1. Have you seen the Alexander McQueen collection for Puma? In a word: hot. "The ManCat is the icon of the Alexander McQueen and PUMA collaboration. This dynamic visual depicts the fusion of the man, Alexander McQueen, and the animal, PUMA. Acting as a pivotal creative reference, the ManCat is a physical metamorphisis that symbolized the collaboration." Now that's some heavy stuff. Read more about the concept behind the line, a bio of McQueen, photos of the mens' and women's pieces, and a list of retailers carrying the line, including PUMA - The Black Store (421 14th Street in the Meat Packing), which you should definitely check out. This location "will act as an experimental design lab for the brands evolutionary growth, sporting a multi label line up of puma collaborations." See the full review on superfuture.

2. It's kinda like American Idol online, but with art instead of music. London's The Saatchi Gallery, one of my favorites in the world, has a new feature on its totally-rocked-out website called SHOWDOWN. "SHOWDOWN is for all registered Your Gallery and Stuart artists to enter their works for visitors to score. The winner of the final head-to-head vote will receive £1000 and the runner up will receive £750. The winning work will go on display at the new Saatchi gallery." You have the register in either Your Gallery (all artists) or Stuart (student artists) to show work. Checkout the complete set of rules here. This is really a killer idea and an amazing way for artists to get their work in front of the eyes of potential gallerists, collectors, and others in the artworld. Note that voting doesn't begin until 05.03.07, as artists are currently loading work. Vote for works here when the time comes.

3. New York artist David Salle has a show coming up (03.03 to 03.24.07) at Deitch (76 Grand Street). "Bearding The Lion In His Den, a re-creation of David Salle’s November 1977 installation at The Kitchen, will be presented. The Kitchen was a vital center for the new art and performance in the 1970s. It was just as important for the artists of Salle’s generation as the major SoHo galleries." For more information, checkout Deitch's site. Also, checkout some of his work on Saatchi's site and his Wikipedia entry. And for anyone who cares: If you confront a powerful or dangerous rival on their territory, you are bearding the lion in his own den. Who knew?!

PS1/MoMA is in the midst of exhibiting a very unique show: Emergency Room, which runs through 03.19.07. After reading the description below, I'm sure you won't want to miss it.

"P.S.1 proudly presents Emergency Room, a constantly evolving collaborative exhibition conceived and led by artist Thierry Geoffroy, a.k.a. Colonel. To realize this project, Geoffroy has invited over thirty local and international artists to create and install new works in a range of media, all generated daily in response to current events.

"Emergency Room is motivated by a desire to learn what other artists think about current affairs from varied international perspectives under strict time constraints. On each day of the exhibition, artists will install new work in response to the events of the last 24 hours, an arrangement that recalls daily news cycles. The artworks stay on view until the next morning whenthey are moved to an adjacent archive space and replaced by new work."

Artists included: Henrik Vibskov, Lisa Strömbeck, Lasse Lau, Mike Estabrook, among others. For a complete list of artists, click on this link and then on the "paricipating artists" link at the top right.

Make sure to checkout the official Emergency Room site, this daily blog on the exhibit, this killer MP3 for the show, and a dictionary of terms.

The project has already happened in Berlin and Copenhagen. Keep your eyes open for more info on future shows planned in London, Bruxelles, Paris, Cairo, Barcelonna, and Peking.

1. In honor of the 79th Annual Academy Awards and the nomination of Eddie Murphy, I watched Delerious yesterday to refresh my memory of Murphy as a standup comic. Besides his genius, unapologetically, offensive comedy, Delerious burns an image of Murphy in red leather pants and matching jacket on your brain. The outfit is as memorable as his performance. It really is Murphy as his best. Checkout his Wikipedia entry, his IMDB entry, and these videos on YouTube. Make sure to watch Ice Cream, one of the most memorable routines he's ever performed. And don't forget to become friends with him on MySpace. The profile looks legit, although I'm pretty sure intern at his agency maintains it and not the man himself.

