Crib Notes

Guess what’s on sale at eBay.com:

Thanks to Maurice Garland for the tip.

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Tomorrow — Saturday, Oct. 13 — the Coathangers are filming a music video at the infamous Rob’s House, and the band is inviting its fans to participate. Here’s the bulletin sent ’round on MySpace:

on Saturday October 13, we’re shooting a video for The Coathangers at Rob’s House (1318 Ormewood Avenue). we would like to invite all who would like to see a free show and be in a music video. we need folks as extras at the show so if you’re interested in acting, please contact me (www.myspace.com/robshouserecords). time for the show is 4 - 7.

this is not a real real show - its a music video shoot but its supposed to be like a house show. the director has asked for people to dress like you’re going to a show; the more over the top, the better. anyway, we’ll have a keg too so it’ll be fun - we’d love if a few folks could stick around past the 7pm time to be featured extras.

love,
Rob’s House Records

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As the music editor at Creative Loafing, I get some pretty crazy things on a regular basis. But a link to the Cover Browser: worst album covers takes the cake. Some of my favorite artists are well-represented: Millie Jackson, Black Sabbath, Roger, even Menudo!

I would indulge you with cutlines, but I think these speak volumes without my wit. Shout out to CL Senior Art Director Jason Hatcher for the link. This wouldn’t by chance be your secret source of inspiration, now would it?… I’m just sayin’.

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This in from Billboard.com:

It looks like 50 Cent is headed for retirement, if store reports continue to trend the way they were by mid-afternoon today (Sept. 11). 50 Cent had told SOHH.com that he would quit the rap game if his new G-Unit/Interscope album, “Curtis,” was outsold by Kanye West’s Def Jam set “Graduation,” both of which were released today.

Seriously, who cares?

For the past few years, the hip-hop nation has turned into a colony of SoundScan nerds. Dudes post up an artist’s numbers on chat rooms, and then loudly debate whether that artist has fallen off or is blowing up — to the exclusion of everything else (unless someone gets arrested with a gun or weed in their SUV). In a recent interview, Akon says he and 50 Cent are SSK, or SoundScan Killas, like they’re in a gang. How lame is that — “SoundScan Killas”?

No wonder hip-hop is dead. Instead of debating record sales like an accountant, why not debate the quality of the music? As Evidence of Dilated Peoples put it recently, don’t count the numbers like Rain Man.

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I’m a big backer of fun, especially when it’s close by, free, and involves music. Luckily, Atlanta tends to have a pretty “happening” music scene, and this week definitely attests to that.

So, here’s my guide to ATL music this week, from DJs to CD releases to shows. And though I’m completely biased in affirming that it’s a great list, check it out and see what suits you. There’s a ridiculous amount of really good shows. And I can promise they will all be good, fun, and most of them cheap.

Monday: DJ Dookie Platters and friends spin good music at the Local. Starts around 10 p.m.

Tuesday: The Black Lips release their newest record, Good Bad Not Evil on Vice Records, and Triple D’s Rock Night at El Bar hosts the after party. (My No. 1 choice from the list and importantly, it’s free!)

Wednesday: Peter Bjorn & John play with the Clientele at the Variety Playhouse. Check out www.variety-playhouse.com for show times and cost.

Thursday: Andrew Bird with Augie March (again) at the Variety Playhouse.

Friday: The Carbonas play the Drunken Unicorn. Cheap, local, and they put on fun, rowdy, drunken live shows.

Saturday: “The Clap” at 97 Estoria — Drennen Quinn (previous CL contributor and member of new local band Cut Teeth) spins new and old favorites. Always crowded, drunken fun. Starts around 10 p.m.

Sunday: … I got nothing. Might be a good idea to rest. You know there will only be more good shows and music happenings around the city next week.

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When Drive-Invasion 2007 revs up at the Starlight Six Drive-In from Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 1-2, I probably won’t be there. I don’t have anything against it … just not my thing. Besides, I’d rather see Billy Childish at the Decatur Book Festival.

But I have to admit that the Drive-Invasion website is impressive. The launch page is a Shockwave animation that lights up Drive-Invasion’s logo like an electric billboard. Click on the music page, and then the bands’ tabs (which include rockabilly legend the Blasters as well as local heroes like Tiger! Tiger! and the Woggles), and each band name turns into a photo as a short description floats above it. The movie page is even better: As you click on the tab for each flick, a short snippet from the movie’s trailer begins to play. Neat!

Other goodies include a game where you can drive a hot rod over a bunch of cars like Evel Knievel. I’d love to know who designed the Drive-Invasion 2007 website … it’s on some next-level shit.

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For the third year, the Other Sound Music Festival will be providing a showcase for great Atlanta bands. The fest is Sept. 6-9, and will take place at the Drunken Unicorn, Lenny’s, 11:11 Teahouse and the Earl. If you go, make sure not to miss the rugged rock ‘n’ roll of the All Night Drug Prowling Wolves.

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It’s hard to believe it’s already been a year since Lenny’s Bar moved into its more spacious new location. On Aug. 25, Atlanta’s best dive bar will be celebrating the one-year anniversary of its move with a night of local bands and DJs. Snowden, Psychic Hearts and Atlas Sound (Bradford Cox of Deerhunter) will bring the rock. KISS Atlanta party-starter Preston Craig will fill the floor with a DJ set. This anniversary party looks to be the best end-of-summer blowout in Atlanta, so be there.

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One of our veteran music freelancers — whose heart is roughly the same size as his record collection — is trying to help out a friend in need: himself a former CL writer.

Here’s the pitch, from James Kelly:

All-around good guy and former CL music writer Doug Deloach had a recent liver transplant, and while he is recovering nicely he has a slew of bills and financial issues that need to be addressed. In order to help alleviate some of this stress, a big-ass yard sale will be held on Friday, Aug. 10 (9 a.m.-3 p.m.), and Saturday, Aug. 11 (8 a.m.-2 p.m.). The location is 2191 Hosea L. Williams Drive, which is on the corner of Hosea Williams and Rocky Ford in East Atlanta. You can’t miss it.

I’m posting this because I’m sure some of you may know Doug or be familiar with his writing, and also because we have a ton of brand-new, donated cool books and CDs to sell for really low prices. A lot of it is stuff I have never heard of, but folks that are into the indie scene will likely be more familiar with it. Quantity discounts!

There will be a lot of other stuff for sale as well, priced to go! Household goods, odds and ends, some furniture, collectibles, and who knows what else we’ll dig out. So swing by and help out a good fellow, and stock up on the music of the most obscure next big things in the biz.

Thanks.

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The name rang a bell and then some. And yet I was stunned that, after living in New Orleans for eight years, I’d never officially met Brandt Blocker, an award-winning musical-theater director in a city that loves the genre. Until now. Turns out Blocker’s been living in Atlanta the past three months, taking over as the artistic and general manager for Atlanta Lyric Theatre.

At the tail end of a lengthy chat to catch up on things New Orleans post-Katrina and Atlanta post-relocation, Blocker invited me to come check out the group’s “Summer Spotlight Cabaret at the Lyric” — a weekly series produced by Susan Atkinson of free (with suggested donations) performances Thursdays at 8 p.m. at the Byers Studio Theatre (see map) to provide a break for the summer heat and keep interest alive until the upcoming fall season.

Considering it offered a chance to kill two birds with one stone — meet someone I should’ve met eight years ago, and take a dip in the waters of Atlanta musical theater — I accepted.
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