The gravestone of Ian Curtis, deceased singer of Joy Division, has been stolen from a cemetery in Cheshire, England. The gravestone bore an inscription of Curtis’ most famous song lyrc, “Love Will Tear Us Apart” the title of the one song that can legitimately be described as a “hit” from his highly influential late 70’s band.

Curtis, whose life has been documented in the acclaimed films “24 Hour Party People“, directed by Michael Winterbottom, and “Control“, directed by Anton Corbijn, tragically hung himself in the kitchen of his home on May 18, 1980, at the age of 23. His band, Joy Division, subsequently reformed as New Order and went on to be one of the most popular British post-punk/new wave bands of the 1980’s and beyond. Joy Division has retained a loyal following since the singers’ death however, drawing in later generations and even fans who weren’t born yet during their short run from 1977-1980, with their influential, often dark, foreboding sound. After the jump you can check out a video of “Love Will Tear Us Apart”.

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Sesame Street fans have a reason to be sad, Kermit Love, the man who helped create Big Bird and Snuffleupagus (Bird and Snuffy for those in the know) died this past weekend. He actually built the now famous bird costume, making the big orange feet and applying the feathers. And did you know that there is actually a television monitor inside the costume so that Caroll Spinney can see the set. Love was 91 years old and was living in Poughkeepsie at the time of his death.

So takepart and support Sesame Street today - I know I wouldn’t be who I am without the show and I’m guessing many feel the same way. And while I am sad about Kermit Love, I have to admit that I’m happy that I have an excuse to post Sesame Street videos on the blog - enjoy!

This one is good for you folks stuck at work today…. All you have to do is imagine!

More videos after the jump!

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As the election draws nearer it’s becoming more and more important to encourage everyone to vote this go around.

In regards to the youth vote, The Nation has an interesting piece up about the influence of Rock the Vote on the election this year:

While RTV held the biggest name brand in youth politics, youth turnout declined in 1996 and 2000, and a lot of political minded folks concluded that Rock the Vote wasn’t getting the job done. As described in [the] book, Youth to Power, the vacuum left in youth organizing by the failures of Rock the Vote in part inspired the boom in youth organizing that occurred between 2003 and 2007.

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Weezer, a little band you may or may not have heard of, has decided to cover the even more obscure R.E.M. on their next single. For the UK single release of “Pork and Beans,” the insanely catchy Weezer tune, Rivers Cuomo and company have tackled “Oddfellows Local 151,” off R.E.M.’s tremendously tremendous Document album.

For a former huge Weezer fan and current huge R.E.M. fan, this piques my interest. And when I read this news story, I had a thought (yes, sometimes it happens). I did a little research, and sure enough, both Cuomo and R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe are vegetarians. Which kind of makes me wonder why Weezer’s latest single is called “Pork and Beans.” But still, like I said, pretty catchy tune. So Cuomo gets a pass on this one.

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The New York Mets have fired manager Willie Randolph. Saddled with a disappointing 34-35 record and nearing the halfway point of in the season, the Amazin’s did what many had speculated about (or begged for) ever since the team’s heartbreaking meltdown at the end of the 2007 season in letting the manager go.

In his third season with the Mets, Randolph was handed a team with the highest payroll in the National League ($138 Million), which included the acquisition of the top left-handed starting pitcher in baseball in Johan Santana, yet could not make a winner out of the ballclub. Pitching coach Rick Peterson and first base coach Tom Nieto were released along with Randolph. Bench coach Jerry Manuel will pick interim managing duties for the team.

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Common has been named the 2008 Artist in Residence for the 2008 Los Angeles Film Festival, a festival that also happens to be going green this year. Common doesn’t act too often (though he was pretty awesome in Smokin’ Aces), but I wanted to share what might be the best song he’s ever put out.

Yes, that was awesome. According to The Hip Hop Consign, as Artist in Residence, Common has programmed a slate of films that have inspired his work (Pulp Fiction and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind among them). Also, he appears in Wanted, the opening night film for the festival.

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TakePart.com is in its alpha stage. But not for long. We are in the process of building our new BETA site and we would love to hear your thoughts on how you Take Action online.

Your feedback is enormously helpful and to thank you for your help, we are giving away some tunes. The first 250 people to respond to this survey will get 4 free songs from the Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur:

U2 – Instant Karma
Green Day – Working Class Hero
Jack Johnson – Imagine
Snow Patrol - Isolation

Take the survey:

http://poll.takepart.com

takepart and tell us how your take part online.

Related:

Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur

Social Action + Cinema Videos of the Day:

1) World Music Best - Papa Wemba & Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes

For the Cinema YouTube Video of the Day, Click here >>>

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Diamonds in the Rough chronicles the incredible journey of the hip-hop group, the Bataka Squad, who use hip-hop to spread awareness of their countries’ troubles, and to offer positive alternatives for the youth. As narrator of the film, Michael Franti of Spearhead guides us through an incredible journey from the riot-torn streets of Uganda, to the remote villages in the countryside and finally to the concrete jungle of the United States.

Babaluku and Saba Saba are the two remaining members of the Bataka Squad, Uganda’s first major hip hop group

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So, it’s come to this: An Inconvenient Truth is going to become an opera.  Like, with singers and orchestras and everything.  There’s not a whole lot of information out there at the moment, but with musicals based on every other piece of media in the world existing right now (Legally Blond as a musical?  Come on!), this seems like a totally rational idea that isn’t really, really, mind-blowingly odd.  From the Associated Press:

[O]fficials say the Italian composer Giorgio Battistelli has been commissioned to produce an opera on the international multiformat hit for the 2011 season at the Milan opera house. The composer is currently artistic director of the Arena in Verona. [ap.google.com]

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