2. Anyone who knows anything about Pop Art has heard the name Henry Geldzahler. Influential art historian and curator, he was once the star of a 90-minute Warhol film that consisted of nothing more than him smoking a cigar for the duration of the film. I just watched a documentary on him called Who Gets To Call It Art? It's an interesting look at the New York art scene during the 60's, as seen from Geldzahler's perspective. There's amazing video footage of Warhol and current day interviews with Frank Stella, David Hockney, James Rosenquist, Ellsworth Kelly, and Francesco Clemente. Here's more info on the film, the Wikipedia entry for Geldzahler, and a link to Netflix so you can put it in your queue. This one's a must-see for all artists and art lovers.

3. World-dominating gallery Gagosian has a few killer shows on now that you should checkout: Damien Hirst's Superstition in the Beverly Hills and Davies Street (London) spaces; Mike Kelley's Hermaphrodite Drawings at the Britannia Street (London) space; Marc Newson on 24th Street (New York); and Philip Taaffe on Madison Avenue (New York). Don't forget to checkout the store on the gallery's site, where they sell editions and publications of artist's work, as well as a handful of t-shirts and limited edition pieces by various artists, including this custom knife by Marc Newson.

One of the best things about MySpace is that bands can easily put up four (4) of their songs for the world to listen to. For them, it's easy, familiar, and they're linked up with thousands of potential fans. For us: it's one stop shopping for a lot of super cool music we may have never gotten to hear in the old payola-fueled, nepotistic, record company model.

On that note, checkout these ten (10) MySpace music profiles.

10. Tokyo Police Club
9... Holy Fuck
8... Spankrock
7... Architecture in Helsinki
6... Warboy
5... The Teenagers
4... DFA
3... The Horrors
2... Beans
1... Kissy Sellout

I want to hear which band you think is the hottest. Send me your votes!!

Super cool Miami store BASE has hooked up this.hearts.on.fire. once again with their Album Club Picks. The picks are a very well-curated set of some of the sexiest, coolest music anywhere. I love it because it's so different from my usual taste and always introduces me to new artists that I might not hear about otherwise. You can listen to samples and buy each album by clicking on the links below.

10. Kraak & Kraak (Boogie Angst) / Dutchmen Kraak & Smaak have been called masters of "organic fusion"--by seamlessly infusing folk and soul into electronica and dance, they have created their own unique take on electronic music today.

9. Koom H. / Italian duo Koom H.'s music has been dubbed "techno-jazz", but it actually is a little bit more than that, with ambient, piano, percussion and cinematic sounds thrown in, this is as about an interesting chill-out record as you're likely to come across.

8. Future Folk / Folk music has a slightly dusty reputation and there is no better CD to shake that off then Future Folk, a collection of "nu-folk", or "folktronica", with the likes of Psapp, Caribou, the Postal Service greater and believe-it-or-not William Shatner.

7. Faithless (To All New Arrivals) / Rollo and Sister Bliss of Faithless have recently both welcomed new children into the world, hence the title of their fifth studio effort, To All New Arrivals, while a newfound peace and harmony slips through on quite a few of the tracks, but there's still some of that classic Faithless sound, like the up-tempo opener "Bombs" or the Dido-led Last This Day.

6. Wax Tailor (Tales Of The Forgotten Melodies) / Down tempo and hip-hop collide in Wax Tailor's newest "Tales of the Forgotten Melodies." In which cinematic, lush and melancholic beats mix with cryptic, disembodied vocal samples, akin to a darker and more interesting Pink Martini.

5. Fink (Biscuits For Breakfast) / Bristol-based Fink crafts beautiful, sparse, guitar-based songs filled with autobiographical lyrics.

4. Broken Keys (Gravity) / The new collaboration between fellow UK musicians Nostalgia 77 and Natural Self has developed a unique fusion of Jazz, Hip Hop and funk to create The Broken Keys, who have ingeniously created 21st Century versions of classic 60's and 70's rock and soul.

3. Mark Clive De Lowe (Melodious Beats Vol. 1) / Mark Clive De-Lowe has put together a compilation of artists from his label, Antipodean Records, resulting in an excellent mix of jazz, broken beats and nu soul elements thrown in a funky electronic stew.

2. The Heritage Orchestra / The Heritage Orchestra is a 45-piece symphony orchestra featuring jazz soloists and a rhythm section, mixing classical orchestration with Hollywood soundscapes and a bit of nu-soul.

1. Caetano Veloso (CE) / Caetano Velosos is best known for tropicália but in his new album, Ce, he takes a bit of a departure from this style of music and goes retro, whipping up a batch of 80's guitar rock with Veloso's supple vocals and stylistic experimentations carrying the day.

