THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

... with SHINDIG! This special featuring groovy gals, is Tubed in three parts. Part 1 includes the Shangri-Las - "Give Him A Great Big Kiss"; Aretha Franklin - "Shoop Shoop Song"; Leslie Gore - "Judy's Turn To Cry"; and Ketty Lester - "Love Letters." Part 2 includes -- The Toys - "Lover's Concerto"; Jackie DeShannon - "What The World Needs Now"; The Supremes - "Baby Love" and Fontella Bass - "Rescue Me." Part 3 includes The Blossoms - "I Like It Like That"; Petula Clark - "Downtown"; and Tina Turner - "Ooh-Poo-Pah-Do."

SONIC YOUTH stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming via MPR.

THE THERMALS did the three free songs thing for Daytrotter.

BOOKER T. JONES stopped by the World Cafe for a chat and mini-set streaming via NPR.

SIOUXSIE SIOUX talks to The Quietus about banging heads with rock bores and the importance of having glitter in your pocket.

ARTHUR CONLEY: Do you like good music? "Sweet Soul Music"?

BETTYE LaVETTE talks to the Colorado Springs Independent about playing with Otis Redding in the 60s and dueting with Paul McCartney at Radio City Music Hall today.

DAN AUERBACH talks to PopMatters about the human element in recording.

THE TEN COOLEST SONGS ABOUT CARS & DRIVING, according to Kevin Ransom at AOL Autos, with embedded video. (Thx, LHB.)

THE CUTOUT BIN: From the Sex Pistols to the Archies, from Monty Python to the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, from Cream to Off Broadway, plus Husker Du, Ace, the Beatles, Spoon, The Band and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds are streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NOW SHOWING: This weekend's wide releases are G-Force, currently scoring 21 percent on the ol' Tomatometer, The Ugly Truth, currently scoring 12 percent, and Orphan, scoring 48 percent.

MICHAEL JACKSON: Multiple sources in the Jackson family tell TMZ that even if Katherine Jackson gets custody of Michael Jackson's kids, Michael's big sister Rebbie Jackson will raise the children. Rupert Everett says it was "fortuitous" that Jacko died.

MEGAN FOX denies turning down a role in the next James Bond movie.

JON & KATE claims a reporter for Star magazine.

JOHNNY DEPP is one step closer to his dream role playing Carol Channing.

ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL-E: You're probably familar with The Wizard of Oz/ Dark Side of the Moon mashup. Now we have Wall-E and The Wall.

ISLAMISM in the UK: A married Muslim woman has been warned her life is in danger after a man she is suspected of having an affair with was blinded in an 'honor' attack.

PAKISTAN: Sa'ad bin Laden, the son of Osama bin Laden, is thought to have been killed in a US Predator airstrike in Pakistan's tribal areas. The report has not been confirmed.

IRAQ: Michael J. Totten has his fourth installment on the future of Iraq, interviewing "Sayid," someone the US relies on to report on "atmospherics."

NORA THE PIANO CAT, accompanied by the Klaipeda Chamber Orchestra.

KILLER CHIPMUNKS poised to invade the UK.

THE SWARM: A Chinese couple have got married wearing clothes made of thousands of living bees. Pic at the link.

ZEBRA ATTACK sidelines Pittsburg State football player Joe Windscheffel near Lawrence, KS.

LONESOME GEORGE: Scientists hope that the last Galapagos giant tortoise will soon become the world's oldest father.

BEAVERS could help slow global climate change. Hey, nice beaver!