Tampa-bound, thanks to Our Heroes

Plus Junior, Jenksie...everyone brought it together.
Now it's time to soak up them Rays...

Sox Force 1-Game Tiebreaker

The Sox are now going with a "blackout" tonight.

Shirts will be on sale, according to the Sun-Times.

Tuesday Rock Roundup

Robert Plant has issued a statement putting to bed the recent spate of Led Zeppelin reunion rumors. He says, "It's both frustrating and ridiculous for this story to continue to rear its head when all the musicians that surround the story are keen to get on with their individual projects and move forward. I wish Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham nothing but success with any future projects."

Paul McCartney will release a new album on November 18th, but don't look for it under M on music store racks. Electronic Arguments is his third disc under his dance music alter-ego, The Fireman. Macca wrote all 13 songs, and unlike earlier Fireman releases, this one has vocals. Some of the song titles are "Nothing Too Much Just Out of Sight," "'Two Magpies," "'Sing the Changes," "Travelling Light" and "Lifelong Passion." The last Fireman album, Rushes, was released in 1998.

There's word that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are recording a new album and that it will be released in the new year, prior to the band playing halftime at the Super Bowl on February 1st in Tampa. The Boss...said to be on an amazing creative roll at the moment by some insiders...plans to follow the album with a tour in the spring.

Best Buy has snagged exclusive rights to sell the long-awaited Guns n' Roses' album Chinese Democracy. Billboard says the disc will be released before Christmas, but we've heard that every year since 1995, so take it as you please. Still, the announcement of a specific marketing deal suggests that this winding saga is nearing a conclusion. Irving Azoff, who took over GNR's management earlier this year, set up a similar exclusive deal between the Eagles and Wal-Mart, which sold more than three-million copies of that band's Long Road Out of Eden.

Just days after the loss of keyboard player Richard Wright, Pink Floyd is now mourning the loss of their early manager Bryan Morrison, who died over the weekend, two years after falling into a coma following a polo accident. He was 66. Morrison is the second manager of Floyd to die. Steve O'Rourke, who also worked with Morrison, passed away in 2003.

Deep Purple were joined on stage the other night on five songs by their former keyboard player Jon Lord at a U-K benefit. Singer Ian Gillan had the flu and as a result they reshuffled the set list to include more instrumental numbers. Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson also joined in on three songs, including "Smoke on the Water."

REM guitarist Peter Buck has been reunited with his prized Rickenbacker guitar, which was swiped following a concert in Helsinki, Finland on September 9th. An anonymous source heeded Buck's online plea and returned it late last week.

NEW RELEASES TODAY:

Re-mastered versions of Creedence Clearwater Revival's first six albums are in stores today. Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bayou Country, Green River, Willy & the Poor Boys, Cosmo's Factory and Pendulum each contain studio and live bonus tracks, plus new liner notes. The albums are being rereleased in celebration of what would have been C-C-R's 40th anniversary
Covers by James Taylor CD
Arena by Todd Rundgren CD...new material
Under a Blood Red Sky - Deluxe Edition CD/DVD by U2
Live at Red Rocks [Remastered] by U2 DVD
Iron Man (Two-Disc Special Collectors' Edition) DVD
Chapter 27, which I will never, ever watch
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Three-Disc Unrated Collector's Edition) DVD
2008 Olympics: Beijing 2008 Complete Opening Ceremony DVD
2008 Olympics: Michael Phelps - Inside Story of the Beijing Games DVD
My Name is Earl - Season Three DVD
Season One of Lewis Black's Root Of All Evil
CSNY / Deja Vu DVD
Sports Night: The Complete Series 10th Anniversary Edition DVD HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!!
NUMB3RS - The Complete Fourth Season DVD (Solving crimes...with MATH!)
My Three Sons: The First Season, Vol. 1 DVD

Pizza Deliveries!

Here's a couple lucky winners from the Notre Dame-Purdue Game!

Next home game...YOU could be enjoying some free pizza from Bruno's & some Pepsi! Find out how at WAOR.COM!