This week at Planet Magazine's Welcome to New York series, they're pleased to announce Kyp Malone, singer-guitarist of TV on the Radio, New York's reigning band, will be guest DJ'ing from 10 - 12.

He'll be playing a set of personal favorites and influences. Don't miss this unique musical experience.

Welcome to New York is dedicated to everyone who has ever come to New York City in search of creative and personal freedom, to pursue their art and/or the art of living, and this includes just about everyone we know — from every corner of the earth — as well as a pantheon of inspirations from the recent and distant Manhattan half-life.

Join them again tonight, and carve your own name into the history of the global city.

Make sure to RSVP to try to get a spot at this hot, hot party. And as always, arrive early or you'll be left out in the cold.

1. A readers sent me a list of his favorite things, one of which is the Kissy Sellout remix of the chart-topping All Saints song Chick Fit. I CAN-NOT stop listening to it. Make sure to checkout Kissy's MySpace page for more info on him and to listen to the remix and three (3) other songs. Then watch the video of the original song and you'll appreciate this version even more. Kissy's influences range from Sonic Youth, Scritti Politti and Swans to drum n bass artist Aphroditeto dance producers such as DFA, Headman and early Daft Punk. Don't forget to have look at the website of his record label, San City High. "It's a long way to the top, if you wanna rock and roll." -- AC/DC

2. Given the uproar yesterday from McDonald's over Ju$t Another Rich Kid/Tobi Wong's coffee stirrer, I think we need a little more cocaine today. Jac Currie from Kickit Fashions thinks "Right now it feels like a good time to take a quick break from drinking to have a little bit of that cocaine..." If you feel the same, checkout his site, where you can buy a 20 or 40 bag of custom stickers bearing the same slogan.

3. Creative Time presents the U.S. premiere and exclusive NY screening of Eve Sussman and The Rufus Corporation's video musical The Rape Of The Sabine Women, with an original score by Jonathan Bepler, who worked with Matthew Barney on the Cremaster series. "The Rape Of The Sabine Women was conceived as allegory based loosely on the ancient myth that follows Romulus’ founding of Rome and inspired by Jacques-Louis David’s 1799 painting, Intervention of the Sabine Women." It's showing three times daily between 02.22 and 02.28.07 at the IFC (323 6th Avenue @ West 3rd Street) and is FREE! Click here for more info. You can pickup tickets at theater or get them online here.

PAPER magazine editor Kim Hastreiter reports on her blog that The McDonald's Corporation has pulled the plug on Cokespoon #2 from the Indulgences collection by Ju$t Another Rich Kid and Tobias Wong.

After seeing a photo in PAPER Magazine of Tobias Wong and Ken Courtney's (Ju$t Another Rich Kid) 18 karat gold dipped "coke spoon," McDonald's corporation filed a cease and desist notice last week, complete with an attached photocopy of a clipping from PAPER to the San Francisco-based distributor, CITIZEN:Citizen. (PAPER blog)

Checkout Citizen's site and a copy of the Cease and Desist.

Super cool LA store All Purpose caught wind of the situation early and blogged about it last week. Checkout their online store and their blog entry.

I think McDonald's, instead of halting the piece, should place an order of the gold spoons for use in their restaurants. It'd be a much more effective way to de-supersize their customers than the high calorie salads they've added to the menu.

1. Steven Alan is one stop closer to world domination. I stumbled on their latest New York outpost, Steven Alan Annex, at 69 Eighth Avenue (just south of 14th Street) this afternoon. That makes four (4) stores in the city to date. (They have a 5th store, Steven Alan Korea, bizarrely located in Soeul.) The Annex is much smaller than the other downtown shops and is a "please ring doorbell" establishment. I didn't go in, but by the looks of it, it was all men's clothing, which would make sense given the location. My favorite: the Franklin Street shop in Tribeca. The space rocks, they have men's and women's stuff, and an extensive collection of jewelry, most of which is really hot. Definitely, checkout their online shop if you can't make it into one of the stores.

2. Super cool LES men's store BBlessing (181 Orchard St) is having an opening this Thursday (02.22.07), Important Americana, featuring works by Michael Ricardo Andreev. Email them at rsvp@bblessing.com to see if you can get in. Their parties are always packed and a guaranteed good time.

