The Top 5 – The Best of the Best of Pop Culture for the Week of October 5, 2008

Are you ready to rock your own casbah, to ride the rocket and to make your choice? Those are all serious options, as Dominic Patten reveals, in the best of the best in Pop Culture this week. Don't say, "I don't know" say "Yeah!" ...  & wish Kate Winslet a Happy Birthday today while you’re at it as well

1. STADIUM ROCK, PUNK STYLE - Almost exactly 26 years ago, on October 12 and 13, 1982, the Clash opened for The Who at Shea Stadium. It was the first of The Who's many farewell tours and the Only Band That Matters, as the Clash were sometimes known, were riding high on the US charts with their Combat Rock album. Unknown to those outside the group and maybe even to the Clash themselves it would be all downhill from here. Taking punk, funk and even a touch of early hip hop to the megastadiums, the Clash, who had already ditched drummer Topper Headon for his drug problem, would splinter, crash and burn within two years. But for those two nights in 1982, as they blew The Who off their own stage, the Clash were truly the only band that mattered. And this Tuesday, after years and years of bootlegs and one or two tracks on the Clash's other live album From Here to Eternity, you can hear why when The Clash - Live at Shea Stadium is released. Honestly, there isn't a lot great about the 1980s, but this recording reveals what separates the punks from the legends and on this album The Clash, with original drummer Terry Chimes, are at the top of their game in the now closed and soon to be demolished arena. 

2. SPACE ART - This month is NASA's 50th Anniversary and as part of the commemoration, October 1st saw the release of NASA/Art: 50 Years of Exploration. Now I know its a few days late but this wonderfully unique compilation of depictions and representations of the glory and the reality of the space program by some of America's most acclaimed and famous artists are truly a sight to see. With contributions from the likes of Norman Rockwell, James Wyeth, Robert Rauschenberg, Robert McCall, Annie Leibovitz and Andy Warhol, this book is a must have for any space freak, like myself, or art fan in your life. It is both a look into our not so distant past and into the future. Do I hear the words "Christmas present"? I, and any space freak or art fan you know, hope I do. Buy NASA/Art: 50 Years of Exploration from Amazon here.

3. ROUND 2 of PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS  - They're back! In this corner, at 110 lbs sopping wet, we have the junior Senator from the great state of Illinois, Barack "Big Box Office" Obama. In this corner, a thundering maverick in his own mind, we have the senior Senator from Arizona, John McCain ... OK we want a good clean debate boys. No innuendo, no false facts and no senseless bickering. Having said that, let's see if we can a few more sparks here in Nashville on October 7 than the snoozefest of that first debate. Don't come back unless you TKO the other guy, OK? OK!
Related: VP Debate
Related: The Pop Culture Examiner to LiveExaminer the 2nd Presidential Debate

4. WHAT A WONDERFUL LIFE - That's not a statement one often associates with films by the director Mike Leigh. After all, this is the man who brought the skull pounding and soul crushing Naked and the chilling abortion drama Vera Drake to the screen. But it truly is a wonderful life in his latest flick Happy-Go-Lucky which tells the tale of Poppy, a 30-year London school teacher who almost inexplicably finds joy and hope everywhere. You might want to scoff, but the October 10th limited US release of Happy-Go-Lucky, which actually came out in April in the UK and has been on the festival circuit for months should be a cause for great celebration stateside ... after all, it is a Mike Leigh film.

5. THE GIRL NEXT DOOR -  Right next door to Hell that is. A new season of The Sarah Silverman Program starts on October 8 on Comedy Central. You gotta watch it, I mean what else could you possibly have to do that’s that much fun on a Wednesday?