Hey, hi, howdy kids. How's by you? Got all your Christmas shopping done?
I guess I don't. But, here's a thought, though- for those of you who still have some people left to buy for- why not support small businesses? Your local eateries, shops, and small businesses who've been struggling with a new business model since March? Now, I'm most definitely not talking about chain stores or big-name restaurants. At the end of the day, their stockholders are doing just fine. Nope, I'm talking about the little guys.
Help 'em out- just about all of them, these days, have some sort of gift card available (I'm a big fan of gift cards, because I'm not very good at figuring out what people actually want unless they tell me). There's also plenty of your friends and neighbors who run their own small businesses who'd be happy (and grateful) to earn your business. So... share the love, and help 'em out.
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Okay, I haven't watched it yet, but there's a movie called Shôwa kayô daizenshû. It has what could only be generously described as mixed reviews. The book it's based on is by the author of Audition, Ryû Murakami- which was brought to the screen by Takashi Miike. Audition is beautiful. And brutal. And a great (if twisted) story, so I have high hopes for Shôwa kayô daizenshû.
Oh yeah, that title? It means Karaoke Terror.
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The Highwomen won three awards, including album, song and duo/group of the year, at the Americana Honors and Awards Tuesday. The Americana Music Association announced the winners online after cancelling their awards show was cancelled because of the pandemic.
The Highwomen- Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris, and Amanda Shires- won for their self-titled debut record, and song of the year for Crowded Table.
Black Pumas, a Texas-based rock band, won emerging act of the year. They've also been nominated for three Grammys- including album of the year and record of the year.
Brittany Haas won instrumentalist of the year for her work as a fiddle player. Haas has collaborated with Steve Martin, Béla Fleck, Abigail Washburn and more.
John Prine, who died in April from complications due to COVID-19, was named artist of the year- his fourth win in the category. He was presented with a lifetime achievement award by the Association in 2003.
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Lakewood Ranch, Florida residents are getting new neighbors.
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports the planned community- south of Tampa- is where Mik Jagger has bought a four-bedroom home, 8,400 square foot home for his girlfriend, Melanie Hamrick.
The listing agent for the real estate firm that sold the home said the purchase was made in October, and the couple never visited the home before buying it. The agent said it was "very cool" to hear Jagger's voice during their phone meetings and said the couple were "really were a pleasure... to transact with."
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ABC and Dick Clark Productions have announced that Jennifer Lopez will headline this year's Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021 from Times Square. Lopez will perform live before the ball drop, but, because of the coronavirus pandemic, the event will be closed to the public.
Other announced performers include Cyndi Lauper and Billy Porter, and Jimmie Allen. More performers are expected to be announced.
The show, which kicks off at 8pm on New Year's Eve and runs unto 2am, will be hosted by Seacrest for the 16th year and he'll be joined this year by Porter and Lucy Hale in New York, while Ciara will host from Los Angeles.
I mean, I wouldn't mine seeing Cyndi Lauper, but I am definitely "meh" about the rest.
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A federal appeals court has ruled that the lawsuit filed by the Michael Jackson estate over an HBO documentary about two of the late pop star’s sex abuse accusers can go forward in private arbitration.
The three-judge panel agreed with two lower courts, ruling in favor of the Jackson estate in its decision on Leaving Neverland. Unless there are further appeals, the case will go to a private arbitrator- which the estate had argued was required by a 1992 contract at the center of the lawsuit, which required HBO "not disparage Jackson" in exchange for a concert he performed for the network.
The estate claims that, by airing the allegations in the documentary, that HBO "...in the court’s own words,...'agreed that it would not make any disparaging remarks concerning Jackson.'"
The network argued the provision was no longer valid because both sides had performed their parts of the agreement.
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Justin Bieber and a choir made up of nurses, doctors, and health care staff from London's Lewisham and Greenwich public health service have teamed up to record a special charity Christmas single. Profits from the collaboration on Holy will go to National Health Service charities.
The choir gained fame when it battled Bieber in 2015 for the top spot on the charts at Christmas, with the Canadian pop star urging his Twitter fans to support them.
"It’s great to be reunited with the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS choir, as we share a fun bit of U.K. chart history together," said Bieber, "especially in these difficult times, I’m humbled to team up with them for a charity single that will benefit NHS workers on the frontlines of this pandemic and pay tribute to their unbelievable dedication."
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Normally, the idea of Eric Clapton and Van Morrison teaming up for a song would be quite intriguing. Considering the result was a fourth single from Morrison, bitching about "lockdown" rules in Britain attempting to save fucking lives, I'm thinking "hard pass."
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Bruce Springsteen has announced a new boxed set for his landmark Darkness On The Edge Of Town. The massive 24-disc set will feature eight full shows from The E Street Band’s 1978 tour in support of the legendary album, as well as radio broadcasts of shows, and more.
The set (which is sure to have a massive price tag to match the massive amount of material) will be released on February 1, 2021.
Springsteen released Letter To You, his latest album, just last month, and appeared on Saturday Night Live last week with members of The E Street Band for their first public performance in four years.
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Speaking of boxed sets, Bob Dylan (who recently made a shitload of money selling off his songwriting catalog) has announced a 50th anniversary edition of 1970 will be released next year (which, technically, would make it a 51st anniversary, right?).
Anyway, the three-disc will feature outtakes from Dylan’s sessions for New Morning, and Self Portrait as well as his studio session with George Harrison- which the announcement says will be released in its entirety, and captues "the pair performing together on nine tracks."
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Just in case I don't get back with you before then, Merry Christmas, everyone.
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Birthdays today include: Steve Tyrell (76); Zal Yanovky of Lovin' Spoonful (76); John McEuen of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (75); Walter Murphy (68); Doug Johnson of Loverboy (63); Limahl (62); Chuckii Booker (54); Kevin Shepard of Tonic (52); and Ingrid (34). #MusicalBirthdays
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