3. As always, the Palais De Tokyo has a killer lineup of current shows and a few hot ones coming soon. The roster of artists includes: Michel Blazy, Tatiana Trouve, Joe Coleman (pic at right), Daniel Dewar & Gregory Gicquel, and many more. Checkout this page for more detailed info on all the shows and artists.

4. NPR's All Songs Considered has featured many super cool, indie bands to date. The latest: Arcade Fire live from the Judson Church in New York on 02.17.07. Checkout NPR's site for more info, including links to the webcast, an interview with the band, and interviews with some of their fans. Don't forget to go to Merge Records site, where you can buy/reserve a copy of their much-anticipated, forthcoming EP Neon Bible, which will release on 03.05.07. And don't miss the band this Saturday (02.24.07) on Saturday Night Live. More info here.

Checkout this mix CD by stylist Julie Ragolia.

First, here's the full title and explanation: Pretty girls make last ditch efforts and agree to disagree, or continue to disagree, because disagreeing is fun, unless we come to agree, which is more fun, because then it's all good music and smiles, and a decent soundtrack to "screw" to, which only leads to more fun and...unless, of course, you don't like this, but that would only prove that you are crazy.

1... Mushaboom (Feist)
2... The Greatest (Cat Power)
3... Wait For Me (Dean and Britta)
4... Red Sea (Asobi Seksu)
5... Before We Begin (Broadcast)
6... Something On Your Mind (Karen Dalton)
7... Anticipation (Blonde Redhead)
8... Don't Need (White Magic)
9... Peach Plum Pear (Joanna Newsom)
10. I Guess I'm Floating (M83)
11. Tell It Like It Is (Quix*o*tic)
12. In The Evening (Karen Dalton)
13. And Keep Smiling (Rachel's)
14. Laser Beam (Low)
15. After It All (Cat Power)

Listen to After It All by Cat Power.

15. Lonesome Cowboy Bill (The Velvet Underground)
14. Emasculate The Masculine (The Unicorns)
13. Summertime Rolls (Jane's Addiction)
12. The Prayer (Bloc Party)
11. Nature Of The Experiment (Tokyo Police Club)
10. Postcards From Italy (Beirut)
9... Crystal (New Order)
8... Gronlandic Edit (Of Montreal)
7... Rape Me (Nirvana)
6... Love Song No. 7 (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah)
5... The Crane Wife #3 (The Decemberists)
4... Planet Rock (Afrika Bambaataa)
3... Spit On A Stranger (Pavement)
2... A Method (TV On The Radio)
1... Sweet Jane (The Velvet Underground)

Listen to Sweet Jane here.

Remember Air?!?

It's been a while since I've listened to them. Not since Moon Safari, actually, which was released in 1998. I still have it, though, and just put it on to refresh my memory. They're so amazing. Nobody does it better than these guys.

They've just released a new EP Pocket Symphony and are having an online, worldwide listening party this afternoon. Super high tech, which rocks, and I can't wait to hear how they're music has progressed since 1998.

Go to the site for the EP and click on the headphones to signup and listen in. The best part is that you can secretly be in on something super cool while toiling away at your desk.

Also, checkout their Wikiepedia entry, checkout this fan site, and, as always, become their friends on MySpace to get the latest updates from the band, find tour dates, and test drive a few of their songs.

1. I just watched The Velvet Underground: Under Review. You should check it out. It gives a lot of insight into the beginnings of and history of The Velvets. A great quote from drummer Maureen Tucker: "Yes, it would have been nice if the Velvet Underground had made 10 million dollars, but it's even better that they made music that still influences people today." Shockingly, Tucker spent the post Velvet years raising her kids in Georgia while working at Walmart!! Dig that. It's turned me on to EP's and songs that I hadn't heard of before. Checkout White Light/White Heat, The Velvet Underground, and Loaded. Songs of note: Candy Says, After Hours, Sister Ray, White Light/White Heat, Rock and Roll, and, of course, Sweet Jane. Have a look at this video collage of Edie Sedgwick with After Hours (sung by drummer Moe Tucker) is so hot. Now I know where indie folk singers like Kimya Dawson got her inspiration.

