Photo: Kravitz/FilmMagic

• We caught soon-to-be Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Metallica’s surprise SXSW performance, then hung out with James Hetfield to talk Guitar Hero. Plus, the heavy metal gods announced more tour dates, released a “Broken, Beat and Scarred” video and invited Jason Newsted to join them at the Rock Hall ceremony (”The Black Album will be back,” Newsted told RS.) And that cop who urinated on fans at a Metallica show in Boston is no longer a police officer.

• Kanye West, Jane’s Addiction, Devo, OutKast’s Big Boi, the Hold Steady, Circle Jerks, Juliette and the New Romantiques, Silversun Pickups, Airborne Toxic Event and Little Boots are just a fraction of the big-name artists and emerging acts Rock Daily caught down in Austin, Texas last weekend. Check out our SXSW coverage for the full scoop.
• We learned that Billy Corgan is to Smashing Pumpkins what Axl Rose is to Guns n’ Roses after drummer Jimmy Chamberlin left the band. Chamberlin explained he couldn’t “cash the check” anymore.
• Prince finally launched his colorful Lotusflow3r Website, giving fans an early taste of his three new albums and allowing them to watch all that footage the Web Sheriff banned from YouTube for the price of $77. Lotusflow3r, MPLSound and Elixir all hit Target Sunday.