Yupster, Yindie, Grup: Same Shit

I caught this article in the New York Magazine yesterday. All about the phenomenon of yupsters and the refusal to accept adulthood.

Up With Grups

Quickies

I'm too lazy to come up with any witty commentary on one particular story, so here are some interesting tidbits:

Jack White's new outfit, The Raconteurs, delight Liverpudlians. (NME)

Keane announces their upcoming follow-up to 2004's Hopes and Fears. The lead singer looks a bit like Teddy Ruxpin. (NME)

Ringo is back for his ninth installment of the All Starr Tour. Billy Squier is on tap to wield the axe. (Billboard)

June 14-15: Toronto (Casino Rama)
June 16: Detroit (Pine Knob)
June 17: Chicago (Rosemont Theatre)
June 23: Sacramento, Calif. (Cache Creek Casino)
June 24: Los Angeles (Gibson Amphitheatre)
June 25: Palm Springs, Calif. (Fantasy Springs Casino)
June 27: Livermore, Calif. (Wente Winery)
June 28: Temecula, Calif. (Pala Casino)
June 29: San Diego (Humphrey's By The Bay)
July 1: Las Vegas (The Beach at Mandalay Bay)
July 7: Tampa, Fla. (Ruth Eckard Hall)
July 8: Boca Raton, Fla. (Mizner Amphitheatre)
July 9: Melbourne, Fla. (King Center)
July 11: Baltimore (Lyric Opera House)
July 12: Easton, Penn (State Theatre)
July 14: Westbury, N.Y. (Westbury Music Fair)
July 15: Atlantic City, N.J. (Trump Casino)
July 16: Uncasville, Conn. (Mohegan Sun Arena)
July 18: Holmdel, N.J. (PNC Bank Arts Center)
July 19: Boston (Bank of America Pavilion)
July 20: New York (Radio City Music Hall)

DC

I'm going to DC this weekend, so I'll leave you with this thin slice of heaven...

Hype Bands

If you are like me and are sick of hype bands like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! and Arctic Monkeys, then this is dedicated to you. The music is okay, but nothing to get all worked up about. Seriously, the vocalist for CYHSY can't even sing to save his life; and the Arctic Monkeys sound like another version of the Libertines which is just another version of The Clash.

Check out this song.

All Us Geeks

By definition, all bloggers are computer geeks. In fact, most people today are computer geeks even though they may be reluctant to admit it. This site pays homage to the early days of computing, with an index of print advertisements. So the uber-geek in all of us can look at these pictures with a retro and outdated feeling all at once.

CNET has a good gallery of pictures as well.

Much More GNR News

Apparently Scott Weiland isn't taking shit from Asshole Rose. I would live to see that fight in an episode of Celebrity Deathmatch. What ever happened to that show? I loved it.

Anyway, Weiland is pissed at Rose for bringing legal action against his band mates. This is a portion of his rant that was published on the Velvet Revolver website.

Don't think for a second we don't know where those words came from. Your unoriginal, uncreative little mind, the same mind that had to rely on its bandmates to write melodies and lyrics. Who's the fraud now bitch? How many albums have you put out and how long did it take the current configuration of this so-called band to make this album?" Weiland continues, "We toured our album over a year and a half. How many shows have you played over the last ten years? Oh, that's right - you bailed out on your long awaited comeback tour, leaving your remaining fans feeling, shall we say, a trifle miffed?... What we're talking about here is a frightened little man who once thought he was king, but unfortunately this king without his court is nothing but a memory of the a--hole he once was.

(via FMQB)

We'll Miss You Chef

Everyone nod your head in mourning, for Chef will no longer be on South Park. The robust chef, played by Isaac Hayes, has decided to leave the show, citing religious insensitivity. WTF mate? Why quit now? The show has been on for 10 years, and now you are getting all sensitive about it? Horseshit. It's quite funny how Mr. Hayes never had a problem with the episode where Chef teaches the kids about the importance of the clitoris.

But series co-creator Matt Stone said the veteran recording artist was upset the show had recently lampooned the Church of Scientology, of which Hayes is an outspoken follower.

