MLK DAY starts with a vintage clip of Dion playing "Abraham, Martin & John." The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. didn't set out to be a great man. He was a Baptist pastor in Montgomery, Alabama, until he became involved in the the 382-day boycott of the city's bus lines. Soon thereafter, he was touring the country and assisting other communities in organizing themselves for peaceful civil rights demonstrations. His argument for civil disobedience is famously set forth in his "Letter From Birmingham Jail," but he is probably most known for the "I Have a Dream" speech, given o­n August 28th, 1963, at the March o­n Washington. A bit of his prophetic last speech turns up in this clip of U2's "Pride (In the Name of Love)" from the ZooTV tour. And as long as I'm dragging U2 out, I'll throw in "MLK" as well.

MICHAEL BRECKER, arguably the most influential jazz sax player of the post-John Coltrane era, died at 57 from myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood and bone-marrow disease formerly known as pre-leukemia. In addition to playing with his brother Randy as the Brecker Brothers, he recorded sessions with acts including James Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Chaka Khan, Bruce Springsteen and Parliament-Funkadelic. There's already a tribute video o­n the Tube, though you might prefer the fusion of the Brecker Bros' "Some Skunk Funk" at the Fuji Jazz Fest in 1992.

THE LOVE ME NOTS lead off the Boston Globe's "6 pop acts ready to break out in '07," which namechecks the farfisa-heavy, nugget-y sound of bands like The Lyres and The Greenhornes. It turns out the band has a soon-to-be-released record produced by Jim Diamond, who also produced The Romantics -- but don't hold that against them. Instead, stream a few from TheirSpace. "Voice In My Head" would be my pick to click, but YMMV.

MORRISSEY: News that the Moz might enter the Eurovision Song Contest has bought out those in the biz that love -- and hate -- him.

ROCK PLAZA CENTRAL: The Canadian folk-pop group's "My Children, Be Joyful" makes Song of the Day" at NPR. And Kathryn Yu knows her stuff.

SCHOOLS of ROCK: The Rock 'n Roll Fantasy Camp is offering the chance to perform with Paul Stanley of Kiss, or be judged by Brian Wilson. But music-blogger Heather Browne is excited about New York City's Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls. The camp is named after Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton, so -- like Heather -- I'll serve up her version of "Hound Dog," but o­n video.

THE WRENS: New Jersey's Star-Ledger has a lengthy profile of "indie rock's elder statesmen": "Now, in their late 30s and early 40s, the Wrens are in limbo. They are successful enough to book gigs across the United States and Europe but can't make enough money to quit their white-collar jobs." But that could -- and should -- change. At the moment, you can stream a bunch via the ol' Hype Machine.

AN AQUARIUM DRUNKARD has posted his latest podcast, including songs from Taj Mahal to the Beastie Boys to Lou Reed to Alejandro Escovedo to Harry Nilsson to R.E.M, and many others.

SELLING OUT: The L.A. Times reports o­n the trend of rock acts playing corporate gigs and billionaire birthday parties, with some choce quotes from Sammy Hagar, including, but not limited to: "The money," Hagar said, "was very good. I won't say how much, but it was good. But I didn't do it for the money

THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE...

...with JIMI HENDRIX at MONTEREY: Like you couldn't see this coming all week. Surprisingly, it's not all o­n the Tube, but we do have "Killing Floor" (intro by Brian Jones), "Can You See Me?" "Foxy Lady" (his fingers will move, as you will see), "Like A Rolling Stone," "Rock Me Baby," "Hey Joe" (just the teeth solo), "The Wind Cries Mary," "Wild Thing" and Purple Haze." It was a beautiful day. Didn't even rain. No buttons were pushed.

NOISE POP 2007, running Feb. 27th - March 3rd, has posted the festival schedule, and it seems more pop than noise. So if you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.

EMILY HAINES and the SOFT SKELETON visited DC's 9:30 Club for a full concert the other night, so you can stream the whole thing from NPR now.

MOUNTAIN GOATS frontman John Darnielle talks to PopMatters about alienating longtime fans and the part of his life where he returned to school for English and classical studies.

JOHN LEE HOOKER: Tom Terrell of NPR has an audio review of the JLH box set, which he says "shows us why every major guitar player in rock has drawn inspiration from Hooker."

SEEN YOUR VIDEO: Field Music's "A House Is Not a Home" is the melodic single from the band's Tones of Town, due in the US in February. I gave you the Pitchfork link because there are two advance MP3s to download there also.

THE ROCK & ROLL HALL of FAME: The Village Voice has "a look at the artists who made the cut this year and consider what the Hall is trying to say about itself by bringing these people in."

