Tim Commerford, Rage Against the Machine’s bassist, has announced that he is battling prostate cancer. In an interview with Spin, Commerford noted, “I’ve been dealing with some pretty serious s—…Right before I was about to go on tour with Rage, I had my prostate removed, and I have prostate cancer.” He would go on to tell Spin, “You can find yourself in a situation like I’m in where it’s like, f—, my whole life changed. With everything that happens to me now, I wonder, am I feeling this way because I have cancer? Am I losing my hair because I have cancer? Whatever it is, it makes me wonder if it’s happening because I have cancer,” he continued. “And prostate cancer is a very, very, very tough one because it’s connected to your sexuality. It’s hard to disconnect from that and when you’re forced into that situation, it’s a brutal psychological journey…It’s very hard for me to not break down and get emotional.”
This comes off the heels of Zack de la Rocha announcing that Rage would be cancelling their 2023 tour due to a devastating knee injury that he suffered in Chicago.
Our thoughts are with Tim and the entire Rage family.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs were set to play Saturday Night Live this weekend (December 17th), but the band cancelled the appearance as guitarist Nick Zinner is recovering from pneumonia.
Q101 will once again celebrate Brian & Justin by bringing in your favorite bands to your new favorite venue. On February 25, Bush and Silversun Pickups head to The Salt Shed alongside Brian & Justin for AHOY!
Every year, this show creates forever memories. The Black Keys blew the roof off of the Aragon Ballroom in 2019, then last year, Q101 was given a rebirth last year with the help of Weezer. This is more than just a concert, this is a celebration for you for being a Crew Member for Brian & Justin.
For the countless number of shows that you might attend throughout the year, none will feel quite like this one.
Taco-Bout-Joy, located at 909a Greenwood Road, was once an empty taco shop with a cute name and a severe lack of customers. It wasn’t until the owner’s daughter posted a short video on TikTok noting, “It breaks my heart to see my mom watching the door everyday waiting for a customer to walk in.”
Soon, the restaurant was packed. The owner’s daughter shared an update that while the day started out with only herself and her mother in the restaurant, their family and friends, including the owners of another suburban taco shop called Nina’s Tacos in Sycamore, quickly rushed to help fulfill orders as customers flocked in.
The restaurant also said it had received a number of requests to send in donations, which they plan to use to provide meals for those in need. Details can be found here.
If you’re wondering what that stench is, it may very well be a child that has fallen victim to a terminal Fortnite addiction. The video game is the subject of a new lawsuit filed by parents in Canada that claims that the game is too addicting to children and has forced them to stop participating in basic hygienic practices like showering. The lawsuit notes that some kids have stopped eating regularly as a result of the game.
An attorney from the firm that brought the suit equated the game’s maker, Epic Games, to a tobacco manufacturer in an interview, and said the legal responsibility was “basically the same.” Epic Games responded by saying, “We plan to fight this in court. We believe the evidence will show that this case is meritless.”
Nurses in Atlanta are under fire after heading to TikTok to air their grievances about the patients they deal with in the maternity ward. A phone was passed around with nurses complaining about expecting mothers who would like to eat, shower, or know their baby’s weight.
Police in Glenwood rounded up 128 stolen catalytic converters on Friday while raiding a chop shop. Police said the shop was being rented via identity theft, WBBM-TV reported. The stolen property was found in a private residence, according to WGN-TV.
Police say the approximate value of the catalytic converters was near $54,000.
What you’re about to see is so jarring that it left us stunned in our tracks. We’re not just frozen by the idea that this man gets off by having his boys run over with a big truck, but we’re completely flabbergasted by the fact that he does this in complete silence. For the sake of some of our younger viewers, we’re going to make you click the link to see this video.
It’s hard for me to feel bad for an injured sword swallower. Much like people that get eaten by their exotic pets, you simply must expect this to happen at some point. You can’t let sharp things hang out in the back of your throat without expecting something bad to happen.
Who don’t you feel bad for? The conversation lives on Facebook!
Worse than losing of billions of dollars in brand deals, Ye has now been stripped of his honorary degree by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The school said, “The School of the Art Institute of Chicago condemns and repudiates Kanye West’s (now known as Ye) anti-Black, antisemitic, racist, and dangerous statements, particularly those directed at Black and Jewish communities. Ye’s actions do not align with SAIC’s mission and values, and we’ve rescinded his honorary degree.”