2. For those of us not fortunate enough to have gotten tickets to the current Arcade Fire shows at Judson Memorial Church in ,New York going on this week, the band has just announced new dates for a full North American Tour, which include three (3) more shows in New York in May. No word yet on where it will be or how to get tickets. Keep checking back as I'll update the site as soon as news breaks.

3. Checkout Bloc Party's site for a ton of updated info, including additional dates in the UK and Europe for their current tour.

4. Great subjects treated with a fullsome oh-so-day-glo style and a The Word-style faux-investigative voiceover. So who are Trash Fashion then? And what is Nu-Rave? Well, let's give it the benefit of the doubt and applaud it as an artfully knowing homage to the breakthroughs of the late 80s era. And decide for yourself who's the most glowing of them all - Sniff the dog, Peaches Geldof, or the that man in the animal outfit... (SuperSuperMagazine) Check it out on Britain's Channel4.com. Their shows look super fun. Become their friends on MySpace to get tour dates, including a show at Hot Pink (which I've never heard of) in New York on 04.06.07, and to checkout four (4) of their songs, including their hit Rave Dave.

Go see Diamanda Galás' Valentine's Day Massacre, tonight at the Knitting Factory. "Avant-garde chanteuse Diamanda Galás picks Valentine's Day to present a range of tragic and homicidal love songs. All the makings of an amazing date from hell." (Flavorpill)

My interest in this show stems not from my being in the anti Valentine's Day camp, but because Diamanda Galas f*%king rocks. And not only is she anti Valentine's Day, she's as anti sellout as they come. I can't believe I'm about to say this, but she makes Patti Smith look like Britney Spears. Okay, maybe Gwen Stefani.

Critic Robert Conroy has said that she is 'unquestionably one of the greatest singers America has ever produced', and comparisons are frequently made between her and another soprano of Greek origin, Maria Callas.

Get last minute tickets for tonight's show now! The late show (9:30pm) is SOLD OUT, but there are still tickets available for the 6:30pm show.

Says The New Yorker: "Specializing in music that can be as jarring as it is uncompromising, the dark avant-garde chanteuse, who can smoothly croon and hellishly exhort in equal measure, eschews the notion that music should simply entertain, Galas rarely fails to make an indelible impression, whether exhuming old blues standards or wailing for the unjustly deceased."

While you're at it, checkout this on the Village Voice's site for a partial list of songs she'll perform tonight, her Wikipedia profile, photos on her site, and these videos on YouTube.

You'll going to love her or want to throw your computer out the window. Either way, you'll remember her name and her voice. And one thing's for sure: everyone should see her live at least once.

1. The Rapture has announced the formation of a new label called Throne of Blood. On February 16th, The Rapture will take over the hotspot venue Studio B located in Brooklyn to announce the label’s debut. Their current album Pieces of the People We Love was listed among the best albums of 2006 in Rolling Stone, Spin, Pitchfork, and NME. Click here to see the flyer with ticketing info. You won't want to miss this one. Don't forget to become friends with the band on MySpace to test drive songs from Pieces Of The People We Love, and to watch the video for my one of my favorite songs ever, House Of Jealous Lovers, as well as a few more videos for other songs on Fasthack. For in-depth info on the band, hit up Wikipedia.

2. The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain presents The Air is on Fire, an exhibition devoted to the multifaceted visual art creations of David Lynch. This event marks the first time that the filmmaker has made a large number of his paintings, photographs, drawings, alternative films, and sound production available to the public. Make sure to checkout his site, the IMDB listing of his work, his Wikipedia entry, and become friends with The David Lynch Foundation on (you guessed it) MySpace.

3. The British nu rave band Klaxons are releasing a new album, Myths Of The Near Future, on 03.27.07, and launch their tour (with European and US dates) tomorrow. They're playing Studio B on 04.13.07 and Bowery Ballroom on 04.10.07. Also, make sure to checkout their site (its really hot), their MySpace page, and this page with pics, sample videos, and MP3's. If you want to know what's hot, check these guys out. Nu rave is the new new and has yet to break in the US.

After having seen a lot of the shows online or on Channel 25's Full Frontal Fashion, I have to admit that my taste is much more fashion fashion than indie fashion. Please don't hold it against me.