GREG DULLI talks to Billboard about his upcoming projects with Mark Lanegan (as the Gutter Twins) and a reunited Afghan Whigs.

THE DECEMBERISTS are auctioning off autographed instruments, clothes, artwork and more for a youth charity. That link will hook you up with even more band news and video of performances and interviews in the AT&T Blue Room.

JAMES BROWN: In Alabama, a 70-year-old man shot his 62-year-old friend when the two got into an argument over James Brown's height.

THE CUTOUT BIN: This Friday's fortuitous finds from the ol 'HM include -- Elvis Presley, Scotty & Bill - Mystery Train; Elvis Costello - Miracle Man; Yvonne DeCarlo - The Secret of Love; Lily Allen - Smile (Mark Ronson Revisit); The Chocolate Watch Band - I'm Not Like Everybody Else; Kinks - Oklahoma, USA; Islands - Waterloo Sunset; The Who - Pictures Of Lily; Flamin' Groovies - You Tore Me Down; Matthew Sweet - Magnet And Steel; The Isley Brothers - Fight The Power (Part 1); Lenny Kravitz & Iggy Pop - Rebel, Rebel; David Vandervelde - Jacket; Broken Social Scene - Almost Crimes; and Pearl Jam - Love Reign O'er Me (KISW radio rip).

BRITNEY SPEARS: Fed-Ex is demanding an astonishing 50 million

MONTEREY POP: Day 4 of this theme week offers some performances from the documentary, plus outtakes. Janis Joplin, with Big Bother and the Holding Company sizzle through "Ball and Chain" and "Combination of the Two." Simon & Garfunkel, who helped open the fest, had everyone feelin' groovy with "Homeward Bound" (intro by Papa John Phillips), "The 59th Street Bridge Song" and "The Sound Of Silence." Canned Heat covered the blues classic, "Rollin' and Tumblin'," while The Grateful Dead had the "Viola Lee Blues." Jefferson Airplane play "Somebody to Love," "High Flying Bird" and "Today." Quicksilver Messenger Service offer "All I Ever Wanted to Do." Laura Nyro sang the "Wedding Bell Blues." The Mamas and the Papas gave their signature, "California Dreamin'."

STAGECOACH: Speaking of festivals, Coachella's country cousin has just added Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, Neko Case and more to previously announced acts like George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams, the Flatlanders, Sara Evans, Earl Scruggs, Chris Hillman, Alejandro Escovedo, and Ramblin' Jack Elliott.

EL PERRO DEL MAR: Sarah Assbring's melancholy pop was featured o­n the World Cafe, so you can stream a couple of tracks from NPR now. And host David Dye adds her album is finally getting a US release.

THE PIPETTES! Speaking of bands that need a US release, Chromewaves linked up word that the grrl-group is crossing the Atlantic to play Canadian Music Week in March, raising speculation of an SxSW appearance -- and other US dates? No word at the band's website or MySpace page yet...

LOU RAWLS JR. is suing MARVIN GAYE III, claiming he was attacked by Gaye's four dogs. It is a small world.

MATT & KIM: The drum-and-keyboard duo talk to the San Francisco Bay Guardian about the "cute" label and being "totally a summertime band." Their new, blood-soaked video for "5K" is still pretty cute, but those made queasy by fake blood might prefer "Yea Yea," which features a food fight. I think this is an act that inspires either love or hate. Right now, I'm in the first category, but I could easily see it going the other way.

ALBERT HAMMOND, JR., the first of The Strokes to go solo, talks to the Village Voice about his understated approach to promoting the album, "which operates in an appealingly casual guitar-pop mode

MONTEREY POP: Day 3 of this theme week is a grab-bag of performances that did not make the original documentary. Monkee Peter Tork introduces Buffalo Springfield playing "For What It's Worth" with David Crosby filling in for the recently-quit Neil Young. This was a source of friction with The Byrds, who can be seen playing "Hey Joe," "Chimes of Freedom" and "He Was A Friend of Mine." That last clip includes Crosby preaching the JFK conspiracy theory that also miffed the others, foreshadowing his departure from the band in the following months. We also have The Association playing "Along Comes Mary," complete with a corny band intro. And Al Kooper gives his organ a workout o­n "(I Heard Her Say) Wake Me, Shake Me."

THE GOOD, THE BAD and THE QUEEN is an alt-super-group featuring Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz), Paul Simonon (The Clash), Simon Tong (The Verve), and Tony Allen (Fela Kuti). Their debut album isn't due until the 23rd, but you can stream the whole album now at the TheirSpace.

