Link-O-Rama …

Songwriter Daniel Johnston’s fight with mental illness – Boston Herald

So long HD DVD. It was nice knowing you – Reuters

Pink and hubby split up after two years of marriage – Associated Press

Will videos for the Web save the music industry? – The Boston Tribune

Canadian broadcasters fight proposed copyright royalty increase – The National Post

North Korean government agrees to allow live broadcast of New York Philharmonic’s concert in Pyongyang – The New York Times (registration may be required)

Dates, Dates & More Dates …

Okay, go ahead. Make with the jokes about “that guy who is Rufus’ father.” We’re sure he’s heard them all before. But the truth is Loudon Wainwright III is an excellent singer / songwriter who has been making music for almost 40 years. New dates for Loudon the third (his pop, Loudon Junior, was a journalist), include May 9 in Dallas and May 11 in Houston.

Newest dates for Vince Neil have the Crue-man playing Canada, Trinidad and Mexico. Today’s Vince update includes April 5 in Trinidad, April 10 in Mexico City, April 11 in Monterrey, Mexico, May 9 in Penticon, British Columbia, and May 10 in Castlegar, British Columbia.

We have three new UFO dates for the U.S. and each date is in a separate part of the country. The band plays Baltimore on April 9, Sauget, IL, on April 21, and Coeur D Alene, ID, on May 9.

Finally, five new dates for Mark Knopfler made it in just under the wire for today’s Midday Update. Look for the Dire Straits founder to play the Denver area on June 24, Portland, Oregon, on July 1, Chicago on July 13, Ottawa on July 18 and Boston on July 19.

During the past couple of hours we also updated the schedules for Meshell Ndegeocello, Matt White, Lovell Sisters, Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill, Michelle Shocked, Karan Casey, L.A. Guns, Dervish, Fastball, Hot Tuna, Campbell Brothers, Charlie Sexton, Cobra Starship, Battlefield Band and WAR.

Of course, we have more dates yet to post. Heck, we live for this stuff, and we’d probably be lying in some dismal gutter on some dark and dreary Fresno street begging for Yanni tickets if we weren’t able to bang out the latest date-city-venue information for your favorite artists and bands. Don’t miss the next dose of concentrated touring data in Your Latest Update, scheduled for around 3 pm (PST), from Pollstar.com!

This Day In Music History …

In 1878, Thomas Edison was issued a U.S. patent for his phonograph, less than two months after he applied. Before the patent was even granted, the Edison Speaking Phonograph Company had been formed to control the manufacture and exhibition of the instruments. However, the phonograph’s commercial value at the time lay solely in its appeal as a novelty.

In 1974, Dick Clark staged his first American Music Awards.

In 1977, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours was released.

In 1980, vocalist Bon Scott of the Australian heavy-metal band AC/DC died after choking on his own vomit after an all-night drinking binge in London. He was 33. Scott’s death came just months after AC/DC had scored their first North American success with the album Highway to Hell.

In 1981, a judge in New York determined that George Harrison subconsciously plagiarized “He’s So Fine” when he wrote his 1970 hit, “My Sweet Lord.” Harrison was ordered to pay $587,000.

In 1995, Sweden’s Roxette became the first major western rock group to perform in China in a decade, playing before 10,000 people in Beijing. Government censors forced a change in lyrics from “making love to you” to “making up to you.”

In 1995, “Baywatch” star Pamela Anderson married Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee in Cancun, Mexico.

In 1996, Jarvis Cocker, lead singer of the band Pulp, climbed on stage and mooned the audience during Michael Jackson’s performance at the Brit Awards ceremony in London.