IAN CURTIS of Joy Division died 30 years ago yesterday.  Former bandmate Peter Hook staged an exhibit and tribute.  Entertainment Weekly has embedded a video of Hook and other bandmates (later to become New Order), and links not only to the classic "Love Will Tear Us Apart," but covers of the song by those influenced by Curtis and his band.

PHOENIX played a Tiny Desk Concert at the offices of NPR.

NADA SURF plays mostly covers for the World Cafe, though none matching the awesome photo at the link.

KATE NASH stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set.

PHOSPHORESCENT gets a twofer on the World Cafe.

PUBLIC IMAGE LTD cranked out "Public Image" in a web-only performance for Fallon. Still sounds fresh.

THE ANTLERS keep being told that their new concept album, about a dying woman, is a life-changer. But how much of an ordeal did they go through themselves?

LAURA MARLING is profiled at The Atlantic.

GENE SIMMONS has strongly denied allegations that he ‘humped' and ‘grinded' up against a hapless TV make-up artist earlier this year.

DAVID LEE ROTH: Not just a gigolo.

LINDSAY LOHAN is denying a report that she has a secret 36-year-old girlfriend. And will liklely use a volcano as an excuse to ditch court this Thursday.

CHARLIE SHEEN has agreed to do 2 more years of "Two and a Half Men," for a little under two million per episode.

JOHN TRAVOLTA & KELLY PRESTON are expecting, according to the uber-reliable Star. More reliable is the sad story that John's dogs were killed in an accident last week at Bangor International Airport in Maine.

TIGER WOODS' wife Elin has enrolled in a college summer course.

SARAH JESSICA PARKER says "You don't want to see me topless," and who am I to disagree?

LeBRON JAMES is squashing the fast-spreading, and disturbing rumor of a sex scandal involving his mom and his teammate Delonte West.

CHRIS KLEIN auditioned for Mamma Mia? I'm inclined to think this is a fake -- in which case it is his best acting work evah.

ELTON JOHN is to headline Morocco's largest music festival, despite calls from Islamist political parties that the government should deny him entry.

SAUDI WOMAN beats up virtue cop. The incident follows a wave of challenges to religious authorities.

KOREA: South Korea will formally blame North Korea on Thursday for launching a torpedo at one of its warships in March, causing an explosion that killed 46 sailors and heightened tensions in one of the world's most perilous regions, US and East Asian officials said.

IRAN: The Obama administration announced Tuesday a deal with other powers, including Russia and China, to impose a fourth set of sanctions on Iran in as many years, touching off a contest with Tehran to win support in the United Nations Security Council. But even if the new sanctions pass the Security Council it is unclear whether its provisions - including a mandate to inspect ships suspected of entering foreign ports with nuclear-related technology or weapons - will cause enough pain to force the country to halt uranium enrichment and cooperate with international inspectors.

PUPPY + FART MACHINE = Let's go to the video.

THE SQUIRREL THREAT: A militant rodent is suspected of knocking out power to a chunk of DeKalb County, GA.

A HUGE HEN'S EGG: Possibly Britain's Biggest Ever.

BO, the FIRST DOG, was not cheap.