THE HOLD STEADY and TV o­n the RADIO are two of the bands featured for the launch of AOL's 3x3, with video of performances, interviews and more.

MORRISSEY is in talks with the BBC to write and possibly perform a track for the UK at the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest. I'm imagining a morose, yet funny, variation o­n "Bing Tiddle Tiddle Bong."

'SNEAKY" PETE KLEINOW, who co-founded influential 1960s country-rock group the Flying Burrito Brothers, has died from complications of Alzheimer's disease at 72. Kleinow also was a special effects artist and stop motion animator for movies and TV -- both before and after the Burritos -- working o­n every thing from Gumby cartoons to The Empire Strikes Back, Gremlins, The Right Stuff, The Terminator, and Terminator 2. Most of the Flying Burrito Brothers videos I linked last November are still posted o­n YouTube.

SEEN YOUR VIDEO: Here's an "unofficial" clip of the truly odd Man Man covering Rage Against the Machine's "Bulls o­n Parade" to close out a show in NYC last week.

FEIST, JAMES BROWN, CAT POWER and GUIDED BY VOICES (at Gabe's Oasis in Iowa City) are among the unofficial live recordings posted at rbally. If you prefer, you can stream or jukebox 'em via the ol' Hype Machine.

INTERNET MUSIC SERVICES: Speaking of which, NPR has a non-audio article o­n music-sharing websites like Pandora, Last.fm, the Hype Machine, and more. The Atlantic has a similar piece, titled "The Digital Mosh Pit." And Spinner recently had an amusing video o­n using the Hype Machine.

L.A. BURNOUT: An Aquarium Drunkard has a three-post series presenting a compilation of songs chronicling the incestuous, late sixties-early seventies Laurel Canyon music scene. You can stream and jukebox tacks from The Byrds, Spirit, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Phil Ochs, Warren Zevon and more via the ol' HM.

AMERICA: Stereogum can link you to streams of the classic rock band's take o­n My Morning Jacket's "Golden," featuring Ben Kweller and MMJ's Jim James and Patrick Hallahan.

PETE DOHERTY-KATE MOSS UPDATE: The supposedly sober supermodel reportedly sent the troubled singer home from their holiday in Phuket, Thailand after cops quizzed him over a bust-up with a cabbie.

BRITNEY SPEARS and the FRENCH HOTEL tied for the top spot o­n Mr. Blackwell's 47th annual "Worst Dressed" list. Were they dressed last year? The L.A. Times has a full gallery of the gauche.

JOHN CUSACK and JEREMY PIVEN dunzo? Piven suggests in an interview that Cusack has not been supportibe of Piven's success o­n HBO Entourage. Cant we all just hug it out?

SUZANNE SOMERS' home was o­ne of four destroyed by a wind-driven wildfire that swept through Malibu. Pics at the link.

TRUMP-O'DONNELL FEUD: Rosie boiled over the other morning, calling Barbara Walters "a (bleeping) liar," apparently believing The Donald's claim that Walters had told him she regretted hiring O'Donnell. Trump poured fuel o­n the fire in a letter that begins: "Actually, I don't blame you, but in fact she lied to both of us!" However, the feud failed to pump ratings for the sixth-season premiere of The Apprentice.

STEPHEN COLBERT and BILL O'REILLY, otoh, hope to pump ratings by trading appearances o­n each other's programs Jan. 18.

MARILYN MANSON-DITA VON TEESE BREAK-UPDATE: The burlesque stripper reportedly filed to divorce Manson because of his wild drug taking and non-stop parties with LINDSAY LOHAN. They are reportedly fighting over custody of their cats and two dachshunds.

KATE HUDSON-CHRIS ROBINSON BREAK-UPDATE: According to a published report,since Owen Wilson kicked her to the curb, Hudson has turned into a tyrant to everybody in sight, and she has backed off o­n her offer to buy Robinson a house in Malibu.

SCARLETT JOHANSSON caught canoodling with Justin Timberlake? I'll need to see that from a source more reliable than the News of the World.

MANDY MOORE caught canoodling with Nicole Richie's ex-fiancee, Adam "DJ A.M." Goldstein?

AWARDS SEASON: The Directors Guild of America nominees are announced: Bill Condon for Dreamgirls, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris for Little Miss Sunshine, Stephen Frears for The Queen, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for Babel and Martin Scorsese for The Departed. Among the snubbed: Clint Eastwood, Paul Greengrass, Alfonso Cuaron, Todd Field, Pedro Almodovar and Guillermo del Toro. ALSO: Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley made off with the pirates' share of the People's Choice Awards last night.

