Bert Weedon, the guitarist who inspired a generation of rock musicians

By Calvin Palmer

Guitarist Bert Weedon, the man who was an inspiration to a generation of rock guitarists with his book Play In A Day, has died aged 91.

Picture courtesy of roganhouse.co.uk.

In the early sixties, for any self-respecting youngster with musical aspirations and wishing to emulate The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and a raft of groups spawned by the Mersey Sound, Weedon’s manual was the first point of reference and a step taken by the likes of Hank Marvin, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton and Brian May.

As a 10-year-old caught up in Beatlemania, I wanted a guitar – an electric one. My parents were not prepared to invest in something that I would likely be keen on for six months but then leave it unplayed as I moved on to something else. I had a track record for doing that.

But not wishing to thwart my musical ambition, they got an old Spanish guitar from Penkhull musician George Prophett. The next purchase from Chatfield’s music shop, in Hanley, was a plectrum and a copy of Weedon’s Play In A Day. I was all set.

Well, I would have been had the guitar had a normal action. Unfortunately, its action was high, meaning that the strings were a lot higher above the fretboard than is normal and required greater pressure to hold them down.

Like everyone who has used Weedon’s book, I could play Bobby Shaftoe after a few hours and went on to learn a few chords but at great cost to the finger tips of my left hand. So my chances of lining up with Eric Clapton a few years down the road quickly disappeared. I gave up after a few months and the Spanish guitar gathered dust.

I often wonder what might have happened if my parents had purchased a new guitar and one with a normal playing action.

I got the answer some 10 years later when I bought a Yamaha acoustic guitar during my studies at Manchester University. On this second attempt, I abandoned dear old Bert’s book in favour of a trendier guitar tutor, Harvey Vinson. Vinson’s book was more rock and blues oriented. It featured guitar TABs, if my memory serves me correct, and also pictures of Hendrix, Clapton and other guitar heroes of the time. I could relate to it far better than Bert’s book. I mean, come on, Bobby Shaftoe isn’t exactly a rock anthem.

Through this book I learned about bar chords and also discovered that I was destined never to be a guitarist. A minor bar chord requires the player to hold down three strings with the fourth finger. Try as I may, I just could not do it. Major bar chords were no problem, it was holding down the three strings on the minor chord that was the stumbling block.

And then I made a startling discovery. I have a birth or genetic defect – the top joint of the fourth finger of both hands will not bend and, without flexibility in that joint, holding down three strings in a minor bar chord is impossible.

Through a quirk of fate, rock stardom was denied to me. Of course, not having sufficient talent could also have had something to do with it.

So long Bert. You tried your best to teach me the guitar. And thanks to you, if I were to pick up a guitar today, I could still play the chords of G, D and C.

A voice of reason falls silent with the death of Christopher Hitchens

By Calvin Palmer

Writer and journalist Christopher Hitchens died yesterday after his battle with oesophageal cancer. He was 62.

He was an inveterate smoker and drinker and no doubt the health fascists will claim he got what he deserved, a typical riposte from such intellectual pygmies.

Hitchens was a Brit who made it in America, which shows what a difference real talent makes. I would gladly settle for one tenth of Hitchens’ talent.

It was during BBC America’s election night coverage of the 2008 US presidential election that he won a place in my heart and mind when he described Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin as “an insult to democracy”. As so often throughout his life, Hitchens was bang on the money.

I hope his spectre will continue to haunt similar presidential candidates who hold a Disney-like view on life and are driven by a god that Hitchens refused to acknowledge. In his book God is Not Great, published in 2007, Hitchens argued that religion is “violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism and tribalism and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry”.

May the ghost of Hitchens ensure that the likes of Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and other tea party idiots never gain centre stage in US politics. Like Palin, they too are an insult to democracy.

Hitchens was criticized in some quarters for not remaining loyal to his early left-wing beliefs but surely it is the mark of an independent mind to attack both Left and Right when they are wrong, praise them when they get it right and not be beholden to either of them. Any free-thinking mind cannot to be tied down by isms in any way shape or form.

In his later years his maxim became “it is an absolute certainty that there are no certainties”, save the one that befalls everyone from CEOs of massive corporations to homeless people wandering city streets — death.

If there is such a thing as the after life, I would like to think that when Hitchens crossed over to the other side, he was greeted with a gin and tonic, offered a cigarette and then held forth in his inimitable and forthright style.

