THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

...with ECHO and the BUNNYMEN!  Live at the Royal Albert Hall, circa July 1983.  Your setlist includes: "Going Up," "With A Hip" and "All That Jazz"; "All My Colours (Zimbo)" and "Silver"; "The Cutter" and "The Killing Moon"; "Rescue" and "Never Stop"; and "Over the Wall." Your encores are "Crocodiles" and "Do It Clean."

MARK LANEGAN stopped by Morning Becomes Eclectic for a session.

CRAIG FINN stopped by Minnesota Public Radio's UBS Forum for an intimate performance of these new songs and a chat. He also talked to the Chicago Reader the day after the first show of his solo tour.

CASS McCOMBS stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set.

HOSPITALITY previewed their debut on Merge live at WNYC Soundcheck.

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

WILD FLAG's Carrie Brownstein talked to The Telegraph about the state of rock, danger, nostalgia and more. SEMI-RELATED: The Independent asks members of four bands The Black Keys, Wilco, The Alabama Shakes, and EMA whether guitar rock is dead.

THE MAGNETIC FIELDS: Stephin Merritt talks The Guardian about unrequited love, posing naked, growing a beard, and why Germans don't recognise the sound of a ukelele.

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS: Patterson Hood talks to Louisville.com about the art of storytelling in song. (Thx, LHB.)

JOE TEX and JAMES BROWN were bitter rivals.

THE BEACH BOYS reunion starts with the Grammys.

GIVE IT UP FOR THE BANDS: Buddy Holly's Crickets, Bill Haley's Comets, James Brown's Famous Flames, Gene Vincent's Blue Caps, Hank Ballard's Midnighters and Smokey Robinson's Miracles will join their frontmen as full-fledged members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at this year's induction ceremony, slated for April 14 in Cleveland.

THE CUTOUT BIN: From the Rutles to the Beatles, from Tom Robinson to James Brown, from the Pogues to Al Green, plus Robert Gordon & Link Wray, the Ramones, Beck, the Four Tops 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 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, which is currently scoring 45 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; Safe House, currently scoring 53 percent; The Vow, scoring 36 percent; and the 3-D reissue of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

KATY PERRY signed her divorce from Russell Brand with a smiley face, in case you were wondering if she's ready for a long-term commitment.

THE KARDASHIANS: Kim's divorce from Kris Humphries may be headed toward a public trial. Khloé is relieved she's not pregnant.

HALLE BERRY is asking the judge in her custody war for permission to move to France with daughter Nahla; baby daddy Gabriel Aubry is not amused.

GEORGE CLOONEY talks to Deadline about his Oscar-friendly flims, overseas commercials, and more.

WILL FERRELL introduced the Chicago Bulls at the New Orleans Hornets the other night, icymi.

IRAN renews efforts to shut down popular websites.

LIBYA: The country that witnessed the Arab world's most sweeping revolution is foundering.

AFGHANISTAN: The government said it was willing to accept the transfer of Taliban detainees held at Guantanamo to Qatar.

IRAQ executed Abu Talha, a senior aide to Abu Musab al Zarqawi, and sentenced a Saudi al Qaeda in Iraq leader to death.

GIANT BUNNY eats a banana.

A MICRO PIG now weighs the same as a rugby forward and is 5ft long and 2½ft high.

THE OLDEST LIVING THING ON EARTH: No, not Keith Richards (he's undead).

RAM & DOE, getting married... Mass hysteria!