Beastie Boys on Jimmy Fallon’s show

Check it out: Ad Rock’s wearing a Murray Hill T-shirt!

Kids, that’s showbiz!

Also: Two Happy Birthdays

Happy Birthday to two great gay men today, both of whom had an immeasurable impact on my life.

Today would have been the 79th birthday of slain gay rights leader (and my lifelong hero) Harvey Milk:

And a very happy 50th (!) to Morrissey, also a gigantic influence on me and the impetus to my teenage-to-now vegetarianism:

Thanks, fellas.

Evidence that I’ve worn a dress

From a long series wherein my mother took a picture of me every day before school. As my Facebook friends say, British Invasion rockers would have killed for that hair.

Adorable, right? Now you understand why I later chastised my mother for never making me a child star.

Happy birthday to the late Joey Ramone

Today would have been our beloved Joey Ramone’s 58th birthday. Joey, we salute you.

How weird is it that three of the four original Ramones — Joey, Johnny and Dee Dee — are gone to punk rock heaven?

Flashback: Afrika Bambaataa and Johnny Rotten

Here’s “World Destruction”, still relevant as ever:

Happy 50th birthday, Martha Quinn

Can you believe it? Martha Quinn, sweetheart of the 1980s music video viewing generation and former gal pal of Stiv Bators (Dead Boys, Lords of the New Church), turns 50 today! Happy day, Martha. We still love you.

It’s not just me, right? Martha was the best VJ ever. UPDATE: Further evidence that Martha rules: she left a comment! Yay!

Boy George is free!

Boy George, one of my childhood heroes, was released from prison early today. Here’s a The Daily Mail’s report. Doesn’t he look fit?

Favorite Boy George song? I think mine is “It’s A Miracle” by Culture Club. Or “The Crying Game” by the solo Boy.

Do you love Kim and Kelley Deal?

You do? Then you might wanna read The Guardian’s interview with the now sober sisters. They’re making music together again. Hurray!

No Doubt hits the beach, er, bleach

No Doubt performed live on the Today show this morning and while I didn’t see it, I heard they sounded atrocious. Whoops. UPDATE: Here are links to today’s performance: “Don’t Speak,” “Spiderwebs” and “It’s My Life.”.

They sounded okay, not great, but that’s got a lot to do with the horrible mix. And, yes, Gwen forgot lyrics. Damn. As a singer, I can say: it happens to the best of us.

The band was especially bleached three of the with all four No Doubters sporting peroxide blonde hair and Gwen clad in what looks to be my junior high New Wave boyfriend Tom’s bleached trousers. Noted: Ms. Stefani wore her signature 1990s hair knots, signifying she is back in full-on band mode. As opposed to solo mode, which would entail her bringing along the Harujuku Girls.

In fact, everything about Gwen reeked of her No Doubt days — the clothes, the moves — except for the fact that fame and fortune have made her emaciated. Somebody wanna get Ms. Stefani a sandwich?

Anyone going to see No Doubt on its reunion tour? I’m hoping to see them in a few weeks on my visit home to Florida. It will be my first time seeing Gwen with the band. If it’s as good as her solo show, I’m in luck.

Today my ears belong to Bowie

Specifically Station to Station.

What are you listening to today?