LeeMail- 02/09/2001

LEEMail

Welcome, my son. Welcome to the machine.

So Peter Criss is out of Kiss for the Australian & Japanese Farewell Tour dates. Why? Depends on who you ask. Peter says that "Gene and Paul chose to terminate their association with (him) for the Japan and the Australian tour dates." Gene said "that professional bands are businesses and sometimes things happen like this, whether it is or isn't what the band members want". He said that "the band wanted Peter on this tour, but the lawyers for both parties, not the band members, have total control over all of these types of contractual deals...and the lawyers for both parties could not come to an agreement." One problem, Gene. You're Gene. You control all things in the Mega Money Mart that is Kiss. Now, these lawyers work for you, right? If you really wanted Peter along on the tour - you could have made that happen. You didn't. It's unreal that he & Ace are now relegated to being paid employees in the first place (not to mention the fact that they have to play "Lick It Up" every night), and that you say that Kiss is a "family" and that you love the fans. Wow, that's a show. Now, Eric Singer will play those dates - IN PETER'S MAKE-UP. Why? Because he's cheap and because the Japanese said that they would cancel all dates if the tour wasn't the full make-up extravaganza. And losing that scratch would cost more than I'm sure Peter was asking for. What a sad, sad day. Seeing them live at Halloween 2 years ago, I actually believed in Rock & Roll again - for a while. Thanks for bringing me back to earth, Mr. Simmons. Now I understand why you sign your name with a dollar sign for the first "S".

Favorite Song Of All Time This Week©: "Money (That's What I Want)" - The Beatles. You know, nothing kicks ass harder than the With The Beatles version. So clean, so raw, so great.

Speaking of dysfunctional families... Inside The Osmonds [ABC] Okay, you know you're in trouble when the movie is produced by James (no longer Jimmy) Osmond and they got an ugly kid to play Donny. (Perhaps that had something to do with 'ol James and his casting...) Anyhoo, aside from the horrible script, acting and lip-syncing - it was one of the funniest TV movies I've ever seen. Whether it was simply discovering the 2 oldest & deaf Osmonds, Tom & Verle (and wondering why I'd never heard about them before - get it? Heard?) or seeing the real Osmonds come out for an encore at the end (yeesh - the air in Branson sure do make you get old & ugly) - I was entertained for 2 hours. Come on, what's a better way to spend an evening than with a bunch of madcap, back-biting Mormons? Of course, the tunes rocked. Admit it, "One Bad Apple" kicks ass. It's only lame when compared to "Yo-Yo", "Down By The Lazy River" or "Crazy Horses" (natch).

Question Of The Week 1©: "One Bad Apple" or "A B C"?

Hey - I liked the XFL. Jesse "The Body" was really no less annoying than Dennis Miller, and the football was no worse than a Chargers game. Yeah, seeing The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin make you feel like inbred Nebraskans, but may I remind you about the Aerosmith/*N Sync/Britney disaster? I like the cameras on the field, the new rules and the quicker pace. Sure, it was no bloodbath (as we were led to believe it might be) - but, hey, it's football for a few more weeks in the year. As it catches on (and they get their acts together) you'll see them distance themselves from the crap wrester cameos, and concentrate on a game that's way more interesting than the NFL's version. These guys don't get paid much, and they'll play much harder than the overpaid fucks in the AFC/NFC. Give it a shot if you didn't.

Happy Birthday To Thee From LEE This Week©:

02/09/42 Carole King

02/11/35 Gene Vincent

02/13/42 Peter Tork

02/14/47 Tim Buckley

Favorite Album Of All Time This Week©: Happy Sad - Tim Buckley. Any of you who've never heard this record - do yourselves a huge favor and pick it up. Truly remarkable.

Speaking of remarkable, I've heard the new Divine Comedy single.

LeAnn Rimes apologized for her new album on her website, saying that "is not a reflection of myself as an artist, but is solely the conception of Curb Records, and for that I am truly and deeply sorry." I can't think of anything funnier than that to say.

In all of my Reality TV brouhaha, I keep forgetting to say how much I love the WB's Pop Stars. It's the Bad Karma Show of the Century, as it's only worth watching to laugh at the people. But, man - can you, do you, should you. (And, for those of you watching - Baby better make it all the way...)

And Survivor still kicks ass. I'm sorry for chastising the losers who don't watch it. They don't deserve it. We do. Fuck them. Reality TV isn't real? Yeah, let's see you try that shit. Fags.

Jim Varney, 50. Actor (Ernest, Slinky the Dog from Toy Story, Dr. Otto Von Schnick-ick-ick). February 10.

Charles Schulz, 77. Creator of "Peanuts". February 12.

Tom Landry, 75. Football coach. February 12.

William Oliver Swofford, 54. Singer ("Good Morning Starshine", "Jean") February 12.

"Screamin'" Jay Hawkins, 70. Singer ("I Put A Spell On You")/Actor/Father to hundreds. February 12.

Roger Vadim, 72. Director (Barbarella, ...And God Created Woman) February 12.

Song That Kicked LEE's Ass on The Radio This Week©: "Message In A Bottle" - The Police. What a sound. No wonder Sting does this song slow & acoustic - it's Stewart & Andy that make it happen.