This comes after Ye acted crazier than Alex Jones and defended Hitler – yes, Hitler – for some of the industrial work that he accomplished.
According to the National Retail Federation, holiday sales this year are expected to be as high as $960 billion, topping $889 billion that was spent last year. Americans are expected to spend about $1,455 each this season, according to Deloitte’s latest study. That’s around the same as last year’s average of $1,463 per person.
A list of the hottest Christmas toys can be found here.
Christmas music can be extremely annoying with it’s slugging out of the PA system of every store your shopping in. The speakers of the relative you don’t like spending the holidays with. It can be overly sappy and corny to the point where it’s disingenuous. While others just warm your heart like a puppy snuggling in your lap, some are just straight weird songs. If you just want to stream the audio on Spotify, I included another playlist all the way the bottom so go head open this copy pasted gift I made for you.
The Walkmen – The Christmas party
A lot of holiday songs have a sense of wider reflections of life. This track with a swagger chorus does that with a spoken word intro. It’s the soundtrack for the person who drinks too much at your family party and says maybe too much.
The Killers – “Joel the Lump of Coal’
The band that you will celebrated on this list quite a bit collaborated on this Christmas weird one.
Fountans of Wayne – I want an alien for Christmas
The truth is out there.
RUN DMC – Christmas Is
The rap legends beat down to the point of the holidays. This is not their only appearance on this list.
The Used – Happy Christmas (War is Over)
The emo standouts delivered this unique take on Johnn Lennon’s peace anthem.
Reel Big Fish – Grandma got ran over by a reindeer
The ska punk kings dig into this humor classic with a chugga chugga riff on top.
First to Eleven “Feliz Navidad”
I want to wish you a merry xmas with a power pop redo here.
The Raveonettes – the Christmas Song
This soft dreamy number paints the picture of the holidays. Yeah, no odd twister here.
Deaht Cab for Cutie – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Taking Back Sunday – 12 Days of Christmas
This is just a delightful acoustic goof off. They riff between the traditional lyrics with their own observations and comedic barbs. Somehow they work child actor Donnie Bonaduce into the lyrics.
The Dandy Warhols – Little Drummer Boy
It utilizes the original lyrics but feels like it’s non-holiday song.
The Futureheads – Christmas was better in the 80’s
Yeah! It was better when this holiday was all about getting toys you wanted. It helps this song gets your head bobbing up and down.
WEEZER – CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION
River Cuomo cracks wise on everything from people spending too much on gifts and how Santa’s weight.
Blink-182 – Not Another Christmas Song
Being down in the dumps this time of year is hard, as it is anytime of year. Blink lay it all out there in the new track released in December 2019.
Tyler Joseph – o come emanuel
Twenty One Pilots singer Tyler Joseph performed this standard on a charity show in his hometown.
Thom Yorke – Silent Night / Reckoning
With his arty drum loop and his crystal clear crooning, the Radiohead frontman performed this standard on stage during a solo show last year. In his always odd innovation, Yorke uses the familiar track to merge into one of his own.
YEAH YEAH YEAHS – ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS
A ting a ding ding lite and sweet track for the season.
JULIAN CASABLANCA – I WISH IT WAS CHRISTMAS TODAY
The Strokes singer took that the long running lofi Saturday Night Live gag and turned it into a jump up and down jam.
SUM 41 & TENASCIOUS D – THINGS I WANT
A faux metal track that reels off a pretty demented wish list with Jack Black doing his signature air raid siren delivery,
THE WOMBATS – IS THIS CHRISTMAS?
A dancey chune that does not have a single jingle bell in an earshot, but a refelctive look at the divisions in society when the holidays are supposed to bring us together.
THE HIVE & CYNDI LAUPER – A CHRISTMAS DUET
A song about how you break up with someone at Christmas only to add to the misery by revealing you did something even worse.
PEARL JAM – SOMEDAY AT CHRISTMAS
PJ has been putting out holiday singles dating all the way back to ‘91 this Jackson 5 cover may be the best one.
28.BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS – WHITE CHRISTMAS
This is rare reggae spin of the most common Christmas standard feels very fun and irreverent.
