THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE: 

... with DAVID BOWIE! Live at the Beat Club, circa 1978, to mark the end of his 65th birthday week.  Your setlist includes: "Sense Of Doubt," "Beauty And The Beast," "Heroes," "Stay," "The Jean Genie," "TVC 15," "Alabama Song," and "Rebel Rebel."

LAURA VEIRS stopped by World Cafe for a chat and mini-set.

THE LITTLE WILLIES, a country cover band that just happens to include Norah Jones, stopped by WNYC Soundcheck for a session.

THE WAR ON DRUGS also stopped by WNYC Soundcheck for a session.

SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS drops "Lafaye" in advance of Ghostory.

BEAR IN HEAVEN drops "The Reflection Of You" ahead of their spring relase, I Love You, It's Cool.

GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS drop "Easy Come Easy Go" in advance of New Wild Everywhere.

WHITE RABBITS offer "Heavy Metal" is advance of Milk Famous, in return for your address.

EASYBEATS: The fish, the barrel, the smoking gun!

LOS CAMPESINOS!: Gareth talks to Pitchfork about ex-girlfriends, blissfully cold suds, and the trappings of Tumblr.

WILCO drummer Glenn Kotche talks to the L.A. Times about the found sounds, shuffling toys, back massagers, and funky rhythms that permeate parts of The Whole Love.  Guitarist Nels Cline talks to the Colorado Springs Independent about his bandmates. (Thx, LHB.)

MITCH RYDER's raw autobiography launches what could be a big year for the Detroit soul-rocker.

BANDS to WATCH in 2012, according to Glide.

LYKKE LI signed a modeling contract.  So did Lana Del Rey.

CUTOUT BIN:  From the Who to Dobie Gray, from Sly & the Family Stone to the Dwight Twilley Band, from Husker Du to Elton John, plus Arthur Lee, Katrina and the Waves, Dusty Springfield, Guided by Voices 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: Contraband, which is currently scoring 52 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; Joyful Noise, currently scoring 39 percent; and the 3-D reissue of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, scoring 91 percent.  The Iron Lady expands to 700 screens, scoring 56 percent.

HEATHER LOCKLEAR was taken to the hospital by ambulance Thursday afternoon after taking a dangerous mix of prescription drugs and alcohol. She's doing much better now and doctors are hopeful she will be released today.

HALLE BERRY & OLIVER MARTINEZ are not engaged, contra earlier reports.

THE KARDASHIANS: Kim is saying Robert Kardashian is undoubtedly Khloe's biological father.

JAKE GYLLENHAAL: Rejected by Minka Kelly?

ROBERT PATTINSON shaved his head.

SINEAD O'CONNOR says she tried to commit suicide last week.

JENNIFER LOPEZ is giving her boyfriend a 10K weekly allowance, according to the ever-reliable Star magazine.

TWO AND A HALF MEN co-creators Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn deny there was ever a feud with Charlie Sheen (whee!), while Ashton Kutcher said he'd love to return next season.

ELEVEN SCI-FI & FANTASY FLICKS to look for in 2012, according to Forbes.

NORTH KOREA's hardline regime is punishing those who did not cry at the death of dictator Kim Jong-il, according to reports.  Maybe six months in a labor camp will get those tears flowing.

AFGHANISTAN: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday that Afghan and Taliban statements show there is support for a Taliban political office in Qatar, but said nothing has been concluded yet.

30 JAPANESE GIANT HORNETS kill 30000 honeybees.

THE WORLD'S SMALLEST FROG has been discovered in Papua New Guinea by a US-based team.

STOWAWAY MOUSE flies to Oslo solo.

A "WEIRD SEA CREATURE" washed up in in Delray Beach, FL.