THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

... with THE ANIMALS! I may have been quite remiss in not featuring them so let's dive in with their signature cover of "House of the Rising Sun" and "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" from Top Gear, "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" from Shindig, a creepy clip for  "It's My Life" from Hullabaloo, and "Don't Bring Me Down" on the Ed Sullivan Show.

BEST COAST played DC's 9:30 Club; you can stream the gig on demand.

SHAWN COLVIN stopped by World Cafe for a chat and mini-set.

BEAR IN HEAVEN stopped by World Cafe for a chat and mini-set.

DIAMOND RUGS: The indie supergroup stopped by WFUV for a chat and mini-set.

THE VACCINES drop "Teenage Icon" and talk to The Sun about their punkier sophomore LP.

THE ROLLING STONES Paste has 26 artists weigh in on the group's legacy and lists the 50 Best Stonesongs.

ALLO DARLIN': Elizabeth Morris and Bill Botting talk to DIY about the universal qualities of pop music, and their relationship with their work to date.

JIMI HENDRIX's record collection.

OLD ALBUMS now outsell new ones.

THE TOP 10 BATMAN SONGS, according to PopMatters.

CUTOUT BIN:  From the Rolling Stones to the Muppets, from the Decemberists to Wild Cherry, from Stevie Wonder to Billy Idol, plus Robert Pollard, Fleetwood Mac, Ike & Tina Turner, Bob Dylan & The Band and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds are streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is this weekend's only wide releases (shocka) and is currently scoring 87 percent on the ol' Tomatometer.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES:  This is that Batman movie you may have heard about.  My critical notes? The second act is a bit convoluted.  Christopher Nolan likely could have trimmed 10-15 minutes from the 2 hour, 44 min. running time and had a tighter movie.  Anne Hathaway does a bit better job filling out the Catwoman suit literally than she does figuratively.  Bane is a formidable match for the caped crusader, but has never been as compelling a character (imho) as The Joker or Two-Face.  That said, I don't think the film ever loses people, and the third act largely makes up for the second act's flaws (although longtime Batfans should see one major plot twist coming well in advance).  I have heard and read about the film's politics from those who haven't seen it, but don't worry; the politics here are pretty much those of the first two installments.  Nolan has been mining the anxieties of post-9/11 America throughout the series, and this is no major departure.TDKR may return a bit more to the question raised in Batman Begins about what happens when institutions break down, but the comic book genre also dictates that some types of lawlessness will be favored and others not so much. None of it distracts from what is overall a satisfying conclusion to Nolan's trilogy.

FRED WILLARD was arrested for lewd conduct in Hollywood when police allegedly caught him with his pants down in an adult movie theater. Wha Hoppen?

SOFIA VERGARA has a multi-million dollar media empire.

TOM CRUISE whisks Suri away on a helicopter, presumably temporarily.

SYLVESTER STALLONE: Authorities investigating the death of Sly's son Sage believe a "likely scenario" is he was dealing drugs - specifically Hydrocodone, according to TMZ.

ALMOST FAMOUS: The 15 best lines, according to Paste.

THE EMMY NOMINATIONS went to these folks. Congrats.

TOM DAVIS, comedy partner of Al Franken and one of the original SNL writers, died Thursday at 59 of neck and throat cancer.

NORTH KOREA: Kim Jong-un was named marshal of the army, the country's top military rank, in a move that adds to his glittering array of titles and cements his power in the isolated and impoverished state that has a 1.2 million strong military.

IRAN: Security experts have uncovered an ongoing cyber espionage campaign targeting Iran and other Middle Eastern countries that they say stands out because it is the first such operation using communications tools written in Persian.

IRAQ said it would sue Syria's former ambassador after he said he helped jihadists enter Iraq starting in 2003.

BUNNY & KITTY, making friends... Mass hysteria!

TURTLES flee a farm outside Summerville GA. Slowly.

CROWS are blamed for a "suspicious powder" scare at Washington state intersection that detoured traffic for more than an hour.

THE SOUTHERN DUMPLING SQUID usually manages to survive for less than a year, which the researchers believe might be a direct result of their risky, sex-filled lifestyle.

BEST COAST covered Fleetwood Mac's "Storms" on Fallon.

CODEINE recently stopped by KEXP to play a pristine live set of old favorites.

LIARS bring their unique brand of circular, electronically-driven avant-rock to the KEXP studio.

DAMIEN JURADO stopped by World Cafe to talk and play, including a 12-minute web extra.

LUMINEERS stopped by World Cafe for a chat and mini-set.

STARS drops "Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It" ahead of The North.

MENOMENA drops "Heavy Is as Heavy Does" ahead of Moms.

ART BRUT:I can't get over "Emily Kane."

SONIC YOUTH: Lee Renaldo confirmed that he was currently working on digitizing the band's 30 year archive - as well as a potential deluxe edition of their 1987 album 'Sister' and a live film from 1985.

DIRTY PROJECTORS: David Longstreth talks to The Quietus about shifting towards a more direct and heartfelt approach to songwriting.