FITZ & THE TANTRUMS – SANTA STOLE MY LADY
What if Saint Nick stole your girl ? Yeah, Fitz knows how to do a tune like that.
26 .EVERCLEAR – SANTA BABY
Art Alexakis and company cover the standard that demands Santa provide all materialistic needs.
The Zamboni’s ‘Christmas Hockey News’
Almost any track from the Tarquin Records All-Star Holiday Extravaganza album could have a place on this list (one more makes the cut by the way) but this organ driven comedy track talks about noteworthy NHL stars and what they are doing on the big holiday. The lyrics talk about Chicago Blackhawks great Jeremey Roenick getting a brand new bike, so you know it’s just fun.
Gatsby’s American Dream “Saint Nicolas”
This song from the ‘Taste of Christmas’ comp is a hard rocking goof about Santa somehow fighting the supernatural forces of evil and “seeking the purest of souls”. This not to be taken seriously but that’s the point.
Weezer “O Holy Night”
This religous standard has been belted by high-voiced choir boys well before your Grandpa’s hair was grey but Rivers Cuomo and company give it this distorted emo take that adds a little head-bobbing rock feel. It comes from the 2008 EP ‘Christmas with Weezer’.
Dropkick Murphy’s ‘The Seasons Upon Us’
The video for this crowd-chorus rowdy sing-a-long plays almost like an episode of ‘It’s Always Sunny in (Boston)” with the Murphy’s showing off their dysfunctional family. If this was a soundtrack for a ‘Shameless’ holiday special it would also work.
Brian Dewan “R2D2, We Wish You a Merry Christmas”
Yes, this is real. It’s a cover that is superior to the original song that appeared on the 1980 Star Wars theme cash-grab ‘Christmas in the Stars’ album. This cover features the same computer blips and bloops but Dewan’s nerdy soulfulness over a reserved electric organ hits a sincere tone of love for the rebel droid who held the plans that helped take down the Death Star.
The Killers (featuring Toni Halliday) “Great Big Sled”
Nevada’s sweetest sons the Killers have been putting our Christmas songs almost every year since 2006 for charity, and this songs almost plays a storytelling jam you might on one of their regular albums but it talks of the child-like wonder of Christmas.
Enter to win to see the Killers at the United Center on January 16th
My Chemical Romance ‘All I want for Christmas is You’
All we want for Christmas is an MCR reunion. Give this to me any day over the Mariah Carey version every year.
No Doubt ‘Oi to the World’
This cover of the Vandals is a bouncing gem from the early ‘Tragic Kingdom’ era of Orange County’s finest with a madcap video to boot. Do you think Gwen Stefani will finally respond to my Christmas Cards since I put her band on this list?
Local H “Have Yourself a Merry Christmas”
Scott Lucs gives a charming take on a classic that lends itself to his vocal sneer that we’ve come to expect from him.
The Vandals ‘GrandPa’s Last X-Mas’
Pay attention to the darkly funny lyrics and don’t let your Granddad hear it.
The Pogues feat. Kristy MacColl “Fairtytale in New York’
A love song about being in the drunk tank around the holiday.
Fall Out Boy “What’s This”
Willmete’s finest take this cut from Disney classic “A Nightmare Before Christmas” for a whirl and it gives all the chills of Jack Skeleton discovering that special feeling.
LCD Soundsystem ‘Christmas will break your heart’
When this band regarded as one of the best alt acts in the last 10 years started their comeback in 2015, they got it going with this heart-wrenching breakup with the idea of Christmas itself.
Bad Religion “O Come All Ye Faithful”
This pogo-jumping take on the religious hymn will most likely be heard at any Christmas midnight mass, and that’s ok but it’s a refreshing interpretation that truly soars from these California punk legends.
Low – “Just Like Christmas”
You can almost hear the snow on this number from Duluth alt band Low who featured it on their 1999 holiday EP simply titled ‘Christmas’.
They Might Be Giants ‘Santa’s Beard’
The most loveable weirdos to break out of the 80’s, TMBG were known for venturing into the novelty world of music with some of their album being made for children and while other tracks got animated send-ups on ‘Tiny Toon Adventures’. So of course, they had a killer song about a man being jealous of his wife flirting with Santa.
