Random Music News for Monday, July 18, 2016

An observation: In most of the world, a “lone wolf” is someone who commits a horrendous terrorist act. In Canada, it means an opera singer who changes the words of “O Canada.” I’d rather live here, thanks. And now, the music news…

1. “The remainder of 2016 has been cancelled.”
2. Guns ‘N Roses almost didn’t make it into Canada for their Toronto show this weekend because someone in the entourage had a gun.
3. I know you were waiting for this: Chris Martin and Gwyneth’s Paltrow’s divorce is now official.
4. NASA says its next Mars rover–scheduled for 2020–will include a microphone. What will it hear on Mars? (Via Peter)
5. Great Monday timesuck: “The strange origins of familiar sounds.” (Via Tom)
6. The five best and worst Olympic anthems.
7. Did Michael Jackson want to marry an 11-year-old? The doctor who presided over his death thinks so.
8. Tom Morello: “Dangerous times demand dangerous songs.”
9. And on that note, could we be entering another era of loud angry music? I bloody well hope so.
10. Motley Crue’s Vince Neil has been sued by a woman for assault.
11. Here’s an interesting look at punk rock in Africa. You don’t normally put “punk” and “Africa” together, do you? (That’s Tom again.)
12. Do bees have regional accents? (Not really a music item, but just too weird to leave out.)
13. Celebrity emojis? A big deal these days.
14. Elton John just lost an important court battle over a sex harassment case.