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When you’re in your own country, desecrating the flag is a serious act of rebellion – one that can incite a riot or at least a bout of fisticuffs. But the impact isn’t quite the same when an artist makes such a gesture in another country.

When The Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown simulated wiping his rear end with the British flag during an April 9 show in Mexico City, no one seemed terribly upset. They were more intent on reveling in the nostalgia of the show, which opened with "I Wanna Be Adored" and included the hits "Fools Gold," "Waterfall" and "Love Spreads." The set ended with "She Bangs the Drums" and "I Am the Resurrection."

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Ex-Oasis guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher appears to have gotten somewhat finicky when it comes to collaborations. So far this year he has turned down offers to work with at least two major acts: English synthpop duo Hurts, whose 2010 debut album Happiness sold more than two million copies across the world, and Miles Kane, for whom Gallagher sang back-up on the track “Mr. Fantasy,” from the 2011 album Colour of the Trap.

(Getty Images)Sex Pistols former frontman John Lydon (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten) seems to have matured a bit since the halcyon days of punk when he derisively sneered anarchic lyrics including, "God save the Queen/She ain’t no human being" ("God Save the Queen"). While he also struck out against former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who died of a stroke on Monday at the age of 87, he is disgusted by the groups around the UK celebrating the Iron Lady’s death.

"I'm not happy about the boo boo parties,” Lydon told the Daily Mail. "... Her politics were really dreadful and derisive and caused a great many issues for me when I was young, for all of us trying to go through that. But that don't mean (sic) I am gonna dance on her grave, as they say. I'm not that kind of person."

(Getty Images, WireImage)Gossip Girl headline grabber Taylor Momsen isn’t the only pop star to join forces with industrial metal bad boy Marilyn Manson. Avril Lavigne told Billboard that her fifth album will include a collaboration with Manson called “Bad Girl.”

The yet-untitled album is scheduled for release this summer and Lavigne said it will be “really diverse,” featuring “pop-rock tunes” and “piano ballads with orchestras.” There will also be a song called “Hello Kitty,” which Lavigne said “sounds like nothing I’ve done before.”