Keith Richards, unwelcome houseguest

Rock legend Nick Lowe could fall out of bed telling a great story and proof of that is this recent Word magazine podcast. 

Lowe -- famous for producing Elvis Costello, being married to Johnny Cash's daughter, and being a musical phenom of his own merit -- describes in great detail the night Keith Richards celebrated his release from jail by jumping onstage with Rockpile, a smoking-hot band centered around Lowe and guitarist Dave Edmunds. 

Lowe's tale about Richards must be 15 minutes long and is peppered with skips and starts, but it's well worth hearing. Long story short, Richards joins the band for a Chuck Berry cover -- then refuses to leave the stage, prompting an angry Edmunds to deliver some very choice words at the wayward legend who is crimping Rockpile's style. 

Is Richards to blame for Rockpile's subsequent flameout? Sounds like a great story to me.

Nick Lowe sparkles in Tiny Desk Concert

You've probably heard Nick Lowe before. He's the sarcastic guy who wrote "(What's So Funny About) Peace, Love and Understanding" and "Cruel to Be Kind." But that's probably about all you know about him. Despite being a tremendous talent and genuinely nice guy (I've been blessed to meet him twice), he sadly remains a niche artists. 

In the 30 or so years since his big hits, Lowe has quietly evolved from legendary power-pop performer/producer to soft-rock troubadour. This recent NPR Tiny Desk Concert captures him in fine form, particularly on the new "House for Sale," in which Lowe combines some sharp wit with some nice vocal touches.