Blender # 12, December 2002

<b>FEATURES</b><br>
62 SUM 41<br>
Between rounds of high-octane cocktails and threats to paint a Manhattan cab
with puke, Canadian pop-punkers Sum 41 are busy kicking their new album out
the door and saving rock &amp; roll with the power of obnoxiousness. &quot;Being
a brat is a liberating experience!&quot; they squeak.<br>
68 TONI BRAXTON<br>
The R&amp;B queen discusses her new album, her bounce back from bankruptcy and
the alleged failure of her implants. &quot;Nothing exploded! And anyway, it
was saline, not silicone!' Oh....<br>
70 33 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CARLOS SANTANA<br>
He watched his guitar dance like a snake at Woodstock. He knows the songs that
make female dancers strip. He gets his tennis tips from John McEnroe. And 30
more incredible facts.<br>
76 PEARL JAM<br>
They've gone from being the biggest band in the world at the peak of grungemania
to being ... survivors. The release of their new album, Riot Act, finds Eddie
Vedder in a strange state: He's actually happy. Who knew?<br>
82 GIRL-GROUP GOMORRAH!<br>
Lisa Lopes torches her boyfriend's house. The Shangri-Las try their hand at
kidnapping. The Runaways cause men to masturbate. And don't even get us started
on the Go-Go's....<br>
90 MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER<br>
It's always Christmas Eve in Omaha, Nebraska, where Chip Davis, founder of New
Age perennial Mannheim Steamroller, runs a multimillion-dollar business selling
candles, tea and twinkly music to your great-aunt. And no, he cannot be stopped.<br>
96 BLENDER'S HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE<br>
A cheap-ass plasma TV. A big-ass MP3 system. A kick-ass geetar. All the new
toys you're praying to see under the tree.<br>
102 THE 50 GREATEST ALBUMS OF 2002<br>
You've got your Beck, you've got your Clipse, you've got your Hives and you've
got your Nelly. OK, no more hints!<br>
124 CHRISTINA AGUILERA<br>
Pierced nipples? Talk about a 180! Christina Aguilera's new album, Stripped,
faces down a childhood scarred by abuse and gives the finger to all those who
have pissed her off: former managers, former boyfriends and a former pop star
named ... Christina.<br>
<br>
<b>REGULARS</b><br>
14 EDITOR'S LETTER<br>
18 LETTERS<br>
28 BURNER<br>
Is CNN really going hip-hop? &quot;Fa shizzle!&quot; Also: Korn and Disturbed's
dirty pix, Snoop in the doghouse &#8212; it's all part of life's rich pageant!<br>
32 THE NEXT BIG THING!<br>
The Polyphonic Spree; Charli Baltimore<br>
52 ASK BLENDER<br>
Led Zeppelin's lineup that wasn't, Eddie Vedder's life preserver, G.G. Allin's
disgusting death and more.<br>
54 THE GREATEST SONGS EVER!<br>
It took a few tragedies to immortalize Lynyrd Skynyrd's &quot;Free Bird!'<br>
56 DEAR SUPERSTAR<br>
Justin Timberlake owns 800 pairs of sneakers. He puts his money on 'N Sync's
Chris Kirkpatrick in a<br>
punch-up with Eminem. And ladies, take note: He's an &quot;ass mare ...<br>
192 WHO DOES KELLY CLARKSON THINK SHE IS?<br>
She's the American Idol champion who doesn't swear, won't drink, frets about
her big butt and prefers not to have on underwear &quot;I am commando girl&quot;
she confides. Yes!<br>
<br>
<b>THE GUIDE</b><br>
136 NEW RELEASES<br>
Audioslave, LL Cool J, Faith Hill, David Gray, George Harrison and more<br>
158 CHART 160 REISSUES<br>
Nirvana, Bob Dylan, They Might Be Giants and more<br>
172 BACK CATALOG<br>
Stevie Wonder<br>
176 LIVE!<br>
The Rolling Stones; Coldplay<br>
180 MY MUSIC<br>
In the home stretch as Minnesota's rebellious governor, Jesse Ventura is running
against the wind and rockin' out to Hendrix and Zeppelin &#8212; and mix tapes
made by Hunter Thompson.<br>
182 MOVIES<br>
184 DVDS<br>
186 BOOKS<br>
188 GAMES<br>
190 CROSSWORD