Jimmy Eat World ‘Last Christmas’ (WHAM cover)
This candy pop tune with George Michael talking of a love lost, gets a bit of accoustic emo sickness from one of best alt bands of the 2000’s.
08.The Killers ‘ Joseph, Better You than Me’
Yes, the Killers make great alt xmas songs and this won’t be the last on the list. This collaboration with rock icon Elton John and Pet Shop Boy’s Neil Tennant is a soulful tribute to Joseph, the earthly fraternal figure who lead Jesus through life. Poor Joseph never got his due in song, but this one really plays out like a Billy Joel broadway smash.
The Flaming LIps ‘Christmas at the Zoo’
Imagine if the animals at the Zoo had theire own wild party. Yeah, well Wayne Coyne and company made their delightful idea into a joyful song that is very easy to sing-a-long with.
RUN-DMC ‘Christmas in Hollis’
A song the 80’s rap legends were initially hesitant to record for the charity compilation ‘A Very Special Christmas’ has grown into one of the catchiest holiday bangers of all time. Yeah, how many seasonal songs can you call a ‘banger’? The cornball story of the song is just as good sugary sweet as one of those cookies with green and red sprinkles on it.
Sufjan Stevens ‘Come On! Let’s Boogey the Elf Dance’
Stevens has earned his following for his experimental commitment to big concepts with religious overtones but this playful song is a just more fun then running down the steps as a kid on Christmas morning.
The Ramones ‘Merry Christmas ( I Don’t Wanna Fight Tonight)
The coolest punk band ever demands you hug it out this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL77D24yNyI
The Waitresses ‘Christmas Wrapping’
The most popular hit from this new wave outfit talks about in the middle of the shopping rush running into the potential boyfriend. It’s got this early mixture of funk, rap, and disco that ages well.
The Kinks ‘Father Christmas’
This predecessor to pop punk cut sees the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers put a Robin Hood narrative to help us remember the less fortunate during the holidays in which the tough street kids demand that Father Christmas give them money and save the toys “for the little rich boys”. You know the song is good when you lose count of how many bands have covered it.
The Killers “Don’t Shoot me Santa”
This dark twisted tale of a murderous avenger in Santa coming for a misbehaving Brandon Flowers plays out over a shimmy and shake musical ride. It’s certainly not a track to sing-a-long to with Grandma but it’s so weird but also reflects on the bleakness of holidays for those out there not doing well while also laughing at the ‘be good, get good stuff’ concept that we are told as kids. Just remember it’s a dark yet light hearted on the forced cherriness of the seasons, and not to be taken seriously.
Also this is Brandon’s mustache at the peak of odd weirdness.
Oh you little stinker, you scrolled down here ugh? Merry Christmas!
A school has come under fire for allegations of passing out sex toys and talking about “lube vs. spit” in a sex ed class at a Chicago private school. Per Fox 32, “A non-profit journalism group called “Project Veritas” posted a story about the dean of Francis W. Parker school and things he said over a cup of coffee. It included video of the dean, Joseph Bruno, saying students were taught about queer sex by LGBTQ+ activists who passed adult toys around the classroom. The school says Bruno was targeted by Project Veritas, and he was misled to believe he was conversing with a conference attendee over coffee.”
The school says the Board of Trustees supports Parker’s programming.
As we discussed yesterday, there is an Olive Garden manager that wants you to prove that your dog is dead in order to get off of work. In a leaked memo, the now ex-manager said, “We are no longer tolerating ANY excuse for calling off. If you’re sick, you need to come prove it to us. If your dog died, you need to bring him in and prove it to us.”
Olive Garden confirmed that he is no longer there, thus no longer family.
Hayley Williams is at it again. Hot off the heels of “This Is Why”, one of the best songs of 2022, the band just dropped “The News”, a three-minute, all-killer-no-filler track that faces “doom scrolling” head on.
“This Is Why”, Paramore’s sixth studio album, comes out on February 10, 2023.
Just announced by President Biden, WNBA player Brittney Griner is coming home after being held captive in Russia since February. She is a part of a one-for-one swap with international arms dealer VIktor Bout. Per CBS News, “The one-for-one exchange agreement negotiated with Moscow in recent weeks was given final approval byPresident Biden within justthe last week.”