Dennis Bruegel of South Bend

Me with Scout Troop 562, and winners David Horvath and Bob Kobyashi

Paul Newman Dead @ 83

He passed away over the weekend after a long bout with cancer.

Pirates. With Tanks.

(found at warrenellis.com)

On Thursday, pirates seized the Ukrainian ship Faina en route to Kenya with 33 Russian-built T-72 tanks and a substantial quantity of ammunition and spare parts. Russia's navy said Friday it had dispatched a warship to the area, and the United States said American naval ships were tracking the Ukrainian ship with special concern because of the weaponry on board.

The hijackings were the latest in a series of audacious maritime attacks off the coast of Somalia, a war-torn country that has been without a functioning government since 1991.

Next Vinyl Monday: News Of The World

This week, Vinyl Monday is getting the royal treatment...

Side A of Queen's epic 1977 release, News Of The World

We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions

Sheer Heart Attack

All Dead, All Dead

Spread Your Wings

Fight From The Inside

Heather Locklear Arrested

Heather Locklear was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Saturday evening in Santa Barbara County, Calif. "Around 4:30 p.m., a female witness saw Heather Locklear driving erratically while leaving a parking lot in Montecito," California Highway Patrol spokesman Tom Marshall tells PEOPLE. "The witness said Locklear was revving her engine loudly, and backed over a pair of sunglasses several times." Soon after, the witness – who apparently didn't recognize the actress – spotted Locklear, 47, stopped on a nearby highway, exiting her vehicle. "The witness called 911 because she was concerned for Locklear's safety," Marshall said. "When a CHP officer arrived, Locklear was found seated inside her vehicle, which was partially blocking the roadway." Because Locklear appeared "disoriented and impaired," she was taken to a local CHP station and drug and alcohol tests were administered, Marshall said. The actress was cooperative.

Fey as Palin again on SNL

Phriday Photo Phinish

(both sent in by our old friend Danny Bloss)

Meijer/WAOR Wednesday Weather Kid

Jeremiah McGee of Mishawaka did a fantastic job!

Hear it now on the usPod - - - - >

Heatherless Headlines

Hot Dogs Outside Philly Ballpark Cause Bomb Scare

Man Hit By Car, Then Train 6 Hours Later

Son's advice becomes dad's sentence for stealing

Drunk driving suspect thanks officers after stop

Construction workers complain about nude skater

Hawk Attacks Puppetry Center Employees

Fake Raffle Prize Turns Into Trip To Jail

Scores Of Tiny Toads Carpet Neighborhood

Tuesday Rock Roundup

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations for 2009 includes Jeff Beck and Metallica. Beck, who was inducted as a member of The Yardbirds in 1992, Metallica's nomination comes in only their second year of eligibility. Also nominated are Chic, not Rush, Wanda Jackson, not Rush, Little Anthony and the Imperials, not Rush, Run-D-M-C, not Neil Peart, The Stooges, not Geddy Lee, War, not Alex Liefson, Bobby Womack, and not Rush.

Led Zeppelin was up for Best Reunion at last week's Vodafone Live Music Awards in London, but the prize went to the Spice Girls, who reunited for a world tour. I submit this as further proof that the English are just...odd. The latest Led Zep rumor has Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones looking for another singer if Robert Plant doesn't make up his mind soon about a reunion. A source tells The Sun, "They've been rehearsing frequently in London and the band is really gelling. There's an American guy who has been standing in for Robert regularly and doing a great job. Obviously they want the original frontman to join them on the road but he still won't commit. They will be finalizing plans for shows over the next couple of months and will tell Robert that if he doesn't want to be involved they will go ahead without him." A spokesman for the band was not available for comment. Plant starts the next round of dates with Alison Krauss tomorrow night in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just six months after they started recording their first album together in London, Eric Clapton and Robbie Robertson have put the project on hold. In February, Robertson told us they were "feeling pretty ambitious" about the disc. But now a source close to Robertson says the project is on the shelf and that no reason has been given, and a spokeswoman for Clapton offers up a "no comment."

