I’m going to go ahead and own the fact that on weeknights when I am at home, and also coherent, I’ll turn on TMZ and watch their low rent “news” on celebrity has-beens and wannabes that I’ve either never heard of before, or wish I hadn’t. I’m probably the least Star Struck blogger on the planet, but I consider TMZ to be my primary source of worthless celebrity pandering so that I can stay in the loop about what is “popular” – you know, for the kids. TMZ is also completely hilarious and boasts the least self-aware staff of any celebrity news program, so in that way it seems very down to earth and makes you feel like you’re hearing these crazy stories from people you know pretty well. That’s probably why the show is so popular. Continue reading TMZ Tour NYC!→
On This Date, March 3rd in 1986: Metallica released its highly influential third album, Master of Puppets, considered by many in the metal community to be the best metal album of all time. This was the final Metallica album with original bassist Cliff Burton, who was killed when the group’s tour bus over-turned in southern Sweden while touring to promote the album.
On This Date, March 19th in 1982: Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist Randy Rhoads died in a plane crash in Leesburg, FL when the plane crashed into Osbourne’s tour bus. The pilot Andrew Aycock – who caused the crash by trying to “buzz” the top of the bus as a prank – and hairdresser Rachel Youngblood were also killed. Rhoads was 25 years old. Continue reading Remembering Randy Rhoads and Paul Kossoff→
I never had to take the bus in grade school as we lived just two blocks from the school. Suburbia! But the school bus did always seem like it might be kind of scary for little kids to ride: especially for kindergartners, many of whom are just learning to handle being separated from their moms for the first time in their lives. Scary! A school district in Osaka, Japan solved this separation anxiety problem by customizing the traditional yellow school bus to resemble a cheerful Pikachu – the most popular of all the Pokemon! Who wouldn’t like to ride this bus? School is fun!
Cliff Burton Action Figure By Super7 (Photo By Gail)
On This Date, September 27th, in 1986: Metallica bassist Cliff Burton was killed in Sweden when the band’s tour bus skidded off the highway and flipped onto the ground. Burton was thrown through the window of the bus, which then fell on top of him, crushing him to death. He was 24 years old.
