For those of you who were blissfully unaware, former Velvet Underground frontman and eternally overrated lyricist Lou Reed teamed up with thrash metal legends/lawsuit enthusiasts Metallica to record an album. When I first heard this news, I figured that the resulting music would probably suck, but held out some hope that the collaboration would somehow inspire everyone involved to raise their game and make an album worth listening to…

Later I learned that the album was “inspired by German expressionist writer Frank Wedekind’s plays Earth Spirit and Pandora’s Box, which tell the story of a young abused dancer’s life and relationships”, and knew that it was going to suck, but hopefully wouldn’t be a gigantic embarrassment to all involved. Then “The View” was released, and it was the single least enjoyable piece of music I’ve heard all year (Yes, worse than this). The only reason I listened to the entire song was to make sure it didn’t end with Lou Reed saying “Just kidding! We’ll release the real single next week.”

Now the inevitable has happened, and you can listen to Lulu in its entirety on the internet. My original plan was to listen to the whole album and live-blog the experience. Then I realized that this stupid thing is 87 minutes long and scrapped that idea. Instead, I looked at the accompanying lyrics pages and decided to highlight some of the, er, lowlights. What follows are some of Lou Reed’s worst lyrics, in the order they appear on the album.

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Foster The People are at the tail end of their hugely successful US tour, selling out many of the venues after their enourmous rise to popularity over the past few months. They just performed on Saturday Night Live, and headed back to their home to play two sold-out gigs at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. I attended their show on October 15th, with opening acts Reptar and Cults. It was my fourth time seeing them, and they have only improved since the first time I saw them.

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Tune in to Scriptcast (A Screenwriting Podcast) this Friday at noon for a very spooky episode…

Matt and Script Doctor Eric will be joined by screenwriter Jennifer Zhang and her new horror film DEAD INSIDE that is just finishing post-production.

Jennifer will be talking about Dead Inside, her favorite horror films, and how to write screenplays that scare the pants (or Power Glove – see pic) off readers.

Got a question for Jennifer?  Tweet Eric (@scriptdreric) or Matt (@tweetofmatthill) before or during the show!

If you miss Friday’s show, don’t fret!  You can catch all the episodes of Scriptcast by subscribing to the screenwriting podcast on iTunes!

Seriously.

Seriously, how much do you LOVE the LA music scene and going to concerts? Enough to go 51 shows over the month of November? Our pals over at Goldenvoice want to hook you up with tickets to see every single show they’re throwing in the Los Angeles area next month.  Their Showvember Contest wants to send you to see Tune Yards, m83, Ra Ra Riot, Holy Ghost!,  Childish Gambino, Frank Ocean, Flying Lotus, Katy Perry, Yo Gabba Gabba and Morrissey, just to name a few off of their long list.  A ton of these shows are in high demand and have already sold out, so this is your chance to get in! You could literally have the best November of your life, and all you have to do is enter their contest either here or through Facebook.

Act quick though! The contest ends this Thursday Oct 27th, so make sure you enter ASAP!  51 concerts in 30 days? You could totally do it.

Here’s the full list of shows that you could win tickets to!

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All of these films should be readily accessible at you local online video store, or you can get them delivered to your house by online rental products like Blockbuster or Netflix. In any case, you’ll be enjoying substantial tales of corruption, hype, and murder in no time at all.

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St. Vincent played the Music Box this past Tuesday, October 18, with opener Cate Le Bon.  Not only did the leading ladies play fantastic shows, they left the crowd begging for more.

The show had sold out, and when I arrived about fifteen minutes before Cate Le Bon began playing, the floor was already packed with tons of people, a good number who were a bit pushier than I expected for a St. Vincent show, prying their way to the front.

Cate Le Bon began her set, and her performance was rather simple. Stationary on the left side of the stage, Le Bon played a relatively short set and did not begin until past 9. Regardless of the Music Box’s ridiculously late start times, she had an eager and responsive audience.  Her performance reminded me of Lætitia Sadier (of Stereolab)’s performance at the Greek a few weeks ago.  Both musicians have a similar performance style that shows their musicality. However, it may not be what people are necessarily looking for, especially when audiences are anticipating high-energy performances following openers by musicians like St. Vincent.  The combination of the anticipation of seeing St. Vincent and the contrasting performance styles between Cate and Annie Clark made Cate Le Bon’s set seem, unfortunately, not as memorable.

