The Capri Lounge: Rants and Raves from Rolling Stone's Editors

Andy Greene

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Toughest Rock Trivia Question Ever

May 23, 2008 12:05 PM

I’ve managed to stump most my co-workers with this trivia question, so I figured I'd unleash it on the web. What do the Velvet Underground, Public Enemy, The Sugarcubes, Pearl Jam, the Pixies, Primus and the Ramones all have in common? If nobody gets in right in the next few days I'll post a hint in the comments section. No Googling!


Andy Greene

Will Robert "Mutt" Lange Rock Again Now That He's Free Of Shania?

May 19, 2008 10:34 AM

In late 1993 rock and roll was dealt a cruel blow when Robert "Mutt" Lange married Shania Twain. Up until that point Lange had produced some of the 1980s best rock albums — including AC/DC's Back In Black and Def Leppard's Hysteria. Shortly before he tied the knot Lange ominously produced an album for Michael Bolton. Once the ring was on his finger Lange began working exclusively with his wife. Together they crafted her 1997 album Come On Over, which has sold 15.4 million copies in America alone and remains the best selling album of the Soundscan era. Yep, the same man who produced "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "Rock of Ages" is also responsible for "Man! I Feel Like A Woman!"

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Andy Greene

The Coming Late Night War: Leno Vs. Conan Vs. Dave

May 1, 2008 2:51 PM

One of my favorite TV movies is The Late Shift, a 1996 HBO flick about Dave Letterman and Jay Leno's battle for The Tonight Show. In the past few years the late night wars have flared up again, hopefully paving the way for a sequel. Here's a quick recap: In 2004 Conan O’Brien's contact was up for renewal and much like Letterman before him, he was growing weary of the 12:35 AM slot. The NBC brass cut an unprecedented deal in which Conan was promised The Tonight Show by 2009. If they didn't deliver they'd have to pay a $45 million penalty. This didn't exactly please Jay Leno, who had been trouncing Letterman for over a decade and had no plans to retire.

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Andy Greene

I Want My MTV To Be Better

April 8, 2008 2:48 PM

It seems like most of the time I turn on MTV they're playing America's Next Top Model. Tomorrow they're showing a seven-hour marathon of season four — which originally aired on the UPN three years ago. I won't get into the tired "MTV doesn't show videos anymore" rant, because clearly their audience just doesn't want to watch them. Besides, if I ever want to see classic videos there is always VH1 Classic — or at least there used to be. These days they're usually either showing Ghostbusters or Ratt: Behind The Music. I love hearing about how Ratt "grabbed the decade of decadence by the tail," but I liked it better when they showed nothing but random old videos. What other TV network would regularly air "Mexican Radio" and "Eminence Front?" It's just not the same seeing those things on YouTube. I need to see Stan Ridgway's face rise from the platter of beans on my big screen . It's time for MTV to shake things up. Here's what I would do if I was in charge:

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Andy Greene

The State Reunites In The Midst Of A 1990s Sketch Comedy Renaissance

March 25, 2008 10:05 AM

For fans of 1990s sketch comedy, these past couple of weeks have been Woodstock, Live Aid and the ALF reunion movie all rolled into one. Not only did the Kids In The Hall announce a two-month reunion tour. Not only did HBO announce they had picked up a new show featuring Mr. Show’s Bob Odenkirk and David Cross. But the mother of all 1990s sketch comedy groups — The State — quietly reformed March 15th at the UCB theater in Los Angeles for their first live show in over a decade. The show was so under the radar that even hardcore State fans had no idea it happened until days after it was over.

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Andy Greene

With Indiana Jones 4 Just Two Months Away, What Else Are We Looking Forward To?

March 17, 2008 4:31 PM

Today we got a huge poster for Indiana Jones And the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in the mail. I've seen the trailer and read countless articles about it over the past few months, but seeing the lobby-ready poster made it really sink in — this fucker's finally coming out. Indiana Jones 4 and Rocky 6 were two frequent topics of conversation at my sixth grade lunch table. The questions were endless: Could Rocky still box after the life-threatening brain injury he sustained in Russia fighting Ivan Drago? Is Indiana Jones immortal after drinking from the cup of Christ? Why did Rocky Jr. age so much between parts four and five? Now that Rocky 6 has happened and Indiana Jones is a mere two months away (both distant dreams back in 1995) what else am I sick of waiting for? Here's a list:

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Andy Greene

A Look Ahead To Future Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Brawls

March 12, 2008 6:05 PM

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are the only forum in rock where bitter ex-bandmates are forced to come together publicly. Sometimes they temporarily bury the hatchet and perform one last time (Talking Heads, the Mamas & the Papas, the Velvet Underground), but often the shit hits the fan. Everybody expected last year's Van Halen induction to devolve into a steel cage match, but instead nobody named Van Halen or Roth showed up and the only massacre was Paul Shaeffer's take on "Why Can’t This Be Love." Things got pretty uncomfortable in 2005 when former members of Blondie started bitching out Debbie Harry onstage, and in 1993 John Fogerty left his stunned Creedence bandmates at the podium and performed with Bruce Springsteen. John Paul Jones had one of the great Rock Hall lines when he thanked Jimmy Page and Robert Plant for "remembering my phone number." We haven't seen fireworks recently, but here's a look ahead at some potentially wonderfully awkward moments:

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Andy Greene
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