VH1 Classic's paying tribute to the lead singer with the Dave Clark 5 on Saturday with a telecast of a 2005 benefit concert for Smith. Full announcement after the jump …

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Some comments about the ousted, shout-outs to Heart, Eric Carmen and Ray Charles, and more.

Here's the word from Fox:

Next week, the Top 8 guys (David Archuleta, Jason Castro, David Cook, Chikezie, David Hernandez, Michael Johns, Luke Menard, Danny Noriega) will take the stage once again, singing hits from the ‘80s for America on Tuesday, March 4 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed). Then it’s the ladies’ turn, as the Top 8 girls (Kristy Lee Cook, Asia’h Epperson, Kady Malloy, Ramiele Malubay, Syesha Mercado, Amanda Overmyer, Carly Smithson and Brooke White) perform in hopes of winning America’s vote on Wednesday, March 5 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed). Tune in the following night to see who receives enough votes to stay in the competition and who goes home. Another two guys and two girls will be eliminated and the Top 12 finalists are announced on the live results show Thursday, March 6 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.

On next Thursday’s results show, season six finalist Blake Lewis will return to the IDOL stage to debut his new single “How Many Words,” a fan-favorite off of Lewis’ debut album “Audio Day Dream.” Lewis was born in Redmond, WA, and started singing at age five. He competed in statewide talent contests while in high school and became a beat-boxer at 17, inspired by the then-Seattle-based a cappella group M-Pact. Lewis was also a member of the Pacific Northwest a cappella group Kickshaw for four years.

It's getting late and I'm not going to go into a lot of detail. But the night's spoiler and a few words after the jump …

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One of those episodes that will have me plowing back through DVDs of the previous seasons. Spoilers after the jump …

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In progress post and spoilers after the jump …

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Yes, I am in the cult of the movie "Slap Shot" (and old enough to have seen it in a theater). So this item from ESPN was impossible to ignore:

SportsCenter’s featured piece Sunday, March 2, will profile Christian Hanson, a junior center on Notre Dame’s ice hockey team, and his father, Dave Hanson, who played one of the brutal-yet-beloved “Hanson Brothers” in the 1977 classic Slap Shot. Dave describes his life-changing role as Slap Shot’s Jack Hanson, who made his way to the highest levels of professional hockey as an enforcer, while Christian, who has devoted a large part of his life to the sport, never saw his father’s movie until he was a teenager. Reporter Chris Connelly interviewed Dave, now a manager of the Robert Morris University Island Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, at the Cambria County War Memorial Auditorium in Johnstown, Pa., where Slap Shot was filmed.

Here's a quote from Christian Hanson, provided by ESPN:
"I probably didn't see it (Slap Shot) until I was about 13 years old, and I'm just sitting there watching and I'm actually befuddled. My dad is up there hackin' and whackin' and beatin' guys up, and swearing. I never saw any of this at home."

Is this enough to get you through until the show comes back in the fall? No. But it sounds interesting — lots of Wendy & Lisa, Iggy, Dylan, Jesus and Mary Chain. Full announcement after the jump.

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(LA Times photo, Buddy Miles in the early '70s)

The famous drummer and singer has died. You may think he's getting a place in this space because, as the obit notes, he was the lead voice of the California Raisins. Not really. I'm just a fan, and I'm not even thinking of the Hendrix stuff. He's here because he did a thunderous version of "Don't Mess With Cupid," back in the day and because "Them Changes" is one of those songs that will always be in my head (it's on the needing-an-update "Songs in the Key of My Life" list with this blog).

I recommend "The Best of Buddy Miles," not only for "Them Changes" but for his versions of "Midnight Rider" and "Down by the River," and for "Train." Missing him.

Live posts while the show is in progress, after the jump …

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