Courtney Love To Have Garage Sale of Cobain Stuff

Honestly, if anyone else had to get rid of their deceased loved one’s belongings, they would have a garage sale or just take them to Good Will. Especially if said belongings are just a bag of flannel shirts. But when your deceased ex-husband was Kurt Cobain, and that bag of flannel shirts belongs to him, the game can suddenly change. So Courtney Love is auctioning of Cobain’s belongings. She says it’s going to happen at Christie’s auction house. Oh, how we’d love to see how Love fits in at a place like that! She says her daughter doesn't need to inherit a bag of flannel shirts.

It’s nasty but you can read the story if you want!

Scotty's got a photo of Sheryl Crow's bathroom!

It was very brave of him to sneak in there, however he did it. But he took a photo for his blog so we could finally figure out what all this one-square-per-session craziness is about. Crow thinks we should only use one square when we potty to save the environment. We could only imagine what types of leaves she may be wiping with. Then Scotty brought this into work!

See it here, leave your own caption.

Too Sick For Court – And It’s Not Who You Think

Day Three of the Spector Spectacle didn’t really happen…Phil Spector’s lawyer has called in a sick day. There are no details on the lawyer’s illness, but jurors got the day off today. So hopefully we’ll have the official Day Three of the trial tomorrow so we can get our money’s worth out of following this thing. It’s already starting to feel like the Michael Jackson trial again – except it was Jackson and not his lawyer who was always calling in sick.

Get more info here.

We Have To Wait All Weekend For More Of The Spector Spectacle

Phil Spector's murder trial won't be back until Monday. So we have all weekend to wonder if he really didn't kill actress Lana Clarkson simply because she was taller than him. The trial has only just begun and we're awaiting some juicy details. So far we have learned that he once pulled a gun on Joan Rivers' former manager. Though that is not nearly as exciting as one pulling a gun on Joan Rivers -- something we imagine many have wanted to do over time -- it is one interesting detail nonetheless. We've also heard his gun-brandishing legends before. So we'll wait and see what comes out in Day Three of the trial on Monday.

More on the manager's testimony.

Day Two Of The Spector Spectacle: Science Will Prove His Innocence

Today is Day Two of Phil Spector’s murder trial and his defense says science will prove actress Lana Clarkson killed herself. The prosecution called Spector “sinister and deadly.” This is all not terribly exciting, but that’s what we’ve got for you right now.

Stuff You Need To Know About The McDowell Mountain Music Festival

First off, this isn’t your big chance to make that great bootleg tape of Los Lonely Boys doing Heaven. Sorry to burst your bubble but recording devices aren’t allowed. You can, however, bring a lawn chair. Just remember you can’t bring an umbrella for shade. It’s going to be 97 degrees this weekend, so remember to wear your sun block and if you want to bring water you have to make sure it’s in sealed containers. That about covers the basic pertinent info, but if you want the rest, read the FAQs.

Performers This Weekend:


Friday

Gelatinous Groove
2 Tone Lizard Kings
Tea Leaf Green
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
The Neville Brothers
Bob Weir & Ratdog

Saturday

Azz Izz Band
Walt Richardson & the Peaceful Warriors
Papa Mali
Jackie Greene
Railroad Earth
Toots & The Maytals
Los Lonely Boys

Oh yeah, it’s at West World and parking is $5.

The Peak will be there at the festival – are you going? And who are you going to see? Do share in the comments section!

Waste company time looking at watermelon art

Why not -- we have! Thanks to Peakerhead Gladys for the photos! If you have a cool or funny photograph for the Peak Dope, e-mail heather AT 987thepeak.com.

The Many Eccentricities of Phil Spector

He’s a hermit.

He’s a bit of a recluse, living first behind gates and “keep out” signs and then – a castle. He kept his mansion dark all the time and didn’t really leave at all.

He didn’t grant an interview to anyone for a good 25 years until talking to Mick Brown of the Telegraph in the UK. He didn’t work for about 23 until producing two songs for a Starsailor record.

He put up an electric fence around his mansion and employed bodyguards – as if the fence weren’t enough.

Not an average kid…

Cheated at Monopoly and Scrabble as a kid.

Dreamed of being strangled in his youth.

In his early years of songwriting, he told all he met he was a genius.

His parents were first cousins.

His given first name is actually Harvey.

Temper, Temper!

He held ex-wife Ronnie prisoner in their mansion when they were married.

When she was on tour with the Ronettes, he’d call make her leave the phone next to her face on the pillow so he could hear her breathing all night long.

