-- In indie rock musician circles, Stephen Malkmus has long been a known and feared master of fantasy basketball. (Ask Janet Weiss.)And in this interview with sportswriter Steve Alexander, he dodges most of the music questions, reveals his love for Kendrick Perkins, and names the player who currently epitomizes punk in the NBA. (Spoiler alter: I...

Stephen Malkmus, St. Vincent, Josh Ritter, French Kicks, Ra Ra Riot, Martha Wainwright, Broken West, The Morning Benders and The Submarines have all been added to San Francisco's Noise Pop Festival, taking place from February 24 - March 1 next year.

Adding another entry to the canon unexpected covers, Steve Malkmus & the Jicks teamed up with stage mates and fellow Portland residents Blitzen Trapper to put a spin on James Gang's James Gang Ride Again classic "Funk #49." The hootenanny took place at the Pageant in St. Louis this past Saturday. It involves as much awkward dancing as it doe...

The twentieth anniversary edition of the annual Rock for Kids Rock & Roll Charity Auction will take place December 5 at Chicago's Park West, with the aim of raising some coin for the city's homeless and underprivileged youngsters. Over the years, the Rock for Kids auction has raised more than three million dollars for the cause, and they...

Stephen Malkmus is known for many things, but bringing the funk isn't one of them (maybe Wowee Zowee's "Flux=Rad" or Face the Truth's "Kindling for the Master", OK, but still). Backed by the Jicks last night at the Pageant in St. Louis,  Malkmus played James Gang's groove-oriented classic-rock hit, "Funk #49", with like-minded tourmates...