THE DECEMBERISTS dropped a video for "This Is Why We Fight."

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter.

STEVE EARLE is advance streaming I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive.

TIMES NEW VIKING is advance streaming Dancer Equired.

THAO & MIRAH are advance streaming their self-titled album.

EMMYLOU HARRIS is advance streaming Hard Bargain.

GEORGE HARRISON & ERIC CLAPTON: "Taxman." Obligatory.

THE DECEMBERISTS' co-founder Nate Query talks to the Colorado Springs Independent about recording with R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, the specter of Chris Squire bass lines, and what might happen if Pete Seeger had an ax instead of a hammer. (Thx, Chromewaves.)

VIVIAN GIRLS: Cassie Ramone talks to DIY about the themes of the new album, taking abuse from Hipster Runoff, and more... (Thx, LHB.)

SHEARWATER: Can you guess what Jonathan Meiberg talked to Songwriters on Process about? I think so.

MORE COWBELL! The 10 Best Cowbell Songs, according to NME. But there's no "Mississippi Queen"?

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Rio perched atop the cineplex with 40 million -- the first movie to open that big this year (5 movies had hit that mark by this time last year, and that was with Avatar still big last January). Animation (Rio, Hop, Rango) has been the big draw this year to date.  Rio has also taken in some 80 million overseas, which means it has recouped its 90 million production budget, if not its total cost (which may be as high as 200 million, once worldwide distribution and marketing is factored in). Rio is unlikley to face serious competition for kids until May 27 (Kung Fu Panda 2). Scream 4 placed with the roughly predicted 19.3 million, which is okay and likely good enough for more sequels, given a 40 million budget. Hop dropped 48 percent to third with 11.2 million, taking a big hit from Rio. Even so, Hop is just opening overseas and will likely turn a tidy profit.  Soul Surfer showed decent leg in the fourth spot with 7.4 million, more than recouping its 18 million budget. Hanna rounds out the Top Five with 7.3 million, likely pressured a bit by Scream 4.  Below the fold, The Conspirator debuted in the ninth slot with 3.9 million, which was better than expected, as was Altas Shrigged (Part 1) doing 1.7 million on 300 screens.

NICOLAS CAGE was arrested early Saturday morning in New Orleans for domestic abuse, after daring the police to arrest him following a loud argument with his wife.

CHARLIE SHEEN is headed back to court after his soon-to-be ex-wife Brooke Mueller refused a drug test.  Reportedly, Mueller was frantically calling friends for drug-free urine and trying to hock an expensive men's watch that day.

EVANGELINE LILLY was spotted with a visible baby bump in Hawaii on Thursday.

CHRISTINA AGUILERA is officially divorced.

CONDOLEEZA RICE will appear as Alec Baldwin's girlfriend on 30 Rock.

MARK RUFFALO: Working a lot for a man in retirement.

THE LONE RANGER: Ryan Gosling is in talks to star opposite Johnny Depp.

LIBYA: Less than a month into the conflict, NATO is running short of precision bombs, highlighting the limitations of Britain, France and other European countries in sustaining even a relatively small military action over an extended period of time. Libyan rebels in their eastern capital of Benghazi said they had begun receiving weapons supplies from unidentified nations that supported their uprising.

SYRIA: President Assad promised to lift the country's emergency laws by next week. He also promised other reforms, including legislation allowing the formation of political parties, but warned that once these reforms are implemented, "there will no longer be an excuse to organize protests in Syria."

EGYPT: The rapid spread of Muslim political parties ahead of September's parliamentary elections has strengthened fears that Egyptian democracy will be dominated by radical Islamic movements. An Egyptian court has ordered the disbanding of the NDP, former President Mubarak's political party; the ruling gives the NDP's money and property to the government and leaves the Muslim Brotherhood the strongest political organization in Egypt.

A POLAR CUB and a blue bucket. Let's go to the video.

AN ELEPHANT at the Oklahoma City Zoo gave birth to a female calf Friday night. Pics and live cam at the link.

A GORILLA cuddles a duckling that had strayed from a nearby moat at Bristol zoo. 

PET AIRWAYS: Travel for your Best Friend.