He bought her a mannequin replica of himself for her to keep in the front seat of a sports car he bought her. He was a bit possessive of her because he was afraid she’d “run off” with a Beatle, according to biographer Richard Williams. Then Spector hooked up with the Beatles himself, salvaging a Let It Be album in which the title track was devoid of strings and choir at that time.

Spector once pulled a gun on The Ramones during an argument as they were recording. That’s not all though; he allegedly held a gun to a former girlfriend/employee’s head in two separate incidents. His violent, curse-ladden outbursts were legendary. If you think Alec Baldwin’s voicemail to his daughter was bad, you never were on the receiving end of one of Spector’s ragefests.

According to the prosecution today, Spector had a pattern of getting drunk, taking a woman back to his place, then when she wished to leave he’d forbid her. He’d threaten her with a gun to force her to stay.

Had a reputation the preceded him as a control freak.

Phil Spector Links:

A rare Spector interview by Mick Brown

Richard Williams, Biographer, speaks about Spector

The Prosecution’s Opening Argument today

The Phil Spector Spectacle Begins Today

We could call it what it really is – a trial – but we all know it has the potential to be a spectacle. If you’ve been waiting for a salacious celebrity trial to come to TV for the past two years since Michael Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges in 2005, here you go. Fifty reporters are expected to sardine themselves into the courtroom so you can expect this one to be all over the news wherever you may turn for it.

How The Mighty Have Fallen…
Not that Spector was ever the picture of grace; you did notice his preferred hairstyle, right? Spector is (or was) a musical genius. He was the guy who created the “Wall Of Sound.” It’s quite an accomplishment for a teenager who initially hoped to become a French translator for the UN. He was working with big names by age 21 like Sonny Bono and the Valley’s own Glenn Campbell. By this time he was also a millionaire, having played a role as either musician or producer in 1960s hits like The Drifters’ On Broadway and Ben E. King’s Spanish Harlem.

He put out not just a few but 20 consecutive hits at one point, including:

The Crystals – Da Doo Run Run
The Crystals – Then He Kissed Me
The Ronettes – Be My Baby
The Righteous Brothers – You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling
Darlene Love – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
John Lennon -- Imagine
George Harrison -- My Sweet Lord

With hits like that which have been reissued several times, it’s easy to imagine the incredible royalty checks Spector receives twice a year. But all was never roses and honey with Spector who allegedly abused ex-wife Ronnie of the Ronettes. Spector is known as being the rich, tormented, eccentric – but extremely gifted producer. More on his eccentricities later because the Peak Dope writer has to go to a meeting.

Listen to Patti Smith Cover the Stones

Patti Smith has released a new album today, titled Twelve. It's all covers, including a cover of the Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter which you can listen to here on her MySpace page. She also covers Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Ride For The Children Photos

Heather volunteered at the Ride For The Children on Sunday and took photos of some very tired cyclists. She was at the 45-mile post clanging a cow bell and handing out peanut butter sandwiches. The Ride raises money every year for homeless children across Arizona.

The Warren Beatty as Nixon Rumor Won’t Die

So let’s keep spreading it until someone says it’s really just a rumor. And honestly, we can see him as Nixon. Why have we never noticed the resemblance before?

War of the Roses 2007: Basinger Hires Bodyguard For Daughter

Thank goodness for Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin and their drama! We were getting very disappointed with the lack of celebrity divorce drama lately. Things had gotten too quiet. Then a threatening phone message from Baldwin to his daughter with Basinger made headlines. Now, Basinger has hired a bodyguard to protect daughter Ireland from Baldwin.

Full story

Sheryl Crow Spares No Squares

Mary blogs about the whole Karl Rove broo-ha-ha on her blog. But as for the Peak Dope, check this out!

Sheryl Crow wants you to wipe your precious ZZ Top Tush with just one square of toilet paper every time you go. While that would certainly make that 48-roll Costco-sized pack last about a year, we can only imagine that would make things really messy. And is toilet paper our biggest environmental problem anyway?

Crow also cites paper napkins as an eco-sin. So she’s designed a clothing line just for those who want to worship Mother Earth by forgoing paper products while eating – her clothes come with a “dining sleeve.” So the question is this: will there be a potty sleeve designed in as well?

Full story here.

The 4 Stages of Life

Yes Done on a Fiddle

Kansas Played By a Fiddler

Alec Baldwin Takes Vow of Silence

What parent hasn’t called their child a pig at some point? It’s a little strange to leave your kid an angry voicemail like Baldwin did. But we’d sure love to hear what the kid did to deserve a tongue lashing like that.