Hitchens lived life to the full and richly filled the lives of others.

AP reports of IndyCar driver Wheldon’s death omit his nationality

By Calvin Palmer

When a man who is proud of his nationality, and most men are, dies in a foreign country one would think it incumbent upon that country’s media to acknowledge his nationality. Not only is giving someone’s nationality part of good reporting and journalistic standards but, in the case of someone who has died, it is also a mark of respect.

Many newspapers in the United States carried the story of the death of British driver Dan Wheldon at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday. As is newspaper practice, they made use of wire reports by the Associated Press, which failed to make any mention of Wheldon’s British nationality.

While it is true that Wheldon became a sporting hero in the United States and was largely unknown in his home country, he was fiercely proud of his nationality.

When he won the Indy 500 in 2005, a feat he repeated last year, he took to the winner’s rostrum with the Union Jack draped across his shoulders.

Dan Wheldon after winning the Indy 500 in 2005. Picture courtesy of The Daily Telegraph.

So shame on the Associated Press reporters John Marshall and Ken Ritter who omitted Wheldon’s nationality from their reports of this tragic event.

The British, especially the English, are often accused by Americans of being arrogant. The accusation is often leveled at me, even by family members. I usually counter with the Cecil Rhodes quote: “To be born an Englishman is to win first prize in the lottery of life.” Needless to say this response only further antagonizes Americans but isn’t that what being English is all about?

And Americans cannot claim to be so virtuous. Is not their indifference to, and ignorance of, anyone or anything outside the United States just another form of arrogance?

At least the British can cite several centuries of being in the ascendancy instead of a mere 70 years.

Del Rio walks fine line between genius and insanity by cutting Garrard

By Calvin Palmer

Five days before the start of a new NFL season, the Jacksonville Jaguars decided to cut quarterback David Garrard, leaving deputy Luke McCown to step up as the starting quarterback.

In footballing terms, the move by the Jaguars is like Arsenal deciding to sell Cesc Fàbregas.

Oops! They have done.

Okay, it would be like Stoke City getting rid of Rory Delap and his famous long throw-ins.

Actually, that wouldn’t be a bad idea. Delap at 35 is getting past his sell-by date as a Premier League footballer and his long throws no longer have the potency they once had. Premier League defences have wised up to the ploy.

I guess the timing of the news of Garrard’s departure is what is surprising. And there is also a degree of nemesis.

Former Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich was cut a week before the 2007 season and replaced by back-up quarterback David Garrard.

What goes around comes around.

Garrard’s departure has incensed former Jaguars defensive end and ESPN NFL analyst Hugh Douglas.

Douglas was asked in a radio interview if there was one NFL coach he’d like to fight and without pause answered Jack Del Rio.

Douglas said: “If there was ever a coach who needs to be punched in the face for not being truthful to his players, it has to be Jack Del Rio.”

Douglas would need to get to the back of the line. A great many Jaguars fans would also like to punch Del Rio in the face.

Del Rio’s perpetual smug expression on his face just invites it to be hit.

I wonder if fans in Jacksonville are organizing a whip round in order that Douglas can go to the front of the line.

Garrard has reportedly got two offers of a contract with other NFL teams, according to his agent. Who is sworn to secrecy. Well, at least until he figures a way of making a quick buck or two thousand.

NFL pundits are suggesting that the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins may offer Garrard a new home. I guess that goes to show just how desperate some NFL teams are.

Jacksonville Jaguars are, make no mistake. Still looking on the bright side, if the Jaguars fail to make the play-offs, Del Rio will be out of a job.

William Hill has the Jacksonville Jaguars at 100/1 to win the Superbowl and 9/1 to win the AFC South Division.

See ya, Jack!

Messi’s magic sees Barcelona crowned as Supercopa champions

By Calvin Palmer

Lionel Messi turned on the magic again to give Barcelona a 3-2 win at the Camp Nou in the second leg of the Supercopa against Real Madrid, a result htat meant the Catalan side became the Supercopa champions 5-4 on aggregate.

Messi was sublime. His first piece of magic came 15 minutes into the game when  a defence-splitting pass saw Iniesta racing clean through before lifting the ball over the advancing Real Madrid goalkeeper Casillas.