AC/DC is streaming another song from their forthcoming album, Black Ice. "War Machine" can be heard on the band's MySpace page. Black Ice will be released on October 20th exclusively at Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and AC/DC.com. VH1 Classic is celebrating the release of Black Ice with a 24-hour marathon on October 19th starting at 6:00 am. They'll show videos, archival footage, BBC concerts, and their legendary Live at Donnington show, which is a cornerstone of every good Rock DVD Collection.

Rush...who were not nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame again...will release a DVD documenting their 2007-2008 Snakes and Arrows tour on November 25th. The 3-disc set was filmed with 21 high-definition cameras over two nights in October 2007 in the Netherlands, with additional footage shot this past July in Atlanta.

Yes singer Jon Anderson is "disappointed" that the band will tour this fall without him. Yes canceled their 40th anniversary tour this summer because Anderson had suffered a severe asthma attack and acute respiratory failure was diagnosed. But earlier this month, bassist Chris Squire announced that they will tour this fall with an Anderson sound-alike he'd found on YouTube fronting a Yes tribute band. Anderson, whose voice is too weak to do an interview, sent us an E-mail saying this is "not Yes... I feel very disrespected, having spent most of this year creating songs and constant ideas for the band." To add insult to injury, Anderson says that with the exception of one phone call from drummer Alan White, no one in the band has called to see how he is feeling. "I'm disappointed that they were not willing to wait till 2009 when I was fully recovered. Getting sick was not on my radar... Of course I wish the guys all the best in their solo work, but I just wish this could have been done in a more gentlemanly fashion -- after all, this is not Yes on tour. I send best wishes to one and all."

Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason has broken his silence on last week's death of keyboard player Richard Wright telling Entertainment Weekly that "Pink Floyd wouldn't have been Pink Floyd if we hadn't had Rick. The sound of Pink Floyd is more than the guitar, bass, and drum thing. Rick was the sound that knitted it all together. Losing Rick is like losing a family member, he's been in my life longer than my wife and kids." The surviving three members of the band are considering a tribute event.

The annual Farm Aid concert was held Saturday at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts, its first time in New England. There are 28,000 farms in New England, 85% of which are family-owned and operated. In addition to Farm Aid founders Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp, this year's line-up included Jerry Lee Lewis, Dave Matthews, perennial Tommie Lee favorite Steve Earle, and not-as-good-as-his-Dad singer Jakob Dylan.

Mick Jagger can take part of the credit for getting Metallica into the studio to record their new album, Death Magnetic. Drummer Lars Ulrich says Mick's people called Metallica's people in the fall of '05 to see if the band would play with The Rolling Stones in San Francisco. Lars told an AustralianWe met up a week before the shows after the better part of a year off and started rehearsing and hanging out. We had such a good time that literally the day after the Stones show, we went in and started going through the demo tapes."

Def Leppard will provide the entertainment at NHL Face-Off Rocks 2008, the opening-day spectacular for the National Hockey League's 2008-2009 season. They will perform their new song, "C'Mon, C'Mon," at the Fox Theater in Detroit before the Red Wings-Maple Leafs game at the Joe on October 9th, where the Wings will raise (wince) their Stanley Cup banner.

Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson came to the rescue last week after a number of UK tourists were stranded in Egypt and Greece following the collapse of the XL tour operator. Dickinson, a pilot, chartered a jet and flew the vacationers back to England. When Maiden tours, Dickinson flies the band's Boeing 747, which is named Ed Force One after their mascot Eddie.

NEW RELEASES TODAY:

David Gilmour, Jackson Browne and Graham Nash each have new albums in stores today.
Gilmour's release, his second live album, is from his 2006 tour. Live in Gdansk, recorded in the Polish port city in August 2006, will be available in 2, 3, 4, and 5-disc sets. The extra discs include DVD of show footage, a documentary, a surround sound mix of his On an Island album, and a disc of bonus live cuts. It will also be available in vinyl, and each version comes with a 12-page booklet. Recently deceased Pink Floyd keyboard player Rick Wright was in Gilmour's touring band.