PITBULL RESCUED from a fire and revived with CPR.

THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

...with LED ZEPPELIN! Live at Knebworth, 1979.  Your setlist includes: 'The Song Remains the Same," "Celebration Day," "Black Dog," "Nobody's Fault But Mine," "Over the Hills & Far Away," "Misty Mountain Hop," "Since I've Been Loving You," "No Quarter (Part 2)," "Hot Dog," "Rain Song," "White Summer/Black Mountainside," "Kashmir," "Trampled Underfoot," "Sick Again," "Achilles Last Stand," "Page Solo," "In the Evening," "Stairway to Heaven," "Rock n Roll," "Whole Lotta Love (Part 2)," and "Communication Breakdown."

DELTA SPIRIT did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter, including a couple of Tom Waits tunes.

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

THE REPLACEMENTS: Paid In Beer, Parts One and Two.

GUIDED BY VOICES: Bug House.

ELEVENTH DREAM DAY leaks covers of Brian Eno and Joy Division songs.

COACHELLA: Select sets from the festival, which starts today, will be webcast on YouTube. It looks like PJ Harvey, The National, Interpol, The Black Keys, Bright Eyes, Cut Copy, Cold War Kids, Duran Duran, Nas and Damian Marley, and Mumford & Sons are included the webcast lineup.

DEAD MILKMEN roll out "Bitchin' Camero" at a recent NYC reunion. (Language warning, of course.)

KATE NASH talks to Drowned in Sound about her label start-up and being a woman in the music industry.

BELLE & SEBASTIAN: Guitarist Stevie Jackson talks to the Prague Post about the latest LP and the band's body of work. (Thx, LHB.)

PRIMAL SCREAM: Sabotage Times essays the making of Screamadelica. (Thx again, LHB.)

THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN have a Tumblr.

CUTOUT BIN: From George Gershwin to The Clash, from the Replacements to the Chiffons, from David Bowie to Gary 'US' Bonds, plus James Brown, Guided by Voices, Sammy Johns, Dash Rip Rock, Tegan & Sara and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds are now streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NOW SHOWING: This weekend's wide releases include the animated Rio, which is currently scoring 75 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; and Scream 4, currently scoring 63 percent.  The Conspirator opens on about 700 screens with 53 percent.

COURTENEY COX crashed the Howard Stern show -- while her estranged husband David Arquette was in the studio -- to give her side of their marital dysfunction.

CHARLIE SHEEN is lying that he's "in discussions" over returning to Two and a Half Men - this according to a letter from Warner Bros.  But Sheen is sticking to his story.

CATHERINE ZETA-JONES: More on her bipolar disorder.

REESE WITHERSPOON says her love scenes with Robert Pattinson in their new movie Water for Elephants were downright disgusting.

ROBERT PATTINSON, btw, reportedly bought Kristen Stewart a 17K diamond promise ring.

JENNIFER LAWRENCE, Oscar nominated for Winter's Bone, is profiled by GQ for playing Mystique in X-Men: First Class, and more...

WINNIE THE POOH is getting a She & Him soundtrack.

THE HOBBIT: Peter Jackson drops the first production video.

SYRIA: The US said Iran is providing support to Syria to suppress nationwide anti-government protests.

LIBYA: The US and European countries believe the Libyan rebels are "hopelessly disorganized" and that a stalemate with Gaddafi's forces is inevitable.  Hezbollah denied reports that its members are fighting alongside the rebels.

AFGHANISTAN: The Taliban has deepened its infiltration of Afghan institutions and sharpened its surveillance of Afghan and foreign troops as it seeks to exploit an edge in the information war that will help decide the fate of the insurgency.

GUILTY CAT: Let's go to the video.

KISSING A FROG? Bad idea for both of you.

JUST A TIGER in a Range Rover.

A CHEETAH CUB and a PUPPEH, playing together...Mass hysteria!

FOO FIGHTERS played "Rope" at the Ed Sullivan Theater, with a link to a 90-minute set.

SONDRE LERCHE did five free songs for Daytrotter.

JOSH RITTER played a Tiny Desk Concert at the offices of NPR, including a cover of "Pale Blue Eyes."

