Even though J Mascis and Lou Barlow are staying pretty busy on their own, they’re setting aside a week in June to hit the East Coast with Dinosaur Jr. — while playing 1989′s landmark album, Bug, in its entirety! As if you need to sweeten that deal, the run will also be populated with folks like Off!, Fucked Up, Thurston Moore and Henry Rollins.

So who wants to hit New York with me in a couple of months? Road trip? Zeppelin trip?

See the Dinosaur Jr. Bug tour dates.

:: Hockey — the sport, not the band — compelled John Darnielle to choose Merge for his latest Mountain Goats record.

:: One dude has taken it upon himself to remind the world that Ben Weasel was always a stinker.

:: I remember talking about the questionable legality of siphoning used vegetable oil out of receptacles with Aaron Weiss back when mewithoutYou was one of the few bands that used the stuff to power their van. Well, it looks like Off! found out how questionable the legality was. The punk rock supergroup got arrested for taking oil from behind a restaurant in Arizona.

:: Lady Gaga loves Rebecca Black.

:: It looks like Rich Hall had plenty of fun at Full Metal Texas this year.

:: If you can’t get behind the mic because of stage fright, you might want to check out these books.

:: Gwen Stefani is finally doing something good after ruing ska all those years ago (just kidding, ska was ruined at least a decade before that). She’s donating $1 million to aid the relief efforts in Japan.

:: Random tracks that don’t suck:

Yes, Keith Morris might be trying to hide his balding scalp under giant dreadlocks and a big rastafarian hat — but don’t hold that against Off! We’re talking 16 tracks of straight-up hardcore punk beauty. It’s a bunch of dudes getting back to their roots, and going off in the process.

It might not hold up perfectly against the genuine article (e.g. don’t listen to Black Flag, then pop this in thinking there won’t be a drop off), but this is the kind of thing that makes you want to punch someone in the face, then punch yourself.

Some folks seem to think the new Kanye West is the perfect album, but you can decide for yourself (here’s a hint, though: it’s not). Who knows, maybe even some delusional folks will say the new My Chemical Romance is perfect (here’s a hint, though: probably not).

But at least we get the stuff from Off! and a couple of giant Rolling Stones vinyl box sets to offset the hype. Other than that, it’s a lot of live albums and greatest hits collections with less than 13 LPs in them. Thank you, holiday season…

:: 16 Horsepower, Yours Truly

:: The Chariot, Long Live

:: The Doors, The Doors – Live In Vancouver 1970

:: Elephant Revival, Break In The Clouds

:: Florence + the Machine, Between Two Lungs

:: Giant Sand, Blurry Blue Mountain

See the rest of this week’s new releases.

What Keith Morris lacks on the tippy top of his scalp, he more than makes up for in energy. And that’s an accomplishment, because you get pretty lethargic when you’re bald. I know from experience.

See the Off! photos from Fun Fun Fun Fest.

:: Conan O’Brien has announced the lineup for the band that will back him on Conan. Thankfully both LaBamba and Jimmy Vivino (who will be the new bandleader) are members of the Basic Cable Band.

:: Off! will be performing for Spinner’s Interface during CMJ.

:: During a Runaway screening, Kanye West admitted that he’s considered suicide in the past. Just because I’m going to refrain from saying something mean right now doesn’t mean you have to.

:: Maybe if Victory Records didn’t spend so much getting Gilbert Gottfried to talk about lemonade, they wouldn’t have to worry about losing as much money due to illegal downloading. Then again, what’s an extra $10?

:: Guns N’ Roses could be in some trouble after starting 90 minutes late in Manchester — and playing two hours after the venue’s curfew.

:: On a related note, Dave Navarro admitted that his heroin addiction kept him from joinging GNR when Axl came a-callin’ after Izzy left.

:: When Lil Jon isn’t busy getting crunk while drinking CRUNK!!! out of his crunk cup, he apparently likes to stand on street corners and sell pizzas with Gary Busey. You know, the great American pastime.

:: Geology just released the five-song Three Birds EP. The band includes Greg Jehanian from mewithoutYou, so of course Buzzgrinderers will enjoy it.

:: Random tracks that don’t suck:

I’m sitting here thinking, “This painting isn’t very punk rock.” Then I’m proven wrong at the last second. But still no giant hair billlowing around, mesmerizing me like some great of mesmerizing dealie.

Keith, broham, you need to let that hair down. You know the reason everybody’s watching this Off! video is to see those beautiful, golden locks waft in the breeze. It’s like seeing Gallagher without the watermelons. Bono without the sunglasses. Billy Mitchell without the America ties.

:: If nothing else, Manchester Orchestra seems to at least be having a good time in the studio.

:: Liam Gallagher might not have been super pumped about Oasis splitting initially, but ‘In hindsight it was the best thing that’s ever happened, because we’re free to do whatever we want.” I bet that’s what Garfunkel said, too.

:: Carl Newman lays out the real story for The New Pornographers‘ name. Surprisingly, it has nothing to do with that one movie he made in college.

:: Punknews recently talked to Keith Morris about Off!, his new band.

:: Um, no thanks.

:: Dreamover Records put out Brandtson‘s Dial in Sounds on vinyl a little while back, and now they’re looking to do Send Us a Signal with your help.