A fab piece of pop memorabilia from the wonderful broadcaster and journalist, Andy Kershaw, who writes:

‘This letter was sent to me (as the Ents Secretary of Leeds University) some time in November 1980.

‘I still think they were slightly overpaid.’

The letter from M.A.M. Agency was by way booking a band called Duran Duran as support to Hazel O’Connor (remember her?).

Andy Kershaw
Leeds Univ.
S. U.

Dear Andy

Please accept this letter as confirmation that the Support group for HAZEL O’CONNOR’S MEGAHYPE at Leeds University on Wed 3rd Dec is DURAN DURAN, who will be paid a fee of £50 payable cash on night as per contract.

Please sign and return one copy of this in confirmation of the above.

Yours sincerely,

Dan Silver
M.A.M. Agency Ltd.

Agreed and accepted

on behalf of:

Date:

The full story behind this and many other excellent tales, can be found in Andy Kershaw’s brilliant and highly recommended autobiography No Off Switch get your copy here.
 
With thanks to Andy Kershaw!
 

 
‘Now then now then… ‘

An auction of the late Sir Jimmy Savile’s belongings raised almost half-a-million dollars yesterday in Leeds, England. 700 on-line bidders competed with 350 buyers at the Savile Hall for an excess of gold lame suits, platform shoes, and a selection of the DJ’s bling.

549 lots were up for grabs in a sale organized by Dreweatts. These included gold lame suits, jogging gear, kilts, cigars, cigar boxes, shoes, trainers, furniture, records, record player, photographs, cartoons, numerous awards, assorted glasses, memorabilia, including Christmas cards from Royalty, and Jim’ll Fix It medallions, presentation gifts and the famous red-upholstered chair.

The auction lasted 13-hours, which saw the legendary DJ and broadcaster’s Rolls-Royce (nick-named “The Beast”) sold for $200,000, his famous red chair sold for $13,300, and individual items, such as one highly sought after Jim’ll Fix It medal reach $3,130.

All of the items reached over their original asking price:

Lot 174 - A pink satin padded bedspread with a gold J.S. monogram was sold for over $200.

Lot 185 - A novelty egg cup teapot with picture of Sir Jim holding it raised $60.

Lot 549 - Sir Jimmy’s favourite ashtray complete with a Romeo Y Julieta cigar - went for $220.

All money raised will be donated to charity.

The auction catalog can be seen here, and more on the story here.
 

Edinburgh Evening News front cover printing plate.
 

A photograph of Jimmy Savile with Elvis Presley.
 
More of Sir Jimmy Savile’s booty, after the jump…
 

 
The war against advertising has recently taken an interesting turn, with 26 artists from 8 countries, traveling across the UK for 5 days, subverting billboard advertising.

Called Brandalism, or “Taking the piss with a point”, it is a clever mix of vandalism, graffiti and art, and is a direct attack on the corporate branding which has become such a blight on our landscape.

‘Following on from the guerilla art traditions of the 20th Century and taking inspiration from the Dadaists, Situationists and Street Art movements, the Brandalism project will see the largest reclamation of outdoor advertising space in UK history as artists challenge the authority and legitimacy of the advertising industry. We are tired of being shouted at by adverts on every street corner so we decided to get together with some friends from around the world and start to take them back, one billboard at a time…....’

Brandalist work includes a reworked Manchester United soccer player, Wayne Rooney lifting the rewards of looting; health warnings placed on car adverts; knife crime underlining trainer wars; campaigns against the London Olympics reclamation of land. These are powerful and thought-provoking works that engage directly with their audience, which seek “to confront the ad industry and take back our visual landscapes.” Below is a selection of some of the artists’ work taken from the Brandalism site. I say, more power to them.

Find out more about Brandalism and the artists here.
 
 

 

 
More works of Brandalism, after the jump…
 
With thanks to Scheme Comix