Is there any artist in America or Europe who has covered the scope of his or her culture's music to the extent that Rachid Taha has with the wide range of sounds from Algeria/North Africa and its diaspora? Any artist from anywhere?

"No! Just Rachid Taha. In the whole world."

Well, that's the authoritative word on the matter -- from, uh, Rachid Taha, delivered with a smile, but the kind that carries a sense of certainty. OK, so he might not be the most unbiased party on this. But as the saying goes, it ain't braggin' if you can back it up. And shortly after he made that statement backstage at the California Plaza in downtown Los Angeles, he backed it up with little room for doubt with a show as part of the summer's global-minded Grand Performances series coming midway through a very short North American tour.

• Jack White wrote a poem about his hometown of Detroit, titled 'Courageous Dream's Concern.' The White Stripes frontman's work was published Sunday by the Detroit Free Press.
  

• Elton John, Lou Reed and Tony Bennett are among the guests appearing on Elvis Costello's new variety show, titled 'Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...'

• Vampire Weekend, TV on the Radio and Deerhunter are among the performers scheduled for the Willamette Weekís Musicfest NW in Portland, Oregon, which takes place September 3-6.

• Elvis Costello will host a new show on Sundance, titled 'Spectacle: Elvis Costello With ...," which will feature 13 one-hour episodes. Elton John will executive produce the effort.
  

• Former Kraftwerk drummer and Neu! co-founder Klaus Dinger died on March 21 due to heart failure. He was 61.

• 311 and Snoop Dogg will kick off a co-headlining tour, dubbed 'Unity Tour 2008,' on June 24 in Phoenix. The jaunt will wrap with a two-night finale in Austin on August 2-3.

On This Date in 1979: A drunken Elvis Costello is slugged by singer Bonnie Bramlett after he utters a racial slur about Ray Charles in a Columbus, Ohio, hotel bar.

The Almanac Advises for March 15: "While the drunken celebrity rampage is almost a cliche these days, public figures have to be able to hold their tongue if they can't hold their liquor. News of their embarrassing exploits travels fast and can sour a career in no time."

Born: Declan Patrick McManus

What's in a Name: Originally performed as D.P. Costello, using his great-grandmother's surname (not inspired by the American comedian Lou Costello). Costello later took his manager's advice and adopted the first name Elvis. Further confusing the matter, he legally added Aloysius to his given name in the '80s


Listen to Elvis Costello on Napster

Jenny Lewis doesn't want for ambition. The Rilo Kiley frontwoman has put her band, who've been supporting their lastest album, Under the Blacklight,' on hold briefly in order to work on a new solo album. Lewis and producer Jason Larder have been recording at San Fernando Valley's Sun Studios for the effort, which features several guests, including the Black Crowes' Chris Robinson, M. Ward, actress/singer Zooey Deschanel and Elvis Costello.

"It all sounds super natural, nice, and simple," a source said. "Like it doesn't belong in any decade. It's just timeless."

No release date has been set for the effort, the follow-up to Lewis' first solo outing with the Watson Twins, 2006's 'Rabbit Fur Coat.'

'I Want You'
--Elvis Costello (1986)

The Kiss-Off: "It's the thought of him undressing you or you undressing"

From perhaps the ultimate kiss-off artiste -- on this album alone, 'Blood and Chocolate,' he gave us the sweet nothings 'I Hope You're Happy Now' and 'Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head' -- Costello outdid himself with these chilling, murderous seven minutes. "I want you so it scares me to death," he sings, but it won't be his death. Download Elvis Costello on Napster

'(I'd Go the) Whole Wide World,' by Wreckless Eric

Oysters, chocolate, strawberries, champagne -- all effective aphrodisiacs. But add to that list an obscure punk love song, and the unmistakable air of a first kiss, and you've got yourself a dangerously romantic situation. As is the case in the 2006 film 'Stranger Than Fiction,' wherein a simple, sentimental tune by British punk musician Eric Goulden, better known as his more "Wreckless" self, does the trick in this magnetic scene between Maggie Gyllenhaal and Will Ferrell.

2008 Presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton will celebrate her 60th birthday on October 26, and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, is throwing her the ultimate birthday bash in their hometown of NYC, complete with a performance from rock legend Elvis Costello.

The event, which will be held at the Beacon Theater, will serve as a fundraiser for the newly sexagenarian and former First Lady, and is open to the public. Tickets for the event range from $250-$2,300, with more acts expected to be announced. Bill Clinton's own 60th birthday party last year was filmed by Oscar Award-winning director Martin Scorcese, and featured performances from the Rolling Stones, Christina Aguilera and Jack White.

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New York, 2002: That was the first time I photographed Elvis Costello. We went to the hotel, I think, where he was staying, and he got the room up on the top of the hotel and there was some really nice light there. And I just thought, "He's such an iconic figure and the eyeglasses are so iconic, I wanted to get really in his face." I like to push people to the edge of the frame a lot of times. Instead of getting them right into the center, it just adds some tension into the photograph. He was really OK with being photographed and really was giving something back to me, whatever he could to help making the photograph better.



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Marilyn Manson vs. My Chemical Romance

Fightin' Words: "Rebels without applause/ I sell my shadow to those who are standing in it" ('Mutilation Is the Most Sincere Form of Flattery,' Manson)

The aging shock rocker took shots at a younger generation, claiming that MCR owes him an unacknowledged debt. MCR frontman Gerard Way, astutely noting that many feuds occur when one of the offending parties has a new record to promote, dismissed Manson: "If Elvis Costello said we sucked we would think about it a bit ... We still haven't found someone that has knocked us down that we need to take seriously."

Judges' Decision: My Chemical Romance gets the last laugh

"I can wait out any fashion. I waited out the whole

Eighties. Those f***ers all went away eventually,

with their stupid haircuts and synthesizers."

-- Elvis Costello in Rolling Stone

Rock legends Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello will hit the road together for a 13-date tour this fall. Dylan is playing in support of his forthcoming box-set, 'Dylan,' a 51-song compilation spanning the Hall of Famer's career. The tour marks Costello's first batch solo performances in 12 years. Dylan will headline the tour, with Costello and singer-songwriter Amos Lee as opening support.

The tour is set to start Sept, 22 in Duluth, Georgia, and will make stops along the East Coast before wrapping up Oct. 9 in Rochester, New York. See Dylan's official site for a full list of tour dates and cities.

In the meantime, watch the trailer for Dylan's forthcoming Todd Haynes-directed biopic, 'I'm Not There,' after the jump.

Yes, you read the headline correctly. Rock legend Elvis Costello recorded a cover of Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful,' to be featured on the soundtrack to FOX's hit show, 'House.' The compilation will also include Sarah McLachlan's cover of the XTC classic, 'Dear God,' along with previously released hits from artists including Ben Harper, Joe Cocker, Lucinda Williams and Josh Rouse.

'House' star Hugh Laurie also lends his vocals to the disc, joining the jam-band dubbed 'Band From TV,' on a mean cover of the Rolling Stones' 'You Can't Always Get What You Want.' Band From TV is actually a group of actors-turned-musicians including Laurie, James Denton ('Desperate Housewives'), Greg Grunberg ('Heroes'), Bonnie Somerville ('Cashmere Mafia') and Bob Guiney ('The Bachelor').

The 'House' soundtrack hits stores Sept. 18.

"Oh, I just don't know where to begin"
--Elvis Costello's 'Accidents Will Happen'

Even when he's at a loss for words, rock's walking thesaurus can turn a phrase.

Listen to the line!