Random Music News for May 29, 2014

The new puppy comes today.  I wonder how Schmooze (the current English bull terrier) will take to Squirt?

1. Dude uses stun gun to rob a concert performer of a $5 million Stradivarius violin. (Thanks to John for the link.)
2. Motley Crue’s Vince Neil now owns a piece of an Arena Football League team.
3. This account of a visit to a dairy farm includes an encounter with Stephen Merritt of the Magnetic Fields, some free donuts and a crazy dog covered in shit.
4. You know those Kate Bush shows coming up later this year in London?  They’re now being scalped for over $4,000 each.
5. Laying a beating on Jay Z has done wonders for Solange’s recording career.
6. Fender strikes a deal with U2 to boost guitar sales.
7. Speaking of guitars, check out this cool new effects pedal that will make your axe sound like a classic organ.
8. Here’s more industry talk about the Apple-Beats deal.
9. Metallica’s “black” album becomes the first to sell 16 million copies in America in the SoundScan era.
10. Supergroup math:  Pearl Jam + Mad Season + REM = Tuatara
11. Rihanna now has more than FIVE BILLION views on YouTube.
12. How Maya Angelou influenced hip hop.