BANDS BEYOND THE BREAK-UP

From Sparky's Nightmare to Fleetwood Mac, a bunch of rock'n' roll bands carry on even after the couple within them collapses. For example:

* JOHN DOE and EXENE CERVENKA of X
* GWEN STEFANI and TONY KANAL of NO DOUBT
* SONNY and CHER
* CARRIE BROWNSTEIN and CORIN TUCKER of SLEATER-KINNEY
* LINDSAY BUCKINGHAM and STEVIE NICKS (and STEVIE NICKS and MICK FLEETWOOD) of FLEETWOOD MAC
* BOY GEORGE and JON MOSS of CULTURE CLUB
* possibly BOB MOULD and GRANT HART of HUSKER DU (though it's difficult to confirm they were a couple, despite rumors)
* ANNIE LENNOX and DAVE STEWART of THE EURYTHMICS
* JACK WHITE and MEG WHITE of THE WHITE STRIPES
* MAC and LAURA OF SUPERCHUNK
* LAURYN HILL and WYCLEF JEAN of THE FUGEES
* RICHARD and LINDA THOMPSON of FAIRPORT CONVENTION (who toured while they were gettting a divorce)

AGONIZING CONFUSION ABOUT THE BUFFAY FAMILY TREE

On "Friends" DVD Marathon: Day Two, I'm wondering why in some episodes Lisa Kudrow's character Phoebe has only one sibling, her twin sister Ursula (also played by Kudrow) and in other episodes her only sibling is goofy pyromaniac Frank, played by Giovanni Risbisi.

I'm watching an episode right now from Season 5 wherein Phoebe's long last father returns and he's talking as if he only had two children, Phoebe and Ursula.

Am I unaware of a plot point?

"La Vie En Rose"

Saw the new Edith Piaf bioflick last night at the historic Tampa Theatre and while I thought it contained some singulalry beautiful scenes and great acting, it was edited into a non-linear hodgepodge of horric incidents in Piaf's life, one after another, which frankly, made it a really jolting, depressing experience.

So...go see for yourself.

The number one song on the day I was born was George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord"

which is, conveniently, my favorite song of all time.

Find out the song that was number one on your special occasion (s) by consulting:

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/



and thanks to the radtacular Christine O' Brien for making me hip to this site.

GORE VIDAL ON AMERICAN POLITICS

"There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party . . . and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit stupider, more rigid, more doctrinaire in their laissez-faire capitalism than the Democrats, who are cuter, prettier, a bit more corrupt — until recently... and more willing than the Republicans to make small adjustments when the poor, the black, the anti-imperialists get out of hand. But, essentially, there is no difference between the two parties."

-GORE VIDAL

HAPPY INDIE DAY!

Think about what it means. Don't be a slave to big business, government, celebrities or technology.
Read a book. Pet your cat. Kiss a sweetie. Love your mom.

Sissy Spacek as LORETTA LYNN, etc

(Whispering) I'm right now watching "Coal Miner's Daughter," the great LORETTA LYNN biopic starring Sissy Spacek who not only nails the acting part, but manages to sing the tar off the roof of all Lynn's hits. (Beverly D'Angelo also does a convincing job portraying Lynn's buddy PATSY CLINE in the film).

Hands down, Spacek is my all-time favorite actor-portraying-a musical -legend. She is peerless.
Spacek's portrayal is on one end of the spectrum with Dennis Quaid's cartoony JERRY LEE LEWIS at the other.

Here's a list of other actors playing musical types. Give me your thoughts on your faves (and non-faves). Add more.

* Jessica Lange as PATSY CLINE
* Tom Hulce as WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
* Joaquin Phoenix as JOHNNY CASH
* Reese Witherspoon as JUNE CARTER CASH
* Diana Ross as BILLIE HOLIDAY
* Gary Oldman as SID VICIOUS
* Jennifer Lopez as SELENA
* Lou Diamond Phillips as RITCHIE VALENS
* Gary Busey as BUDDY HOLLY
* Jamie Foxx as RAY CHARLES
* Angela Bassett as TINA TURNER
* Val Kilmer as JIM MORRISON
* Phillip Seymour Hoffman as famed rock critic LESTER BANGS
* A bunch of actors have portrayed ELVIS PRESLEY including Jonathan Rhys-Meyer, Kurt Russell, and Michael St. Gerard

And in Todd Haynes' new "I'm Not There," (2007) seven actors and actresses including Christian Bale, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, and Cate Blanchett portray BOB DYLAN in all his various eras.


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