:: Tommy is being resurrected by Townshend and Daltrey. Simon Townshend and Roger Daltrey, that is…

:: Not only did Apples in Stereo frontman Robert Schneider invent a new instrument, but Jeff Mangum composed some music for it.

:: I’m utterly speechless. Honest.

:: The Strokes are already back in the studio working on a new album. Sucks, because I was really hoping I wouldn’t have to hear anything from them for at least another five years.

:: Fine Print Mag rides again.

:: Enrique Iglesias cleaned up at the Latin Music Awards. I only mention this because friend of Buzzgrinder and former XYZ Affair frontman Alex Feder plays guitar for ole ‘Rique these days. Also because I let the rhythm take me over.

:: Craziness. Andrew W.K. helped The Locust cover Crossed Out.

:: Random tracks that don’t suck:

:: X-Ray Spex frontwoman Poly Styrene passed away at the age of 53 after battling breast cancer.

:: Sub Pop will be giving Sebadoh’s Bakesale the super ultra deluxe reissue treatment.

:: I’m not sure how Drowned in Sound — or anyone not on serious drugs — could think Radiohead’s video for Lotus Flower is the cream of the crop so far this year.

:: My Morning Jacket gets some Atom and His Package style props for talking about black metal in a song.

:: The lineup for this year’s Lollapalooza is one big snoozapalooza (good one, right?), save for maybe five bands. And none of them are headliners.

:: The Strokes must be even more hard up for coke money than I thought.

:: To celebrate 10 years of metalcorific existence, As I Lay Dying will be working on “a combination of new songs, cover songs and a few remixes.”

:: Random tracks that don’t suck:

:: If you can’t wait until Feb. 8 to hear new … Trail of Dead, Spin has given us a sneak peek with the lead track, Summer of All Dead Souls.

:: That new Strokes album folks have been waiting for will apparently be out in “a few months.”

:: Some more acts have been announced for Spain’s Primavera Sound Festival.

:: The real Bruce Springsteen and the fake Neil Young joined forces to sing that song about hair.

:: Hepcat buzz band Cults, who everyone either loves or hates but I’ve found some way to be almost completely indifferent about, recently signed to Columbia.

:: Billboard is getting all whiny about what they wanted from the Beatles’ iTunes debut.

:: What will Interpol do now that bassist Carlos Dengler has left the band? Oh yeah, keep putting me to sleep. Yeah, I said it.

:: That new Strokes record all the kids are clamoring about should be hitting stores this January. Sorry Liam, no word yet on whether it will contain any “proper tunes.”

:: Looks like perennial DIYers Plan-It-X Records won’t be doing anything themselves soon, since they’ll closing up shop.

:: If you had to guess who played to the largest concert crowd ever, Rod Stewart would be your first guess, right? Yeah, me too.

:: Jani Lane arrested for possible DUI. Excuse me while I have a heart attack from the massive shock this revelation gave me.

:: Tamales!

:: Random tracks that don’t suck:

:: Looks like we’ll be getting a new Strokes album in September.

:: Spinner talked to Andrew W.K. for their comprehensive SXSW coverage, and he admitted that he’s not a legend. But he does like to party hard.

:: Armored Saint likes to cook. Men after my own heart.

:: Bygones will be playing some shows in April.

:: Want to hear the new Small Brown Bike seven-inch? Of course you do.

Julian Casablancas, Jimmy Fallon, Horatio Sanz and The Roots all doing the Christmas song of the decade together!?!? Hells yes. Talk about a supergroup!

Julian Casablancas – I Wish It Was Christmas Today

Maybe it’s because they start getting blasted over loudspeakers even before Thanksgiving these days. Or maybe it’s because I hate holidays (that’s my wife’s guess). But regardless of what it is, I can’t really stand most Christmas songs. At least not the normal Christmas fare. But I can handle original yuletide anthems from random bands alongside some non-traditional renditions of carols here and there.

In fact, My favorite might be Come on! Let’s boogie to the Elf Dance! by Sufjan Stevens year in and year out. However, this time around, it might have to be Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas’ cover of the Saturday Night Live classic, I Wish It Was Christmas Today. Even though it differs a bit from the original and the instrumentation can’t match Horatio Sanz’ immaculate guitar chops, I still say it’s tops for 2009.

What about you? You have a favorite Christmas song? Regular carol? Interesting cover? An original maybe?

Julian Casablancas – I Wish It Was Christmas Today
Sufjan Steven – Come on! Let’s boogie to the Elf Dance!

:: Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine did the forward to a book about influential metal songs. My guess is it goes something like this: “These songs are pretty influential and all, but they aren’t as good as most of my music. Especially those Metallica songs.”

:: Pixies in New York, and of course BrooklynVegan is there to document it. Lucky bums.

:: Gibson is in trouble. The guitar manufacturer is being investigated for allegedly using illegal wood to make their guitars.

:: I can imagine an instance where someone might be arrested for tweeting, but it’s tough to imagine an instance where someone is arrested for not tweeting. Luckily, I don’t have to imagine it, since an Island Def Jam exec was booked for just that.

:: Spoon is pushing the release of their new album, Transference, up a week, from Jan. 26 to Jan. 19. In other words, the new Spoon album is probably all over the webs.

:: What with all the Julian Casablancas worship these days, I figured we wouldn’t see new music from The Strokes for some time, but apparently that’s not the case.

Remember when Buzzgrinder was good? You know, before we jumped the shark? Yeah, we don’t either. But we are going to crack open our archives once a week anyway, to see what we were talking about around this date in the middle of the decade, now that it’s almost over and all.

:: Wait, so there was a time when you couldn’t watch videos on your iPod? Who knew?

:: The Strokes were working on new music. Seems like just yesterday that they were completely old hat and passé. I guess it was at least five years ago, after all.

:: The RIAA seemed to be gunning for satellite radio, but they survived… well, sort of.

:: A Zao DVD makes sense, right?. What doesn’t make sense is that it took so long for someone to put one out.

:: Sometimes I forget that Conor Oberst isn’t new at this whole supergroup thing.

:: Who still misses Imaginary Baseball League? All of us, that’s who.

:: Against Me! was in a bus accident, and Kill Hannah’s van was destroyed by fire.

:: The new Copeland album sold 10,384 copies in its first week.

:: Eddie Vedder goes on a diet to prepare for the upcoming election.

:: Crustcake reviews Amon Amarth at Irving Plaza, with multiple photographs of vikings.

:: In Flames played in Milan. That’s in Italy.

:: Dudes that used to be in a popular band are now in other bands. One of these bands involves a person named Binki Shapiro.

:: Deathwish has a 21-song sampler for download.

:: VIDEOS >
Bleeding Through – Death Anxiety [Way Too Loud]
The Sword – How Heavy This Axe [MTV]
Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster’s – The Day Hell Broke Loose at Sicard Hollow [Hurley]