Every month, 33 1/3 editorial assistant Kaitlin Fontana will compile the best, weirdest, most interesting music and sound news from the past 30 days and serve it up to you in one handy, easy to digest list. May we present 33 Things that happened in February?
1. It’s Black History Month, and SNL has 28 Reasons you should remember that.
2. It’s also Open Call Month, which means you only have one more weekend to get us your 33 1/3 pitches. Get it, girls and boys.
3. Madonna + Pussy Riot x Amnesty International – Respect for Putin = Brooklyn.
4. Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy is going to guest star on an episode of Parks and Recreation as “the former lead singer of an act called Land Ho! that was very popular in Indiana a while back.” Yes, Parks, that’s the ratings ticket—middle America loves them depressive alternative rockers.
5. A traffic roundabout in Poland has been renamed after departed Slayer ax man Jeff Hanneman (that is, thanks to local fans who paid about $5000 US to do so).
6. On the tenth anniversary of its release, critics reviewed their own original reviews of Kanye West’s The College Dropout. Meta.
7. Speaking of Ye, apparently Bret Easton Ellis is writing a film for him. Which begs the obvious question: who’s harder to work with, Kanye or Christian Bale?
8. When longtime SPIN writer/editor Charles Aaron stepped away from the magazine after more than 15 years, the magazine helpfully collected some of his best work for your pleasure (may we recommend “Scenes from a Marriage“?
9. And now for something completely different: These incredible gifs, like the one below, from a 1938 swing concert on Randall’s Island. Yes, that was “gif” and “1938” in the same sentence.
10. Fans of Disney’s Frozen take note—this woman will sing “Let it Go” as one–nay all–of your favorite divas. Viva internet!
11. Hey look at this! *Points to the article about the open call.* Ahem hem: You have 4 days left to send in your 33 1/3 proposal.
12. Drake’s OVO Fest in Toronto returns for its fifth year, this time with headliners Outkast. We can’t wait for those inevitable photos of Mayor Rob Ford, Andre 3000 and a huge blunt to surface!
13. And if Mr. Aubrey “Drake” Graham wasn’t a Canuck, he might be elected President of the United States. Or Jay-Z would. At least, that’s what this map makes us think.
14. The Village Voice has determined the 50 Most New York Albums Ever. Start arguing…now!
15. Devo guitarist Bob Casale has died at age 61. Read a tribute by Evie Nagy, author of our forthcoming 33 1/3 title on Devo’s Freedom of Choice.
16. If you want to feel yucky, why not spend a few minutes cruising lead singer of Creed Scott Stapp’s Instagram account?
17. Peanut Butter Wolf (aka Chris Manak , head of Stone’s Throw Records) did a fantastic interview with Cool Hunting.
18. If you live in Chicago, tomorrow you can watch Smashing Pumpkins’ erstwhile lead singer Billy Corgan perform an 8-hour concert inspired by Herman Hesse’s famed novel Siddhartha. Or, you can do almost anything else. Your call, Chicago.
19. Speaking of better uses of time: Hip hop pioneers De La Soul made their entire catalog free for 25 hours in honor of 25th anniversary of their debut album 3 Feet High and Rising.
20. The Afghan Whigs will shortly be releasing their first album in 16 years, and Bob Odenkirk told us about it on Twitter. Life is beautiful.
21. That whole sorta-controversy about the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Superbowl? Flea had some stuff to say about it.
22. “I knew you were submitting when you walked in/To this Open Call for proposals…”
23. Shirley Temple (RIP) + Melvins – Irony = Excellence.
24. Be Your Own John Cage, with this handy 4’33” app.
25. St. Vincent (aka Annie Clark and her hair, pictured) streamed her new album on Pitchfork.
26. Meanwhile, Beck streamed his new album, Morning Phase, the unofficial sequel to Sea Change, on NPR.
27. Here a stream, there a stream, everywhere a stream, stream.
28. Brian Williams’s version of “Rapper’s Delight” from the new Tonight Show will transport you to Marvelousville (listen, I’m just trying to avoid using the world delight again, okay?)
29. Speaking of Jimmy Fallon and rap, here’s The History of Rap, Part 5. This concept remains a delight (now I’m allowed to use that word).
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NO0rArJRR4?rel=0]
30. Herewith, the best and funniest article about alternative radio hits from 1994.
31. Speaking of 1994, here’s a Bizarro Crying Jesus statue—I mean, Kurt Cobain—that his hometown of Aberdeen, WA put up on Kurt’s birthday. We’re sorry we showed you this.
32. OPEN CALL, YES YES, Y’ALL.
33. And finally—drumroll please!–our forthcoming 33 1/3 on J. Dilla’s Donuts isn’t even out yet, and it’s already #2 on Amazon’s rap books list. Solid.
That’s it until next month, which will probably come sooner than you think. Or as Beck said in a certain little 1994 gem, “And my time is a piece of wax/Falling’ on a termite/Who’s choking’ on the splinters.” Soy un perdidor. See you in March!
