I'll Take Potpourri for $400, Alex

Oh the sheer randomness of it all!


Daft Punk confirmed rumored tour dates today, and here's the kicker... The Rapture is opening! They're playing Coney Island's Keystone Park (Go Cyclones!) on August 9. See you all there... I'll be the one with glowsticks and a pacifier. As I have mentioned before, Daft Punk's set at Coachella 2006 is the best live show I have ever seen, Iggy and the Stooges included. See video of that entire set here. While you're at it, head over to their site and check out the teaser preview for the Daft Punk movie, Electroma. Still no word on a theatrical run here in the States, but apparently it's opening soon in Japan(?). Also, thanks to Rich for sending along this video of a helmetless Daft Punk playing Wisconsin's Even Further festival way back in May 1996. I'm pretty sure this was filmed on the day I graduated from college. That makes me too old for blogging. (Speaking of iconoclastic Gallic duos, Air also announced tour dates today. We get them at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on May 10.)

But wait...there's more! In yet more (albeit rather somber) Gallic iconoclast news, the legendary "postmodernist" philosopher Jean Baudrillard has died. The only thing worse than his death is the fact that, according to every obit I've read today, Baudrillard and his seminal Simulacra and Simulation are best known -- get ready to throw up -- because of the movie The Matrix. (What is it with bad Keanu Reeves films and great writers?? Think about it: Bram Stoker, Philip K. Dick, William Gibson, Shakespeare, Tom Robbins, Choderlos de Laclos, and everyone who's written issues of Hellblazer. The dude has the Cloaca Touch... everything he touches turns to shit. Except Point Break, which fucking rules to the max. Ironically, Baudrillard would have loved this digression.) Anyhoo, Boing Boing points to an this highly entertaining distillation of Simulacra.

Eddie Van Halen has entered rehab, finally scuttling any lingering hope for the warmly anticipated, perennially ill-fated Van Halen reunion. This guy? Rehab?? Inconceivable! The guy's giving Nick Nolte and James Brown a run for their money.

Finally, Brian the Designer sent a link to Rapcat. If you like rap and cats (and who the hell doesn't like rap and cats?), click on the "video" section and prepare to be pleased. And no, this is in no way connected to Paula Abdul's onetime animated sidekick MC Skat Kat. Thank Christ.

Enjoy. Have a great weekend.