11. Zac Poser / I hate to admit it, but this collection is hot.
10. Isaac Mizrahi / He's back and serving it up in the way that only a true designer can. This collection is fashion the way it should be.
9. Diane von Furstenberg / She knows her stuff and it shows.
8. Y-3 / This collection (except the psuedo raver pants): hot.
7. Proenza Schouler / Kinda hate them for the same reasons you do, but the collection is amazing.
6. Adam Kimmel / It's what John Varvatos wishes his line looked like, but you didn't hear it from me. This collection is hot.
5. Kim Jones / I'm never putting him at #1 again b/c that's what you'd expect, but this collection was amazing. Totally inspiring on many levels. He's the future of casual menswear.
4. Oscar de la Renta / Nobody can touch this guy. This is fashion at its best. Nothing new here, but wow.
3. Rag And Bone Men / Wearable with twists on common pieces. Very hot. There's lots from this collection that I'd buy and wear.
2. Marc Jacobs / Wow. Not only did he completely change his "look", but he turned it out. Amazing.
1. Thom Browne / I'm not a personal fan of the high water thing, but there are some pieces in this collection (especially cuts and fabrics) that are so hot. And for a menswear designer to be pushing the envelope while keeping it wearable and tailored: untouchable. All hail Thom Browne.

The End.

Anyone who knows The Velvet Underground knows Lou Reed. He was the man. The myth. The indie rock legend. He was also the one who bumped Warhol superstar Nico from her spot as lead singer of the band, for better or for worse. And although most would argue it was for the better (me included), a few of the songs made with Nico as lead singer totally rule.

Songs of note: Femme Fatal, All Tomorrow's Parties, and I'll Be Your Mirror.

Listen to All Tomorrow's Parties and checkout the lyrics. It's haunting. Every time I hear it, it stops me in my tracks. Nobody serves it up like Nico.

For more in-depth gossip on the ins and outs of that era, buy and read Please Kill Me. Trust me on this one: it's a hot book with behind the scenes info on the early 70's to early 80's New York punk scene.

In researching all of this, I found out that The Velvet Underground stole their name from a 1963 "pocket book by journalist Michael Leigh that reports on sexual paraphilia in the USA". Buy the book on Amazon.com.

Checkout this video of Nico singing All Tomorrow's Parties in 1985, live in Manchester. This version (without music) is very eerie. It makes you wonder what she was like in real life.

And don't forget these videos: Lou Reed and John Cale live singing Waiting For My Man, a version of Rock N Roll, and this clip of a documentary about the band, featuring footage of the infamous, "will we ever get sick of this guy" Andy Warhol.

1. On the way home from the Kim Jones show last night, we stopped for a drink at one of my favorite old hangouts: Bar Veloce (175 Second Avenue btwn 11/12). "Fusing an Italian-style paninoteca (panini bar) with a modern wine bar, Bar Veloce's goal is to deliver exciting, reasonably priced Italian wine and food to discerning New Yorkers." Mission accomplished. The draw for me: it's really chic with amazing wine and decor, but the vibe is super chill and laid back. Checkout this review on Citysearch, where it receives 9.4 out of 10.

2. Next stop, Kanoyama (175 Second Ave at the corner of 11th St). Called Nobu on a budget, Kanoyama was opened after much-loved Iso closed a few years back by the former Iso owners. This place is a definite step up from the other more run-of-the-mill sushi joints in the neighborhood. The first thing I noticed upon walking in: the place smells like a fresh fish market. Exactly what you want a sushi place to smell like. Checkout their menu, a section with info about the fish they use, and their extensive list of sakes. Don't miss these rave reviews on Menupages.

3. A conversation about Montreal started and inevitably, I made mention of the music scene, including The Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade. I'm not worried about The Arcade Fire, especially with the impending release of Neon Bible (make sure to click that link to this new section to their site) and their upcoming New York shows and spring tour. But what's up with Wolf Parade? A tour? Are they ever coming to New York? They've kind of dropped off. In the meantime, listen to my favorite song by them: You Are A Runner And I Am My Father's Son.

4. Last but not least, more food. Super popular West Village comfort food spot Westville has officially opened up Westville East (173 Ave. A at 11th St). Checkout their menu and this review on New York Magazine's site. Open 7 days a week, including brunch, it's a welcome addition to the neighborhood for sure.

