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 Facebook can be annoying. You can't log on without some person you don't want to be friends with asking you to be their friend, or without someone who is otherwise not annoying in real life inviting you to throw e-snowballs with them, or become a vampire, or blah blah blah, etc, etc, etc.
So you can imagine what it must be like to be Facebook friends with a person you famously have a love/hate (but mostly hate) relationship with. A person you are in a mega-selling band with. A person who happens to be your brother.
It's certainly hell on Noel and Liam Gallagher, partners in Oasis and also (presumably) Facebook friends. The social networking revolution has given them a whole new platform from which to sling arrows of bile at each other. And even surreptitiously change each other's Facebook statuses.
That last little bit went down recently, according to the UK's NME. And it was due to that most simple, yet dangerous, of oversights: forgetting to log out. The story is that Liam forgot to log out of Facebook after confirming friends, or uploading photos, or checking out his ex's, or something. Brother Noel, seeing that Liam's account was still open, understandably took the opportunity to mess around with Liam's status. To this:
"Liam Gallagher has lost his forehead and gained a six-head."
Which isn't even that bad. Unless this is a long-running joke/wound Noel is re-opening, Liam should not have been overly upset. Noel could have done worse. Regardless, Liam went and deleted his profile. Which means that his personal, likely name-camouflaged profile cannot be one of the following Liam Gallaghers, all of whom seem ready for, well, poking:
And if you'd like to be Liam's fan on Facebook, proceed here.
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A couple of months ago, Blender boarded a slightly stank Port Authority
bus to New Jersey on the promise of a rock opera of sorts based on the
life of actor Peter Lorre called “Addicted to Bad Ideas.” It’s the
brainchild of Boston/New York director Jay Scheib
and band World/Inferno Friendship Society, both of
whom we’re nuts about. Then again, we’re suckers for cabaret punk.
The hour or so ride - during which the
chatter was almost as robust as the cough billowing from the gentleman
behind us - was in stark contrast to the meticulously curated show. The
location was a state-of-the-art theater at Montclair University on a
street called Normal Avenue. The lighting on stage was stark and white.
A glittery chandelier dangled overhead. The band’s outfits were
straight out of a 1950s debutante ball (the music was not - more like
Rocket from the Crypt or even Misfits with horns).  Singer Jack
Terricloth was stylishly malnourished, slicked back and buttoned down
in a crisp tux, and in between-song monologues and
improvisational responses to hecklers, he pulled off Lorre’s weirdo
nasal affectation (the Hungarian actor is famous for his roles in M and the
lead in the Mr. Moto detective series). Speaking of the audience, the
ones up front, anyway, they were the unofficial cast members in the
production. They dressed
smart-casual like the older onlookers seated in the back of the theater
but moshed and crowd surfed (remember that?) when the music started
(see photo, above). The theater had removed a few front rows of chairs
and booked bulky campus cops to keep reins on the controlled anarchy.
Mirrors assured it was all visible from the Geritol section.
The band members are also shot by a series of video cameras and
projected on giant screens above the stage (that’s Scheib’s signature
touch).
In fact, the only thing bad I’d
say about the night was that it ended with a 30-minute wait for a ride
back to Manhattan at a dark, unmarked bus stop just past a cemetery in
a chillingly silent suburban Jersey neighborhood. NYC residents will
have it much easier Friday when Scheib and W/IFS take “Addicted to Bad
Ideas” the Webster Hall for a one-off performance. We’re going and can
only imagine how Scheib’s video and mirrors and the band and their
fans’ antics will play in a proper concert hall. You should go.
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It's that time of year again. It's that golden period when we're still
earnestly going to the gym, spending more time with the kids, drinking
less, finishing that home improvement project that's been languishing
for months. That's right, it's New Year's Resolutions time! Now, before a full week
of 2009 has passed (at which point we will have failed at all of them),
keep the dream alive with a motivational and resolute playlist! These
songs will surely keep you on the straight and narrow. For a few
minutes at least.
 "Live Your Life" by T.I. featuring
Rihanna: "You’re gonna be a shining star, fancy clothes, fancy car-ars.
/ And then you’ll see, you’re gonna go far." Not only does the song
inspire with its lyrics, but it borrows from Numa Numa, one of the most
inspirational songs to ever be lip synced.
