Music

POP UNCULTURED: A roundup of weird happenings in music for the week ending May 13, 2011

by Anne T. Donahue

Since it’s impossible to address the total madness of the music industry in only five days, Pop Uncultured saves some of the week’s strangest stories for Friday afternoon. Enjoy?

Adele’s ex-BF is the worst [FULL STORY]
You know how Adele’s 19 is one of those heart-wrenching albums that could only have been written in the darkest hours of sadness and emotional collapse? Well, the singer’s ex-boyfriend wants a cut of the royalties because he claims that without his douchebag behaviour, the record couldn’t have been penned in the first place. And they say chivalry is dead.

Britney Spears: the comic
In case the Internet’s failed you in delivering detailed accounts of Brit-Brit’s life, Bluewater Production has released a one-off comic book about the star that will help shed some light on the controversial singer. Why? Because according to writer Patrick McCray, Spears is “far more complicated than people realize,” and that “beyond the performer, there is a real human being there, struggling to . . . be understood.” Well, artwork like this should do it [via Billboard]:

Lady Gaga to stream album through FarmVille [FULL STORY]
For reasons unknown to anyone [*cough*money*cough], Gaga is going to start streaming the upcoming Born This Way through FarmVille. Personally, we would’ve preferred Tetris.

Green Day vs. angry parent circa 1996 [FULL STORY]
In 1995, parents considered Green Day’s Insomnia to be “controversial.” And in response to such, Billie Joe was treated to a verbal slashing by an angry mama who wanted him to “clean up [his] act!!!!” and use his “influence for something GOOD.” Treat yourselves to the correspondence below:

Steve Albini has a food blog and he’s not giving you any recipes [FULL STORY]
Hey, foodies: Steve Albini has a really descriptive food blog, but you’re going to have to figure out those recipes on your own, because he’s just not going to drop his culinary secrets THAT quickly, you know? Sorry.

Limp Bizkit releases “legit” single art [FULL STORY]
BLINGED OUT ALIENS WITH LONG NAILS HOLDING GUNS SAY WHAT.

Snoop Dogg and Charlie Sheen beat that dead horse even deader [FULL STORY]
Horsemen of the apocalypse, this is your time.

Billy Corgan is a spiritual guru now or something [FULL STORY]
Once upon a time we gave many single fucks about what Billy Corgan was up to, but with the upcoming release of his spiritual memoir, God Is Everywhere, From Here to There, he’s now the equivalent of the dude who played the terrible neighbour in the Canadian Tire commercials. (Who? Exactly.) It’s time to say “when,” Billy C.

Thom Yorke should be in Swan Lake [FULL STORY]
…We wish the choreographer of the Royal British Ballet had said after calling the Radiohead frontman an “incredible” dancer. It’s HIS turn!

Whitney Houston can see Prince play again
Thanks to Whitney’s “erratic behaviour and constant ticket demands,” the singer was temporarily banned from Prince concerts because they “didn’t want her to embarrass herself.” Luckily, when the songstress emerges from rehab in a few, one of the original VH1 divas will be welcome at Prince shows “4 all of eternity.” BFFS 4ever. [via NY Daily News]