Nash is reissuing his first solo album, 1971's Songs for Beginners. In addition to the re-mastered stereo mix, there is also a surround-sound mix and a new interview with Nash. The album -- which features appearances by David Crosby, Neil Young and the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia and Phil Lesh -- was written after his break-up with Joni Mitchell. In early 2009, Rhino will release a three-C-D retrospective box set spotlighting Nash's career.

Browne's Time the Conqueror is his first studio album since 2002's The Naked Ride Home. He's currently on tour in support of the album, which includes a stop tonight on The Colbert Report on Comedy Central.

The Sex and the City movie is new to DVD and Blu-Ray today.
George Clooney's football comedy Leatherheads
Run Fatboy Run (the story of an overweight guy who runs a marathon to win back the love of his life.).
The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration Giftset, also on Blu-Ray
No particaularly important TV is on digital today, except maybe the fourth seasons of Boston Legal, CSI: NY and Two and a Half Men.

Vinyl Monday, times Infinity

Side One of Journey's "Infinity" album:

Lights

Feeling That Way/Anytime

La Do Da

Patiently

Shot Of The Week

The Acid Cookie:

1. Take Rumplemintz, Bailey's, Butterscotch Schnapps, and 151.
2. Mix
3. Add Creme
4. Mix again
5. Strain and shoot.

Hear Amanda break it down on the usPod - - - - >

Phriday Photo Phinish

Sunrise over South Bend by kunen

Eddie Vedder Cubs Song: All The Way

Even as a diehard Sox fan...I have to say this is a GREAT song.

Worst Week

Starring Mishawaka HS Grad Kyle BornheimerComing Monday @ 930 on CBS

Aw, shit.

(clickity)

Miller Building Systems to close Elkhart plant

Heatherless Headlines

Coke Dealer's Gas Surcharge

Teen 'detective' leads police to stolen bike

Callers dialing for N.J. Democrats get sex chat offer instead

Sex Toys Stolen During Walker County Burglary

Man clipped by train after lighting cigarette

Auction To Have Paintings By Penguin, Sea Lions

Woman faces charge after dishwashing dispute

Fla. police use Taser on nude man walking a dog

Cops: 'Vacuum salesman' sucked up $25K in jewelry

Ill. priest accused of dealing coke from rectory

Villa Macri's pics

Let's take a tour:

Here's the Canollis...
...tons of desserts...
...mozz Sticks (huge) and eggplant...
... lamb, crabcakes...
...and an amazing salad.

This is the kind of thing we have to look forward to at the Football Extravaganze Tailgate Event this Saturday. Learn more at WAOR.COM!

Prostate Cancer Awareness

(Hear our conversation with Dr. Anthony Avallone on the usPod)

(that's obviously not him on the right)

Don't forget: guys in their late 30s (like me) need to start thinking about getting examined. Learn more Wednesday Night at Goshen Center For Cancer Care's Prostate Cancer Awareness Week event, starting at 7pm.

Call 574-535-2597 to learn more

Pictures from the weekend storms

Washed-out Boland Drive, taken by Patrick Henthorn.

Worst Job in South Bend: fighting the storm drains during a torrential downpour. (Taken by me Saturday Night on my way to bowling, which explains the quality.)

Tuesday Rock Roundup

Richard Wright, one of the founding members and keyboard player of Pink Floyd, died today in England at the age of 65 from cancer. He was born on July 28th, 1943 in England, and met Floyd members Roger Waters and Nick Mason in College, where they all studied Architecture. His keyboard work was a central part of the Floyd sound, and he sang lead on such early Floyd recordings as "Astronomy Domine" and "Matilda Mother." Two of his songs from Dark Side Of The Moon -- namely "The Great Gig in the Sky" and "Us and Them" -- are among Floyd's definitive classics. But recording the album The Wall in the late '70s, he had a falling out with Roger Waters and quit the band, only to be hired back as a paid employee. He was reinstated as a full-time member when David Gilmour and Mason resurrected the band in 1994 for The Division Bell album and tour.

