Who really "won" last night in the month-long green screen challenge between a wacky news anchor and an indie rock guitarist? (IRC was first to report it on the web).

Thursday night's The Colbert Report showcased a mismatched parade of VIPs including a creaky, almost freaky, gala of old rockers, like Peter Frampton, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (umm, ok), a new rock star (Chris Funk, the guitarist), and not to be forgotten, of course, the energetic, ever ego-tripping, flag-waving prankster Stephen Colbert.

Morley Saffer of 60 Minutes kicked-off the show with an opening that probably spooked some folks that it might be Sunday evening.The Apples in Stereo aslo dedicated a song Colbert called "A Bullet" and the "Shred Down" master himself rocked out with Frampton.

But take a look at this video. Did Colbert even really play the guitar? If not, Funk won and he should counter-challenge again (all in the matter of comedy, or is it somthing more?)


When The Decemberists launched their green-screen challenge to encourage animation fans to complete their music video "O Valencia", it was right here at IRC that the question was posed – were The Decemberists stealing Colbert’s idea?

During the late summer, Colbert had challenged his viewers to send in their repurposed video of Colbert swinging around a Star Wars laser against a green-screen back drop.

The final video was played on The Colbert Report but it, well, sucked.

IRC First to Raise Colbert vs. Decemberists Controversy

Shortly afterwards, The Decemberists announced their own green-screen challenge encouraging viewers to complete their "O Valencia" video, it was the Indie Rock Cafe that first blogged the similarity to Colbert's contest.

The following day, Pitchfork Media reported the unmistakable likeness of Colbert’s challenge to The Decemberists' contest, and never gave IRC credit.

A night or two after Pitchfork "broke the story", Colbert opened his show with a bitch-slap of The Decemberists for "stealing his idea" and presented a number of challenges in retaliation, including encouraging his audience to mess up The Decemberists video by flooding the group with repurposed video of "O Valencia" containing video of Colbert swinging around a Star Wars laser. Then The Decemberists counter-challenged which culminated in to last night's widely-viewed "Shread Down".

While it’s no surprise that Colbert claimed victory last night, it's clear that The Decemberists' guitarist Chris Funk stole the show with a blistering, Jimi Hendrix-style guitar solo.

Now, we ask: Is it the end of the green-screen challenge for Colbert and The Decemberists, or the beginning of a blog-off challenge between the overly verbose Pitchfork Media and IRC.

The Indie Playlist Challenge for Pitchfork Media

IRC is completely ready to have a blog-off with Pitchfork Media to settle the score. But what would the challenge be? How about a Top 10 List of rare indie songs that few people have ever heard of?

How the Contest Would Work

The way it would work is we would post our indie playlist on our websites with the ability to easily listen to or download the songs. Then, let our loyal indie rock fans choose from the two playlists and see which one gets more votes.

The Top 10 list can be published in a number of formats, including MP3 samples and downloads, music streams or an Indie Podcast.

Finally, please use the Comments section below (no registeration required and anonymous postings allowed) or email Pitchfork. Not only will the contest be interesting and fun, it'll also introduce to rare, but jeminy great, indie rock and pop songs.

Email us Pitchfork. We’re waiting to see if you're serious. Let's call it the "The Greatest Top 10 Indie Rarities" contest.


(Un)related story:

Stephen Colbert was nailed by ACLU lawyer Mark Rosenbaum in today's New York Times as representing the secrecy of the federal government to the peril of Americans and that he had top-level government authority to keep the FBI files of Beatle rocker John Lennon conciled for decades.

At first, even news junkies, thought, oh wow, is it true? Is it the real Stephen Colbert? If so, would there be a green screen challenge broadcast between Colbert and the ACLU over the final and "complete" release of John Lennon's FBI files?

Can you imagine if it was the same Stephen Colbert? It's not, though. It turns out the other Stephen Colbert is a right-wing strategist who fought the ACLU for years trying to block the release of Beatles legend John Lennon.

New Idea for The Colbert Report

Maybe Colbert will have the other Colbert and the ACLU on his show to get to the bottom of it?

Stephen, if you're reading this blog (which we think you are), email IRC if you think it's a good idea for the show.

Labels: Stephen Colbert, The Decemberists

You'd notice these folks if they were walking down Main Street in your town with their stuffy 1880's attire, Japanese hand fans and, well, make-up, but would you know that they are The Decemberists?

Like their name, The Decemberists' music is unconventional. But that didn't stopped the group from rocketing upward - at warp speed compared to many other artists - to become one of the top indie bands of the past few years.

However, some of the group's first and most loyal fans were, let's say, less than happy when the band "crossed the line" and went big-time, signing on with Capitol Records this year to record The Crane Wife.

The group's founder, singer and songwriter, Colin Meloy, told The Boston Globe that signing with Capitol had not interfered with his work because the contract stipulates that "the label would stay out of the creative process."

Nevertheless, the talented indie quintet has wooed fans with their experimental, infectious music that combines pop and rock with contemporary and British folk influences infused with theatrical transitions, catchy melodies, melancholic bass lines, and crafty, often quirky, lyrics and subject matter.

Hints of Cake, Belle & Sebastian, They Might Be Giants and Tom Waits are sprinkled throughout their music. There are definitely other artists The Decemberists can be compared with simply because the diversity and depth of their music makes it hard to categorize them.

Meloy's music is described, on The Decemberists' official web site, as "an infallible melodic knack with a venturesome lyrical palette equally suitable for painting fantastical songs full of sea captains, legionnaires, chimney sweeps and seekers of all kinds."

The Missoulian spotlights the rise in popularity of The Decemberists - from the buzz initially created by a few indie bloggers and college radio disc jockeys, to their uncanny inability to be labeled by mainstream music journalism, and their frequent play volume on radio stations across the country and around the world.

Decemberists' Video Contest
Contribute your animation to a Decemberists' music video of "O Valencia" and win a computer. A green-screen contest? Hmmm, Didn't Steven Colbert do that first?

Go to MTV for more details. Deadline is December 15, 2006! You can also sample and download Decemberists' songs for less than .30 cents each (with monthly subscription).

Labels: Stephen Colbert, The Decemberists