A minute before half-time, Messi struck again in his more usual role as a goal scorer. He seized on a back heel from Pique in the Real Madrid penalty area and bore down on the goal, deftly chipping the ball over the diving Casillas to restore Barcelona’s lead.

Messi’s strike had the guile of a truly great goalscorer, quickly sizing up that a conventional shot would be blocked by the keeper. Messi’s delicate shot over the goalkeeper’s outstretched body reminded me of a golfer’s chip shot from the edge of the green.

In the second half, Barcelona eased back a little and paid the consequences when Real’s big striker Benzema steered the ball home at the second attempt when Barcelona’s defence failed to clear the ball from their six-yard area.

With just two minutes remaining on the clock, Messi met a ball whipped across the face of the goal by Adriano and rifled a fierce volley into the back of the net. Casillas had no chance to react.

With four minutes added by the referee, the match turned ugly when Marcelo – he really does need treatment for his psychotic tendencies — scythed down Barcelona’s latest acquisition Cesc Fàbregas.

Marcelo, who had been booked previously, was shown the red card. He should have been sent a few minutes into the second half when he deliberately kicked Messi as the two men challenged for a high ball.

Justice was eventually done and seen to be done.

Marcelo’s sending off resulted in a melée in front of the dugouts. I think a few punches may have been traded but it was impossible to tell. Özil who had been substituted managed to pick up a red card for his involvement in the altercation.

When the game restarted, I have the feeling the referee blew up a little earlier than the four minutes of added-on time to avoid any further flashpoints. Barcelona were the Supercopa 2011 champions.

I watched the match on ESPN3.com, which took the broadcast shown on ESPN Deportes, ESPN’s Latino channel.

The commentary by Fernando Paloma, Martin Ainstein and Mario Kempes was in Spanish made more sense to me than the drivel spouted by Ray Hudson on Gol TV and I do not speak Spanish. Kempes’ credentials as an expert commentator, he played in La Liga and was a member of Argentina’s World Cup winning team in 1978, are far more substantial than Hudson’s 40 games for Newcastle United over a four year period.

I doubt Kempes referred to every player as a genius or described anyone as being “magisterial”.

The match on ESPN3.com was a delight to watch, even if I did not understand a word of the commentary, and infinitely better than my Gol TV experience in the first leg on Sunday.

Forlán’s double strike steers Uruguay to Copa América crown

By Calvin Palmer

The final of the Copa América was always a foregone conclusion. The class and quality of Uruguay were always going to win out against the hard-running of Paraguay.

Goals from Luis Suárez and Diego Forlán, his second goal of the match coming in the final minute just to emphasize Uruguay’s supremacy, put the game beyond Paraguay’s reach.

Paraguay were under the cosh right from the start. Suárez created panic in the Paraguay penalty area after just two minutes and from the resulting corner, Uruguay skipper Diego Lugano powered a header that looked goal bound but Paraguay’s goalkeeper Justo Villar was equal to it with a magnificient save. Paraguay eventually cleared their lines.

It was only a temporary reprieve. Ten minutes later Suárez found himself in space in the Paraguay penalty area and his shot was deflected by Veron into the corner of the net. I think if Suárez had shot cleanly, Villar would probably have been equal to it. But football is not about ifs and buts.

Uruguay continued to press and Suárez set up strike partner Forlán whose shot was blocked by Villar.

It seemed only a question of time before Uruguay scored again. When midfield destroyer Egidio Arevalo dispossessed his Paraguay counterpart Ortigoza ten-yards outside the penalty area, the ball was quickly worked out to Forlán on the left who buried his shot into the far corner.

It was effectively game over even though the match was only in the 42nd minute. Paraguay had failed to score in their previous 240 minutes of football and they were never going put three goals past Uruguay to win the tournament.

In the second half, all credit to Paraguay for not letting their heads drop. They kept plugging away at their thankless task.

After 15 minutes of some torrid football, with players being caught in possession just outside their own 18-yard area and too many passes being mishit or easily intercepted by Uruguayan defenders, they suddenly found their stride and applied some real pressure.

Haedo Valdez, whose work-rate probably had Stoke City’s manager Tony Pulis trying to contact the player’s agent, fired in a volley that cannoned off the crossbar via Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera’s finger tips. A few minutes later, Valdez was put through on goal but could only fire tamely at the Muslera.

