Carlos Rodela doesn't hold much stock with the Seattle music scene, either its cloistered, big-fish-in-a-small-pond pretensions or with its rock star showmanship. "The idea of musicianmanship is absolute shit," he told us over coffee. "There is no playing better, there's just difference. Different Songs. What did Elvis Costello say? That rock and roll is the 14-year-old kid in a bedroom coming up with a new rock song. That's rock and roll." Rodela's been around......

That giant flaming ball of hot gases is back, and aside from telling ourselves to stop staring at it, Seattlest's mind is on the fence. (It's a small fence.) We haven't had enough ski season yet, but a nice dry bike ride sure would be dreamy. If the extra vitamin D from the past few days has skewed your thoughts to similar memes, or you just want to pick up a bunch of free swag......

Okay, okay, we know that this year’s Bumbershoot lineup will leave you wondering what year it is, since we wouldn’t really call most of the acts especially current or relevant, but there are some things worth checking out. Friday, M. Ward is sure to rock (if you can call someone who mainly plays acoustic rocking). He is one heck of a guitar player and, oh boy, does he do a great cover of David Bowie’s......

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Or in Bumbershoot's case, when headliners Ani DiFranco and Devo both cancel, scramble like mad and book Iggy and The Stooges and Elvis Costello in their places. Whee! At least on the former; we're a mite wary of the latter. And as a bonus, the Stooges, short a bass player, are touring this summer with none other than Mike Watt. The lineup (as it stands now--who knows who......