St. Vincent kicked her set off with “Surgeon”, and the night kept getting better and better after.  Seeing Annie Clark perform live completely blew me away.  In one respect, she’s an incredibly petite, very polite woman who drank from a blue mug while onstage. On the flip side, she puts everything she can into her performance, making it a powerful experience.  And even despite letting everything loose and playing as hard as she can, Clark still has incredible control over her playing.  The contrasts of her album, “Strange Mercy”, the beautiful vocals paired with the grungy and raw instrumentals, are clearly present in Annie Clark herself, and for St. Vincent, those contrasting tones work.  In fact, I don’t even think that the recordings can even do her sound justice.  There are elements of passion and fire in St. Vincent’s live performances that somehow are not translated as clearly into the recorded albums, but regardless, the set was an incredible experience. Clark played a smorgasbord of tracks from her new album as well as a few from “Actor”.  Additionally, she covered The Pop Group’s song “She’s Beyond Good and Evil”, and closed her set with the sole “Marry Me” track, “Your Lips are Red”.

Annie Clark has so much power in her vocals and ridiculous talent at playing guitar, I continue to greatly admire her as a musician and an artist.  I don’t think I will ever forget her performance at the Music Box, and my ears are still blown out because of it.

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UCLA Radio has tickets to Escape from Wonderland and we want to give them to YOU! This new event from Insomniac events is taking place on Saturday October 29th in San Bernardino at the NOS Events Center and you could be there! Just follow us on Twitter and check out our Facebook page to find out when we’ll be giving away tickets on-air and online.

This Halloween, from the people that brought you music festivals like Nocturnal Wonderland and the Electric Daisy Carnival, Insomniac presents its signature, fully immersive audiovisual festival experience, but transformed into a Wonderland gone MAD! For the first time ever, you can experience the haunted world of Halloween, Insomniac-style.

The NOS Event Center will be completely turned inside-out, where grotesque creatures and devilish dancers beckon from behind dark corners, and a wrong turn could land you in a custom-built Haunted House! This bone-chilling adventure will be full of eerie art installations, pyrotechnics, and other terrors to go along with the world-class soundtrack, including Afro Jack, ATB, Benny Benassi, Dash Berlin and many more! You are invited to join if you dare.

You can tune in to EQ on UCLARadio.com/listen.pls on Tuesday October 25th from 10PM-12AM to enter to win! Or, head over to our Facebook and Twitter pages where we will give more info about how you can enter online!

To find out more about Escape, to buy tickets, or to prepare yourself for the experience, check out the official Escape from Wonderland website, follow Insomniac on Twitter and like the event on Facebook. You can also check out the newly released trailer for the event below.

Want to see some great local bands FOR FREE this Saturday night? Come join UCLAradio.com at Brew Co to check out some of Los Angeles’ best up and coming bands!

First up is UCLA’s very own Alto! Made up of all UCLA students, this string trio blends different aspects of alternative music to create a unique, fun, and exciting sound that you’re definitely going to want to check out. (Read more about them and their music right here)

Next, Dandelo will take the stage. They’ve been flying up the College Music Journal Top 200 chart, and this is your chance to check them out up close and personal!

Last, but certainly not least, everyone will be treated to the sounds of The Lonely Wild. They “look to the American West, drawing influence from the ever-poignant Woody Guthrie, contemporaries Wilco, and the legendary Ennio Morricone whose sonic vision defined a genre for generations,” and are sure to make you a believer after  you hear them.

So come this Saturday FOR FREE (21+), and have a great time with UCLAradio.com! We’ll see you there!!!

For those of you staying in on a Friday night, be sure to check out the new show on NBC, Grimm, at 9/8c.

Grimm is a new drama series inspired by the classic Grimm’s Fairy Tales starring David Giuntoli (”Turn The Beat Around”) and Bitsie Tulloch (”quarterlife”).