MAN MAN dropped the title track to "Life Fantastic."

ALL SONGS CONSIDERED: Tracks from My Morning Jacket, Death Cab for Cutie, Thao & Mirah and more in the latest mix from the long-running series.

JIMMY WEBB, one of America's master songwriters, plays "Elvis and Me" on Steve Dahl's 1991 NYE PPV event.

SHARON VAN ETTEN talks to The Link about working with The National. (Thx, LHB.)

NEIL YOUNG: Exclaim has deets on A Treasure, an upcoming archival live LP.

BUFFALO TOM talks to The Huffington Post and The Boston Globe about the band's latest album and 25 years together.

CHARLES LAUFER, founder of the venerable Tiger Beat magazine, died of heart failure. He was 87.

CHARLIE SHEEN claims his Two and a Half Men syndication profits are "being withheld," while hinting about a possible return to the show. Also, he bombed in Boston.

SCARLETT JOHANSSON has moved into the Malibu home of Sean Penn.

CATHERINE ZETA-JONES has reportedly entered a mental health treatment center for a bipolar disorder.

LADY GAGA talks plastic surgery and more with Harper's Bazaar.

HALLE BERRY & GABRIEL AUBRY are trying to finalize a child custody settlement.

BRADLEY COOPER in early negotiations to star in a remake of The Crow. Is that necessary?

TOM HANKS has become officially attached to star in Cloud Atlas, an adaptation of the David Mitchell novel that consists of six interconnected stories. The Matrix helmers Andy and Lana Wachowski and Run Lola Run helmer Tom Tykwer have signed on to write and co-direct the film.

THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES heads to Paramount.

PEOPLE'S MOST BEAUTIFUL: A sneak peek.

IRAN announced its willingness to begin new nuclear talks. Why wouldn't they?

SYRIA: Security forces detained more than 350 men during sweeping raids in the town of Baida.

EGYPT: The military detained former Pres Mubarak and his two sons during an inquiry into their use of force during winter protests.

STALKING CAT: I may have posted this years ago, but I'm laughing again.

A HORDE OF SNAKES were seized by police inside a downtown Winnipeg apartment suite.

A DEEP SEA MONSTER sent people running for their lives when it was reeled in on a Taiwanese beach.

SHEEP DYED ORANGE to prevent rustling.

WOODPECKERS are causing thousands of dollars in property damage in neighborhoods across Colorado.

TITUS ANDRONICUS plays TMBG's "Birdhouse In Your Soul" for The A.V. Club Undercover. (I like Titus, but I'm still partial to Doc Severinsen and his band.)

YUCK did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter. Their fuzzed-out, lo-fi pop is a current fave of mine.

MY MORNING JACKET drops "Circuital," the title track from their next LP, plus five live tracks at NPR.

CASS McCOMBS is advance streaming Wit's End.

TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set.

THE MOODY BLUES hit the charts with "Go Now" before going psychedelic.

LOW: Alan Sparhawk talks to Drowned in Sound abut living in England, the new LP, songwriting, etc.

PAUL SIMON talks to Spinner about his new album's religious themes, why the Beatles had an unfair advantage in the '60s and what it's like to sing with Bob Dylan.

PATTERSON HOOD writes for Aquarium Drunkard about Eddie Hinton, whose songs are covered on the new Drive-By truckers album.

THE KINKS: Ray and Dave Davies are meeting next week, and both seem interested in a reunion.

IGGY POP gives some backstory to his American Idol appearance and talks future plans with Billboard.

JANUARY JONES talks to W magazine about Mad Men, mutants and more...

JAY-Z interviews Gwyneth Paltrow, and vice versa.

KRISTEN STEWART celebrated her 21st birthday with the Twilight cast and crew in Vancouver.

LADY GAGA falls off a piano.

SCARLETT JOHANSSON: Neither pregnant or fat, photo notwithstanding. My theory is that just being near Sean Penn makes you look bad.

KIRSTIE ALLEY is wondering whether someone's trying to sabotage her on Dancing With the Stars.

TORI SPELLING and hubby Dean McDermott are expecting their third child.

