Unyielding Commissioning on C*$@% F&#!~@^$

I'm Just Talkin' About Shaft - 11 Words that Sound offensive, but aren't. If the title isn't compelling enough on its own, just trust me that this is not only enlightening but wildly hilarious. And if you don't believe me, may your home be overrun with cockchafer.

Suddenly I Realize - Greg Kot weighs in on Epiphany, the newest club opened by the Empty Bottle folks. Actually, he goes in to the history of the Empty Bottle and how the little guys are thriving while they stand up to the Wal-Marts of Chicago Rock N Roll. Reading that, for some reason, my mind wandered to long-ago radio ads for the Thirsty Whale, a club I never visited that no longer graces the Chicago scene. However, you can reminisce about the club and its demise which was likely due to its reliance on glam rock because they have a tribute website. When L.A. Guns and Trixter went belly-up, so did the Whale.

Hit Me - Roger Ebert was physically attacked by another critic at the Toronto Film Festival. Ebert, in case you haven't heard is still recovering from various ailments and can't even speak, let alone wrassle in the ailes. I have no worldly idea who Lou Lumenick is, but apparently he bopped Ebert for rather nebulous reasons. Even though I know nothing about the man, and because I originally misread his surname as "Limerick", here's my take on the situation:

There once was a man from New York
From his picture, he sure seems a dork
Roger gave him a tap
Which caused him to snap
Now Chaz may give his knees a torque

Wish You Were Here - Crooked Fingers has a new album to be released on October 7th, and you can check out one of the tracks, "Phony Revolutions" on their myspace page. The production level seems more suped up and it features an appearance from the mariachi trumpet that was employed on 2005's Dignity and Shame. They're on tour opening for Okkervil River and will hit Metro on October 14th. Just one of many shows I already regret missing down here in Argentina. Maybe this is the album on which they really break through? Frontman Eric Bachmann always delivers live, by the way. (Though if they never make it, it only opens the door for a potential Archers of Loaf reunion tour, right?) Also, Okkervil River asked him to cover one of their new tracks. He obliged. And here it is! His version of "Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed on the Roof of the Chelsea Hotel, 1979":