Portland homicide Detective Nick Burkhardt discovers he is descended from an elite line of criminal profilers known as “Grimms,” charged with keeping balance between humanity and the mythological creatures of the world.

As he tries to hide the dangers of his new found calling from his fiancé, Juliette Silverton and his partner, Hank Griffin (Russell Hornsby, “Lincoln Heights”), he becomes ever more entrenched in the ancient rivalries and alliances of the Grimm world.

With help from his confidant, Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell, “Prison Break”), a reformed Grimm creature himself, Nick must navigate through the forces of a larger-than-life mythology, facing off with Hexenbiests, Blutbads and all manner of ancient evils, including royal lines dating back to the original profilers themselves, The Grimm Brothers. Reggie Lee (”Persons Unknown”) and Sasha Roiz (”Caprica”) also star.

Find out more about the show by watching the trailer (here) and tuning in at Oct 28th at 9!

Pittsburgh’s prodigal son returns with a mixtape that‟s as well-rounded as we ever heard. The mic skills are there, the authenticity is there, and the fun is there too. It’s just really a matter of when not if Mac blows up.”- HIP HOP WEEKLY

Mac Miller is a new breed of rapper. He brings back the fun loving music of the 90’s into today’s misguided direction of trashy artists and catchy beats. Graduating from high school and already releasing his debut mixtape Kool Aid and Pizza Miller brings a fresh young vibe to the rap genre. Being compared to Will Smith by a hip hop legend, DJ Jazzy Jeff Miller is one the right path to establishing his place in hip hop history. By fighting the stereotypes of the “white boy rapper” Mac Miller vibrant personality seeps through his songs and into our hearts. With songs such as Poppy, Miller pours out his experience with the death of his grandfather and his view of the world. Check out some of his music and let us know what you think.

~Turnt Up Thursdays

UCLARadio.com is giving away VIP tickets to the advanced screening of the new film, The Rum Diary, starring Johnny Depp, Amber Heard and Aaron Eckhart! The screening is taking place on Thursday October 27th at The Grove at 7:30PM. Just head over to our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter to find out how you can enter to win!

The Rum Diary, based on the novel of the same name by Hunter S. Thompson, tells the increasingly unhinged story of itinerant journalist Paul Kemp (Depp). Tired of the noise and madness of New York and the crushing conventions of late Eisenhower-era America, Kemp travels to the pristine island of Puerto Rico to write for a local San Juan newspaper run by the downtrodden editor Lotterman (Jenkins). Adopting the rum-soaked lifestyle of the late ‘50s version of Hemingway’s “The Lost Generation,” Paul soon becomes entangled with a very attractive American woman, Chenault (Heard) and her fiancée Sanderson (Eckhart), a businessman involved in shady property development deals. It is within this world that Kemp ultimately discovers his true voice as a writer and integrity as a man.

“Hunter S. Thompson became close with Johnny Depp during the filming of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and showed Depp the unpublished manuscript for The Rum Diary,” says producer and FilmDistrict co-founder Graham King. “I am extremely proud to bring this novel to film and to honor Hunter’s legacy.”

The Rum Diary hits theaters on Friday October 28th! Check out the trailer below. To find out more about the film, check out it’s official Facebook page and follow @FilmDistrict on Twitter!

October 14th, 2011 was a day I was reminded how much I love Metal. As the audience threw their horns and banged their heads in unison, I felt myself being consumed by the atmosphere of the crowd. I was overwhelmed by the sense of happiness and excitement; it was as if I was teleported into a completely different world. I’ve been to many concerts, but not a lot could give me such a surreal experience as the Enslaved, Alcest and Junius show. Performing at Troubadour, a venue perfect for underground bands, Enslaved, Alcest and Junius gave an excellent performance that satisfied everyone who attended the show.

Junius, a replacement for Ghost, turned to be a surprise for many people. They classify themselves as indie rock, but such generalization falsely represents their music. They are a band that incorporates elements of post-rock, shoegaze and alternative rock. Their music at points were as Ethereal as Explosions in the Sky and were as Amorphous as Les Discrets. I was pleasantly surprised by their extraordinary talent, as I never knew of them until the show. Their performance was marvelous beyond expectation.

