Today’s journey through all things musical begins with news items about the long lost Guns N’ Roses album finally seeing the light of day, a reggaton star’s political transformation, Kathy Griffin being Kathy Griffin, New Wave icons whipping up political support, the homogenization of the singer/songwriter and an L.A. band’s free speech fight.

We’ve also got reviews of gigs by New Kids on the Block, Beck, Ray LaMontagne and Nikka Costa to inspire you to travel to a show yourself.

News …

We’ll believe it when we see it. Guns N’ Roses “Chinese Democracy” gets a release date – The Guardian

Maybe we need to try this with our presidential debates. Daddy Yankee gets serious – Associated Press via Yahoo! News

Kathy Griffin talks about salary negotiations and Sarah Palin – Chicago Sun-Times

Politics makes strange bedfellows. Devo goes home for Sen. Barack Obama – Chicago Tribune

Are singer/songwriters all beginning to sound alike? One music critic blames John Mayer. We can get behind that – Boston Globe

L.A. band No Age runs afoul of equal time rules while taping an appearance on “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and comes up with a clever solution – Los Angeles Times

Views …

New Kids on the Block delight (and even shock) fans in Los Angeles – Los Angeles Times

Beck gets serious in the Big Apple – New York Times

Ray LaMontagne gets a surprise visit from a big name fan at his Boston show – Boston Globe

Nikka Costa blows Kansas City away – Pitch Weekly

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

Ben Vereen is 62

John Prine is 62

Cyril Neville (The Neville Brothers) is 60

Midge Ure is 55

David Lee Roth is 54

Tanya Tucker is 50

Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet) is 47

Jim Glennie (James) is 45

Mike Malinin (Goo Goo Dolls) is 41

Mya is 29

Cherie is 24