Bob Dylan Gets Interviewed by Rolling Stone

Wait, that’s not news. This has happened before. But what’s really interesting is how he interviews the mag’s editor right back. Bob Dylan’s enquiring mind wants to know…what’s it like to be recognized intellectually after 40 years of magazine publishing?

Check it out.

New Hollywood Hoo-Hah!

There’s a Surprise on The New Nine Inch Nails Album

Look at this! You put the CD in the player and it’s black. When you take it out of the player, it’s white! Then it slowly starts going back to black! That’s the surprise you get if you buy Nine Inch Nails’ new album Year Zero. The CD, or its label, is thermally reactive.

Shrek 3 Soundtrack To Have Covers or Heart and Sly & The Family Stone

Get ready to hear Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas do Sly & The Family Stone’s Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Self Again. We can’t wait to hear that one because with Donkey and Puss in Boots doing the song, it’s bound to be funny. Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas will have a cover of Heart’s Barracuda on the soundtrack. The album comes out May 15, three days before the movie opens up -- just in time for Memorial Day Weekend.

Jackson Brown on How Songwriting Has Changed

He also talks about Bob Dylan and what kind of concerts he’d like to do with Rolling Stone magazine. Listen to him talk to the magazine during an interview.

Def Leppard Tour Dates Announced

Yes, we get a date on the tour – Septemeber 20 at Cricket Pavilion. That’s a 50-date summer tour with Styx and Foreigner. You couldn’t get Def Leppard off tour last year because fan demand was so high. So expect these babies to sell out quickly. More info on an on-sale date to come…check back!

Stevie Nicks Calls Out Messed Up, Ditzy Hollywood Starlet

This is awesome! Ever get tired of hearing about people like Lindsay Lohan? So does Stevie Nicks.

Apparently Lohan has this fantasy she can play Nicks in a biopic. Nicks has something to say about that and says it to Blender Magazine:

"Lindsay Lohan thinks she is going to play me,” says Stevie Nicks, “But what the hell movie does she think she's talking about? There is no book, there is no screenplay, there is no movie. There is never going to be a movie made without me, because it’s never going to be the story of me. Even though a lot has been written about me, the fact is that nobody actually has a clue to what my life was really like. So good luck, Lindsay.”

Stop rolling on the floor laughing now before your boss notices you’re not working.

Peak into the gossip.

Will Ferrell Upstaged By 2-Year-Old

You may or may not have seen the short video sketch of Will Ferrell getting chewed out by his “landlord,” Pearl. Either way, here’s the story
behind the hilarious sketch in which Ferrell gets cursed out by a drunken toddler.

In an age where actors get paid millions per film, it's nice to see someone as talented as Will Ferrel put out a simple, quick comedy sketch over the Internet just for kicks.

Nickelback Electronic Single, Video Raise Money for Charity

Nickelback Raises $400,000 For Charity! They did it with sales of their song “If Everyone Cared.” The band is donating 100% of digital sales of the song and its video to two different charities: Amnesty International and International Children’s Awareness Canada.

Meanwhile, lead singer Chad Kroeger was handcuffed at a strip club. Now thatis rock n’ roll! Kroeger was handcuffed for blocking police but wasn’t charged with anything. Maybe that’s good karma kicking in after raising that 400K for charities…

Heather Mills Meets Gravity

Heather Mills takes a spill on Dancing With The Stars! Sir Paul probably enjoyed this. And if he didn't, we can at least be certain daughter Stella enjoyed it.

Peakerman Tries Out For The Price Is Right

Is Mr. Peakerman on the loose?

We can only suppose he wants the job because he’ll get to hang out with those Price Is Right girls. Or maybe he’ll get to be in an Adam Sandler movie someday if he gets the gig like Bob Barker did. Maybe he’s getting tired of us spending all his money and giving it away to Peakerheads that he’s trying to teach us the value of a dollar. Laundry detergent…$3.95 right?

Androgyny Is The New Black

Mark our words now – Sanjaya has begun a new androgyny trend in America. Months from now you will be wondering why boys and girls look the same and you can map it all right back to Sanjaya on American Idol. Maxim online has even made him the girl du jour.

Madonna Vs. Angelina: Which Diva Can Adopt More Babies Faster?

