THE PIXIES delivered a mellow take on "Here Comes Your Man" for Conan, and offer up a free live EP from their Doolitle anniversary tour.

NEW RELEASES:  Albums from Bad Lieutenant, Editors, Ray Davies, The Doors, and more are streaming this week via Spinner.

THEM CROOKED VULTURES (Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones and Josh Homme) are streaming their album via YouTube.

THE MOUNTAIN GOATS stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming via MPR.

VOXHAUL BROADCAST did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter, three previously unreleased. I coulda used more reverb.

THE FLIRTATIONS deliver slices of Northern Soul with "Nothing But A Heartache" and "What's Good About Goodbye My Love" for Twofer Tuesday. 

MEET THE BEATLES: The Fab Four are getting a week-long special from PopMatters.

BILLY BRAGG talks to Beatroute about pop and politics -- and why he mostly did not mix them in the Noughties.

DINOSAUR, JR: Lou Barlow talks to Beatroute about texture and volume.

RAY DAVIES is concerned about the insidious influence of Simon Cowell.

DID TOM CRUISE offer to personally "beat the living [bleep]" out of disobedient Scientologists? Cruise's lawyer and church spokesmen vigorously dispute the claim, but a former high-ranking Scientologist official says he "documented" that church leader David Miscavige once asserted that Cruise would lend his "Top Gun" muscle to do just that.

JOHN TRAVOLTA says Scientology is helping him cope with his son's death.  Previously, there was speculation over whether the death might cause him to drop Scientology.

JENNIFER LOPEZ has filed a lawsuit over home videos of her having sex, including on her honeymoon, and nudity.

LINDSAY LOHAN: Another taped phone call -- in this one, Lohan's assistant Jenni Muro reveals her fear that Lindsay was killing herself.  Lohan's ex-con dad reportedly demanded a fee for these tapes.

RANDY QUAID: The journey from actor to alleged felon.

BEYONCE and JAY-Z: Getting ready for a baby?

DEMI MOORE is remaking herself, and yet the story is not about extensive cosmetic surgery.

AFGHANISTAN: Afghan troops backed by NATO forces killed 125 Taliban fighters and eight Taliban commanders during an operation in Kunduz.

IRAQ's Presidency Council is likely to ratify the election reform law.

A DOE, A DEER, A FEMALE DEER at the National Zoo flees the lion's den... only to be euthanized later.

RAT INVASION threatens American cities.

THAT WASN'T A DOG underneath Joseph Cannistra's car.

SNAKE on a Windscreen.

HIPPOS are not an economic stimulus.