Pretty Little Empire gives one of the best gut-punches in the city. And "All I Know" is one of its most powerful songs. Captured in it are the band's rough-hewn guitar melody, driving rhythm and, most importantly, devastating lyrical turns. Observe:

"And if that's what you want/to always be alone/then we'll probably get along/'cuz I know I know/what it's like to feel alone."

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Patriots Lineman Dan Connolly will not be escorting Madonna during the Halftime show. He is from St. Louis, however.

​The Rams may not be taking the field on Sunday at Super Bowl XLVI, but someone from St. Louis will be: Nick Smarrelli, chief operating officer at St. Louis IT firm GadellNet Consulting Services. He'll be helping to escort Madonna on the field for her halftime show, as reported yesterday in an article in the St. Louis Business Journal.

With exactly one minute of Facebook stalking we learned a bunch about Smarrelli. He was married a few years ago, he does a bunch of traveling (Tibet, Australia, Jamaica, Lake Tahoe) and he has cute dog named Cooper. He seems swell and he has a very nice smile. We're glad we have a man on the inside and we want all of the juicy details when he comes home. (Was Madonna a bitch? Yes? In the good way or in the bad way? And seriously, how was her face without HD-ready makeup?)

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Courtesy of Steve Prane and Adam Retherford.

What will these fine Rage Against the Machine fans be called?

​At RFT Music, we know that deciding on a band name is not easy. We're here to help. For our new series Name This Band, we've invited local musicans to answer some questions about their startup groups. Using this information, we will suggest three names. You can vote on your favorite in the comments or suggest your own, and the winning moniker absolutely, positively has to be the band's new name*.

Our first candidates are Steve Prane and Adam Retherford. Their alt-rock outfit Thronechild disbanded a few months ago, and now they are going solo -- or duo, rather. Guitarist Prane and bassist Retherford have been writing music with programmed drums, keys, and samples, all of which will be incorporated into the band's live shows.

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Courtesy of Bass Amp & Dan-O

Funny-smelling punks, doubtless wishing they'd slapped a different tossed off title on their fantastic show at Off Broadway this weekend.

​It may not be picnic weather, but it's still pretty damn nice for the first weekend in February. And yes, we realize the ice caps are melting and polar bears are frowning, which is why it is imperative that we not spend nights thinking about the possibility of maybe going to a show instead of actually going to one. There's plenty to draw you from the couch this weekend, including the Firebird's Three-Year Anniversary shindig featuring a mess of local rock all-stars (plus Chicago's Mutts) and a punk show at Off Broadway with a lineup that includes Black for a Second, the Haddonfields, the Chill Dawgs and Bass Amp & Dan-O (pictured). Organist Lonnie Smith continues a string of excellent shows at Jazz at the Bistro, N'Dambi has the biggest show at new-kid-on-the-block Plush to date and more:

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RFT file photo.

Chuck Berry's only number one hit -- the novelty track "My Ding-a-Ling" -- was recorded 40 years ago today in Coventry, England.

​What can be said about Chuck Berry's "My Ding-a-Ling" that hasn't already been said? It's a naughty crowd-pleaser that contains more double entendres than there are silver bells on a Christmas tree.

But the song holds some intriguing designations, besides that fact that it was utilized brilliantly during an episode of The Simpsons. The tune is a staple in Berry's live performances. Audiences adore singing the chorus. And to wit: "My Ding-a-Ling" happens to be Berry's only song to go to number one on the Billboard charts.

You read that right. Even though Berry created music so universally known that it was blasted into space as an example of human culture, "My Ding-a-Ling" was Berry's only number one hit on Billboard's Hot 100 charts.

The version of "My Ding-a-Ling" that actually went to number one happened to be recorded in Coventry, England, on this day in 1972. Berry was headlining the Lanchester Arts Festival, a performance that later was released as The London Chuck Berry Sessions.

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Jennifer Silverberg

Sharon Scherer operates a Ben N Brunch for touring bands in South City

​As any band that's hit the road will tell you, the glamours of touring are greatly overstated. Musicians deal with a blurry mess of cold floors and gas station meals. It can be a trial by fire that has ended many a promising career.

Sharon Scherer knows how hard it can be, and she's doing something about it. In the past year, she's opened her spacious south city home to touring bands, calling it Mama's Bed n Brunch. Scherer's operation is the subject of this week's music feature, written by Ryan Wasoba. In it, she talks about her motivations (appreciation for artists, mostly), practices (clean sheets and hot brunch, always) and rates (a suggested donation of $10 per person per night).

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Todd Owyoung

​Steve Aoki brought his globe-trotting, taste-making self to St. Louis last night for a show at the Pageant. And he had no plans to simply jockey discs. There was champagne sprayed, shirts removed, dancing and general mayhem. Datsik, Terravita and Cor(E)yography opened. Photographer Todd Owyoung was there; a few highlights from the shoot follow.

Related Steve Aoki Talks Hipsters, Hardcore and the Moment Electro Went Punk

View a full slideshow of Steve Aoki at the Pageant

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theurbandaily.com

Soul Train creator and host Don Cornelius made an expansive impact on popular culture.

​Music fans are still reeling from the death of Don Cornelius, the unmistakable and irreplaceable host and creator of Soul Train.

Cornelius was found dead on Wednesday in Los Angeles of what police believe to be a self-inflicted wound. The Chicago native and Korean War veteran was 75.

With the sadness emanating from Cornelius' death is increased focus on his expansive legacy. He created and hosted a show that became a revolutionary outlet for black musicians and unrepresented genres. Soul Train was a venue that brought extremely talented artists -- from powerhouses like Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye to rap superheroes Run DMC -- to a wider audience.

Cornelius himself was an attraction, delivering an utterly smooth delivery and championing an array of outstanding catchphrases. No matter how turbulent the day, Cornelius would wish America nothing more than "peace, love and soul."

Given the Soul Train's longevity, it is not terribly surprising that a number of musicians closely associated with St. Louis made appearances on the show. In honor of Cornelius, here's a sampling of St. Louis natives that appeared on Soul Train:

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​Sure, Facebook filed its S-1 with the SEC yesterday, presaging one of the most talked-about IPOs in tech history -- and for college students, FarmVille users, amateur stalkers, and anybody who likes to talk to people they know, Facebook's performance on the open market will offer an interesting perspective on the monetary value of their social bonds. But what about people who were in high school in 2004 and then left the Internet forever, and glitter-art designers and bar bands?

For those groups -- our core demographic -- RFT Music has obtained a copy of MySpace's announcement of its stock market intentions, which has been lost in the furor over Facebook.

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Illustration by Sam Washburn

Jason Isbell and Ryan Adams onstage at the Peabody Opera House.

​On Tuesday, Ryan Adams' solo tour brought him to St. Louis. You can read our review of the show, but you will note that we have no accompanying photos. Instead, we sent illustrator Sam Washburn, who returned with three pieces from the show. You can download hi-res versions of all three below.

On this tour, Ryan Adams is playing solo in theaters with powerful acoustics. Representatives of the artist say he is not allowing photography at all the shows in order to cut down on possible distractions for other audience members.

Download the above illustration here.

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