Makes me so glad I stopped reading the Weekly a long time ago, and yet still ashamed to be an L.A. resident.

Bullshit category. Bullshit list. Come on.

When I saw ‘I am trying to break your heart’ in the theater, I already owned all of Wilco’s albums, and felt that YHF was the natural progression of a great band into making it’s masterpiece. Like I’m sure the vast majority of the audience, I was on Jeff Tweedy’s side when he argued with Jay Bennett, not knowing until it played on-screen that Bennett would be fired.

Jay Bennett comes across in the film, as I recall, as a sort of irritating personality. Were I to have to deal with him, I thought, I’d want to get rid of him, too.

But, many years later, when the news of Jay Bennett’s death broke, the blogosphere seemed to come overwhelmingly to his defense. I reconsidered my opinion of Mr. Bennett, especially in light of the fact that, after buying only one more CD after YHF, I found myself no longer interested in Wilco’s music.

But Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a record I hold dear. And, I believe Jay Bennett gets as much credit for its genius as anybody else involved. Which is why it is heartbreaking that he died having filed suit against Tweedy and Wilco in an attempt to claim royalties from that record so that he could pay for treatment of the condition that ended up killing him.

I don’t mean any disrespect to Jeff Tweedy. I think he’s a great musician, and one of the great songwriters of our time. I guess I just wonder how he looks on that film and his relationship with Bennett.

ELO – “Yours Truly, 2095″

Grimes – ‘Oblivion’ (that goes for the video, too, in case that ends up being a contest)

Bass flanger…the only effect pedal I ever used. (I am a bass player)

Um…where’s the video?

It’s rare when a video actually endears me more to a song I already really liked. this is one of those. Although, I’m not sure why. I’ll just chalk it up to Regine.

The criticism heaped upon her for explaining the mundane circumstances that led to the ‘Video Games’ song (and resulting phenomena) is total fucked up bullshit.

Where do people get off thinking that artists should only take their inspiration from ‘approved’ ideas? That’s kind of the whole thing about the arts. Insipiration can come from anywhere. Neither she nor any other musician should have to defend the source of their songs to anyone. Least of all, music-blog trolls.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)

‘Zombie’ is one of my all-time favorite songs, and I associate their first album with my horizon-opening move from hickville AZ to big city Chicago in my early 20′s. So, am I glad they are back together? Yes. Will I be dropping my e-mail in the above slot in order to hear what they’re doing? Frankly, I’d have to hear it and like it first. But the odds that I will are long.

Lou Reed – New York (I know, obvious choice)
Metallica – Some Kind of Monster soundtrack (if there is one)