As we break for lunch here on the West Coast, we’ve got some juicy stories about Britney Spears’ hindsight (turns out it’s 20/20 like everyone else), a Dolly Parton song that’s taken on a life of its own, why Franz Ferdinand is really weird (trust us, we’re not exaggerating), how beauty is in the eye of Margaret Cho and a piece from a Metallica member’s art collection going up on the block.

And lest we forget the efforts of the hardworking folks in our tour data department (they get really cranky if we don’t mention them every couple of days), we’ll highlight new tour dates from Lamb of God, Lupe Fiasco, Aiden and an office favorite, Bjorn Again.

Link-O-Rama …Britney Spears dishes about her public meltdown and more in a new MTV documentary – Los Angeles Times

Dolly Parton‘s song “Jolene” helped make her a star and 35 years later everyone (including Parton) is still talking about it – NPR.org

Just in time for Halloween, Franz Ferdinand manages to out creepy Marilyn Manson. How? See for yourself – The Guardian

Margaret Cho talks to a writer (and self-professed fan) in Indianapolis about beauty, homophobia and – geez, that broad gets around – Sarah Palin – Indianapolis Star

Lars Ulrich. Drummer. File-sharing hater. Art collector – Austin American Statesman

Dates, Dates & More Dates …

It’s been a great year for Lupe Fiasco and he’s spent most of it touring in the U.S. and abroad. Looks like that’s not changing anytime soon with new dates on the books for places like Toronto, Baltimore, Atlanta, Nashville and Chicago.

Seattle post-hardcore rockers Aiden are hell-bent on conquering the world. The band just added a new slate of shows that will see them on the road around the globe through early December. Targets include the U.K., The Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Austria and cities in the U.S. like Fresno, Calif.; Las Vegas, Wichita, Kan.; Richmond, Va.; Pittsburgh and Denver.

Metal masters Lamb of God are filling in their year-end itinerary, adding gigs in Richmond, Va.; Calgary, Alberta; Portland, Ore.; Anaheim, Calif.; Las Vegas and more.

If listening to ABBA is a guilty pleasure (didn’t think anyone knew, did you?), we know a guiltier one – Australia’s Bjorn Again. The act is such a hit, there are now five different versions of the tribute band touring the globe. Lucky folks due for some loopy versions of Bjorn and Benny classics include the U.K., Australia and Ireland.

Okay, we’re going to take a break now and give everyone a chance to wander about a little on their own.

Everyone pair up, avoid dark alleys, don’t eat anything you can’t pronounce (or lift) and meet back here at 5pm PST for The Closing Bell.