Talk of the Town: SuBo adds to move that's all the Rage

Published on Thursday 17 December 2009 08:37

IT'S the Christmas campaign that everyone's talking about – and now even our own Susan Boyle has got in on the act.

The battle for this year's Christmas Number One has seen Simon Cowell's plans to install The X Factor winner at the top of the charts derailed by an online campaign determined to put Rage Against the Machine's 1992 expletive-laden rock anthem Killing in the Name at the top of the pile.

The campaign, entitled "F*** You, I Won't Buy What You Sell Me" – lifted from the song's chorus of "F*** You, I won't do what you tell me" – is a backlash against the mass-produced pop spawned by the TV talent show.

And with a little bit of digital editing, some computer boffins have created an online video featuring a selection of X Factor stars and SuBo herself singing along to the foul-mouthed classic.

As a fan of Elaine Paige and West End musicals, it's unlikely that the Rage are SuBo's cup of tea, but since she is almost certain to have the number one album at Christmas, she surely won't be too concerned if her performance helps to bring Mr Cowell down a peg or two.

Hotel nearby has a sofa put aside for me, for me . .

NOW it can be told. When Roger Taylor and Brian May rolled into town for the press night of We Will Rock You at the Edinburgh Playhouse, they requested a Green Room in which to entertain their guests before, during and after the show.

With the performances sold out and more than 3,000 theatre-goers descending on the venue, the only space available was Albert's Bar – a bar with no seating. So, a quest to borrow furniture for the Queen stars to rest their behinds on began. Cue the Royal Terrace Hotel, which stepped in at the last moment to provide leather sofas, chairs and coffee tables.

Meanwhile, the appearance of the two rock legends saw ticket sales soar, with a record-breaking 500,000 of briefs flying out the box office the following week.

Paddy left poll-axed

AS SPECULATION mounts about an early general election, campaigning will be moving up a gear in the most marginal constituencies.

Tory Lord James Douglas-Hamilton hung on to his Edinburgh West seat for 23 years despite some slender majorities.

In his recently published memoirs, he recalls how, during the 1992 general election campaign, the Tories learned Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown was to go walkabout in St John's Road, Corstorphine.

He said: "We flooded the place with Conservative supporters and I had a short face-to-face exchange with Mr Ashdown who I understand was not exactly enthralled by my appearance. Nevertheless, he said, 'Pleased to see you' and I replied, 'I must come to visit your constituency some time'."