Music Matters: As if one McCartney was not enough

Published on Friday 24 October 2008 09:10

IT'S been a slow week for music news, so here's how this is going to work: we go through some recent headlines, and stop when we find something worthy of closer inspection.

'Oasis to cover Rolling Stones at BBC Electric Proms' – well, they've been ripping them off long enough.

'The Enemy prepare punky second album' – does anyone out there even care?

'Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy for radio premiere' – ditto.

'Michael Jackson moves in next to a school' – let's not go there.

'Sir Paul McCartney's head left on train' – bingo!

Yes, you read it right, a waxwork version of Macca's coupon has gone on a Magical Mystery Tour of its own after being left on a train – and now 2000 is being offered for its safe return.

Auctioneer Joby Carter had collected the mop-topped model of the former Beatle to be auctioned on Sunday, but somehow left it in a cardboard box under a seat on a train from London at Maidenhead station in Berkshire last Thursday.

A distraught Carter said, "It was just a silly thing to do (well, yeah), if it wasn't so critical to get it back for the auction it would probably be funny.

"So far, we've had a lot of hoax calls from people claiming to have seen the head but nothing concrete (anything clay?). Some-one may have picked it up and thrown it away without realising or someone might be trying to sell it. I've put up the reward and am desperate to get it back."

The waxwork model was made in the 60s and displayed at the Louis Tussaud's museum in Great Yarmouth. Carters Entertainment auctioneers are auction-ing it (so are Ebay if I get my hands on it first) along with other fairground memorabilia in Maidenhead.

"Silly thing is," added Carter, "since the appeal to find the head we've had more bids come in and the price is guaranteed to have gone up. But until found it is worthless." Honestly, the things people leave on trains.

Elsewhere, a survey published this week has revealed the most despised drawl in Britain.

Singer Amy Wine-house (or should that be Whine-mouth?) topped the report examining the nation's best-loved and most-hated regional twangs, and was joined by fellow Londoner Lily Allen in the blacklist along with Charlotte Church's Welsh accent, Ozzy Osbourne's thick Brummie twang and loud-mouthed Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles' Leeds accent.

It wasn't so grim up north, however, with the Geordie sound of Girls Aloud's Cheryl Cole and TV show hosts Ant and Dec topping the poll for the nation's favourite celebrity accents.