The 30 Best Bands to play this year’s Lollapalooza

in order

Soundgarden, Arcade Fire, Devo, Cypress Hill, Green Day,
The Strokes, Wolfmother, Gogol Bordello, Drive By Truckers, Lady Gaga,
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Phoenix, Social Distortion, Jimmy Cliff, Mavis Staples,
The Black Keys, The Cribs, Rogue Wave, Spoon, The New Pornographers,
The xx, AFI, Erykah Badu, Metric, Blitzen Trapper,
Grizzly Bear, Minus the Bear, Deer Tick, Yeasayer, X Japan

meanwhile check this out, Lolla VIP goes for $850 which gets you a three-day wrist band and this:

* Unlimited access to Lolla Lounge North and South
* NEW for 2010: Access to VIP golf cart shuttles for transport between Lolla Lounge North and South
* Viewing platforms of the Main Stages with premium sightlines
* Beer, wine and specialty libations all day
* Catered food servings daily
* Daily gourmet Happy Hour with guest chef tastings by Chicago’s top chefs
* Mini-spa treatments
* Reserved Lolla Lounge air conditioned restrooms
* Shaded and relaxed lounge seating
* Much more…

so who’s with me? 8/6-8/8 Grant Park, Chicago

in honor of Opening Day

i give you the greatest baseball story ever

this is the unbelievable (but true) story of one Dock Ellis

a young black pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates who one day

accidentally

took LSD the day he was supposed to pitch.

he took the mound, and threw the best game of his life

A NO HITTER

how rare are no-hitters? so rare there were only two thrown all season last year, both in July.

both thrown on acid. jk.

sixteen years ago today

kurt kobain blew his head off

and we haven’t had a great band like nirvana since. his death affected my life more than his life, because in many ways it proved that Gen X was exactly what they said we were: idealistic slackers who hated phoniness and were far more freaked out by success than failure.

i cant say that the nirvana show i saw at the forum was the best show id ever seen, but it was good, and i was glad to have gone. but i will say that this suicide note was the best one ive ever read. and i hope i dont ever read another one.

To Boddah

Speaking from the tongue of an experienced simpleton who obviously would rather be an emasculated, infantile complain-ee. This note should be pretty easy to understand. All the warnings from the punk rock 101 courses over the years, since my first introduction to the, shall we say, the ethics involved with independence and the embracement of your community has proven to be very true. I haven’t felt the excitement of listening to as well as creating music along with reading and writing for too many years now. I feel guilty beyond words about these things. For example when we’re backstage and the lights go out and the manic roar of the crowd begins, it doesn’t affect me the way in which it did for Freddie Mercury, who seem to love, relish in the love and adoration from the crowd, which is somehting I totally admire and envy. The fact is, I can’t fool you, any one of you. It simply isn’t fair to you or me. The worst crime I can think of would be to rip people off by faking it and pretending as if I’m having 100% fun. Sometimes I feel as if I should have a punch-in time clock before I walk out on stage. I’ve

tried everything within my power to appreciate it (and I do, God believe me I do, but it’s not enough). I appreciate the fact that I and we have affected and entertained a lot of people. I must be one of those narcissists who only appreciate things when they’re gone. I’m too sensitive. I need to be slightly numb in order to regain the enthusiasm I once had as a child. On our last 3 tours, I’ve had a much better appreciation for all the people I’ve known personally and as fans of our music, but I still can’t get over the frustration, the guilt and empathy I have for everyone. There’s good in all of us and I think I simply love people too much, so much that it makes me feel too fucking sad. The sad little sensitive, unappreciative, Pisces, Jesus man. Why don’t you just enjoy it? I don’t know! I have a goddess of a wife who sweats ambition and empathy and a daughter who reminds me too much of what I used to be, full of love and joy, kissing every person she meets because everyone is good and will do her no harm. And that terrifies me to the point where I can barely function. I can’t stand the thought of Frances becoming the miseraable, self-destructive, death rocker that I’ve become. I have it good, very good, and I’m grateful, but since the age of seven, I’ve become hateful towards all humans in general. Only because it seems so easy for people to get along and have empathy. Only because I love and feel sorry for people too much I guess. Thank you all from the pit of my burning, nauseous stomach for your letters and concern during the past years. I’m too much of an erratic, moody, baby! I don’t have the passion anymore, and so remember, it’s better to burn out then to fade away. Peace, Love, Empathy. Kurt Cobain.

Frances and Courtney, I’ll be at your altar

Please keep going Courtney,

for Frances.

for her life will be so much happier

without me. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU

happy opening day!

my fearless predictions for the season

NL East: Mets
NL Central: Cubs
NL West: Dodgers
Wildcard: Cardinals

NL Champs: Cubs

AL East: Red Sox
AL Central: Minnesota
AL West: Angels
Wildcard: Yankees

AL Champs: Red Sox

World Series champs: Da Cubs