THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

... with THE BYRDS!  a rare 1965 clip of their breakthrough smash cover of "Mr. Tambourine Man"  There are screaming girls, plus go-go dancers when they hit Shivaree for "Feel A Whole Lot Better."  Plaus, a rare sync of "I Knew I'd Want You." There are even more dancers when they cover Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" for Shindig! on June 23, 1965, while I'm pretty sure that's Ed Wynn introducing "Chimes of Freedom."  You might recognize the voice introducing "Bells Of Rhymney" from poolside in August 1965 and "It Won't Be Wrong" from a corral in January 1966 on Where The Action Is.  BONUS:  Want a couple in color?  Here's "Turn, Turn, Turn!" and "Mr. Spaceman." 

THE WALKMEN stopped by Morning Becomes Eclectic for a session. Aquarium Drunkard caught up with vocalist Hamilton Leithauser a few days before the new album, Lisbon, drops.

DIRTY PROJECTORS stopped by the Current for a chat and mini-set.

VILLAGERS also stopped by the Current for a chat and mini-set.

THE VELVET UNDERGOUND: The Scepter Sessions are shared at WFMU. (Thx, LHB.)

ARIEL PINK's HAUNTED GRAFFITI has a chat and mini-set at the World Cafe.

MOUNTAIN GOATS: John Darnielle choreographs Ace of Base's "The Sign." (Language warning)

MANIC STREET PREACHERS: Larry Wire talks pop and politics with Drowned in Sound, plus Guns 'N' Roses and more...

LAURA VEIRS talks to the Louisville Courier-Journal about her influences, or relative lack thereof.

LIZ PHAIR talks to American Songwriter about her new album, motherhood and more...

ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE: Why Music Critics Write So Many Favorable Reviews.

CUTOUT BIN: From Joan Jett to Jimi Hendrix, from Roy Orbison to Deep Purple, from Blondie to Superchunk, from the Ramones to the Rolling Stones, plus NRBQ, the Beach Boys, REM, Dusrty Springfield, Sugar and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds are streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NOW SHOWING:  This weekend's wide releases include: Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, which is currently scoring 54 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, which is currently scoring 56 percent; and You Again, which is scoring 17 percent on thin reviews.

ASHTON KUTCHER & DEMI MOORE: Nude pics of the alleged mistrace surface. Shocka!

KATY PERRY was evicted from Sesame Street. Apparently, the Children's Television Workshop didn't notice her breasts until it was too late.

LINDSAY LOHAN may get a break on her second failed drug test.

JOAQUIN PHOENIX apologizes to Dave Letterman for sucking him into Joaquin's mockumentary.

BRADGELINA: The godmother of Jolie's twins, Knox and Vivienne, is... Facts of Life actress Mindy Cohn?  Too good to check.

HEIDI MONTAG & SPENCER PRATT: Cash-strapped and living at one of his mom's summer places? It would explain the despearte cries for publicity.

WILLIAM SHATNER: Justin Halpern, creator of Sh*t My Dad Says, describes what it's like working with the Star Trek legend on the show.

CAMERON CROWE & NANCY WILSON are divorcing.

HARRY POTTER and the DEATHLY HALLOWS launched a new trailer online.

IRAN criticized Moscow over the cancellation of S-300 surface-to-air missile deal.  Ahmadinejad suggested to the United Nations General Assembly that the events that occurred on 9/11 were actually orchestrated by the US Government.

AFGHANISTAN: Interviews with sources familiar with the CIA's operations, as well as a review of the classified US military field reports posted last month by WikiLeaks, reveal the CIA has a significantly larger covert paramilitary presence in Afghanistan and Pakistan than previously known.

A DANCING BABY ELEPHANT plays the harmonica.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT: A fish with human teeth.

RABID VAMPIRE BATS kill a fifth child in Peru.

EUROPEAN BROWN HARES are capable of being pregnant twice at the same time, and can potentially be permanently pregnant.

PARROT ABUSE: Is there anything lower?

NICE DAY for a... canine wedding.

BEAR ATTACK thwarted with... a zucchini.