Q: When is REM Not REM?

Answer:  When we're speaking of an Italian disco band.

When the REM from Athens, Georgia, was first getting together, there were at least six other bands around the world using that name.  But when no one challenged Stipe and Co, they were the defacto winners.

This Italo-disco band (stumbled upon by Yves on YouTube) must have been one of the losers.

A Contemplation on David Bowie's Comeback

Bowie was once again denied a #1 album in America, this time by Bon Jovi.  At least he ended up with his ninth #1 in the UK.  

Danny Eccleston of Mojo has this long read look at the Bowie's return.  It also helps explain why so many people are excited about his comeback.

“Let’s remember for a minute that David Bowie is an absolute God,” confided my interview subject, emphasising his measured opinion with an intense, disconcerting glare, six inches from my face. High praise from anyone, you might say – excessive even, what with the intimation of immortality, omniscience, omnipotence and all that. But positively astronomical from the mouth of Bob Geldof – not one for dishing out compliments of any sort, unless offset by a bouquet of less obviously felicitous epithets, liberally peppered with the words beginning with ‘f’ and ‘c’.

Last year I sat with Geldof for an interview with MOJO magazine to talk about this and that – a brand new Geldof album, some grim, emotional stuff about Paula and her aftermath – but in a way this most animated of men was if anything most animated when venturing off-piste to hymn his ultimate hero.

‘Remember when Bowie launched Band Aid pre-Top Of The Pops,’ recalled Geldof, shaking his head in wonder. ‘He wore this lame T-shirt, Feed The World, looked like a doofus. But he’s the sweetest man. You just never think about David Bowie like that.’

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The First Ten Minutes of the Rolling Stones Documentary No One Is Supposed to See

When the Rolling Stones set out on their 1972 tour in support of the Exile on Main St. album, they brought along a photographer named Robert Frank to document everything.  And he did.

The film is shakey, grainy and in black-and-white.  And it's extremely candid, especially in its capturing of drug use and groupies.

While the band commissioned the film, they were most upset at the outcome.  It was embarassaing and possibilty incriminating.  So they went to court to prevent the movie--now called Cocksucker Blues--from ever being shown in public.

The result is a still-standing court order that says it cannot be shown anywhere unless Robert Frank was physically present.  Frank is also forbidden to show the movie more than once a year.  

But this being the era of the Internet, a quick YouTube search will turn up this.  (Via Aquarium Drunkard)

Why Was Heart Ever Considered to be a Canadian Band?

If you've spent any time at all with classic rock radio in Canada, you'll have heard countless plays of Heart's "Barracuda," "Crazy On You," "Dreamboat Annie," "Straight On" and many others.  

Why?  Because of Canadian content rules.  These songs have been important staples in maintaining the quota since the middle 70s.

"Wait," you're going to say, "Ann Wilson was born in San Diego.  Nancy was born several years later in San Francisco.  The band was based out of Seattle.  How the hell did they ever qualify as being Canadian?"

Great question.  The Huffington Post wanted to know the same thing. Here's the answer:

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Listen! Early Smiths Rehearsal Tape

An old cassette of the Smiths dating back to May 1983 as they rehearsed in a Manchester warehouse has been uncovered.   The full story at Slicing Up Eyeballs.  Listen to the whole thing below.