Princess on the Steeple and All the Pretty People…

There’s a lot going on lately that I haven’t talked about, so here are some random ramblings for the end of the week:

I read Rolling Stone magazine’s Top 500 Rock ‘n Roll Songs list this week. I don’t find the merit in arguing about the importance of the list or its content’s positioning, but there was something I did think was interesting. Don McLean’s American Pie was not on the list. I don’t like the song so it’s not a big deal to me, but I thought it was supposed to be a hugely popular song. I was shocked to not see it listed. Not hurt, but definitely shocked. You can click through the list at rhino.

Apparently a basketball game broke out at an Ultimate Fighting Championship match in Detroit? I’m not sure the specifics. I don’t follow basketball until the playoffs and even then my interest is tepid at best. I, like a lot of other people, can’t really identify with the game of basketball anymore. Rules have changed, the style of play has changed, and the players have changed. Uh, such is life. I do get mad at the people who try to blame the sorry state of the NBA on hip-hop culture. I think that’s a lazy and short-sighted argument. I don’t have enough passion about the NBA or hip-hop to try to defend either one, but I just wanted to get self-righteous for a millisecond on all the angry white guys who write sports columns out there.

I’ve read some weird reviews of the Nirvana box set, With the Lights Out. Apparently people are mad that not enough great material was left behind after Kurt’s suicide? Sheesh! If you are a fan, be thankful for what appears to me to be a very comprehensive collection of material (which I can’t wait to dive into). If you are not a fan, what is there to be upset about? Apparently the shiny packaging, which is something I read an actual paid critic complain about. In other Nirvana news.

I realize that my blog sometimes turns into the McSweeney’s link of the day, but there’s something else there today that made me laugh out loud. It’s a very sharply written Lester Bangs parody: Cooking with Esther Bangs

A reminder for anyone who is interested: Bob Dylan will be on 60 Minutes this Sunday.

I’ve been baffled at Google News all week. Why is the story about the Methodists defrocking a lesbian minister considered entertainment news? I thought it might be a mistake, but it’s been on the entertainment page all week.

Next week I will start writing about my favorite albums of 2004. Until then.

Oh, and by the way, I do realize there’s a steroid storm a'brewing in baseball. Believe me when I say that if I thought I had anything unique or funny to say about it, I already would have. As it is, I think anyone who follows baseball has been waiting for what has become public this week for a long time. Every bit of the Jason Giambi & Barry Bonds news was completely predictable as soon as the BALCO investigations started. Now it’s just a waiting game on how things will settle.