From London to Paris to New York, Kim Jones made his runway debut last night at New York's Fashion Week with his Fall/Winter 2007 collection, officially defecting from the capital of France.

According to an article in the latest issue of DNR--which I unfortunately cannot find a link to--the Londoner is planning to move his entire operation to New York to feed of the abundant energy and creative inspiration here. As his plan includes relocating his entire 5 person staff, he's still working out the logistics of the move.

Back to the show: it's so new that even men.style.com doesn't have photos up yet! I have a feeling by the time you read this, though, the photos will be online so definitely click to see.

Despite my being a huge fan--and perhpas a bit like a doting lover--I can assure you, the collection was amazing. Nobody serves it up like Kim Jones: it's the perfect match between sport and tailored, with the former being the dominate partner in the match, which is the factor which separates him from the crowd.

And depsite it being a Fall/Winter collection, there was lots of cream and white, as well as the more traditional colors for this season: navy, black, and grey.

An Umbro by Kim Jones printed photobook given away to the attendees captures the designer's gaze through a series of photos (taken by Alasdair McLellan) of the inner city street culture of New York depicted in a way that only someone who doesn't live here could see it. It made me want to move away for a few years so I can come back and see the city again as I did once upon a time.

1. One of my favorite artists, Jeff Koons, is at it again with his megalomaniacal hijinx. There's a proposal out for Koons to build a "sculpture" outside LACMA. "On Thursday night Mr. Govan (LACMA's director) surprised the crowd by unveiling plans to build a 161-foot-tall outdoor sculpture by Mr. Koons: a replica of a 1940s locomotive that hangs from a crane." Fullscale, mind you. Read the whole article on NYTimes.com. Don't forget to checkout Koon's site, his Wikipedia entry, and these super cool skateboard decks he did with Supreme this past fall.

2. It's fashion week so here's some fashion. Something fashion related anyway. Film Forum is selling a double documentary on legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent. Yves Saint Laurent: His Life And Times and 5 Avenue Marceau 75116 Paris. Both films premiered at Film Forum last year and are now available on DVD for those of us who missed they're short-lived run. A definite must-have for any diehard fashion fan.

3. Have you heard of the street fashion, pic blogger The Sartorialist? I'd heard the name, but never checked it out because it sounded like something heavy or political. Wrong. According to dictionary.com, sartor is a noun that means: "a person whose occupation is making and altering garments" and sartorialist isn't listed. Anyway, check out his blog. Cool shots from Paris, New York, Antwerp, and other fashion centers around the world. Also, checkout his coverage of New York fashion week on style.com to see what people are wearing to the shows, if, like me, you're busy working and can't make it out. And don't miss Style.com's comprhensive coverage of all the shows as they happen.

4. "4 4 4 for my headaches and 5 5 5 for my lonely and 6 6 6 for my sorrow and...7 7 for no tomorrow..." Violent Femmes (Kiss Off)

If you still haven't downloaded to The Decemberists latest EP: The Crane Wife, I strongly recommend you do.

It made its way back into heavy rotation for me again this past week and it's so good that I can't pick a favorite song. Every time I think I have one, I get derailed listening to its competition. My current favorites: Shankill Butchers, Sons and Daughters, O Valencia, and the Crane Wife 1 and 2.

Equal parts art and music, the origin of this album is what really has me right now. "The Decemberists upcoming album, The Crane Wife is thematically based on a tragic Japanese folk tale..." See the full article on Billboard's site.

Lead singer Colin Meloy saw the book in a store several years back and waited until the time was right to figure out how to use the material. Checkout this article on NPR's site for more info and to listen to a webcast of one of the bands performances on NPR's All Songs Considered.

But don't call it a concept album. "Drawing on the long-simmering inspiration of the Crane Wife story, Meloy has written a collection of songs that leap off from the folk tale and into a rich, complex musical landscape. It’s tempting to think of The Crane Wife as a concept album, but that’s not really accurate. The album is more like an extrapolation of the folk tale, a re-imagining of its themes on a broader canvas." Checkout the full story on the band's site.

Don't forget to checkout: the band's discography (where you can test drive the songs from The Crane Wife), the video for Valencia on Yahoo Music, dates and tickets for the spring tour, their appearance on Letterman, this video for one of my favorite songs (lyrically) by the band, Los Angeles I'm Yours, and the book that inspired the album, available on Amazon.