The non-traditional Friday release of Metallica's Death Magnetic hasn't hurt sales. U-S music industry sources project that the album will come close to selling 500-thousand copies in its first three days in stores, which handily beats the 418-thousand St. Anger moved when it was released on a Thursday.

Bryan Adams will head into Georgia Friday for a free concert that is being billed as "Peace, Freedom and Democracy for Georgia." No, not the US Georgia...the other one. The concert will be staged in Tbilisi, and organizers chose Friday because it marks 40 days after the deadly conflict in the Eastern European nation. The Christian Orthodox faith believes that after 40 days, the souls of the departed go to heaven.

John Mellencamp will be featured on a Bio Channel special titled Back Where We Started. The documentary-style show will examine Mellencamp's Southern Indiana roots. For the show, Mellencamp will perform September 23rd at the Crump Theater in Columbus, Indiana for the first time in 32 years. Some tickets being sold will benefit local flood relief. No word on when the special will air.

Original Beatles drummer Pete Best releases a new album today. He tells us the songs on Hayman's Green are "biographical, about my life story." His life story includes that famous firing, for which he has never been given a clear explanation -- though he suspects producer George Martin was most responsible. While the mystery remains, Best exudes little anger. He seems at peace with performing in small clubs and occasional Beatle fan fests.

Meanwhile, The Beatles have been honored with five statues in Hamburg, Germany. Why not four? The Beatles had five members when they made their mark there in the early '60s, so the statues portray John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stu Sutcliffe and a hybrid for original drummer Pete Best and Ringo Starr. (Ringo was not in the band at that time.) The statues, which cost 776-thousand dollars, were unveiled last Thursday. Mayor Ole von Beust said during the inauguration, "It is about time that Hamburg commemorated this great band."

Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007 From Chicago P-B-S special won an Emmy Award over the weekend for Outstanding Special Class Music Program.

NEW RELEASES:

Gift Of Screws by Lindsey Buckingham (Audio CD - 2008) (his fifth album, his second studio album in three years)
Torchwood - The Complete Second Season ~ (DVD - 2008)
Will & Grace: Season Eight ~ (DVD - 2008)
Criminal Minds: The Complete Third Season ~ (DVD - 2008)
And new to DVD with 1st Seasons out today are Pushing Daisies, Chuck, Private Practice, and Dirty Sexy Money
Speed Racer (Widescreen Edition) ~ worth a rental only because of Christina Ricci (DVD - 2008)
88 Minutes ~ with Al Pacino (DVD - 2008)
The Love Guru ~ Mike Myers (DVD - 2008)
Made of Honor ~ (DVD - 2008)
Beetlejuice (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) ~ (DVD - 2008)
And Special Editions of The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles ~ (DVD - 2008)

Tina Fey's Dead-On Sarah Palin from SNL

School Closings

(from our partners at WNDU)

Cassopolis Public Schools - Closed
Dowagiac Union Schools - Closed
Duneland School Corp - Closed Including St. Patricks
Edwardsburg Schools - Closed No Preschool Orientation
Galien Township Schools - Closed
LaPorte Community Schools - 2 hour Delay
Lewis Cass Intermediate - Closed
Marcellus Comm Schools - Closed
New Prairie United Schools - 2 hour Delay
Niles Community Schools - Closed
River Valley School District - Closed
So Central Community Schools - 2 hour Delay
St Mary's School in Niles - Closed
Trinity Lutheran in Sawyer - Closed
Veritas Academy - Closed

1984 on the next Vinyl Monday

What else is there to say?

Enjoy!

Monday morning, 9a

Streaming online at http://www.waor.com

Latest on Hurricane Ike

Click here.

Shot Of The Week

The Girl Scout Cookie Shot: Bailey's Kahlua, Peppermint Schnapps

Phriday Photo Phinish: Good Advice

Some good advice from the Buffy The Vampire Slayer creator...
...here's part of the LHC, the thing in Europe that didn't manage to rip the planet apart early Wednesday morning when they flipped it on...

...Obama and McCain arrive together at Ground Zero Memorial Event...

...and Hurricane Ike, late Thursday Night, shifted course and headed directly for Houston...

