Lollipop Chainsaw = Hair Full of Zombie Chunks

by Rebecca “Bonks” Rothschild

Did you know that even the undead can be douchebags? I mean they smell, they try to eat your brain and have no regard for public property. And according to the star of the upcoming WB Games title Lollipop Chainsaw, Juliet Starling, it takes a lot of shampoo lathering to get those pesky zombie chunks out of her hair after a day of shredding.

Juliet may be cute as a button but she’s a bit complicated. A cheerleader and zombie hunter, Juliet’s jewel-encrusted day planner gets pretty full. Now, before you go and make your Buffy comparisons, I’d like to point out the one very big difference. Buffy did not bedazzle and spray paint her stakes in pink, nor did her weapons ever radiate the adorable rainbow effect that Juliet’s signature chainsaw is known for.

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Urban Legend Carl Cox at North Coast

by Anthony Regan

Siblings of a generation raised on 90s Chicago House gather near a stage at the 2011 North Coast Music Fest by the dozens to find the Englishman who could mix four records at once, or so they heard from their elders. They are teenagers who didn't even know DJs once used vinyl, yet this DJ, once a staple-resident at Crobar Chicago, who earned the hearts of millions by sheer passion for sharing music, was to them, "an urban legend" their brothers and sisters told tales of years ago. Then lights flash on a stage as a massive, body-shaking kick of bass punches through speakers, and strobe lights blaze their eyes. A large man with glasses and a big smile greets them in a charmingly distinct English accent. Within minutes, hundreds are entranced by electrifying beats, globally enriched with tracks gathered from all around the world. They'd seen DJs before, but not like him. His sound incendiary, his style indefinable and his presence lovable, as teens to 30-somethings dance and chant together, "Carl! Carl!"

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Andrew McMahon's Intimate & Inspiring Apple Store Performance

by Lindsey Shaw

Any other day at the Apple Store on North Michigan Avenue would have drawn regular iPod purchasers and MacBook browsers, but on September 3rd the energy was charged with more than consumerism as fans gathered to spend some time with Andrew McMahon, the sole driving force behind Jack's Mannequin. Met with everything from a marriage proposal to birthday balloons, the former Something Corporate member and lead singer of Jack’s Mannequin shared tales of his musical ventures along with unheard tracks off the upcoming album People and Things.

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Lollapalooza 2011: A Summary of Sorts

photographed and written by Neil Miller, Jr.

Every year since 2005, Lollapalooza descends upon Grant Park for a weekend full of good music, moderately priced grub, and 270,000 people all scurrying to catch their favorite acts. The heat was killer, which made the trek between main stages at opposite ends of the park an exhausting one. Ultimately though, the results were rewarding. For Lolla’s 20th anniversary, they really brought it this year with a stellar lineup and a weekend that will surely serve as the best of the year for many people.

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RETROACTIVITIES Vol. 1 | A Recollection of All Things Old and Pixelated

Screenshot of Super Mario Kart for SNES | credit: Dan's Bit Ratchet Blog

by Gino (OMGino) Pennacchio | @ZOMGino

The fleeting moment of victory in Mario Kart… there really isn’t anything quite like it…

Tell me that you have beaten Super Mario Kart for the Super Nintendo, 150cc, on Special Cup, with 45 points.  Not 42… not 39… but 45. First place finish each race. Tell me you have done this… that you have at one point defied all odds and fended off that pesky bitch, Koopa Troopa, five straight times with perfect results.  Tell me you have managed to defeat a team of ultra-skilled CPUs that are able to jump over banana peels (seriously how is that even fair) and shoot flaming Bowser balls (what else would you call them), Yoshi eggs and shrinking mushrooms — all at the incredibly annoying frequency of every five seconds — on five courses that are designed to fuck you big time.

If you’ve done this, we need to have coffee together because that “holy-shit” moment happened to me eight months ago. When it happened I kind of couldn’t believe it. I sat there staring at the flawless line:
“1. Mario…………………………..45”

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