Rock Almanac: October 6, 2008

On This Date in 1973: 'Half Breed,' by Cher, rises to the No. 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart.

The Almanac Advises for October 6: "There are special concerns when raising a biracial or multiracial child. Even in this more ethnically tolerant society, these children will sometimes be judged harshly by others. They also will feel pressure to identify with one ethnicity or another."

Daniel Martin Moore, 'Stray Age' -- Free MP3 of the Day


Artist: Daniel Martin Moore
Songs: 'Stray Age'
Album: 'Stray Age'
Sounds Like: Pedro the Lion, M. Ward

Download: 'Stray Age'(MP3)

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Rock Almanac: October 5, 2008

On This Date in 1974: 'Endless Summer,' a compilation of the Beach Boys' 1960s hits, crests to the No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 Albums chart.

The Almanac Advises for October 5: "Some climatologists worry that as a result of global warming, summer is beginning earlier and ending later. An extended summer season will wreak havoc on the ecosystem, these experts fear."

Project Jenny, Project Jan, 'You Said' (feat. So Percussion) -- Free MP3 of the Day


Artist: Project Jenny, Project Jan
Songs: 'You Said' (feat. So Percussion)
Album: [iTunes]
Sounds Like: Sparks, Broadcast

Download: 'You Said' (feat. So Percussion) (MP3)

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Guitar Virtuoso Pens Song for Shea Stadium

When guitar shredder Marnie Stern needs inspiration for her explosive arrangements, she need look no further than her own backyard. On her new, verbosely titled album 'This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That,' the Manhattanite pays homage to the home of the New York Mets with an ear-splitting roaring opus called, well, 'Shea Stadium.'

"I try to make [my music] as anthemic as possible and as uplifting as possible," Stern tells Spinner of the song. "I had been watching a lot of baseball movies like 'The Natural,' and I started picturing Shea Stadium. It evokes the feeling of an actual game."

The tune, which features Zach Hill's machine-gun drumming and Stern's usual fretboard gymnastics, is just one of the turbo-charged tracks on Stern's new album. Now, about that title.

Rock Almanac: October 4, 2008

On This Date in 1980: 'Another One Bites the Dust,' by Queen, is crowned the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart.

The Almanac Advises for October 4: "Upon her death, Queen Elizabeth II, ruler of the United Kingdom, will be buried at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Queen Mary of Teck have been interred at this site."

TK Webb & The Visions, 'Closed Captioned Slang' -- Free MP3 of Spinner


Artist: TK Webb & The Visions
Songs: 'Closed Captioned Slang'
Album: 'Ancestor' [iTunes]
Sounds Like: 31 Knots, Spaceman 3

Download: 'Closed Captioned Slang' (MP3)

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Rachael Yamagata, 'Sidedish Friend' -- Video of the Day


Artist: Rachael Yamagata
Video: 'Sidedish Friend'
Highlight: With stormy weather raging outside, the singer-songwriter lays dawn her vocal tracks in the studio. Buy it on iTunes.

Twisted Tales: Sid Vicious Remains a Punk, Even in Death

The story of Sid Vicious' ill-fated relationship with Nancy Spungen is the stuff of punk legend. Less well-known is the twisted saga of Sid's remains.

Born to a hippie mother and a father who was reportedly a guard at Buckingham Palace, John Simon Ritchie took the punk surname "Vicious" from Johnny Rotten's pet hamster. Following the infamous flameout of the Sex Pistols, Sid attempted a solo career, drawing rowdy crowds to the New York nightclub Max's Kansas City. He and Spungen were deep into mutual drug dependency, holed up in their room at the Hotel Chelsea in Manhattan, when Nancy died of a mysterious single stab wound to the stomach, on their bathroom floor. Sid claimed to have no recollection of the incident. Though some speculated the murder may have been committed by one of two known drug dealers to have visited the room, others believed Sid had failed to hold up his end of a suicide pact.

The Chum Bucket: Kanye West Scares HBO + More

You won't be seeing Kanye West (the self-proclaimed 'black Larry David') on HBO anytime soon. [Holy Moly]

Paul McCartney gets some lyrical revenge on Heather Mills in his new song. [PopEater]

The Kills' tour bus entered a black hole. [Brooklyn Vegan]

The long, arduous wait is finally over ... Limp Bizkit returns! [Buzzgrinder]

Boing Boing has a great performance and interview with funk band Galactic. [Boing Boing]