When Trampled By Turtles went on David Letterman’s show earlier this month to play their song “Are You Behind the Shining Star?”, their host wasted no time revealing what a New Yorker knows about the band’s hometown. “Duluth. That’s iron ore country? Taconite, that’s right.” Then Letterman turned to Paul Shaffer, who seemed to be…

An August 14 auction of Elvis Presley memorabilia will include a library card on which the then-13-year-old placed his earliest existing signature. Also on the auction block will be the 18-carat jewel-encrusted pendant the King wore to his 1970 meeting with President Nixon. (New York Times) Well, this is awkward: Duran Duran are suing their…

We're playing dinosaur songs for today's Coffee Break. What do you want to hear?

Jack White attended a Cubs game on Tuesday night, and the Internet has become obsessed with a screengrab of the rocker looking distinctly unimpressed. (A.V. Club) Angelo Adkins, infant son of Adele, has been awarded a five-figure settlement from Corbis Images UK, which the child’s parents say has invaded their child’s privacy by posting paparazzi…

What songs in 3/4 time should we play for our waltzes Coffee Break?

All things must pass: in a wince-worthy development, a George Harrison memorial tree planted in Los Angeles in 2004 has been killed by an infestation of—yes, beetles. A city councilmember says that the tree will be replanted. (Los Angeles Times) Dave Eggers, watch your back: Jack White‘s Third Man Records are going into the book…

When I departed Minneapolis for Chicago last weekend to attend the three-day Pitchfork Festival, I already knew that I was going to dig seeing Beck headline Friday night’s festivities and have a blast singing along to tUnE-yArDs and St. Vincent, both of whom have played Minneapolis this year. But I was also looking forward to checking out some new…

Sifu Hotman Sifu Hotman is a relatively new group on the block, though its members are anything but. The new super group comprises Rhymesayers rapper Dem Atlas, spoken word artist and rapper Guante, and producer Rube. Their debut project Embrace the Sun will be next Tuesday. If you don’t have the patience to wait to hear the debut, the…

What songs with a nonsense word (or words) do you want to hear for today's Coffee Break?

With Bruce Springsteen’s iconic and top-selling album, Born in the U.S.A., turning 30 this year, a dozen artists have stepped up to record covers of the album’s 12 tracks for a new compilation called Dead Man’s Town. And as we reported earlier this month, two of the artists on the compilation are from Duluth, Minnesota. We’ll have…