Alcest came out and did what was expected of them. They put on a wonderful performance with a balanced set-list composed of songs from both of their releases. However, I felt that the vocals were turned way too low throughout the set. At certain points of their set Neige’s singing was practically inaudible which ruined the experience for many of the audiences. Neige’s atmospheric vocals are an irreplaceable part of Alcest’s music. As a result, they at times sounded incomplete. Nevertheless Alcest put on one of the most tranquil and beautiful shows I have ever seen.

Enslaved, put on a lively and humorous show. Grutle Kjellson is a man who has mastered the art of bass, growling and small talk. In addition to their excellent performance, Grutle made the crowd laugh, cheer and rouse with his fronting skills. They kept their set-list varied by playing their old and new material. They also surprised the crowd by unveiling one of the tracks off their new EP called “Heimvegen” which was a composition influenced by the 90s Norwegian Black Metal. Ice Dale’s guitar performance was exceptional and Grutle’s vocal works were fantastic. They quickly transformed the audience who were dazed by the atmospheric music of Alcest into a whirlpool of chaos and madness.

Enslaved, Alcest, and Junius were all incredible live. I thank Troubadour and the musicians for setting up an amazing show and I will go back to see any of the bands second time if I had the chance. Enslaved and Alcest are both planning a release in the near future and Junius released a self titled album during August. I highly recommend everyone to pick up a copy.

T.M. (DJ Ziltoid)

Metal Manifesto

Saturday 10PM ~ 12AM

British electronic musician and producer Gold Panda will be gracing the Echoplex on October 24^th to kick off his North America tour.  Gold Panda has impressively put out two EPs and one digitally released full-length album, Companion, in the past year, all quickly following his critically acclaimed 2010 “Lucky Shiner” release.

Gold Panda’s live performances are not for the epileptic.  He is sure to bring a high-energy show to Echo Park next week.  Gold Panda’s music is inventive yet nostalgic. Australian experimental solo artist, Jonti, will open, along with the LA based band, Touché.  Tickets are still available, but why not go for free, courtesy of UCLAradio? Listen to these shows for your chance to win!

Between the Covers, Mondays 2-4 PM (Oct 17)

And check out this video of Gold Panda performing “You” live at B-Side Manila for a taste of next Monday!

Need something to do this Saturday night? Stop by the Westwood Brewing Company and check out some great artists!

Before the headliners take the stage, up-and-coming band News of the Fire will do their thing. Hailing from LMU, this group of student musicians ready to give you all a  ”punch of early Kings of Leon with a stomach kick from Modest Mouse, but with the vitality of the most recent Cold War Kids record.”

To wrap up the night LA Font will rock Brew Co to the ground. With influences like Avi Buffalo, Wavves, and Pavement, LA Font is sure to please. Just listen to what these people had to say about them!

“I showed up at the Echo last night – not entirely sure of what to expect, but ready to hear some good music. LA Font did NOT disappoint.” – BestNewBands

“All jagged guitar licks and fractious vocals … one of my favorite bands on the local LA scene.” – everybodystalking

“LA Font constructs a world full of honest, steady rock music and biting vocals that will pluck you from your seat with the first guitar strum.” – BeatCrave

It’s a 21+ show, and for $5 at the door (student discount, $8 for General Admission) it’s cheaper than a movie and about 1000 times more entertaining. UCLAradio.com will be there, you should be there too!

Tune in to Scriptcast (A Screenwriting Podcast) this Friday at noon as we welcome actor/comedian and Bruin Alumni Randall Park to the UCLA Radio studios!

We’ll be asking Randall about his role on the show Supah Ninjas, co-founding LCC here on campus, working on Judd Apatow’s latest movie, what Ton Loc is up to, Randall’s awesome website RandallParkPlace.com and anything else we can think of.

Got a question for Randall?  Tweet it to Script Doctor Eric – @scriptdreric – before or during the show!

See you Friday!