Stars Announce More Tourdates, Recall Television Acting Stints

Remember when Torquil Campbell, the singer of Stars, starred in an episode of Sex and the City in 2000? Sure you do! But did you know that the other members of Stars also starred on a few hit shows back in the day? Really! Check out the list below:

- Amy Millan may be a singer/guitarist in Stars today, but back in 1994, she was originally cast as “Monica” on Friends. She backed out after a few episodes, and Courtney Cox was given the role instead.
- Evan Cranley has been playing bass in Stars since their formation in 2000, but two years prior to that he played a prison guard in the finale episode of Seinfeld.
- Chris Seligman helped form Stars with Torquil, and he actually hasn’t acted in any television shows, but rumor has it he used to be a porn director before Stars hit it big.

Aspiring actors/waiters, be sure to ask Stars for their showbiz advice when they play your town:

RIP: Ann Spencer Gates, Radio Show Host, Matador Publicist

From a post by Gerard Cosloy on Matador's blog:

Though mentally manipulating Spin editors and pursuing TV bookings wasn’t previously Spencer’s forte —- we’d first encountered her via her awesome job co-hosting the Mystery Girls show on Cambridge’s WMBR many years earlier — to say she took to the gig like she’d been doing it all her life was an understatement. The insight, humor and attitude she brought to the office every day not only made her the perfect person for the job, it sometimes felt like we’d all been doing it together forever. And I mean that in a good way.

Spencer played an absolutely pivotal role in the success of Pavement, Liz Phair, JSBX,Bettie Serveert, Pizzicato Five, Guided By Voices, Railroad Jerk and many others you know and love. She was a tremendous friend to the label’s artists and it would not be an exaggeration to say there’s a period in the label’s history that might’ve turned out very differently were it not for her.

Spencer passed away on Sunday, July 6. Our thoughts are with her friends and family.

Mission of Burma's Clint Conley:

Spencer was such a gas -- so funny, and sassy and tuned in. I was a dedicated listener of her show in the 80s -- total irreverence, anarchic fun, such a psych hearing them getting all jacked up over the music they'd be checking out that weekend. Thinking of Spencer, I am more convinced than ever that the most inspired part of any cool music scene usually has less to do with the musicians than the musicians would like to think.

- Matador Records
- Cambridge’s WMBR
- Obituary in Wicked Local
- Memorial service details

Best Buy to Try Vinyl Sales Again, Asks Self: “Didn’t We Used To Sell This?”

Well, folks, prepare to purchase your vinyl without an old coat of dust and poor independent record store lighting -- your baby’s returning to the big time. Vinyl, the long-thought dead and "outdated" form of musical storage and presentation, is getting a test tryout at select Best Buy stores. Could this be the first tiny step for mainstream vinyl reemergence? Will this be the crossing of the Rubicon for the endless and non-profitable war between CDs and LPs? Will I have to start buying my records at Best Buy once they inevitably overtake the market and control all distribution chains with their massive bulk-quantity discount-buying? Am I over-exaggerating?

However surprising this may seem, it isn’t really unexpected: vinyl has been quietly (and with a fuller sound!) resurging back into the populace (TMT News). According to Jackie Crosby of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, vinyl makes up only 0.2% of total sales compared to 90% of CDs, amounting to nearly one million units sold. This may seem small for an entire format, but that “nearly one million” is a 15%(!) increase and the highest level in three years, according to Nielsen Sound Scan.

Crosby goes on to further explain that Best Buy’s willingness to give this old war horse another shot is due to the growing demand and sales figures from local Minneapolis record stores. She also illustrates that, contrary to popular belief, vinyl music cannot be directly copied to a digital format (except for the many models of record players built for that specific purpose, obviously) and points to the growing amount of hip, young artists who are simultaneously releasing their work on CD, LP, and digital formats.

Best Buy states that this “test” will take place “at an undisclosed amount of locations... to avoid artificially tipping the scales.”

RIP: Natasha Shneider, ex-Queens of the Stone Age, Eleven

From a post by Joshua Homme on the official website of Queens of the Stone Age:

On July 2nd, at 11:11 AM, Natasha Shneider passed away. She ended her time in this Life with the style and poetry that she lived all the days previous, crossing over while held in the arms of her closest and dearest. No words can encapsulate the unwaivering strength she provided, adversities she overcome, the talents she possessed & nutured, the sharpness of her wit nor the beautiful complexity of her intellect. We are so thankful for her influence & the gift of her friendship.

A celebration of Natasha Shneider will be held in Hollywood at the Henry Fonda Theatre on Saturday, Aug 16th. Further details will be released shortly. All proceeds of the benefit and donations made will go to the relieve the burden of Natasha's fight against cancer. To donate, go to NatashaShneider.org

Now is all we have. May you all make the most of it.

- Natasha Shneider Memorial Fund
- Queens of the Stone Age
- Wikipedia entry
- IMDB entry

Q: How Can I Ween My 15-Month-Old Baby Off Breastfeeding?

A: However you choose to Ween, you should do so gradually, for both of your sakes. Try eliminating one feeding for a few days, then another, replacing it with random Ween albums, like White Pepper or last year's La Cucaracha, released on Rounder Records. Which feeding should you eliminate? Look for the one that your baby has the least interest in. For most, this is the middle of the day when there is much going on to serve as distractions. Remember, you can still nurse in the mornings and evenings, even if you work full-time, so if you eliminate the midday feedings first, it will be the least invasive on your routines.

Ween slowly and gradually. And, like, if you want someone to watch you Ween your baby, I can come over tonight.

Read All About Ponytail’s Upcoming Tour Here, Because Their MySpace Page Will Make You Barf

It doesn’t get any better at Ponytail's official site. I am so dizzy; everything looks so... Baltimore (I get to say that because I’m from there.) I don’t know what to click. There are GIFs of soccer balls, pictures of palm trees, and a desktop screen capture (although the partial view of the iTunes library suggests someone was rockin’ out to Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. I can get behind that.)

Ponytail are hitting the road with Joan of Arc in July, Don Caballero for most of August, and spending September bouncing from show to festival in Europe. Not too shabby. Their publicist has also hinted at “soon-to-be-revealed tours planned for ’09 with two Best New Music bands...” I hope it’s Weezy.

Ponytail’s newest release Ice Cream Spiritual (TMT Review) is out on WE*ARE*FREE now.

U.S. tourdates:

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