Traditionally festival organiser Michael Eavis has given free tickets away to people living in the villages of Pilton, Pylle and Sticklynch. The idea behind the give-away is to make up for disruption to roads when about 200,000 people arrive for the event at the end of June. The spokesman said: "No other major festival looks after people who live locally in the way Glastonbury does." Figures from the festival website show in 2007 almost £2m was paid to local projects and groups.
Unhappy Henley - Eagles member Don Henley has taken legal action against a Republican candidate for the US Senate for "exploiting" two of his solo hits. Charles DeVore used The Boys of Summer and All She Wants To Do Is Dance without permission, according to legal documents filed in California state. The songs were part of two campaign videos posted on YouTube, with one adapted to attack a fellow candidate. Henley's spokesman said the move was necessary to protect the songs. "The infringers have vowed to continue exploiting this and other copyrighted works, as it suits them, to further their own ambitions and agenda," he said.
The legal action contends that the lyrics of All She Wants To Do Is Dance were altered by Mr DeVore to attack his Democratic rival, Barbara Boxer. Mr DeVore has said he will issue a counter-claim, citing the First Amendment in US law for political free speech. "While the legal issues play out, it's time to up the ante on Mr Henley's liberal goon tactics. By popular request, I have penned the words to our new parody song," he added. A song called All She Wants To Do Is Tax has since been posted on the internet. During the US presidential campaign last year, a number of artists took action against politicians who they claimed used their music without permission.
Cry Freedom - Sixties chart topper Gerry Marsden has been awarded the freedom of Liverpool after boarding a ferry on the River Mersey. The former lead singer of Gerry and the Pacemakers stunned commuters by getting out his guitar to sing his hit Ferry across the Mersey. He was given the freedom of the city by Lord Mayor Steve Rotherham aboard the Royal Iris ferry. He said he was proud to be given the award from "fellow Liverpudlians". The lord mayor added, "Gerry is a fantastic ambassador for Liverpool."
Farewell - The popular Ethiopian singer, Tilahun Gessesse, has died at the age of 68. He had been the most dominant figure in Ethiopian music for more than half a century and will receive a state funeral. The country's radio and TV stations broke into their programmes to broadcast tributes. He started singing in the days of the Emperor Haile Selassie, and was for a time the lead singer in his imperial bodyguard band.
(Jim Evans)