IWAO TAKAMOTO, the creator of Scooby-Doo, and director of the 1973 version of Charlotte's Web, died of heart failure at 81. Let's go to the video.

WHO IS CAPT. JAMIL HUSSEIN? Flopping Aces, the blog that has been most closely following the story, reports that a US Civilian Police Assistance Training Team representative says that -- contrary to the AP report -- Brig. Abdul-Karim Khalaf never acknowledged that there was a Capt. Jamil Hussein assigned to the Khadra station, he confirmed to the AP that there was a Capt. Jamil Ghdaab Gulaim assigned there. And that Capt. Jamil Ghdaab Gulaim still denies being the source for over 60 AP stories from Baghdad (though he probably is).

IRAQ: Bill Roggio rounds up reports o­n Iraqi Army and US operations in Baghdad, Diyala, and Yusifiyah. IraqSlogger reports that Sunni and Shia militias have been engaging in open warfare since last Thursday afternoon in western Baghdad

THE WHO at the MONTEREY POP FESTIVAL: Day 2 of my Monterey theme week has the lads wailing their way through "Substitute" (introduced by Brian Jones), "Summertime Blues," a bootleg clip of "Pictures of Lily" not o­n the DVD releases (probably because Moon throws away his snare drum at the end of "Summertime Blues"), "A Quick One (While He's Away)," and "My Generation," natch.

NEW RELEASES: The same crap is still streaming from AOL. And I clued you in o­n the new Ron Sexsmith album yesterday. Neko Case has a live album taken from Austin City Limits. It got a mediocre review o­n the Pitchfork, but you can watch her play "Behind the House" o­n ACL as a preview.

THE YEAR AHEAD: London's Guardian spotlights ten bands ready to step up to the big stage this year, including The Shins and Art Brut. All ten have MySpace links. Speaking of THE SHINS, Heather Brown excerpts an interview conducted by John Krasinski of NBC's The Office.

LUCINDA WILLIAMS: Heather Browne is also streaming an unreleased track and a live track from the remastered double disc re-release of Car Wheels o­n A Gravel Road (which is also a subject of a contest giveaway at the link).

THE HOLD STEADY played a mini-set at the World Cafe you can stream from NPR now.

THE ROCK & ROLL HALL of FAME inductees for 2007 are R.E.M., Patti Smith, Van Halen, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and The Ronettes. The Stooges, Chic, the Dave Clark Five and Joe Tex were snubbed. The next news will be the announcements of performers. Seems likely that R.E.M. will unite again -- Stipe and Mills joined Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 o­n January 7th, where they played a new song. The clips of their GA Music Hall of Fame reunion have been yanked from the Tube, but here's the original R.E.M. joining The Minus 5 o­n "Country Feedback." A Van Halen reunion of some sort is also possible, now that Eddie wants Dave to "get your a** up here and sing, b*tch!" Here's Patti Smith's version of "G-L-O-R-I-A" o­n a show that shall remain nameless, and The Ronettes singing "Be My Baby" o­n Shindig.

DAVID CROSBY is interviewed by The Australian o­n the eve of CSN's first tour Down Under in nearly 20 years.

DAVID BOWIE B-DAY REDUX: At Chromewaves, Frank rounded-up most of the British media coverage of Bowie's 60th. I'll throw in a story from the Daily Mail, which claims that a rejuvenated Bowie may revive Ziggy Stardust.

BLOC PARTY frontman Kele Okereke talked to London's Guardian about being the son of Nigerian immigrants, his confused sexuality and the new direction for his songwriting. There's currently plenty to stream via the ol' HM.

PETE DOHERTY-KATE MOSS UPDATE: the troubled singer is set to make his acting debut in a remake of Carry o­n Cruising, but the supposedly sober supermodel is not keen o­n the notion.

BRADGELINA: While Pitt tells the press he wants even more children, Jolie attacks Madonna for adopting a child "from a place where adoption is illegal."

SAMUEL L. JACKSON being tipped to play James Brown in the Spike Lee biopic o­n The Godfather of Soul.

WHITNEY HOUSTON o­nce told Newsweek that Rosie O'Donnell was a "fat b*tch," but the magazine pulled the insult, fearing it would upset the singer's fans. Newsweek correspondent Allison Samuels adds that "Whitney was clearly not in her right mind." That part I question.

NIKKI BACHARACH, daughter of Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickinson, committed suicide to escape the ravages to her brain brought o­n by Disorder, a form of autism.

ANNA NICOLE SMITH is looking to set up a dummy corporation so that the man who says he's her baby's daddy can