"In ten years and over 150 episodes of 'South Park,' Isaac never had a problem with the show making fun of Christians, Muslim, Mormons or Jews," Stone said in a statement issued by the Comedy Central network.

"He got a sudden case of religious sensitivity when it was his religion featured on the show."

Read More.

Protect the Sheep

Protect your farm animals from this man.

More GNR

Apparently Axl isn't happy unless he makes his former band mates miserable. Yet, I get the feeling that no one really cares about him anymore. We've all moved on. He hasn't. Just last week he filed a lawsuit against Slash.

On Friday Rose filed suit against Saul "Slash" Hudson, seeking a federal judge's confirmation of Rose's "ownership of his own creative works." The filing comes in response to a federal suit filed in August by Slash and bassist Duff McKagan, who accused the GN'R frontman of changing the publisher of the group's copyrighted songs without first conferring with them and then pocketing the royalties. That suit claimed "Rose's actions were malicious, fraudulent and oppressive, and undertaken in conscious disregard of [Slash and Duff's] property rights."

Here's the best part of the article though:

"Axl regrets having to spend time and energy on these distractions, but he has a responsibility to protect the Guns N' Roses legacy and expose the truth," Howard Weitzman, Axl's attorney, said in the statement.

Ironically, Axl is the worst person to uphold the GNR legacy. Not showing up for concerts, 10-year hiatus between albums, being a selfish prick, constant lawsuits, and don't forget the awful cornrows and beer gut; You name it, and it most likely hurts the legacy.

(via MTV)

Slayer

Metalheads rejoice. Slayer is teaming up with Rick Rubin again for their latest LP. It will be the band's first album since 1990 with all original members. Put away your bull horns and ripped Def Leppard tank tops, for the set won't be released until the fall.

June 6 will mark the beginning of the Unholy Alliance tour with Mastodon, Lamb of God, Children of Bodon, and Thine Eyes Bleed. Below are the dates (via Billboard):

June 6: San Diego (Sports Arena)
June 7: Las Vegas (Orleans)
June 12: St. Louis (Pop’s Outside)
June 13: Chicago (Aragon Ballroom)
June 15: Camden, N.J. (Tweeter Center)
June 16: E. Rutherford, N.J. (Continental Airlines Arena)
June 17: Lowell, Mass. (Tsongas Arena)
June 23: San Antonio (Freeman Coliseum)
June 25: Houston (Reliant Arena)
June 29: Cleveland (Tower City Amphitheatre)
July 6: Detroit (Cobo Arena)
July 7: Milwaukee (Eagles Auditorium)
July 13: Seattle (Qwest Field Event Center)
July 19: San Jose, Calif. (HP Pavilion)
July 21: Mesa, Ariz. (Mesa Amphitheatre)
July 22: Long Beach, Calif. (Long Beach Arena)

GNR

In case anyone remotely cares about the newfangled GNR, a few tracks off the upcoming album have been leaked online.

The leaked songs are 'T.W.A.T. (There Was A Time)', 'The Blues', 'I.R.S.' and 'Better'.

Featuring singer Axl Rose's trademark vocals, the new material reveals the group embracing drum loops alongside heavy rock guitars and a rawer, more bluesy sound.

Guns n' Roses are expected to premiere more new material when they headline this summer's Download festival, alongside Metallica. (NME)

Ahem. It was my understanding that Metallica would never again deal with Axl's shenanigans after the Toronto debacle. Guys, Axl will fuck you over again.

Guns N' Roses - "T.W.A.T. (There Was A Time)"

Natalie Portman Rap

No doubt taking a cue right from the smash Lazy Sunday, this Natalie Portman song aired on SNL last night (via Stereogum).

Pac Man

The fact that this video takes place at my alma mater (University of Michigan), makes it all the better. It's in the undergrad library and university computing center. See for yourself.

We are Useless

That's right. Americans are useless. This article claims that the average American knows more about pop culture trivia than the First Amendment freedoms.

In case you forgot: Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press, to peacefully assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

I admit I only remembered the first three First Amendment freedoms.

Rock Star Deaths

In case you were wondering how certain rock stars croaked, here is a nice little guide. Actually, it's more a study someone did. According to this site, the average life of Americans is 75.8 years, compared with rock stars at 36.9.

Read the rest here.