Hurricane Ike

Never in 20 years of broadcasting have I ever heard the National Weather Service use the words CERTAIN DEATH in a forecast, until Thursday Night. Here's the meaty part of the actual Hurricane Warning Update for Galveston...unreal...

... Storm surge and storm tide...

Tide levels will begin rising Friday morning and will exceed 5 feet above mean lower low water along the Upper Texas coast and along the shorelines of the bays by mid to late morning Friday. Water levels will rise rapidly beginning late afternoon Friday as the storm surge moves in with water levels peaking Friday night and early Saturday. Maximum storm tide levels are highly dependent on the track of the storm and variations in the track of only 15 miles can make differences of several feet more or less from some of these values.

Maximum water levels forecast:

Gulf-facing coastline west of Sargent... 5 to 8 feet

Shoreline of Matagorda Bay... 5 to 8 feet

Gulf-facing coastline Sargent to High Island including Galveston Island... ... 12 to 16 feet

Shoreline of Galveston Bay... 15 to 22 feet

Life threatening inundation likely!

All neighborhoods... and possibly entire coastal communities... will be inundated during the period of peak storm tide. Persons not heeding evacuation orders in single family one or two story homes will face certain death. Many residences of average construction directly on the coast will be destroyed. Widespread and devastating personal property damage is likely elsewhere. Vehicles left behind will likely be swept away. Numerous roads will be swamped... some may be washed away by the water. Entire flood prone coastal communities will be cut off. Water levels may exceed 9 feet for more than a mile inland. Coastal residents in multi-story facilities risk being cutoff. Conditions will be worsened by battering waves. Such waves will exacerbate property damage... with massive destruction of homes... including those of block construction. Damage from beach erosion could take years to repair.

Bad News/Good News Music News

Pete Buck is no doubt finished with the Finnish. His favorite guitar was stolen from the stage in Helsinki, FInland on Tuesday night. REM issued a statement saying: "This is Peter's infamous signature Rickenbacker, which has been the staple of Peter's arsenal both live and in the studio since the band released Chronictown in 1982. Needless to say, this instrument means a great deal to Peter and to REM. It is our sincere hope that whoever is responsible for the loss, or whoever has information which can help recover the guitar, will come forward to receive a generous reward, no questions asked." In the event someone on this side of the pond has a clue, E-mails can be directed to fanclub@remtour.com. REM, and the deservedly pissed-off Peter Buck, are in Estonia tonight.

We missed one on the Tuesday Rock Roundup this week. AC/DC re-released their 1996 video No Bull earlier this week exclusively at Wal-Mart and Sam's Clubs outlets. Filmed in July 1996 at a bullring in Madrid, Spain, this newly restored director's cut was put together by David Mallet, who directed the video for their new song, "Rock n' Roll Train." Bassist Cliff Williams says, "That was actually a very good show," but adds that the backstage area smelled of bull feces since there was a bullfight the day before the concert. Despite that, he says, the sound was awesome in that arena. AC/DC will release their new album, Black Ice, on October 20th, also as a Wal-Mart and Sam's Club exclusive.

Heatherless Headlines

Man bills Michigan town $156 for cleaning bathroom

Elkhart looks for time capsule that time forgot

Cops: Twins tried to switch identities during stop

Prisoner sues for pain, stress over moldy cookies

Police: Man blames bad driving on spilled beer

Police seek shoplifting swimming suspect

Dad accused of leaving son while fleeing police

Fish flies out of lake, breaks Arkansas teen's jaw

Authorities: Burglar wakes men with spice rub

Man in wheelchair robs Texas 7-Eleven of condoms

Meijer Wednesday Weather Kid!

Griffith rocked the house!

Hear him now on the usPod - - - - >

Pandemic Game

It's a game where you try to create a disease that kills everyone on the planet.

http://www.crazymonkeygames.com/Pandemic-2.html

World To End Today

Clickity.

