There was a whole lot of ’90s nostalgia this year (no, this is not the last time 80 ’08 (and Heartbreak) will be addressing it), and it’s fair to say that the recent spate of one-hit ’90s alt-rockers penning memoirs of their times in the major-label alternative trenches (almost called this one “Indie-Rock Memoirs” until I remembered my own modest proposal from a while back) isn’t exactly new. In fact, Jacob Slichter, drummer for Semisonic (“Closing Time,” No. 1 Modern Rock, 1998), kicked it off in 2005 with his wry So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star.
Recently, Salon’s Thomas Rogers investigated the even-larger-than-usual spate of American TV shows based on foreign programming. It’s an intriguing piece, especially if you’re already a fan of certain British shows that, while translatable to U.S. tastes, are ingenious as they already exist. (Hello, Top Gear.) Still, it wasn’t until today that I found myself actively hoping for a U.S. network to rip off a BBC series. So let’s just say it outright: Bravo, please adapt Maestro for American television.
Alex James interrupted his anti-cocaine promotional activites to let Blur fans know that someday, someway, he and his bandmates will put get together and siphon all your cash with a big ol’ vacuum cleaner. “”We’re all pretty busy but I’d be surprised if [a reunion] never happens. More »