It’s the do-gooder version of keeping up with the Joneses. Except the Jones family today could actually be the Pitt-Jolie or Ciccone-Ritchie families. Take your pick. Madonna, of the Ciccone-Ritchie dynasty, is currently back in Malawi checking out another little boy to adopt. We recently heard the Jolie-Pitts aren’t done adopting either. Are adopted babies from poor nations the new black? They’re trendier than a Fendi handbag!
Check it out.

Peak Dope: Now Let's Have a Laugh!

This is great! It's really old people doing The Who!

Sunday Dope: Let's Just Have a Good Cry

Because this is such a lovely video, it must be shared, and it will probably make you cry.

Peak Dope: Live Earth – Al Gore’s Chance To Play Bob Geldoff For 24 Hours

Just two summers now since Live 8, and it’s time for a new live, world-wide concert event and a snazzy new cause to go with. This time around the Bob Geldoff role is to be played by Al Gore, though we see no reason, (‘cause there are no reasons) why Geldoff wouldn’t show for the London arm of this big event. But he’s not on the bill at this time. It’s just hard to picture a big show like this without him!

Live Earth is set for July 7 on all the only continents that count – if you’re counting, that’s six. The concert will be televised all over the world and webcast live on MSN. The big line-ups are in New York and London, of course. While Live 8’s cause was to raise awareness of poverty in Africa, Live Earth’s cause is on a much greater scale. The Live Earth goal is in regards to our climate crisis. The smokin’ line-up just may help save Mother Earth. Or at least it will be a great show.

At Giants Stadium in Jersey:
Smashing Pumpkins
The Police
Roger Waters
Dave Matthews Band
Kanye West
Akon
AFI
Alicia Keys
Bon Jovi
Fall Out Boy
John Mayer
Kelly Clarkson
Rihanna
Melissa Etheridge
KT Tunstall
Ludacris

London’s Wembley Stadium:
Madonna
Genesis
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Foo Fighters
Beastie Boys
Black Eyed Peas
Bloc Party
Corinne Bailey Rae
David Gray
Damien Rice
Duran Duran
James Blunt
Keane
John Legend
Paoli Nutini
Snow Patrol
Razorlight

Lindsey Buckingham To Play Mesa June 8

It’s almost two years old and has brought in some pretty big names so far, but Lindsey Buckingham at the Mesa Arts Center? Now that’s cool. Tickets went on sale to MAC members today and go on sale to the general public on Monday, April 16. Buckingham is set to play the MAC’s Ikeda Theatre at 8:00 pm June 8. All seats cost $45 and you can buy them at the MAC box office at 480-644-6500 or www.mesaartscenter.com. This small, modern, and intimate East Valley venue is going to be a great place to hear this guitar virtuoso.

No, we don't pay them to do this. Hollywood Hoo-Hah gives new meaning to "free" entertainment. Emphasis on the free.

Presidential Candidates Have Friends?

Your kids could right now be cavorting online with a presidential candidate. Ok, not really. They are likely “friends” with someone on MySpace who is running for President of the United States and interacting with whichever intern runs the MySpace account. Guess who’s most popular?

Page down for more Peak Dope from the week on Keith Richards, his mother, Elton John, and the Tempe Music Fest. Don't forget to visit the homepage to watch our two new episodes of Peak TV! There's one of Scotty giving away a thousand bucks and video of Everclear at the Tempe Fest.

Go here now to watch Peak TV.

Don't forget we're on MySpace now, just like the presidential candidates.

Ever read our One Liner News?

You should. Sometimes it's actually funny. Or just entertaining. Yeah...that's it!

Keith Richards In Trouble With His Mommy

It was bad enough we all fell for his “I snorted my father” joke – if it was indeed a joke. But imagine how Momma Richards felt when she heard that. She hasn’t been feeling very well lately as she’s a cancer patient. We can feel Keith’s guilt from over here!

Keith Richards In Trouble With His Mommy

It was bad enough we all fell for his “I snorted my father” joke – if it was indeed a joke. But imagine how Momma Richards
felt when she heard that. She hasn’t been feeling very well lately as she’s a cancer patient. We can feel Keith’s guilt from over here!

Peak Dope: Elton John Sells Tons of Albums

Elton John’s album comes out ahead of a new album from Jennifer Lopez on the album charts…and news people everywhere are acting like that’s a surprise? Even an album of greatest hits we’ve all heard before -- that you can probably hear any day you turn on The Peak -- could sell better than a new album of whatever J.Lo puts out.

We don’t think this is a big deal , so we’re’ just laughing at the news cycle.

Laugh with us! Leave a comment below.

That's right, laugh with the sinners rather than cry with the saints.