THE POLARIS MUSIC PRIZE unveils its 2012 Short List.

THE ROLLING STONES: A Literary Guide.

TOM CRUISE: Miserable over his divorce or choosing Wife No. 4 already?

HALLE BERRY was rushed to a hospital in Los Angeles following an accident on the set of her latest movie.

JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT takes issue with part of the GQ profile linked here yesterday.

MILA KUNIS is Interviewed by James Franco.

KRISTEN STEWART: Enhanced, or Kristen's Secret?

THE BEST FILMS of 2012 (So Far), annotated by The A.V. Club.

POLITICALLY INCORRECT TV CHARACTERS, timelined by The A.V. Club.

SYRIA: A lethal bomb attack in Damascus struck at the heart of Assad's inner circle Wednesday, killing at least three of his most senior aides, including his minister of defense and brother-in-law, in the most audacious challenge to Mr. Assad's grip on power since the Syria uprising began 17 months ago. Randa Kassis, president of a secular opposition group, paints a gloomy picture of Syria's future, claiming Islamist rebels supported by the Gulf states are driving a wedge in the opposition by labeling secular adversaries of Assad enemies.  A senior defector said Assad will not hesitate to use chemical weapons. Peace negotiations in the UN have deadlocked.

LIBYA: In parliamentary elections, the National Forces Alliance, a moderate Islamic coalition, won the largest number of seats, 39 out of 80. The Islamic Muslim Brotherhood won 17 seats.

IRAN's parliament speaker has acknowledged that tightened sanctions are hurting. But is the behavior changing?

PANDA CUBS on a slide. Let's go to the video.

A CAT pushes an orphaned kitten in a shopping cart. Aw.

RABID BEAVER attacks two sisters in Spotsylvania.

AN ORPHANED KOALA, nursed back to health, returns to the wild.

BLITZEN TRAPPER drops a video for "Girl in a Coat."

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM is advance streaming Handwritten.

DELTA RAE stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set.

HOT CHIP stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set.

MEGAN REILLY stopped by World Cafe for a chat and mini-set.

BOB BABBITT, the Funk Bros bassist who played on Stevie Wonder's 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours', Smokey Robinson's 'The Tears of a Clown', and over 200 more Top 40 hit singles, died at the age of 74 from brain cancer.

JAPANDROIDS talk to Loud & Quiet about the evolution from Post Nothing to Celebration Rock. (Thx, Chromewaves.)

MAXIMO PARK talks to DIY about The National Health.

KITTY WELLS, the first female country star died from of complications from a stroke. She was 92 years old.

ROBERT PLANT & PATTI GRIFFIN: Married?

DEMI MOORE's three daughters are contemplating getting a restraining order against their troubled mother, according to RadarOnline.

KATIE & SURI HOLMES: Struck by a garbage truck! Just a fender-bender, really. Tom Cruise turned up to visit his daughter.

JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT, from 3rd Rock to The Dark Knight Rises, is profiled by GQ.

RUSSELL BRAND: Rebounding from Katy Perry with Jordana Brewster's younger sister.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER was all over a 25-year-old chick at a party over the weekend.

MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN is on a respirator after suffering a heart attack. His girlfriend Omarosa Stallworth performed CPR to resuscitate him when he was undergoing cardiac arrest .

JOHNNY DEPP will star in The Grand Budapest Hotel, the next film that Wes Anderson wrote and will direct.

TOTAL RECALL: Yes, the remake brings back the three-breasted hooker.

SYRIA: Rebels and government troops clashed in central Damascus for a third day in the fiercest fighting inside the capital since the revolt against Assad erupted last year, but neither side appeared able to deliver a decisive blow.

AFGHANISTAN: What is emerging in ever starker relief is a governance vacuum as US forces begin to draw down.

A DISABLED TABBY gets around on wheels.

A CIRCUS TIGER urinates on the one percent.

SNAKE IN A BATHROOM... for six months?

BOO the POMERANIAN has taken an executive position with Virgin America airlines.

JON LORD, the keyboardist whose powerful, driving tones helped turn Deep Purple and Whitesnake into two of the most popular hard rock acts in a generation, died Monday. He was 71. Which means I have to hear "Hush."

NEW RELEASES from Citizen Cope, Angus Stone, Hot Panda, the Appleseed Collective, Limblifter and more are streaming this week via Spinner.

LAURA MARLING played a Tiny Desk Concert at the offices of NPR, including an unrecorded song.

PAUL McCARTNEY: The Alternative Red Rose Speedway.

LAETITIA SADLER (Stereolab) is advance streaming Silencio.

GREEN DAY drops "Oh Love" ahead of ¡Uno!.

THE KINKS: "Last of the Steam Powered Trains" and "Picture Book," circa 1969, from the album The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society, for Twofer Tuesday.

THE ROLLING STONES: The L.A. Times reviews its early coverage of the band. The Guardian has an interactive gallery spanning 50 years of coverage.

PATRICK WATSON sat with PopMatters to discuss his inspirations and the journey that led him to exploring his own adventure in his backyard on Montreal.