Charlie Weis To Hell With Michigan Video

(about 1:20)

Tuesday Rock Roundup

Robert Plant is still not committing to a full-scale Led Zeppelin reunion. Jimmy Page, speaking at the Toronto Film Festival this past weekend in support of the documentary he is part of, It Might Get Loud, said, "If you're going to do a reunion, you need four members." Page also warns fans not to read too much into those recent sessions with John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham. "We're not actually really recording. We played at the O-2 in London last year. That was our reunion. It's nothing as monumental as what people are speculating and projecting."

After numerous delays, the 25th anniversary of ZZ Top's Eliminator arrives in stores today. The deluxe CD and DVD package includes seven bonus tracks, five of which are previously unreleased live cuts, plus packaging that features rare photos and extensive liner notes from longtime band publicist and confidant Bob Merlis. The DVD contains videos of the album's singles as well as rare live performances. ZZ were of course big before '83s Eliminator, but the album made them superstars.

The Rolling Stones fan club It's Only Rock and Roll polled its members, and more than six-thousand responded with their choice for favorite album, song, tour and other things. The most popular album is Exile on Main Street with 25-percent of the vote. It was followed by Sticky Fingers (17-percent) and Let It Bleed (11-percent). Some Girls and Beggars Banquet each received five-percent of the votes.

John Mellencamp is in New York tonight for a benefit to raise money for the National September 11th Memorial and Museum that's being built at Ground Zero. Attendees will pony up a thousand dollars a plate for the dinner at Cipriani Wall Street, which is being hosted by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Graham Nash, David Crosby and Stephen Stills will start work this winter on an album of acoustic cover songs for their first album since 1994. Rick Rubin will produce the planned summer release that will be supported with a tour. Right now, they have a list 30 songs, all covers, which they will whittle down.

Heart issued a statement last week saying they were unhappy that the GOP Nominees did not ask for permission to use their song "Barracuda," and that they wouldn't have granted permission even if they did. Guitarist Nancy Wilson told Entertainment Weekly dot com "I think it's completely unfair to be so misrepresented. I feel completely [bleeped] over." Vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin was apparently called "Barracuda" during her high school days. Jackson Browne and Eddie Van Halen have also asked the McCain campaign to not use certain songs.

NEW RELEASES THIS WEEK:

FRIDAY: Death Magnetic by Metallica (Audio CD - 2008)
TODAY: Eliminator (Collector's Edition) (CD/DVD) by ZZ Top (Audio CD - 2008) - Collector's Edition
Jonny Lang: Live at Montreux 1999 by Jonny Lang (DVD - 2008)
Grey's Anatomy: The Complete Fourth Season ~ Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh, and Katherine Heigl (DVD - 2008)
Medium - The Fourth Season ~ Medium (DVD - 2008)
Smallville - The Complete Seventh Season ~ Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, Kristin Kreuk, and Erica Durance (DVD - 2008)
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 3 ~ Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia (DVD - 2008)
The Big Lebowski - 10th Anniversary Limited Edition ~ Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, and Steve Buscemi (DVD - 2008) one version of this release comes in a special bowling ball-shaped case
Baby Mama ~ Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Greg Kinnear, and Dax Shepard (DVD - 2008)
The Forbidden Kingdom (Two-Disc Special Edition + Digital Copy) ~ Jet Li (DVD - 2008)
C.S.I. Miami - The Sixth Season ~ David Caruso, Emily Procter, Adam Rodriguez, and Khandi Alexander (DVD - 2008)
...and Rudy [Blu-ray] ~ Sean Astin, Jon Favreau, Ned Beatty, and Greta Lind (Blu-ray - 2008)

Fantasy Football Free-For-All: Week 1

Congrats to John Ontiveras of South Bend...he wins a $50 gift certificate to Roc's Sports Cafe because a tie always goes to the listener!

John = 3 tds (McNabb & LaDanian)

Roc = 3 tds (Romo & Westbrook)

Ragz = 2 tds (Fav-Ruh & Addai)

Craig = 1 td (Peyton & Ocho Cinco)

Tommie = 1 td (Brady & Gore)

Candy-O on the next Vinyl Monday

This side was suggested by Clare, who listens in Elkhart. Thanks Clare!

