Link-O-Rama …

Buyer from Ireland agrees to pay $3 million for “world’s greatest record collection” – Associated Press

Schoolteacher resigns after parents complain that she played songs promoting suicide and death in the classroom – WSPA

Drug smugglers busted using fake tour buses to move contraband – WSMV

The music never stops when you’re on a “Blues Cruise” – Contra Costa Times

There’s gold in them thar college fight songs – Forbes.com / Associated Press

Famed record producer Teo Macero dies at 82 – The New York Times (registration may be required)

Dates, Dates & More Dates …

The new Ocean Colour Scene dates have the band playing Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain in April. Cities include Belfast, Dublin, York and Birmingham.

The Black Keys are doing Europe in May. Dates include London (May 19), Leeds (May 23), Amsterdam (May 25) and Paris (May 27).

And we have a couple of May dates for 10cc. Graham Gouldman & company play London on May 1, and Harborough on May 2.

During the past couple of hours we also updated the schedules for Ida Maria, Figurines, The Wombats, Andre Williams, Band Of Thieves, Billy Bragg, Birds Of Avalon, Blue Mountain, Bonnie Bramlett, Buddy Miller, Centro-Matic, Gram Rabbit, Ian Moore, Kidz In The Hall, M. Ward, MGMT, Noisettes, Phantom Planet, Saul Williams and Serj Tankian.

We have a gajillion dates yet to post! Read all about ’em in Your Latest Update, scheduled for around 3 pm (PST), from Pollstar.com!

This Day In Music History … (from Associated Press)

In 1965, the Beatles began filming “Help,” their second movie, in the Bahamas. Other scenes were shot in England and Austria. The film opened in North America in August.

In 1976, Florence Ballard, an original member of the Supremes, died in Detroit of cardiac arrest at 32. She had either quit or been fired from the Supremes in 1967 because of a rivalry with lead singer Diana Ross. Ballard unsuccessfully sued both Ross and Motown Records boss Berry Gordy, alleging she was forced out of the group. Ballard and her three children were living on welfare at the time of her death. She received little or no royalty payments from the eight gold records she made with the Supremes, and was paid only a weekly allowance during her time with the group.

In 1978, The Police starred in a British TV commercial for Wrigley’s chewing gum. The ad was made before the group had released any records.

In 1990, a jury in Los Angeles rejected a $25 million claim that Stevie Wonder’s Oscar-winning 1984 song “I Just Called to Say I Love You” was stolen from another songwriter. Lee Chiate alleged Wonder’s song, part of the soundtrack for “Woman in Red,” was stolen from a song he co-wrote, “I Just Called to Say.”

In 1992, all 34-thousand seats for two Grateful Dead shows at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario sold out in 56 minutes. “Deadheads” started lining up a week before the tickets went on sale.

In 1995, Elton John told the British New Musical Express (NME) magazine that he was hooked on cocaine in the 1980’s and used to wash it down with a bottle of whiskey a night.

In 2001, controversial rapper Eminem won Grammy awards for best rap solo and duo performances and best rap album. Gay and women’s groups had protested Eminem’s nominations, due to what they called his homophobic and misogynistic lyrics. Other winners included such music veterans as Steely Dan, U2 and Joni Mitchell.