We lost a great musician yesterday ... Lonnie Mack

Very sad about Prince's passing, but I figure the rest of the world has his mourning covered. I'll instead take time out to remember guitarist Lonnie Mack, who also died yesterday. His big hit:

New Music Friday: Guided By Voices; Petra Haden; Bill Evans, more

Click the links to order discounted CDs, vinyl or downloads from Amazon.







Pop Culture Roundup: Charles AtlasJack Kirby; Dick Tracy; Jonny Quest

See a selection of Charles Atlas parody ads.

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A new Canadian theatrical production, "King Kirby," tells the tale of Marvel Comics genius Jack Kirby. There's a review here.
The scene in which Lee robs Kirby of his credit, royalties and dignity is powerful because we see the result of the shift in status these two men went through in their relationship as Klein melts into himself and LeReaney puffs up.
As Roz Goldstein, the woman who became Jack’s wife, Cheryl Hutton is one feisty broad as well she needs to be to keep bolstering Jack’s resolve and shielding him from all those slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

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The crazy goodness of Dick Tracy.

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Listen to a vintage Jonny Quest kids LP.

Surviving Monkees get heavyweight help on new LP - out May 27

Good Times, a new LP by suviving members of the Monkees Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith is out May 27. You can pre-order it from Amazon here.



Here's the skinny:

The Monkees can now reveal the full track list for their highly anticipated new album GOOD TIMES!, their first new album in 20 years, tied to the group's 50th anniversary and extensive North American tour.

All three surviving band members (Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork) have written new songs for the album as well as providing vocals and music performances.

The unmistakable voice of the late Davy Jones is also included with a vintage vocal on the Neil Diamond-penned "Love To Love." To produce the new album, the band found the perfect musical co-conspirator in Grammy® and Emmy®-winning songwriter Adam Schlesinger (Fountains Of Wayne, Ivy).

Much like The Monkees' early albums, GOOD TIMES! features tracks written specifically for the band by some of the music world's most gifted songwriters, including Rivers Cuomo of Weezer ("She Makes Me Laugh"), Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie ("Me & Magdalena"), Andy Partridge of XTC ("You Bring The Summer"), as well as a song co-written by Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller ("Birth Of An Accidental Hipster").

GOOD TIMES! finds all three band members taking turns on lead vocals, playing a wide range of instruments, and sharing new compositions, including Nesmith's "I Know What I Know" and Tork's "Little Girl." In addition to producing the album, Schlesinger also penned "Our Own World" and co-wrote the album's finale with Dolenz, aptly titled "I Was There (And I'm Told I Had A Good Time)."

To help bring the 50th anniversary full circle, The Monkees completed songs for GOOD TIMES! that were originally written and recorded for the group during the 60s. Harry Nilsson wrote the title track "Good Times," which he recorded at a session with Nesmith in January 1968. The production was never completed, so the band returned to the original session tape (featuring Nilsson's guide vocal) and have created a duet with his close friend Dolenz. "Good Times" will mark the first time Dolenz and Nilsson have sung together since Dolenz' May 1973 single "Daybreak." GOOD TIMES! also includes the Neil Diamond-penned "Love To Love," the Carole King and Gerry Goffin collaboration "I Wasn't Born To Follow," "Whatever's Right," written by legendary songwriting duo Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, who were responsible for many of the classic Monkees hits, and "Gotta Give It Time," by Jeff Barry and Joey Levine.
 Track Listing
1. "Good Times" (Harry Nilsson)
2. "You Bring The Summer" (Andy Partridge)
3. "She Makes Me Laugh" (Rivers Cuomo)
4. "Our Own World" (Adam Schlesinger)
5. "Gotta Give It Time" (Jeff Barry/Joey Levine)
6. "Me & Magdalena" (Ben Gibbard)
7. "Whatever's Right" (Tommy Boyce/Bobby Hart)
8. "Love To Love" (Neil Diamond)
9. "Little Girl" (Peter Tork)
10. "Birth Of An Accidental Hipster" (Noel Gallagher/Paul Weller)
11. "I Wasn't Born To Follow" (Carole King/Gerry Goffin)
12. "I Know What I Know" (Michael Nesmith)
13. "I Was There (And I'm Told I Had A Good Time)" (Micky Dolenz/Adam Schlesinger)

Pop Artifact: Batman trading card box