Side One of 1979's Candy-O, the sophomore release from The Cars:

Let's Go

Since I Held You

It's All I Can Do

Double Life

Shoo Be Doo

Candy-O

I admit to not having any nuggets of knowledge to share about this album, so I dug a little and found this story at wikipedia (which means it could be total bullshit). Interesting, either way:

The original concept of using pinup art came from the band's drummer David Robinson, who also suggested that it should be painted by the then 83-year old Vargas. According to Johnny Lee, Vargas was initially uninterested in doing the cover, until persuaded to do so by his great-niece. He agreed and suggested the elegant "Varga Girl"-like dancer named Nancy Beth as his model. They went to see her dance in a black mesh-sleeved leotard and he picked out a dance step Nancy Beth called the "rose petal" where the woman's hand was stretched demurely across the forehead and eyes like a petal. Vargas' niece asked her if she would be willing to pose for Vargas. After Nancy said no to the nudity, the record company hired another girl, coincidentally named Candy, who later dated one of the band members, to finish the modeling for Candy-O in the semi-nude. However, Alberto Vargas's first few paintings were rejected by the record company until he removed the nipples and pubic hair anyway. The black mesh leotard and demure "rose petal" pose of the original dancer remained.

Shot Of The Week

The ET:

Layer Midori, Bailey's, & Vodka

A Simple Phriday Photo Phinish

He Was The Great Bill Melendez, Charlie Brown

The voice of Snoopy and Woodstock, who also had the distinction of being the only animator ever permitted to bring the entire Peanuts gang to life, has died at 91.

Coming Soon dot net has the details.

Did you know there were 63 of those shorts? 63??? Damn!

U2 Album Update

U2 have pushed back the release of their next album to 2009. On the band's official website, Bono says, "We've hit a rich songwriting vein and we don't want to stop. This is our chance for us to defy gravity once again... I thought a while back we might have the album wrapped by now, but why come up above ground now if there's more priceless stuff to be found? We know we have to emerge soon, but we also know that people don't want another U2 album unless it is our best ever album. It has to be our most innovative, our most challenging...or what's the point?" He goes on to say they've written more than 50 songs and are recording in the South of France.

Heatherless Headlines

Family Racks Up $19,370 Cell Phone Bill

Neb. man sues prosecutor to get his leg back

8-Foot Mechanical Ape Missing

Police Fooled By Life-Sized Doll

NYC Man Charged With Selling Stolen Bras On Web

Covington Jaywalker Turns To Mooning After Ticket

'Goldilocks' crook caught

Michigan couple tie the knot at funeral home

Nice dig at Obama

great cartoons by Henry Payne

Meijer Wednesday Weather Kid On WAOR!

Nick Ritchie from Nappannee did a great job!

Hear the audio this morning on the air,

or on the usPod on the side of this page - - - >

Republipalooza, Day 2 (Day 1 called on account of rain 1000 miles away)

'Twas Service To America Night in St. Paul, MN.

Great tributes to Bush 41, all the P.O.W.s in the crowd, a CMH Winner who died protecting his buddies in Iraq two years ago, and emergency response people who rescued survivors of the tragic bridge collapse last year in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

First Lady Laura Bush introduced her husband, who was working in Washington and spoke via satellite. The President made mention of "The Angry Left" in his speech, and of McCain's spirit. W heads to Lousiana today.

Fred Dalton Thompson came out and spilled the same vitriol about Obama having no experience, but then called Palin "a breath of fresh air". "She has the Democrats and their friends in the media in a panic". "She's the only candidate on any ticket in history who can field dress a moose. With the possible exception of Teddy Roosevelt."

Joe Lieberman also spoke, but I wasn't really paying attention to him while he did. Same problem I had with him when he was still pretending to be a Democrat, eight short years ago, and on the party ticket. He's usually as engaging a speaker as the podium he stands behind.

And while all this was going on...protestors outside the Excel Center were being broken up with pepper spray and tear gas. Ah, politics...

Former NYC Mayor/Presidential Candidate Rudy Giulliani and Veep Nominee/Alaska Governor Sarah Palin speak tonight.