Santa Baby

We've been having trouble figuring out what to buy our friends and family for Christmas this year. To help out on the idea front, we decided to draw inspiration from some of our favorite musical artists' Christmas wishes.

Andrew Volpe, Ludo: "This year, all I want for Christmas is world peace. And I would really like to catch Santa Claus in the act. And I want a glowing power-scepter."

Aimee Mann: "This Christmas, I'm hoping somebody buys me the Illinois Senate seat! Also I'd like an iPhone."

Musiq Soulchild: "I never really want for much in life. I've been through enough to appreciate the simple things. And whatever I don't have, I know that I've been blessed with the means to get it. However, if I had to say, all I want for Christmas is sleep!"

Lenka: "I would like for everybody to try really hard to recycle and limit their waste this holiday season. And I'd like to have a long, leisurely swim through pristine waters somewhere in the world. These two things would make me very happy!"

Doug Robb, Hoobastank: "All I want for Christmas is the willpower to say no to the 99-cent menu items at all the fast-food restaurants. 'Uh...I'll take a No. 3 combo with a Coke.' 'Anything else, sir?' 'Uh...okay, I'll have two 99-cent extreme chipotle burger flingers on artisan bread.' Dammit, they got me again!"

Jon McLaughlin: "All I want for Christmas is a federal bailout package. It doesn't have to be much; not one of those corporate bailouts on the top shelf; just one of those bottom-shelf personal bailouts. And maybe instead of $700 billion, we could just get $700 million. If pushed, I would take $700."

Jimmie Deeghan, Every Avenue: "All I want for Christmas is a suitcase that won't fall apart. Every suitcase I take on tour falls apart, rips, loses a wheel, etc., etc...."

Mike Wiebe, Riverboat Gamblers: "What I would like for Christmas is to be able to keep making music and get better as a songwriter, guitar player and performer. It would also be great to be able to see all the bands I love really blow up to where they should be over the bands that I can't stand."

NEWS FEED

Veteran Houston bluesman Pete Mayes, 70, passed away at his Northside home De­cem­ber 17. The cause of death was unknown, but Mayes had been in ill health for several years; he lost both legs to diabetes and underwent quadruple-bypass surgery in 2001. Mayes played in the jump-swing style of Louis Jordan and his idol T-Bone Walker. Mayes also played with Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Junior Parker, Bill Doggett and Little Milton, as well as fronting his own band the Houserockers. The guitarist and singer, a native of Chambers County community Double Bayou, is survived by his wife, son and brother. • Robert Earl Keen (see Playbill) has some company. Houston-area native Hayes Carll, whose Trouble In Mind LP is topping year-end Americana lists far beyond Texas, played his "I'm Grateful for Christmas This Year" on syndicated shock jock Don Imus's Imus in the Morning show last week. The song is available for download at www.losthighwayrecords.com, and Carll plays Warehouse Live Friday.

LOCAL MOTION

Top Sellers
Soundwaves
88 E. Crosstimbers, 713-694-6800

1. Scarface, Emeritus

2. Lil Keke, Loved by Few, Hated by Many

3. Beyoncé, I Am: Sasha Fierce (Deluxe Edition)

4. Trae tha Truth, Streets Advocate

5. Chamillionaire, Mixtape Messiah 5

6. Willie Clayton, Soul & Blues

7. Z-Ro, Crack (Screwed & Chopped)

8. South Park Mexican, Last Chair Violinist

9. Keith Frank, Loved. Feared. Respected.

10. Hezekiah Walker, Souled Out

AIRWAVES

Spare Change
KPFT (90.1 FM), 12 p.m.- 3 p.m. Saturdays
Selections from DJ Larry Winters' December 13 playlist

1. Merle Haggard, "Big City"

2. Pogues, "If I Should Fall from Grace with God"

3. Drive-By Truckers, "Outfit"

4. Gun Club, "#9"

5. Steve Earle, "Time Has Come Today"

6. Mary Gauthier, "Prayer Without Words"

7. Jerry Lee Lewis, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

8. Burns Sisters, "To Live Again"

9. McKay Brothers, "Dirty Old Town"

10. Buddy Tabor, "Coyote and the Roadrunner"

(lists compiled by Chris Gray)