At the other end of the pitch, Villar pulled off another fantastic save when good work by Suárez saw a shot by Eguren deflected off two Paraguay defenders. Villar had already started to move to his right but then flung himself in the opposite direction to keep the ball out.

With the game moving into the final minute, the Suárez-Forlán partnership struck again. Suárez deftly headed the ball into the path of Forlán who raced for goal and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.

Forlán is now Uruguay’s top goal scorer with 31 goals but I have a feeling Suárez will eventually pass that total during his international career.

So Uruguay are crowned champions of the Copa América for the 15th time. They now overtake Argentina who have won the competition 14 times. I am tempted to say it was a Forlán conclusion.

I watched the match on Univision, the Spanish language network in the United States.  At half-time, the channel featured two T Mobile ads with the delectable charms of Valeska Castillo. It is almost worth tuning into the channel on a regular basis just to see her.

Half-time also put a face to the ebullient voice of Univision’s match commentator Fernando Fiore. He looks exactly how his voice sounds, avuncular and with a sense of fun gleaming in his eyes.

A few half-time shots of the crowd also revealed that the Edinson Cavani Stadium in Buenos Aires still allows people to smoke. I suppose it will only be a matter of time before the “sophisticated” ways of Europe and North America finally sweep Latin America. The people standing next to the smokers were not waving their hands around as if trying to fend off a wasp. It makes you wonder just who is the sophisticated society and who is the common sense society.

The sight of spectators smoking took me back to the days when I stood in the Boothen paddock at the Victoria Ground. During the course of a Stoke City home game I would smoke five or six Players No 6 cigarettes. And during the several hundred times I did that between 1968 and 1985, not one person keeled over from a heart attack induced by inhaling second-hand smoke. It almost beggars belief, doesn’t it?

Media substitutes conjecture for fact in coverage of Norway attacks

By Calvin Palmer

When news of the horrific events in Norway unfolded yesterday, the quality newspapers in Britain were quick to ascribe the bombing in Oslo and shootings on Utøya island to the work of Muslim terrorists.

The newspapers went to great lengths to uncover the various ways Norway might have offended Muslim sensibilities, including Norway’s strong support for military action in Afghanistan.

Such speculation is the stuff of Tyler Twoguns as he downs shots at Sadie’s Bar or Rodney Fortescue-Smythe holding court in the snug of the Dog & Duck.

But everyone knows that the utterances of Tyler and Rodney are opinions that have little basis in fact and no one takes them seriously.

But when idle conjecture appears in a news report rather than an opinion piece, we are treading on dangerous ground. Some people, an awful lot of them, will believe those guesses to be fact..

Fox News uses such methods to warp the perceptions of American voters. It pays no heed to fair and balanced reporting in order to promote its right-wing, anti-Obama agenda.

The media, like nature, abhors a vacuum. The demands of live coverage are such that even if the facts are unknown, the media will fabricate some theory in order to fill the void.

Newspapers in their Web guise are trying to compete with television and offer live coverage on stories and to keep readers interested they guessed at explanation of what had happened in Norway and targeted the usual suspects.

And politicians were no better with Prime Minister David Cameron and President Obama promising Norway they would do everything in their power to track down the perpetrators of these heinous crimes.

I find it worrying that political leaders come out with these knee-jerk reactions. I expect political leaders to be better than Tyler Twoguns and Rodney Fortescue-Smythe. A leader, by definition, should take time to sort through the facts and duly arrive at a measured response. But the media’s appetite for the instant sound bite is insatiable and politicians seem more than willing to feed it.

Today, it emerges that the bombing in Oslo and shooting of at least 87 youngsters at a political youth camp had nothing to do with Muslim terrorists.

Norwegian police are questioning a suspect – 32-year-old Anders Behring Breivik, a Norwegian citizen. He is described as a fundamental Christian with right-wing beliefs that include the eradication of Islam and Marxism from Europe.

If it emerges that Breivik was involved in yesterday’s attacks no doubt he will claim he was acting on instructions from God, although might just as well as cite the tooth fairy. He may even have been following Sarah Palin’s advice to “reload” with deadly consequences.

It is frightening to think that Michele Bachmann, who has designs on becoming the next President of the United States, also claim to be acting on God’s instructions.

Should the American electorate be dumb enough to elect her or one of her ilk, and it is possible, the mindset of the United States will take a leap back to the 17th century.

