River Phoenix death 15 years ago today

I just got this weird chest pain in the newsroom, thought about dying on Halloween, and suddenly remembered that 15 years ago this morning River Phoenix OD'd outside the Viper Room in LA. Even more depressing is this anniversary comes a day after his younger choad-smoking brother Joaquin tells the world he's done with Hollywood. Go figure.

RIP River, you were an inspiration to us devastatingly attractive people worldwide. xo.

MTVmusic.com is no joke

The best news this week hasn't gotten much attention, but apparently MTV archived its entire video collection, putting 16,000 videos online for free viewing, in addition to a few thousand other clips and concert footage. It's all at MTVmusic.com.

From today's column: At last it’s possible to watch Toto’s “Africa” and Aphex Twin’s “Windowlicker” with the click of a mouse. Throw in Vanya favorites from Suede to Crystal Castles, and this shit is no joke.

It also should be noted that Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" has crashed both the Top Rated and Top Viewed lists, proving that Rick Rolling is alive and well and more relevant today than "Thriller," "Vogue" or "November Rain."

Last minute Halloween

It's Oct. 31, finally, and in today's Herald I discuss some last-minute ideas on having a fun night out. But more importantly, my Top 5 Costumes for 2008 was cut entirely, and I wonder why... But since it didn't run, I'll post it here:

TOP 5 LAST MINUTE COSTUMES
Showing up as Sarah Palin is the Halloween equivalent to going to the prom and seeing everyone in the same dress. Here are five easy Halloween costume ideas that are sure to turn heads like Linda Blair in “The Exorcist.”
5. Pregnant Gloucester Teen – All you need is a pillow and some bad advice.
4. 8-year-old with an Uzi – No NRA membership card necessary.
3. Ashley Todd – Carve a backwards “B” and blame everyone at the party.
2. Joe the Plumber – More than it’s cracked up to be.
1. Suicidal Wall Street banker – How far has your stock fallen?

Anthrax scare at the Herald

We were evacuated for 90 minutes, and instead of getting on the buses "to keep us warm," we went drinking at Foley's. Aight.

Good.
Fucking.
Times.

Halloween

So tomorrow night is my last big-ish event of 2008, as November and December finds me cruising toward Dirty 30 at warped speed. It's been a fun year, but I need a break and this seems deserving as a final sending for the Oh-8.

Set times run something like this: Elastica 10pm, the Kinks 10:45pm, the Strokes 11:30pm. Best Costume wins free admission +1 to the pill for a year, and runner-up gets that prize until New Year's.

I want to dress up as Angelique from Rock of Love 2, but I have no idea how I'll pull this off. I might just go as a Tranny anyway... See you on the floor. "Ahhh'luuuuvee ehht."

Duff-peche Mode. Nay.

So Hilary Duff has "reworked" Depeche Mode's classic "Personal Jesus," and even altered the lyrics so instead of singing "touch faith" she squeals "touch me." Motherfuck of a musical abortion, right here. I miss the good old days when only half-assed industria-fagatrons like Orgy fucked around with dark 80's synthpop. Ugh City, Pop. Me.

More <3 from That Tip

Nightlife blog That Tip shows some love once again, this time from Sunday night's close-out set at Middlesex. Knight of 77 with the recap in "Michael V banged me":

"Boston electro Djs duck for cover. Micheal V is coming and he is not leaving survivors, organ donors, or widows for that matter."

Very rarely do I like to use the term " banger" in fact the term is an affront to my every sense, including smell.
However, Micheal V's collection of indie rock remixes including a fist pumping, ass fucking ,jaw dropping remix of MGMT's "Kids", had literally everyone left at middlesex dancing like there probably wasn't going to be a tommorow. My stance was this, as long as Micheal keeps this shit up, im looking forward to tommorow as long as he's djing.

So , to sum everything up: Welcome back Micheal V, and Congrats to Barnicle

The Dr. is in... the mail

So Dr. Pepper promised everyone in America a free Dr. Pepper if Guns N' Roses' shitshow of a new album, "Chinese Democracy," was released in 2008. That we know. But here's word that to get that free Dr. Pepper, you gotta register online for a coupon to arrive in the mail. What in the name of a sober Steven Adler is that shit?

Great publicity stunt, shitty execution.

Mad props

As I wipe the crust out me'eye after a killer night making electro love to the Middlesex Lounge sound system, I'm going to let someone else sing my praises (as opposed to me, as usual). From the amazingly awesome local fashion and nitelife blog That Tip:

Oct. 20: This week in particular, I found the Pill to display a larger diversity within its patrons, no longer are we besieged by the harem of black haired ex karen o's, but greeted by a youful swagger of contemporary and old school indie music lovers alike. Which leads us to our next point, that although carving out a niche as Boston's premier true "indie " nights, I'm really into DJ Michael V's willingness to explore some of the more electronic based sounds coming out of the indie underground these days.

Word to that.

Holy shit this rules: Army Navy

I needed to find a cool show to hype in Monday's Herald, and saw Dave Virr/Duncan is throwing a British Accents gig at the Mid-Easy that night. I checked out the headliner and -- holy shit, this is all kinds of amazing, and I HATE HATE HATE guitar-based indie in the ol' 2k8.

Army Navy

From the MySpace, it says they're from Los Angeles/Seattle/Portland, but jesus fuck this is right outta circa '90ish Manchester. All sorts of great shit in here, from baggy influences to my beloved Ride. There's even some early Sunny Day Real Estate vibes thrown in for good measure.

Check out "Saints" and the cover of Maxine Nightengale's lost classiq "Get Right Back" (a song impossible to screw up) then join me in Central Square on Monday. I am loving the holy motherfucking shit out of this. Wow, what a pleasant Friday afternoon surprise.