* In a piece entitled, For Sweet Apple, the road to indie-rock stardom began with a long drive to nowhere, John Soeder, of the Plain Dealer, interviews John Petkovic, also of the Plain Dealer (the Paper), Cobra Verde, and Sweet Apple.  And while the story of how Petkovic hooked up with Dinosaur, Jr frontman, J Mascis, is one you’ve probably heard before, the story of why Petkovic will be sporting a fresh cast Friday night at the Grog Shop, probably isn’t.

* From Donewaiting, via World of Wumme, comes news that Columbus, lo-fi rockers, Times New Viking are recording a new album, in a studio.  This is a first for a band whose albums in the past have sounded as if they’d been recorded on boomboxes and re-used cassette tapes.  Also, of interest is the bit that this album, tentatively due out early in ’11, may or may not be released on Matador Records, the label who have put out TNV’s most recent releases.