Peak Dope: Keith Richards Was Just Joking. Sheesh!

Heather here blogging about the whole “snort me up” debacle.

Relax. Keith Richards was only joking when he said he snorted his dad’s ashes. His spokesperson is on damage control right now trying to set the record straight.

By the time I heard it was all a joke, I had already thought deeply about Riff-Hard’s snorting of his daddy’s ashes. I was trying to figure out what would possess him to snort some ashes. I thought with all the various powdery substances no doubt sitting around the Richards manse, it would be easy to mix up a pile of daddy’s ashes with a pile of cocaine or a pile of the housekeeper’s Ajax for that matter.

Maybe it was an accident or a dare. Like maybe the most notorious cocaine snorting rocker of the moment, Pete Doherty, dared him to do it. Imagine the coversation.

PD: “I’ll snort anything. I bet you won’t”

KR: “Very, uh, huma, calligooguh nah.”

KR translation: “Will too, whippersnapper.”

PD: “Oh yeah, snort your dad’s ashes. I bet you won’t.”

KR: “Ooh, kit poo har har eh what you kodukah.”

KR translation: “You know I will! Get my credit card and a mirror!”

PD: “Alrighty, mate! I bet you some naked photos of my girl, Kate Moss.”

KR: “Errr, uh-huh, saw ‘em those uh errr huh.”

KR translation: “Oh, we’ve all seen those, haven’t we?”

Then I kept thinking about Richards snorting his dad’s ashes and it brought to mind a visual of Captain Jack Sparrow bent over a mirror with a dollar bill. It is not an image I can erase from my mind.

It would actually make snort of a nice father’s day story, no? (That’s not a typo). Richards said his dad wouldn’t have cared about being snorted up into his son’s sinus. I think my own father would be a little mad at me if I snorted his ashes. He’s not dead yet but I already know it wouldn’t be his wishes to end up inside my nose. If I did it, he’d undoubtedly haunt me by magically making my skirts grow down past my knees before leaving the house. I hear the dead have special powers like that.

I also hear people in Phoenix are the most offended by the “Snort Me Up” story and for good reason. We spend our every day here working on curing sinus infections, colds, and allergies undoubtedly influenced by the brown cloud hanging above our city. To hear that someone would actually snort some dust up into the nasal passages on purpose is something we just don’t understand!

Finally, I have been reading the NME article that started all this. Read it because it proves my imaginary conversation between Doherty and Richards will never happen because he doesn’t like Doherty. He’s actually friends with Moss and thinks Doherty should just leave her alone.

If that’s not enough Peak Dope for you right now, relax. I’ll be back later with more.

Feel free to leave us a comment about this friend you had who did something crazy with the ashes of Someone Who Shall Remain Nameless. Remember “Meet The Parents” and how the urn of grandma’s ashes got knocked over and broke? Feel free to share stories like that with us. Just don’t use your real name. We don’t want to be dragged onto Springer with you when your relatives find this blog.

Peak Dope: Read Pete Townshend's Personal Blog. We are!

Who Are You To Be Blogging?
When we say that everyone and their mother and cat are blogging these days, we’re not kidding. Pete Townshend is blogging! He’s also using big words we don’t understand like paean. Is that a British term? We’re just so excited to be reading the words of Pete especially if this really is his blog. You never know in cyberspace anymore who’s Who. From reading Pete’s blog we find that he’s very into finding out what makes people tick. He can interview us anytime! Come on down to the Peak, Pete! Page down far enough and you’ll even find Pete’s beauty secretes to exfoliating his elbows. See, rock stars are just like us!

Peak Dope: The Biggest Tempe Music Festival Yet!

This weekend's Tempe Music Festival came of age in its fifth year with 30 bands on the bill including O.A.R., Lifehouse, The Gin Blossoms, The Fray, Everclear, and Yellowcard. On the first night, The Gin Blossoms sounded great -- much better than Lifehouse -- but The Smithereens stole the show on the second stage. Saturday brought a packed crowd and even more bands for a 12-hour extravaganza. The youth moshed to Authority Zero and the rest of us noticed Art Alexakis of Everclear can’t really hit those high notes so well anymore… Steve Douglas doled out Fender guitars to a few lucky Peakerheads Saturday night and the rest of the Peakerheads in Peak gear got pulled into our V.I.Peak tent. We can’t wait for next year! We see great things in the Fest’s future.

So what did you think? Did you love the bands? Are we wrong -- did Alexakis sound passable? Which performance was your favorite? Leave us a comment!