AN IMPERIAL WALKER For America.

ALLURE: Keri Hilson, Bridget Moynahan, Ashley Tisdale, and Kaley Cuoco stripped down for a photoshoot, in time for Gratuitous Wednesday.

TURKEY: Police rounded up 40 suspected al Qaeda and Turkish Hezbollah operatives during raids throughout the country.

SYRIA: A human rights group claimed that Syrian security forces have killed more than 200 people for protesting against President Assad's government.

IRAN announced plans to construct several more nuclear research reactors. EU ministers announced plans for more sanctions on Iran due to human rights abuses. Bahrain tried three for spying on behalf of Iran.

LIBYA: The French and British foreign ministers criticized NATO for not doing more to target President Gaddafi's forces. "It is not acceptable that Misrata is still under fire and being bombarded by Gaddafi's troops," France's foreign minister said.

PAKISTAN: The Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, or ISI, was behind the 2008 terror assault on Mumbai, according to two Pakistanis detained by the US and on trial for terror activities.

THE SQUIRREL THREAT: A militant rodent in training.

STORM the LION likes to cuddle in bed with her owner.

FERAL CHICKENS have proliferated in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina.

MAYBE THE GATOR ate your Boxer.

JEFF TWEEDY plays a new song, "Open Your Mind" on Canadian TV.

NEW RELEASES from the Feelies, Foo Fighters, Meat Puppets, Felice Bros, Sonny and the Sunsets, Bell X1, Head and the Heart, Paul Simon, Alison Krauss and more are streaming this week via Spinner.

JOLIE HOLLAND did five free songs for Daytrotter.

GROUPLOVE stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set. As the name suggests, kinda freak folk-y.

GUILLEMOTS are advance streaming Walk The River.

THE FEELIES: With a new LP, it's nice to revisit classics like "Away" and "Deep Fascination" for Twofer Tuesday.

JERRY "ICEMAN" BUTLER was an A-list soul singer, playing with Curtis Mayfield and Otis Redding. Today, he mulls taxes and health care as the longest-serving member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners.

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART: Kip Berman talks to Blurt about the story behind decisions and ambitions that lead to the new LP, Belong, and the meaning of lo-fi and the supremacy of good songwriting. (Thx, Chromewaves.)

TUNE-YARDS: Merrill Garbus talks to The Guardian about life after lo-fi.

THE BEST AND WORST BASEBALL SONGS, according to the Omaha World-Herald. Shamefully missing "Cubs In Five" by the Mountain Goats.

NATALIE PORTMAN: Pregnancy drove her to eat meat. The horror!

BENICIO DEL TORO & KIMBERLY STEWART are having a baby. Pretty sure everyone's surprised by that one.

CHARLIE SHEEN's second NYC show was reportedly a rebound.

DENNIS QUAID talks about his cocaine addiction.

KATIE COURIC & MATT LAUER may reteam for a syndicated daytime talk show.

MICHAEL SHANNON will play General Zod in director Zack Snyder's Man of Steel.

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS has an international trailer online.

SYRIA: Security forces attacked student protesters at the University of Damascus, killing one and wounding and detaining dozens of others. The Muslim Brotherhood now backs the anti-government protests.

LIBYA: The rebels rejected an African Union peace plan that did not require Gaddafi to resign. Gaddafi's son, Saif al Islam, said talk of his father stepping down from power is "ridiculous."

PAKISTAN: The United States is committed to improving its relationship with Pakistan, despite tensions over the shooting deaths of two Pakistanis by a CIA contractor, the US ambassador told a skeptical audience Monday.

EGYPT: A blogger was sentenced to three years in prison for criticizing the military in what human rights advocates called one of the more alarming violations of freedom of expression since a popular uprising led to the ouster of Pres Mubarak two months ago.

CLEANING THE COBRA PIT: Let's go to the video.

DOGS getting fake ID to pass as service animals. Ironically, there's no official ID for service animals.

SKUNKS: The latest must-have pet.

"NAKED" PENGUINS Baffle Experts. Watching too many cartoons?

A GOOSE ambushed a Cincinnati police lieutenant, somehow knocking him from his bike and into a plate-glass window.