Fox News will be in its element covering the subsequent witch trials and fueling the rabid hysteria against the unfortunate defendants.

Valeska’s T Mobile charms make up for a dire night in the Copa América

By Calvin Palmer

The more I see of Paraguay the more they remind me of Stoke City on a bad day, lots of honest endeavour that produces little in the way of goals or entertainment. Last night’s semi-final against Venezuela in the Copa América was dire.

The 90 minutes of normal time was excruciating to watch as neither side had a player of real quality to break the deadlock. Venezuela perhaps came closest but Paraguay’s defence held firm, and the one time it was breached, the referee assistant’s flag came to the rescue. Vizcarrondo’s header was disallowed for offside.

At 70 minutes, it was plain to see that this game was not only destined for extra-time but also a penalty shoot-out. And so it proved.

Even the dismissal of Paraguay’s Santana for a second bookable offense could not tip the scales in Venezuela’s favour. They huffed and they puffed but could not translate territorial advantage into that all important goal.

The nearest thing to drama occurred when the Paraguay coach and his assistant became embroiled in a slanging match with the referee and one of the Venezuelan coaching staff. The referee banished both men from the touchline and a baseball hatted cop was on hand to see that the referee’s ruling was enforced.

So it came down to penalties and once again Paraguay’s goalkeeper, and skipper, Justo Villar emerged as the hero, saving Lucena’s spot-kick. All it need was for Veron, the Andy Wilkinson lookalike, to score from the spot and Paraguay were through to the final. Veron duly obliged with a fierce shot that gave the Venezuelan keeper no chance.

The Guardian’s coverage of this match also alluded to the similarity between Paraguay and Stoke City. Jacob Steinberg in his summing up states:

“Paraguay are the epitome of anti-football. They’re in the final and they haven’t won a single game.”

The anti-football tag has been applied by a great many football pundits and fans regarding Stoke City in the past, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger being among the vanguard.

The Guardian piece also contains:

 “How do you think Jon Walters would do in this game tonight?” asks Alec McAulay. “You remember him. I am sure.”

Jon Walters is a clodhopper, so he could probably fit in well in the Paraguay midfield.

Clearly Steinberg’s memory does not extend as far back as May and Stoke City’s destruction of Bolton Wanderers in the semi-final of the FA Cup, where Walter’s scored two goals one of which was worthy of goal of the season.

If I were Jon Walters, I would be taking legal advice about Steinberg’s slur.

Paraguay versus Venezuela was certainly not a game for football purists. I spent more than two hours watching the TV coverage by Univision and the moments of interest during that time had little to do with the football action.

First I noticed the game was being played at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in the city of Mendoza. You don’t need to speak Spanish to know that the name translates into Stadium of the Argentine Falkland Islands.

The stadium was originally named Estadio Ciudad de Mendoza but was renamed in 1982 after the Falklands War. Whether it was renamed in honour of Argentina’s war dead, I don’t know but Argentina still claims sovereignty of the islands.

The mainly British Falkland islanders wish to remain British and the UK government has repeatedly told Argentina that no talks will be held over the future sovereignty as there is no issue to resolve.

During the match I kept seeing these white marks appear on the playing surface and they seemed to coincide where the wall of players lined up to defend a free-kick. I noticed too that the referee had what looked like a spray can tucked into his shorts but couldn’t work out what is was for.

Near the end of extra time, the referee awarded a free-kick and the TV cameras showed him using the spray can to mark the spot where the ball was to be placed and then pacing out the distance where the wall should form and spraying a line on the turf. What an excellent idea to stop players in the wall encroaching on the 10 yards they should be from the ball.

Apparently this practice has been in use in Brazil for 10 years; Argentina for three years; Mexico for two years; and has also spread to Uruguay and Chile.

FIFA has approved its use by CONMEBOL, the South American ruling body. I wonder if it will eventually spread to the European game?

Although the football served up by Paraguay and Venezuela for more than two hours was dire, the advert breaks offered some entertainment and the T Mobile ad in particular was most pleasing on the eye.

It features the charms of Latin beauty Valeska Castillo. Apparently she is based just down the road from me in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area and is on the books of the Elite Model Agency in Miami.

I can find no links on YouTube to the T Mobile TV ad I saw, no doubt such links will surface in the weeks and months ahead as her beauty becomes more widely known.

However, I did find a clip of Valeska on Vimeo, which was shot for the Elite Model Agency.