Now that they've resolved their named issue, the label formerly known as Tsubi, has just opened a new store store downunder (in Melbourne) using their new name: Ksubi. Note: despite the spelling change, the name is still pronounced the same.

Says superfuture: "Extremely superfresh and edgy new Ksubi 'space' inspired by the cardboard homes in the slums of Madrid. Located smack bang in the middle of the totally unslummy Armadale shopping strip in suburban Melbourne."

In addition to their own line, the store also stocks: "tsumori chisato, jeremy scott, filippa k, chronicles of never, romance was born...plus some great accessories".

The interior: "Cardboard house constructed inside a polished white outer shell. More like a gallery installation with a couple of works of art out in the back garden". Highlight: An outdoor toilet (in the interior courtyard) made of one-way mirror.

For more info, checkout the full review on superfuture's site. And if you can't make it to Australia, one of my favorite stores, Aloha Rag, sells pieces from both the men's and women's collections from the designers.

1. Checkout She Wants Revenge. I don't know much about these guys, but saw the video for Tear You Apart last week and thought it was really hot. Their MySpace profile has three (3) additional songs from the band and several videos for you to checkout. If you decide you're into them, they have a few shows coming up next week: at Avalon in LA on 02.07.07 and at the Grand in SF on 02.10.07.

2. I keep seeing the band Kill Hannah in everyone's Top Friends list on MySpace. Checkout their profile to test drive four (4) of their songs. You can also download MP3's and watch videos of tracks from previous EPs on their site. The band has been around for nearly 10 years, but seems to be just making a name for themselves outside their hometown of Chicago. For in-depth info on their history, checkout their Wikipedia entry. Currently a favorite of Nylon magazine, Nylon TV has a video interview with lead singer, Mat Devine, taped recently outside Happy Endings in Chinatown. If you into their music, they're currently on tour and may be coming to your town.

3. If you can make it to Chelsea by Saturday (02.03.07), stop by the Paula Cooper Gallery for VOOM Portraits, "an exhibition of video portraits by the celebrated theater director and artist Robert Wilson. The new portraits are staged tableaux of artists, musicians, actors and other personalities, presented on high-definition flat screens. The exhibition at Paula Cooper Gallery will include a large portrait of Winona Ryder as Winnie, the main female character in Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days." Read this article in the NY Times for more info and checkout the pic of America's favorite shoplifter. Other celeb portraits in the show: Brad Pitt, Baryshnikov, and Isabella Rossellini.

4. I'm too tired to write this now. I'll upload it in the morning. Since the pic to the right is a work by Wojnarowicz, I can't leave it out. Unfortunately, I had a little too much fun at the MAO Magazine party last night and Good World after that. I can't keep my eyes open any longer.

1. Following the lead of Clap Your Hands, Bloc Party has all songs from the soon-to-be-release A Weekend In The City posted on their MySpace page for you to listen to. Don't think it's going to be there forever, though, as with Clap Your Hands, it's only up as a teaser for a limited time. The EP is slated to release 02.05.07. If you want to listen to the songs with other fans, checkout a listening party in your town. (You need to be logged into MySpace to see this. If you don't have a MySpace account yet, do yourself a favor and get one. The site is full of info on all your favorite bands and songs to listen to for free.) And of course, support the band and buy the album. Oh yeah, checkout this behind the scenes look at the making of the video for The Prayer on my new favorite site Dazed Digital.

2. This should have been on my Top 10 Myspace Profiles list the other day, but I just found it last night. Checkout Bruce La Bruce's profile. He's definitely an interesting guy--pornographer cum artist and vice versa--so you'll definitely be entertained by the page and his website, but checkout his Top Friends list. He's scoured MySpace and found twenty four (24) profiles whose icons are some variation of a skull. It's so hot. It's the coolest thing I've seen anyone do on MySpace so far.

3. Checkout the first feature film by Dazed Digital. "Dazed Film's first feature The Lives of The Saints, showing at the ICA from Friday 26th January, is set in the area around north London's Green Lanes, an area with a strong Greek and Turkish-Cypriot community." If you're in London, get info on tix and a bit more info on the film. There's also a behind the scenes look at the making of the film and this plot summary on IMDB.