We need to talk about '11: March

In his latest attempt to make people look/raise some coins, John Lydon insisted he wasn't ever a punk. Another cackling from a faded icon, as Pete Doherty got involved in a burglary. Duff McKagen insisted that it doesn't count if you're only gay while on tour.

Coke's use of music as a way into the mouths of young people was set out quite clearly. To sell some fizzy pop, Maroon 5 handed control of their production process to 'fans' or anyone on the internet who happened by. Meanwhile, Avril Lavigne decided her life experience would be enough to make an album out of. Cliff Richard? He went soul.

Chris Brown didn't take being asked about his violent outburst well, and had a violent outburst about it.

Spotify took an initially relaxed approach to offering Skrewdriver songs but quietly dropped them later. Potential rival service QTrax finally launched, to little interest.

Heavy-handed policing at a Death From Above gig turned a crush into a riot. In other odd crime news, a lobbyist from the RIAA finds themselves hearing copyright cases as a judge.

Realising the way the wind was blowing, Nelly Furtado "remembered" the money she took from Gaddafi and gave it to charity, just four years after the gig. Bob Dylan in China let the authorities see his setlist. Over in Malawi, Madonna's charity was in turmoil.

HMV warned their last profits warning might have been a little over-optimistic as Jon Bon Jovi railed against Steve Jobs. Microsoft admitted nobody was ever going to buy a Zune.

Retiring: Phil Collins and Alan Lewis. Revived: 120 Minutes. Splitting: The Bluetones.

Francis Rossi put his finger on it. Everyone's rubbish these days.


2011 Month-by-month
Part of We Need To Talk About '11