Writer Rob Walker is teaming up with national radio show, Studio 360, to promote his latest book, Significant Objects, due to launch fairly soon. Significant Objects is a project that began with Walker and Joshua Glenn back in 2009 as a way to bring vintage or otherwise discarded objects to life by way of written stories. Some of the objects included a golden candle in the shape of a rabbit, a furry monkey puppet, and a jar of marbles to name but a few discarded, yet significant items. Writers would find objects and submit fictional stories about them. These stories and objects would then be auctioned on SignificantObjects.com, which has raised nearly $8,000 going to various non-profit writing organizations and the writers.

Back in 2010, we actually exhibited the aforementioned golden rabbit wax candle and companion story by writer Neil LaBute at an art show we had with TheFoxIsBlack.com. It looks like this particular object is the cover of the book! Exhibiting the object and the handwritten story by LaBute was an honor in itself, but, to know it’s also the cover… wow.

Now, Walker and Studio 360 is inviting the public to contribute stories to celebrate the launch of the Significant Objects book. Walker and host of Studio 360, Kurt Anderson, went to a thrift shop in New York, picked 3 random and weird items and now are asking YOU to submit stories about them. Winning entries will be read on air! The deadline is April 8th, more info here. Check out the video, you see Rob and Kurt go to the thrift store and pick the items you’ll be writing about!

Find all of the info and complete contest rules at Studio360.org/objects.

It’s pretty humorous that M.I.A. is getting so much attention for “the bird” during the Superbowl… I really don’t care. This video though, wow, this is what she should be getting attention for. M.I.A rocks.

We saw M.I.A. a few years back at Coachella, I thought it was a great show, other friends walked away mixed about the performance. A few years have past with little activity, but, this video, with over 4 million views in a few days, has changed all of that.

I had been wanting to see Cass McCombs play live for some time now. For one reason or another, things never lined up for me. I thought it was going to be yet another failed attempt as it was a sold out show at The Echo in Los Angeles. I stopped into my favortie record store, Origami Vinyl, to see if Neil there had any tickets left. No tickets, sold out. But, as I asked the question, a gentleman overheard and had an extra ticket to spare. I guess it was meant to be… the show was rad… Cass McCombs and band played in complete darkness except for the light display providing a back light and silhouette of the band. Live, it sounded just like his albums… perfect.

Here are two of my favorite songs…

Not only did she put on a killer show this past weekend, but, got the crowd singing, invited people up on stage, and made the cavernous Wiltern Theater feel like a tiny, intimate venue. Feist is currently on tour for her latest release, Metals. If you haven’t heard it yet, get on it, it’s really, really great. What is personally significant for me is that she and her bandmates made the album in Big Sur, California. Big Sur is magic, we want to live there when we get old. This album feel like magic. Bring it on.

Our friend, artist Miki Amano shared this video with us… Feist singing with the Sesame Street crew. So much love for Sesame Street here… who wouldn’t love to live in a world of monsters. As you can see in this video, Feist’s vibe is infectious… so fun and down to earth… Feist is just plain rad.

And, here is our friend, Miki… one of the cutest monsters out there.:)

Listening to the radio the other day, KCRW’s The Business interviewed Kevin Clash, the voice and puppeteer of Elmo. It was a really interesting interview about the behind the scenes of Sesame Street, the creator of Sesame Street, Jim Henson, and the strong community of puppeteers behind this important television show, still running, over forty years strong.

The documentary, Being Elmo is playing in select theaters now. Having received numerous awards already, including the Sundance Special Jury Prize, this documentary looks great and gives us a glimpse of what happens below the screen of one of the most ubiquitous puppets and puppeteers of our time… Elmo, or shall I say Kevin Clash.