Remember that freaky orgy of a Flaming Lips video we told you about a few months ago? Well, the Oklahoma psych-punks wrapped production on it and shipped it off to the Internets for viewing. We can assure you that the the video, which features a bunch of naked Portlanders on mountain bikes, Wayne in his home, the bubble and a gigantic hair ball of a vagina birthing enough nude hippies to warrant its own Rainbow Gathering, is a pretty entertaining affair. We’re also going to go ahead and deem this Not Safe for Work. That is, of course, unless you work in a hospital on Mars, a vagina hair ball farm or Vincent Gallo’s production company. Not really sure what else we can say about this, as it really says it all itself, save that we haven’t seen this much pubic hair since we first got our hands on the Joy of Sex. Something tells me Alejandro Jodorowsky would dig this one.

It feels like decades since we first set foot in the bathroom of the Ace Hotel with some of our favorite bands. Alas, we conclude our Hotbox series today with a journey into the minds and hearts of Sore Eros, three men who rambled on down from the lush meadows of Connecticut to share “We Can Make It Louder” a song that outside of this setting, would sound as though they were submerged in tubs. Bathtubs.

His words, not mine, folks. Either way, you can probably stop that long running bet with your bro who writes for the university paper about whether or not Oregon, New Jersey or Rhode Island will be the next Sufjan States record, because, well, it probably ain’t going to happen. In an interview with Paste, Stevens calls the absolutely ambitious and totally NPR-worthy States Project “a joke.” The dude who wrote tunes about a holiday that celebrates a Revolutionary War officer from Poland and the pot-holed mess of a raised motor path known as the BQE, goes as far as saying “I took it too seriously. I started to feel like I was becoming a cliché of myself.” Sufjan then goes into detail about his BQE project, which debuted over two years ago at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and is just now being issued to the public. “In all honesty, that piece is what really sabotaged my creative momentum.” Apparently, considering he hasn’t done anything but issue old stuff (the BQE), rearrange older stuff (Run Rabbit Run), contribute re-arranged, remixed, re-worked 10 minute-plus old track works to a high profile AIDS comp and probably made a Grilled Cheese or two. Anyway, sounds like someone’s developed a really hefty weed habit, is spending too much time hitting the Volcano and not enough time researching the Battle of Appomattox Court House. And for a second, I totally thought this dude could pull a Jandek and release hundreds of albums in a lifetime.

In the time since word of Annie’s follow up to Anniemal hit the street, I have gotten married, had two babies (one of whom is already fluent in English and Cantonese), bought a house, lost said house in the mortgage crisis, got divorced, witnessed a black man become President of the US, got fired, watched my first born dye her hair a Rodman-esque kaliedoscopic color, lost my job and found love in the aid of Song Poems. Seriously, life’s changed a lot, but nevertheless, Ms. Annie is now officially set to release Don’t Stop on November 17th, two weeks from today. To support the long-awaited record, Annie will head across the pond to America to DJ a few gigs. Live in San Francisco, Los Angeles or New York City? Then you’re in luck, as you live in one of three cities where the Norweigan pop goddess will bring her interstellar mix of disco, ’80s pop, and other thoroughly enjoyable stylings, like, ugh, dance music.

Annie Tour Dates:
11.12 San Francisco, CA @ Popscene
11.17 Los Angeles, CA @ Cinespace
11.19 Brooklyn, NY @ N8 Space

Slash in happier times

After years of working with overzealous ego-maniacs, Slash has decided to step away from band work to focus on an album of collaborations. Due to Saul Hudson’s standing as, uh, Slash, one would expect that Slash & Friends, his forthcoming release, would be stacked with a who’s who of rock royalty. True to form he’s wrangled the likes of Dave Grohl, Flea and Alice Cooper. However, the long-locked axe wielder was straight up denied by Jack White! Well, not really. White said he’d play drums or guitar with Slash, but no vocals. Slash seemed pretty bummed, noting “He was one guy that I wanted to work with.” That couldn’t have made Grohl or Flea feel all that hot. The denial marks the first time since Slash was six years old that somebody said “Hmm, Slash, thanks for the invite but I think I’m just gonna chill, play with some legos, work on my side project, my big time band, my record label and a few movies I got asked to do, but thanks anyway for the invitation.” If you see Slash today on the street, give the man a hug. (via NME)