There's this thing I call the 311 rule.

It goes like this: If your music collection includes 311, you have a terrible taste in music. Period. I don't care if you bought their self-titled album for "Down" in the mid-90s and just forgot to throw it away or downloaded their most recent single from iTunes. The rule is the rule and I can't change it.

Of course, the 311 rule isn't constricted simply to 311. It goes for a series of bands that began losing popularity around the time indoor concert venues started cracking down on (pot) smoking (and here you thought that was coincidental). Here's a few off the top of my head: Phish, Moe., and anything pertaining to Sublime that isn't Sublime (Long Beach Dub Allstars, Long Beach Short Bus, Slightly Stoopid, the Ziggens), who's OK, purely for nostalgia purposes.

I realize I may have just isolated half my audience - and writers. For that I am sincerely unapologetic. And if you're offended, don't worry, there's still hope. That's because there's a second unwritten rule your editor has. And it has to do with this month's cover artist, Blondie.

The deal is, I figure, the opposite 311 rule can go for Blondie or other bands that came out of Greenwich Village in the 70s (The Ramones and Velvet Underground, etc.) and if you've got 311 in your collection, a classic album by one of these bands may at best neutralize your misfortune of the sometimes-reggae, sometimes-punk, sometimes-rap, all-the-time-crap that is 311.

But I digress.

Co-founder and guitarist of Blondie, Chris Stein, spoke to our writer Danny Alonso this month and Danny wrote one hell of a story about it. If you do nothing else in the month of July, we recommend you read his report on the history of Blondie and Stein's take on where the band is today. Seriously, sit in your home and drink soda all month. Waste away into a sweaty summer glob of gelatin. But make sure you read Danny's story. That's how awesome it is.

On top of that, we've got all there is to offer for summer music (almost), both local and beyond. That includes Jessica Renk's hazy experience hanging with Gogol Bordello at the Electric Factory, Alex Jones' philosophical talk with Frog Eyes and Sophia Varoumas' story on my personal favorite Philly band, TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb (2nd place finishers include Toy Soldiers, the Armchairs, Man Man, the Quelle Source, Free Energy, Bells Bells Bells, Cheers Elephant and, of course, your band, which is totally awesome.) We've got the final installment of Scott Deckman's serialized fiction and Izzy's hatred of shorts, as well. Whether you waste away in the heat or take to your Slip 'n' Slide this July - remember your issue of Origivation is on the shelves, bars and floors of vestibules, and it rocks.

'Tis all.

Randy LoBasso
Editor-in-chief