"I Believe I Can Fly"
by R. Kelly: Because self-delusional is a huge part of keeping your
resolutions!! Unless of course your resolution is to actually fly. In
which case I don't know if there's any hope at all for you.
"The Power" by Snap!: You've got the power, to not eat that fourth Krispy Kreme donut!
"Time
To Pretend" by MGMT: Not only is the tune itself uplifting but the
message is clear: now is the time to pretend that you have will power.
It may have been one of critics' favorite songs of 2008, but I think it's just two-thousand-fine!
"Simply The Best" by Tina Turner: A classic motivator - no matter what
your task. Definitely works better if you play it off a boom box loudly
for everyone to hear - at the gym, grocery store, etc.
"Don't Give Up" by Peter Gabriel: This one's slower and more delicate,
but with Kate Bush's vocals telling you softly that you're not beaten
yet, it might be just what you need at your darkest hour.
"The Underdog" by Spoon: You got no fear of the underdog,that's why you will not survive! Sing this to your boss everytime he doubts your ability to keep those resolutions. Trust me, it will go over really well.
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 Add a smile to your Monday morning by checking out Atlanta natives the Vistoso Bosses. The 17 year old cousins Taylah P and Kelci C were discovered by Michael Crooms (aka Mr.Collipark), the same executive who found online phenom Souljah Boy two years ago, so you can assume they are in good hands. We understand that their mothers were in a girl group back in the day and enjoyed some regional success (note to self: dig around Google/YouTube).
"Cute" is a huge understatement for the "Boy Crazy" duo who list their mission on their Myspace page as "to have fun while creating great music."
We recently caught up with the Vistoso Bosses at a photoshoot, and you can see from the images below (with captions provided by the two) that they seem to have the first part of their mission covered.
Further below you can listen to "Delirious" and let us know how they fare on the second part.
Breakfast with Vistoso Bosses. We put a flyer for Cash Cash on the fridge because they are our favorite group right now.
Kelci pouring her favorite cereal on Taylah P's head."YUMMY!" We stick to a vocal diet most of the time - no dairy, no soda, nothing that coats your throat etc - so when we aren't on the road performing, cereal is our favorite snack.
Taylah P getting her Vistoso make-up while Kelci takes pictures with her camera phone. It is better to use face paint and eyeliner for drawing because if you use nail polish, it will eat your skin and make your eyes burn. Not that we know from experience.
Vistoso Bosses performing "Delirious."
Vistoso Bosses go Blues Brothers.
Taylah P and Kelci enjoying the confetti scene. Our album is called Confetti so we wanted lots of sparkle, glitter and confetti around us.
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Prince, that immensely talented little chap from Minneapolis, has never been short a tune, or a project. And, still riding the high of that legendary Super Bowl show from two years ago, Prince has been having a career renaissance of sorts - though he never really went away.
So what better way to capitalize on all this nice attention than to make an album?
And a second.
And a third.
That's correct - while you were spending the 2008 holiday season shopping and looking for lost investment money, Prince was busy living his more-awesome-than-yours, Prince-ly life by prepping three albums for our aural '09 delights.
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An overall bleak picture of 2009 may have already been painted for us, but as far as album releases are concerned 2009 is full of promise. Several acts that we haven't heard from in a while will be back (Roxy Music, Simple Minds, Aerosmith), while others fall into the "I'll believe it when I see it" category (take note Amy Winehouse).
Let us know what releases you are most looking forward to by taking the poll below.
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In our final installment of Photo Highlights from 2008 we offer you
Blender favorite Lil Wayne, and the simply gorgeous wonder from down
under, Delta Goodrem. Click on the images below for the complete collections.
Lil Wayne
Delta Goodrem
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Blender wishes you the best in 2009, full of mind-blowing music,
pleasant tingling sensations all over your body and the best in bling.
The Best Bling Ever
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In our final collection of highlighted random clips from 2008 we go
from the ridiculous T-Yarm's to the sublime (Flyleaf), and then back to
the ridiculous (The Heavy).
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Our 6th installment of Photo Highlights of 2008 takes us from one
extreme to the other, from snarling veteran rockers to an all-American belle who can claim 2008 as her breakout year. Click on the images below to access the full collections.
Motley Crue
Katy Perry
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