Desert Rock

The first day of the 2006 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival is in the books, and it was a great one. Daft Punk played its first U.S. show in years to close out the night, pumping out favorites like "Robot Rock," "Around the World," "Steam Machine" and "Television Rules the Nation" for an overflow crowd in the dance-dominated Sahara Tent. Just beforehand, Depeche Mode closed the main outdoor stage with a set that blended hits ("Enjoy the Silence," "Personal Jesus") with less familiar fare ("Stripped") and new songs ("Precious," "Suffer Well," "A Pain That I'm Used To").

Other highlights of the day came from late lineup addition Kanye West, whose set featured "Gold Digger," "Heard 'Em Say," "Slow Jamz" and "Jesus Walks," and My Morning Jacket, who tore through "Wordless Chorus," "Gideon," "Mageetah" and "One Big Holiday." Jaded Insider also enjoyed up-and-coming English outfit the Duke Spirit, the beat-boxing TV On The Radio and an early afternoon set from the Walkmen.

Rock Rant: Neil and Bruce.. and ah, Tool

A lot of us have heard Neil Young's "Living With War" album today (it's out May 2)... This is one pissed off dude, but that's to be expected, right!?! "Let's Impeach The President" just about says it all!

On the other end of the spectrum, lots of LOVE around here for Springsteen's "We Shall Overcome/The Seeger Sessions" (out now). Many of us have not been big fans of these tangents Bruce has gone on in the past (it's the jaded old-fart rocker in a few of us), but this was one cool idea he pulled off quite well... Kudos to The Boss!

Heard a lot around the office today: Tool's "10,000 Days" (also out May 2)... Hoping... we're really hoping!

Carrie, Erm, Kellie Booted From AI

We're tickled, but what took you so long, America?

Team Taylor/Paris celebrates, though Paris may not be able to fend off the eyelined fury of Creed-Chris all the way. If only we could fast forward through the inevitable trashing of Elliott and Catherine, the most boringest bores that have ever bored us.

Pink Addresses The President

Admittedly, there are some of us who haven't really given "I'm Not Dead" much of a listen because 1) we couldn't spin the promo in our computer and 2) Pink's fashion hurts our feelings.

So this was the first time seeing/hearing "Dear Mr. President." Lady's got some pipes and a decidedly non-subtle approach to telling Bush what she thinks of his presidency.

Bloody Angel Food

In the promotion cycle for former O-Town member Ashley Parker Angel's forthcoming solo debut "Soundtrack To Your Life," he was among those who appeared on the recent, little-watched NBC mini-series "Celebrity Cooking Showdown" (the five-night show was canceled after just three with the fourth episode aired online while the network aired re-runs in its place).

Doing the show was a fateful decision that may have long-term implications.

"I seriously almost completely cut off my finger," he tells us. "I still have no feeling in it ’cause I cut so deeply, which is making me worried. I lost six minutes off the clock, and my finger wouldn’t stop bleeding but I still finished it. They had a doctor come down to the set, so immediately when I walked off they had someone waiting to stitch it up for me.

"But it’s a week later, and apparently I severed the nerve in my finger. I’m so upset because I need my fingers to play piano and guitar," he says, adding with a laugh, "I need to get insurance for my hands."

He hoped him might get "a major sympathy vote" and win the competition -- which also featured the Tom Arnold, Patti LaBelle and host Alan Thicke -- but alas, he still lost to model Cindy Margolis.