Joe Kavanagh's Music News

Irish crooner, Chris de Burgh, will become the first western singer in decades to perform in Iran, after it was confirmed that the diminutive singer has been lined up for a summer concert in the Islamic nation later this year. 30 years without a western singer in the country and the first person they invite in is Chris de-freakin'-Burgh. I guess the lack of interaction with western music has been responsible for a drop in tastes and standards. On the plus side, it's probably the only place in the world that de Burgh could sell a record and while he's over there, at least we don't have to listen to him ...

In fact, de Burgh is not the only singer heading for the troubled region, with spokespeople for Morrissey claiming that the former Smiths front man will embark on a tour of the Middle East later this year, which will include a stop in Tehran. Morrissey's representatives claimed that the singer is just waiting for clearance from Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, but the singer will still play a host of dates in different countries around the region even if he is refused a visa to Iran...

While we are on the subject of Morrissey, a cheap play for publicity by UK Conservative leader, David Cameron backfired spectacularly when he attempted to make himself look cool by having his image associated with The Smiths. Cameron, and a group of his supporters, intended to have their photo taken last week, while standing outside the iconic Salford Lads Club, which was made famous when it was used as part of the art on The Smiths seminal album, The Queen Is Dead. Well, apparently nobody in Cameron's group thought to tell him that Salford is a Labour Party stronghold with a deep and abiding hatred for the Conservative Party that stretches back to the days of Maggie Thatcher, so when his party showed up they were immediately set upon by an angry crowd of protesters, who ensured that Cameron's cheap effort at playing to the younger crowd made him look like the west end of a horse walking east. As they say at home: "That'll learn him."...

Dionne Warwick left Italy with her baggage a little lighter after thieves in Rome made off with over $160,000 worth of jewelry that they stole from the singer's hotel room. Surely with all her psychic connections she could have seen that one coming. I'm just saying...

Sting may go around the world preaching how we should be kinder to the environment and how we should protect the rainforests, but it appears to be a case of "do as I say, not as I do". Environmental groups claim that Sting and The Police's world tour was by far the worst transgressor in terms of environmental damage last year, leaving far and away the greatest carbon footprint of any band touring in 2007. Environmentalists have labeled the preachy singer as a hypocrite who only champions green causes when it suits him. All of this comes in the wake of revelations claiming that Sting is a lover of gas-guzzling 4x4's who retains multiple mansions throughout the world (four in the UK alone). The singer's former cook, Jane Martin, was also recently quoted as saying that Sting and his wife Trudie Styler maintain households where "opulent extravagance reigned [with] no regard to expenses, cost or wastage." It's funny how Sting only seemed to champion all those causes when the hits dried up in the 80s and 90s...

There are some musicians left, however, who pay more than lip service to the causes they purport to support. One example is critically-acclaimed singer, Cat Power (real name: Chan Marshall) who is currently out in India working with charities and local people in an effort to secure clean water and sanitation for the poor people of the country. The singer hopes that her participation with humanitarian and aid groups will draw attention to the cause but she is even going so far as to actually help in the digging of wells in the most troublesome areas. Good for you Cat Power and boo to you Sting...

Just to end things on an uplifting note, world renowned Israeli pianist and conductor, Daniel Barenboim, decided to take up a Palestinian offer of citizenship last week in a symbolic act that he hopes will bring the two cultures closer together, if only in a small way. The maverick musician said: "I have also accepted it because I believe that the destinies of ... the Israeli people and the Palestinian people are inextricably linked. We are blessed -- or cursed -- to live with each other. And I prefer the first. The fact that an Israeli citizen can be awarded a Palestinian passport, can be a sign that it is actually possible." When asked what he thought of George Bush's recent visit to the region, he quipped: "Now even not very intelligent people are saying that the occupation has to be stopped." Wow, I made it through a whole column without mentioning Amy Winehouse or Pete Doherty. Well, almost!