Valeska Castillo – Elite Miami from Lily Manzano on Vimeo.

Perry gives the middle finger to international law

By Calvin Palmer

Humberto Leal Garcia Jr had is life brought to an end last night by officials of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. His execution had been authorized by Gov Rick Perry despite pleas from President Obama and President George W. Bush to grant a stay of execution in order to comply with the Vienna Convention.

Leal, a Mexican citizen, had not been informed of his consular rights during his questioning by police, following the 1994 rape and murder of 16-year-old Adria Sauceda in San Antonio. While there is no doubt concerning Leal’s guilt of the crime, his rights were clearly violated.

Perry’s stance on law and order seems only to apply if he agrees with the law in question. His action does little to enhance America’s standing in the international community when he gives the equivalent of the middle finger to the Court of International Justice.

Perry is Pro Life and yet he signs execution orders with alarming regularity. Life is an absolute and not a relative. But there you go, right-wing inconsistency and hypocrisy writ large.

Perry could argue that he was saving Texas the cost of keeping 38-year-old Leal in prison for the rest of his natural life. Seeing as how Perry has presided over a $30 billion state deficit, despite cutting public services to the bone. I suppose every dollar counts just as long as it doesn’t come out of his pocket and his quality of life remains unaffected.

Perry’s tough stance on the death penalty would seem to satisfy the penchant for bloodlust exhibited by a great many Republicans and its tea party acolytes. It is the kind of bloodlust that saw seven people shot and killed in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on the same day Leal was executed.

It will come as no surprise to find that Perry stands firmly behind the right to bear arms and signed a bill this year allowing concealed weapons to be carried on Texas college campuses.

I bet those victims of yesterday’s Michigan shooting rampage wish there had been tighter control on gun ownership. I doubt the shooter, Rodrick Shonte Dantzler, would have killed those seven people with his bare hands.

Death don’t have no mercy in this land.

Bands object to Bachmann’s use of their songs at rallies

By Calvin Palmer

The band Katrina & the Waves has contacted lawyers to stop Republican presidential nominee Michele Bachmann from using its song Walking On Sunshine at the Minnesota Congresswoman’s rallies.

Tom Petty has also registered a protest over the use of his song American Girl at Bachmann’s announcement rally in Waterloo, Iowa.

The Daily Telegraph nosed its piece by Toby Harnden as follows:

Michele Bachmann’s status as a potential threat to President Barack Obama has been confirmed by a brace of “cease and desist” letters from pop stars objecting to the use of their songs at her campaign rallies.

I fear that is just wishful thinking on the part of The Daily Telegraph, a newspaper that appears to be following in the footsteps of Fox News in mixing up opinions with news stories.

I know Toby to be an honorable man and an excellent reporter, so I can only conclude he is acting under the orders of some Roger Ailes -like figure back at The Telegraph’s London HQ. It could be that Toby did not write that sentence at all and it is the work of a politically motivated editor.

Katrina & the Waves, along with Petty are simply registering their disapproval about Bachmann’s use of their songs simply because they do not wish to be identified with her politics. Given that a lot of Americans are not the brightest bulbs in the box, particularly those who support candidates such as Bachmann, it is likely the use of material by these artists could be construed as their support for the candidate. The move on their part has nothing whatsoever to do with Bachmann’s status as a potential threat to President Obama.

The indignation of rock stars having their music used by candidates they do not approve of is nothing new.

In 2008, John McCain received legal letters from Van Halen and John Mellencamp.

In 2000 and 2004 George W. Bush was told by Mellencamp, Petty, Sting and the band Orleans he couldn’t use their songs.

Singer and guitarist Ted Nugent has said that Bachmann is welcome to use his music at rallies.

“Michele Bachmann is clearly a Great American,” Nugent said. “Her words have iron, her spirit is indefatigable and her beauty contagious.”

With such an endorsement, it is clear America has a lot to fear if Bachmann is successful. And is there really the need to cap “Great”?

The Telegraph’s article concludes that Bachmann could use the songs of dead artists:

Elvis Presley’s “Promised Land” and James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good)” by James Brown have already been played at Bachmann rallies.

Aren’t there too many Browns there?

This Mickey Mouse article appears to have been also proofread by a Mickey Mouse copy editor — is this a new role for James Delingpole, I wonder —  if indeed it was proofread at all.