The Spin

♦ After the Annie Sprinkle lecture-with-money-shots last Thursday at the Belcourt—cue obligatory sighting of Gorgeous Greta and Sideshow Bennie (on his birthday!)—the theater's booker and community hero Toby Leonard got an emergency summons to come to Springwater. Whoever was supposed to provide the West End dive with a video projector for its local-filmmaker night flaked. Nobody grumbled much, though, even in a smoggy room that could've made an ashtray gag. (No kidding: Springwater is where secondhand smoke goes to die.) About 50 people turned out to see shorts by Springwater fixture Michael Carter, Greg Welsch of Radio Free Nashville, Travis Nicholson (who sent a short report on his hassles in Hollywood) and Greg Pitts (who was out of town and couldn't make it). One of these filmmakers, we hear, is the man who managed to pitch Patrick Swayze a movie project during last year's Nashville Film Festival—at a urinal. Hope he didn't shake on it.

Gee, Chunklet, thanks for setting us straight

Getting named one of the most overrated albums in rock history by Chunklet magazine—why, it's better than winning a Grammy. So congratulations to the Nashville inductees in the hilarious Athens, Ga.-based crank rag's second issue: the late Johnny Cash's American Recordings I-IV ("a waning, lost without a map, blown-voiced former country star who fits the bill for a hipster makeover"); Lambchop's Nixon ("a bunch of Nashville alt-country hacks try to make a Mercury Rev album"); the O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack ("this shit's been around for over 70 years, and you'd do well to go back to the originals"); Hank Williams III ("hillbilly blackface...country music for hipsters who wouldn't know Gene Watson from Gene Simmons"); and the entire '90s output of Steve Earle ("he should shitcan the outlaw pretense and just join Social Distortion already"). At least they can console themselves in the company of fellow losers The White Stripes, Eminem, the Flaming Lips, Dr. Dre and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Let that be a lesson: always advertise in Chunklet.

Kings of Leon dethroned

All strap and no guitar—that's been the almost exclusively bad buzz on Kings of Leon's sold-out two-night stand at Exit/In last week. One local musician at Friday's show said he was grateful for the attention the heavily hyped group were bringing to Nashville, but "if those guys ever collide with a good song, they'll really be something." Another was more direct: "It was shocking. They sucked." Still another (of many) wondered how in hell they got an opening slot on the U2 tour. Other complaints: too much preening, lack of presence and passion—and did lead singer Caleb Followill really check his cell phone onstage? On this point most agree: special guests The Features rocked the room Thursday night, despite conspiracy-theory grumbling that the band had contracted one of those mysterious sound maladies that often strikes opening acts in danger of smoking the headliner.

Noteworthy shows this week

♦ For everyone who misses DJs Chek and Mindub on 91 Rock—what was that drama all about?—their Audity Central dance parties are going stronger than ever at their new location, Basante's on West End. (Serving liquor no doubt loosens up those hips.) The Elevator Music Collective crew plan to pack out their expanded dance floor this Friday night with a special guest appearance by Dizzy, the hot San Diego DJ who pioneered the house-music genre known as West Coast Tribal. Also back in town: former Audity Central regular Jolby, who relocated to Chicago. The evening is billed as the 5th Annual Pisces Party, so named for its many DJs with February birthdays; all Pisceans are admitted free for the night. If you're not doing anything after midnight, find Nemo.

♦ Fusion '05, a benefit for Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation, blends music and art Saturday at the penthouse suite at 1720 West End; Kate York, Tyler James, Addison, Shortwave Radio, Tyler Burkham, Thompson, Matthew Perryman Jones and Brian Lee are on the bill. Along with the music and the artwork on view, attendees get their run of appetizers from local restaurants for $10.

Upcoming and cause for excitement

♦ Legendary '60s radical, author, radio DJ and former MC5 manager John Sinclair—immortal as the man who kicks off the '5's live album Kick Out the Jams with the rallying cry, "Kick out the jams, motherfuckers!"—appears March 9 at The Basement on behalf of the locally published anarchist magazine Fifth Estate. Then see Sebadoh/Folk Implosion vet Lou Barlow's set there the next night.

♦ If you've seen the 2000 Japanese cult movie Wild Zero, you know that mankind's last line of defense against yakuza-eating zombies is the thunderous garage-rock of Guitar Wolf. For one night only, March 24, Nashville is safe from the undead as the deafening Tokyo trio set up at the Exit/In. Earplugs are for cowards. Or zombies.

♦ What's this we hear about Trey Anastasio recording here in town and prepping for a March show at the Ryman? Stay tuned.

♦ Twinemen, the trio featuring the remaining members of Morphine and singer Laurie Sargent, make a Nashville appearance March 13 at the Family Wash. The group are filming their tour for a summer DVD release.