But it is more than 'Stars' is worth. Correct me if i am wrong but wasnt Stars the biggest selling of all Simply Red albums? If this is the case I assume all serious Simply Red fans will have the album already - why would the MOS think that anyone else is remotely interested in acquiring said piece of crap.
Oh i forgot, its a reactionary piece of Tory drivel whose headlines very rarely coincide with reality in which case its a perfect giveaway.

before I'd contemplate shelling out for the Mail, in any of its putrid incarnations, I'm afraid.

...that the reason Stars was free with the MOS is that they paid Simply Red a lot of money for the rights so to do. In the last few years people like Prince, Madness and Mike Oldfield have made big money doing the same. It's just another way of distributing a record and it probably won't make any difference to the sales of the artist but it might give a ten per cent boost to the paper's circulation on one weekend. The newspapers consider this worth paying for.

Aged 80+ - standard MOS demographic I would guess
- and had a look at the Simply Red freebie. The back of the CD cover had adverts for Mick Hucknell's next album and lists of his tour dates.

Guess that's another reason for doing it - as has been said above, those who want the album probably have it already and I guess his revenue from sales of the album are pretty low by now. I think I read that he's out of contract now and has this has probably generated a hefty chnk of revenue from the album, albeit indirectly.

As for how it came to be in my parents house. Well, having had 30 years of arguments I think we'll draw a veil there.

It is worth noting that second-hand copies of Stars (complete with jewel case etc.) can be bought on Amazon for as little as 24p. I do believe that that is less than the cover price of the Mail on Sunday.

However, in hindsight, the quid-and-a-half (or whatever the Mail costs nowadays) is a small price to pay in order to celebrate the union of a now thoroughly discredited bogus pinko champagne socialist and his new paymasters, the Bring-Back-Hanging goose-stepping MOS.

All so long as I don't have to listen to the awful CD or read the inflammatory tosh that passes for journalism...

Here's some more albums that the Express or Mail may wish to consider for future promotions: -

The F*cking C*nts Treat Us Like Pricks - A Flux Of Pink Indians
Only Stupid Bastards Sign To EMI - Conflict
Yes Sir, I Will - Crass
Levelling The Land - The Levellers
Death Or Glory - Combat 84 (shome mishtake?)

I have to admit to a real crisis cocerning the ginger warbler, who I don't really like, despite a grudging acceptance that he can indeed sing rather well. Not, I should add, not thru' the organ of the Hell on Sunday, but I have noted he is touring a tribute to Bobby "Blue" Bland. Am I alone in thinking, if he can get some good backing musicians, that it could be quite a worthwhile show.
What should I do?

...Mike Oldfield took exception to 'Tubular Bells' being given away in a newspaper. Don't see the problem- surely they've made enough money from these albums in the first place? I must admit I don't own this particular album, though...there was a 2-disc 'deluxe' edition last year of it, I recall.

The Word also gives away a free CD with every issue - is that not intended to boost sale as well?

Hands up time. I bought the Mail to get the free copy of Matter Of Life and Death that came with it a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, so did one of my sons, because he knew it's a favourite film hereabouts. So, we had two copies of the rag in the house. Bad enough, but the real problem came on bin day. We have to put papers in a blue bag in the street for collection. The potential social stigma of someone spotting a bag full of Mails almost outweighed the pleasure of getting the CDs.
On the subject of Mick Hucknall, surely his former position as the UK's premier annoying twat has now been taken by the endlessly shag-bragging Russell Brand?

Don't know what on earth possessed the arch champagne socialist to sell his best/most popular work to Thatcher's second favourite newspaper. The snotty nosed loud mouth nephew of the Daily Telegraph.

I do hope he is using the acquisition of Associated Newspapers wonga to fund his very good record company. Whilst never a fan of his music post the rather good Picture Book, I retained a lot of respect for Hucknall as a principled human being.

going to speak out in defense of the Daily Hate and say that they buy it for its own merit? No? Good.
Incidentally, I always opick up these freebies for 15p from the local charity shops a couple of weeks after they hasve been issued.

So, because it is seemingly racist, homophobic, misogynistic, bigoted and God else also what, if it appeals to the like minded, that is fine and we should applaud our freedom of speech? And ignore the minds of the young and impressionable who may take those views as appropriate and balanced. Come off it, Niks, surely you wind us up. I'm all for tolerance of political stance, and believe the Telegraph and Guardian to be of equal merit, journalistically. But I am also tolerant of the truth, something that occasinally feels as if it has not been included within the brief of the Daily Hell and the Hell on Sunday.
No muesli was harmed (or eaten) in the writing of this blog.

We have to keep buying it for all the DVDs of the 1st and 2nd World War documentaries, plus currently the greatest war films ever made, for my other half. If I buy something I feel obliged to read it and it really is a contrast to my usual Guardian take on events. They are paranoid about everything and absolutely obsessed with Kate Middleton !
Fortunately we didn't have to buy the Sunday version with the execrable Simply Red - that would have been going a bit too far.

Nothing as enjoyable as a bunch of angry liberals shouting about how tolerant they are whilst dismissing anyone or anything that doesn't share their tolerant views. You've much more in common with the readership of the Mail than you realise.

......in a bunch of bigots righteously justifying themselves. That statement is a bit like stating the pursued are as bad as the chased, as the prey are just as equivalently eager not to be devoured as pack are to devour them.

Pretty much sums up the school of though that rails against the Mail and Simply Red.
Don't have much of an axe to grind either way about either of these institutions. But: Mick Hucknall's a good singer and does his bit for the music he loves. Craig Brown's Book of the Week column in the Mail on Sunday is, I'd say, page for page, the most interesting and amusing cultural commentary around.
As for the Mail being "racist": who ran the campaign for Stephen Lawrence's killers to be brought to justice? And "misogynistic"? It is, to all intents and purposes, a women's magazine. So, judging by its sales figures, there must be an awful lot of misogynistic women around.
The demonisation of the Mail is interesting: in terms of what it says about those doing the demonising.

I think there actually are a vast number of female apologists for misogyny.
And the equivalent argument for other 'phobes.
But bee careful, as will I, as to how much thou protestest.
Anyhow, I'm saying no more.

That this is the first time I've had the last word in a political argument?

... think so.

do you think Exchange and Mart will be enclosing copies of 'No Parlez' anytime soon?

..that certain songs on Stars were thinly veiled attacks on the Tories. Isn't "Wonderland" a song about looking forward to living in the UK after the Tories have gone? Funny how this is given away in The Mail. Mind you, the Tories are probably a bit left wing for your average Tory voter, these days, what with Mr Cameron's love of Radiohead and his concern over global warming.

Free next week in the Mail On Sunday? "Turning Rebellion Into Money" by Conflict, followed by Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music" the following week

Is it true Mick Hucknall sacked most of his band? Guess there will be a lot of Word readers buyin his new album then!

...none other than David Hepworth doing a retrospective link to 'Holding Back The Years' on the first OGWT DVD, recalling (I think it was) Mick Hucknall telling the cameraman not to film the bass player because 'we're firing him next Monday'!!

Word reader who will admit to having a soft spot for Simply Red? Mick Hucknall can sing, he backs himself with musicians who can play, he writes tunes... good luck to the guy. As with the also-much-maligned Phil Collins, he makes bloody good, entertaining pop rock.

...couldn't stand 'Fairground' but most of their other stuff passes me by without filling me either with ire or a compulsion to go out and buy everything they've done.

Have a lot of respect for Phil Collins though, even if (again) most of his actual solo stuff doesn't really do it for me either way save the debut.