Viv Albertine, the former guitarist of the British punk band the Slits, went on a long hiatus from music after the group's split in the early '80s. Working in film and raising a daughter, she never thought she would play music again. "After the Slits, I was so traumatized by it," Albertine tells Spinner. "I couldn't even listen to music for about three years. I auctioned off all my punk gear. It was like being in denial almost."

But after 25 years, Albertine took up her guitar again, which happened when she was invited to play some shows with the reunited Slits in 2008. In October, Albertine embarked on an American solo tour and is presently working on material for a new album next year.

"The strangest thing happened when I picked up the guitar. All these songs came rushing out," says Albertine. "I just can't stop playing now. It's a huge release for me. It almost means more than it did the first time around."

For as long as rock 'n' roll has existed, there have always been photographers capturing the performers at their shows and in intimate settings. Some of these images are memorable: Anton Corbjin's photo of U2 for the cover of 'The Joshua Tree,' Pennie Smith's 'London Calling' shot of the Clash's Paul Simonon smashing his bass and Jerry Schatzberg's image of Bob Dylan on the 'Blonde on Blonde' album cover.

Those photographs and many others form the basis of the exhibit 'Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present,' which opens today at New York's Brooklyn Museum. Calling itself the first major museum show on rock photography, 'Who Shot Rock & Roll' collects 175 images by 105 photographers and spans the genre's entire history. Among the artists featured are Chuck Berry, James Brown, Led Zeppelin, Joy Division, Fugazi and Jay-Z.

Pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph is one truly unabashed fan of the New York Knicks. He grew up watching the team since the late '70s, admired Knicks players Patrick Ewing and Mark Jackson and has gone to many of the team's games. Now Randolph has taken on more of a prominent role as a fan after he and his Family Band recorded a rock tune called 'Get There' for the MSG Network, which televises the Knicks games.

"I'm a Knicks fan, and I'm connected with so many people at MSG," Randolph tells Spinner. "They started to talk about this campaign that they wanted to do. We sat down and I basically had the song."

In addition to recording 'Get There,' Randolph and the Family Band are featured performing the song in a clip -- mixed with footage of the team in action -- that will lead into every Friday night Knicks telecast on the MSG Network for this season. It begins tonight at 7:00PM ET when the Knicks play the Charlotte Bobcats.

When Sharon Van Etten, then an emerging singer-songwriter, moved to New York some time ago, she met TV on the Radio's Kyp Malone. Malone, whose brother was Van Etten's friend back in high school, became somewhat of a guide to Van Etten, taking her to venues where she could perform her music.

The friendship between Malone and Van Etten was still evident when the latter performed at New York's Bowery Ballroom this past Saturday, the final night of the CMJ Music Marathon. The indie folk singer, who is originally from Nutley, N.J., and now resides in Brooklyn, was the opening act for Rain Machine, Malone's current solo project.

Mention the name JD Souther and the first thing that probably comes to mind is the Eagles. He is practically synonymous with that band as the co-writer of several Eagles hits, including 'New Kid in Town,' 'Heartache Tonight' and 'The Best of My Love.' In addition, Souther has written several songs for Linda Ronstadt and recorded a duet with James Taylor, 'Her Town Too.' In 2008, Souther returned with 'If the World Was You,' his first new studio album in almost 25 years.

Last night, Souther performed at the Living Room on New York's Lower East Side as part of the CMJ Music Marathon. Alone with only an acoustic guitar in hand, Souther played some romantic-sounding songs from 'If the World Was You,' such as the tender and soulful 'I'll Be Here at Closing Time' and the ballad 'The Border Guard.'

Richie Hayward, the founding drummer of Little Feat, was recently diagnosed with liver cancer, forcing him to temporarily leave the band. Gabe Ford, Little Feat's drum tech, is stepping in for Hayward as the band is currently on tour.

"My intent is to come back to the band, as soon as I am physically able," Hayward, 63, said in a statement on the band's official Website. "Your love and support will mean a lot to me, more than I can say. I love and will miss you all, and I will see you again on the proud highway."

Paul Barrere, Little Feat's longtime guitarist, says the news of Hayward's condition as "devastating." "We were on the road," he tells Spinner. "I guess it was June when we came back and [Richie] was retaining all this water. He didn't know what was going on. It was basically his liver starting to shut down. They did the blood test and CAT scan and found three cancerous spots on his liver."

In comparison to the numerous indie rockers who have taken over New York for this week's CMJ Music Marathon, Azure Ray singer-guitarist Orenda Fink brought a really subdued sensibility with her solo performance at The Studio at Webster Hall. The slow folk songs that Fink and her band played yesterday afternoon reflected the roots and the mood of the old South, which made for an interesting contrast considering the locale.

Accompanied by a guitar/mandolin player and an accordionist-backing singer, the Birmingham, Ala. native drew a majority of the set from her wonderful second solo album, 'Ask the Night,' which was released on Oct. 6. And just like that album, the songs that were performed live at the Studio conveyed something that was very pastoral and haunting.