, the Terminator.

Three students at Indiana's Hanover College have received a $6,000 grant from their alma mater to follow the summer tour of organic band Phish.  Phish has been touted as the heir apparent to the now defunct Grateful Dead.  

A lot of acts are coming out live this fall, on record that is.  Rush will release their fourth live album, Different Stages, Hanson has  plans to release a show recorded in Seattle this summer, and the original Black Sabbath will see Black Sabbath Live that was taped during last years reunion tour, on the shelves Oct 6th.

A bidding war over broadcasting rights for NHL games may drive the price of the next contract upwards of $400 million for five years, starting next season.  ESPN has raised Fox's current bid to secure the exclusive rights.  Does this mean non-executives might be able to afford tix for hockey games.

Real Audio Wave Transfer will play a local show this week with Hyssop before heading off to Toronto to record their anxiously awaited debut CD.

A rare guitar played by rock icon Jimi Hendrix sold for $40,000 at an auction of musical memorabilia today. The distinctive Gibson Sunburst guitar had expected to fetch double that amount.

Boyz II Men, Kirk Franklin, Jars of Clay, and BeBe and CeCe Winans are among the notable artists lending their talents to one of three albums from DreamWorks Records to be released in support of the upcoming epic, The Prince of Egypt.

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