News …

Unseen Bob Dylan photos emerge in the daylight – The Times Online U.K.

Free music today. Free music tomorrow. Free music forever? – ABC News

R. Kelly aid allegedly paid woman to return sex tape – Chicago Sun-Times (registration may be required)

Newport Folk Festival defends “diverse” lineup – Boston Herald

Madonna tour stiffs her home state of Michigan. Again – The Detroit News

Foxy Brown signs apology in exchange for no-jail deal – New York Daily News

Views …

Juanes in Los Angeles – “The handsome and charismatic performer expressed an aw-shucks amazement at the capacity crowd that enthusiastically greeted his opening night Wednesday. ” – Los Angeles Times (registration may be required)

Robert Plant, Alison Krauss in Wales – ” … for lovers of great music this was one of the highlights not just of this year, but any year.” – South Wales Echo

Kanye West in Charlotte, North Carolina – “West paced the show brilliantly, building to a windfall of crowd pleasers in ‘Gold Digger,’ ‘Good Life’ and ‘Jesus Walks.'” – The Charlotte Observer

Girls Aloud in Glasgow – “They opened the show in promisingly high-camp style, hovering high above the stage on invisible wires, like a squadron of angels.” – The Times Online U.K.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds in London – ” … the man behind Murder Ballads and Release The Bats is becoming ever more fun as he ages.” – The Evening Standard

Crowded House in New England – “They needled one another and the audience, continued the tradition of accepting paper airplane requests, and were able to turn on a dime from that lightness to tease out both the brash and tender sides of Finn’s sumptuous, often dark pop ruminations.” – The Boston Globe

They Say It’s Their Birthday … (Or so says Associated Press)

Nokie Edwards (The Ventures) is 73

Sonny Curtis (Buddy Holly and The Crickets) is 71

Tommy Roe is 66

Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco) is 64

Clint Holmes is 62

Billy Joel is 59

Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick) is 58

David Gahan (Depeche Mode) is 46

Ghostface Killah (Wu-Tang Clan) is 38

Mike Myerson (Heartland) is 37

Tamia is 33

Dan Regan (Reel Big Fish) is 31

Pierre Bouvier (Simple Plan) is 29