New Museum Hands Out First Altoids Award

I was never big on Altoids — they’re a bit too chalky, a little too fresh, perhaps. But I would be chewing the hell out of those things if they made me $25,000 richer, as they did the four individuals (one of them a New Yorker) whom the New Museum has named the winners of Read More

Barbara Walters, Nancy Shevell Are Related

Barbara Walter’s negative comments about Heather Mills on Monday’s The View took on some considerable weight today. In the episode, Ms. Walters called Paul McCartney’s ex-wife “so impossible” and “not a very nice woman.”

As it happens, Mr. McCartney’s new lover, Nancy Shevell, is Ms. Walters’ kin. Cousins, in fact. During the Read More

Page Six Blind Item!

WHICH TABLOID reported a false rental price for an ex-Beatle’s ex?

Today’s Page Six reports:

Heather Mills can thank her ultra-rich Hollywood pals for her quality time in the Hamptons this past weekend–she had the use of a stunning oceanfront home in Amagansett and didn’t pay a dime for it, Page Six has learned.Read More

A Clear-Headed Look At Harrison’s Brainwashed

The early commercial success of George Harrison’s latest and, I’ll presume, last album, Brainwashed (Capitol)-it debuted in the Billboard Top 20-may prove that even in the midst of widespread Eminemania and Avrilidolatry, an audience still exists for guitar-based pop in the hallowed 1960′s-70′s tradition.

Then again, it may only prove that nothing sells quite like Read More

Harmonic Convergence? Ginger Baker’s Crazy Story

It was an article of faith in my preadolescence that Ginger Baker, drummer, junkie and founder of the rock trio Cream would never outlive the 60′s (or the early 70′s at the outside). I met and interviewed him this past April, alive (though looking like one of those leering skeleton figures in a medieval woodcut), Read More