ANDREW BIRD talks to MLive about getting the energy of a live performance and crafting well-sculpted pop songs on thesame LP. (Thx, Chromewaves.)

DECODED: What is a band really telling us when they try to justify a new direction?

LINDSAY LOHAN: A California oversight panel has disciplined two Beverly Hills judges for their handling of a Li-Lo drunken driving case.  Also, she's going to have another sister.

UMA THURMAN gave birth to a baby girl on Sunday; it's her third child.

SYLVESTER STALLONE is devastated by the death of his son Sage Stallone and wants "the speculation and questionable reporting" to stop

KATY PERRY & RUSSELL BRAND are officially single.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES: Early reviews rave.

JASON KIDD was carried out of a club before picking up a DUI arrest.

WILLIAM SHATNER is making a documentary about Trek fans; here's the trailer.

YEMEN: Salafists are seeking a greater role in the country's political transition. Shocka.

GERMANY: A leader of the Salafist movement in Frankfurt, was arrested by German authorities in Istanbul. He is accused of belonging to a terrorist group and recruiting fighters for jihad in Afghanistan.

EGYPT's top military official stepped up his feud with the Muslim Brotherhood on Sunday, saying the army would prevent Egypt from falling to a "certain group," according to the state news agency.

SURFING GOATS catch some tasty waves in San Diego. Everybody's heard about the goats.

STUBBS the CAT celebrated 15 years as the Mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska.

A WALLABY is on the loose in Edmonton.

THE SQUIRREL THREAT: Militant rodents may be the number one enemy of data centers.

THE SHINS drop a clip for "It's Only Life."

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set.

PASSION PIT is advance streaming Gossamer.

PURITY RING is advance streaming Shrines.

BRANDI CARLISLE played a Tiny Desk Concert at the offices of NPR.

ROGER McGUINN performs "King of the Hill" -- a song about "Papa" John Phillips -- for Carson.

PAUL McCARTNEY joined BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN in Hyde Park, only to be silenced after defying the sound curfew.  Little Steven Van Zandt was not amused.

DIRTY PROJECTORS: Amber Coffman talks to Spinner about the inner workingsof the band, how Bjork likes to party, and more.

KISS tell their rock'n'roll tale in their own words.

THE JAM: A sculpture tribute to the band was unveiled in Surrey by its drummer, Rick Buckler.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Ice Age: Continental Drift tops the chart with 46 million -- a bit higher than tracking numbers predicted, arguably lower thanpast installments (Dawn of the Dinosaurs, which was released over the July 4 weekend in 2009 earned 41.7 million Friday-to-Sunday, but had a five-day gross of 66.7 million).  Even so, Ice Age flicks are relatively cheap for animation and rake in tons more on licensing.  The Amazing Spider-Man places with 35 million on an okay 43.6 percent drop; it brreaks the 200 million mark, butas The Dark Knight Rises this weekend, this will likely be the first Spidey to fall short of 300 million domestic.  Ted shows with another 22.1 million on a leggy 31 percent drop; it's close to 160 million domestic on a 50 million budget.  Brave, facing competition from Ice Age, brings in 10.7 million; its domestic total stands around 195 million and will likely finish at around 225 million, just ahead of Wall-E.  Magic Mike rounds out the Top 5 with another 9 million and 91.9 million against the studio's 7 million distribution deal.

RYAN REYNOLDS & BLAKE LIVELY: Married?

SYLVESTER STALLONE's son Sage apparently died of a pill overdose and was not found for three days.

TOM CRUISE & KATIE HOLMES: Come September, Suri Cruise will attend an all-girls school in New York City.

LINDSAY LOHAN's brakes couldn't have failed last month before she slammed her Porsche into an 18-wheeler.

SEAN PENN completed his 36 hours of anger management classes, after blowing up on a photographer in L.A. back in 2009. Only took years!

DJANGO UNCHAINED: A prequel to Shaft?

THE 50 BEST MOVIES You've Never Seen, according to Entertainment Weekly. I've seen only eight of them, iirc.

THE UNITED STATES: Parviz Khaki, an Iranian citizen, and Zongcheng Yi, a resident of China, were indicted on conspiracy charges for attempting to provide Iran with US materials for gas centrifuges used in enriching uranium.

PAKISTAN: Tough new visa rules have sparked a wedding rush, with couples racing to beat a deadline for bringing husbands and wives to Britain.

AFGHANISTAN: A suicide bomber killed a prominent Afghan member of parliament, the western zone police commander, a provincial intelligence chief, and several senior Afghan officials, in an attack at a wedding in Samangan.

AN AMAZONIAN FISH WITH TEETH, said to bite men's testicles, turns up in Illinois. Just when you thought it was safe.

A BABY DEER whose mother likely was killed by a car in Bellingham, WA, was rescued by a trooper and taken to an Arlington wildlife rescue center.

THE SQUIRREL THREAT: An estimated 4000 Arizona Public Service customers lost power for nearly 45 minutes Friday morning after a militant squirrel got into a Cave Creek substation.

A DOG AND A SPIDER were held as part of a string of bizarre crimes in Leavenworth, KS.