Link-O-Rama …

Guns N’ Roses “in negotiations” for release of Chinese Democracy – GunsNRoses.com

Jane’s Addition to reform for U.S. NME Awards show – NME

Ireland ISP rejects record companies’ claims that it is partly liable for music piracy – RTE

Sometimes even symphony orchestras are “too loud.” – The New York Times (registration may be required)

Brit comedian Eddie Izzard eyes career in politics – Associated Press

Sly Stone wants a comeback. And a world tour – Los Angeles Times (registration may be required)

Dates, Dates & More Dates …

Sheryl Crow plays both indoor and outdoor venues this summer. Newly added dates include July 28 (Wantagh, NY), July 29 (Holmdel, NJ), July 31 (Saratoga Springs, NY), August 6 (Green Bay, WI), August 9 (Minneapolis, MN), August 22 (Las Vegas, NV), and August 30 (Auburn, WA).

Whitesnake pulls out the ol’ passports as the band travels to South America, Mexico and Europe. Look for Mr. Coverdale and Company playing Porto Alegre, Brazil, on May 11, Santiago, Chile, on May 16, Lima, Peru, on May 20, Mexico City on May 23 and Monterrey, Mexico, on May 24. New Euro dates include July 21 in Budapest, Hungary, and July 23 in Piazzola Sul Brenta, Italy.

Natasha Bedingfield plays clubs and theatres in June and July. Stops include Detroit (June 4), Dallas (June 10), Philadelphia (June 16). Baltimore, MD (June 17), Las Vegas (July 2), Anaheim (July 7) and San Francisco (July 10).

The “U.S. Air Guitar” tour starts cranking on June 3 in NYC at the Bowery Ballroom. From there it’s Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, Cleveland and several other cities as contestants exhibit the tastiest licks never played on an instrument. After all, who needs “Guitar Hero III” when there’s plenty of air to go around?

During the past couple of hours we also updated the schedules for Pieta Brown, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, April Wine, Barry Manilow, The Blind Boys Of Alabama, The Tommy Castro Band, Throwdown, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Sly and The Family Stone, Will Sexton, Modey Lemon and Michael Fracasso.

And that’s the way things are shaping up as we pass the midway mark on this glorious Monday. Don’t miss Your Latest Update, scheduled for around 3 pm (PDT), from Pollstar.com!

This Day In Music History … (from Associated Press)

In 1956, “Heartbreak Hotel,” Elvis Presley’s first single for RCA Victor, went to number one in the U.S. It stayed in the top spot for eight weeks, becoming his first million-seller.

In 1963, the Beatles went to the Crawdaddy Club in London to see The Rolling Stones. The impressed Beatles recommended the Stones to their former publicist Andrew Loog Oldham, who became the Stones’ first manager.

In 1971, Sticky Fingers, The Rolling Stones’ first album for their own label, Rolling Stones Records, was released.

In 1974, the country duo of Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton performed together for the last time. Also on this date in 1977, singer / songwriter Jesse Winchester played his first U.S. show in 10 years. He had fled to Canada to avoid the draft.

In 1978, British folk-rock singer Sandy Denny died of a brain hemorrhage after falling down the stairs at a friend’s home in London. She was 37. Denny performed with The Strawbs, Fairport Convention and Fotheringay. She was one of Britain’s most popular singer-songwriters in the early 1970s.

In 1998, hundreds of friends and fans gathered in Santa Barbara, California for a candlelight tribute to Linda McCartney. The American-born wife of Paul McCartney had died four days earlier of breast cancer at 56. Singer Jim Messina performed “Forever My Love” during the hour-long ceremony.

Also on this date in 1998, Giant Records used the Internet to distribute the first single from Brian Wilson’s album Imagination to four U-S radio stations. The company called it the first time the Internet was used to distribute a song to radio.