The Jubilee concert which will be held outside Buckingham Palace on June 4 will feature some of music’s biggest names, from all six decades of the Queen’s reign.
Organiser Gary Barlow has already signed up four pop Sirs — Paul McCartney, Elton John, Cliff Richard and Tom Jones — as well as Dame Shirley Bassey.
Which star singing for the Queen checks into hotels as Sir Humphrey Handbag?
Other confirmed stars include Jools Holland, Madness, Annie Lennox, younger acts such as Jessie J, Ed Sheeran and JLS, opera star Alfie Boe and Chinese star Lang Lang.
Meanwhile, rumours have suggested that the Spice Girls, Adele and Kylie Minogue will all appear, and — since Prince Harry and Prince William are said to have asked for rap stars to be included — Jay-Z and Kanye West. But how much do you know about the Palace pop icons?
PICK OF THE POPS What did rapper Kanye West's mother do for a living?1. What prestigious award, for setting an inspirational example to young people, did Jubilee Concert organiser Gary Barlow receive in 2009?(a) An MBE(b) A Blue Peter Gold Badge(c) An Honorary Brit Award
2. The Spice Girls may be reuniting this year, but their solo careers are hardly thriving. Which of the girls is the only one to have actually released a new album within the past five years?(a) Mel B(b) Mel C(c) Geri Halliwell
3. Sir Cliff Richard is an avid tennis fan. Which tennis star was almost Mrs Cliff Richard, only for him to decide, ‘I didn’t love her quite enough to commit the rest of my life to her’?(a) Virginia Wade(b) Sue Barker(c) Ann Jones
4. In 2010 a photo of Dame Shirley Bassey was exhibited at the National Portrait gallery. What was she wearing?(a) A couture evening gown and £2 million diamond tiara(b) A ‘rocker’ outfit of jeans and leather jacket(c) A £50,000 pink dress and a pair of Wellington boots
5. Rapper Kanye West’s father was a member of the ultra- radical Black Panthers civil rights campaigners. But what did his mother do for a living?(a) Stripper(b) Legal secretary(c) Professor of English
6. A miner’s son, born in Ponty-pridd, Sir Tom Jones is the ultimate proud Welshman. But what was the nationality of three of his four grandparents?(a) Lithuanian(b) Irish(c) English
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8. Sir Elton John is famous for his love of shopping and has magnificent collections of houses, records, art, furniture clothes and spectacles. But what modern necessities does he refuse to own?(a) A car of his own — he cannot drive(b) An iPod, computer or, as he calls it, ‘portable’ phone(c) A satellite TV: he boycotts Sky because of its connections to media mogul Rupert Murdoch
9. Fill in the missing words, spoken by Jessie J in a radio interview: ‘Whoop de-doo guys, yes I’ve ____________, get over it.’(a) taken ecstasy and I’ve dropped acid(b) dated boys and dated girls(c) voted Tory and gone hunting
10. Lang Lang is . . .(a) A brilliant male pianist(b) A beautiful female singer(c) An adorable panda
11. How did Madness singer Suggs live up to the band’s wacky, prankster image at the 2010 Camp Bestival festival at Lulworth Castle, Dorset?(a) He threw stink bombs into the crowd(b) He trapped another performer in a Portaloo(c) He dropped his ‘baggy trousers’ during the song of the same name
12. In 2009 Annie Lennox wore a T-shirt emblazoned with what words at a speech in Edinburgh, a performance at the Rock’n’Roll Hall Of Fame Awards in New York and an interview on the Graham Norton Show in 2009?(a) World Peace Now(b) Impeach George Bush(c) HIV Positive
Moi? A diva: What does Elton John refuse to own?13. What shared tragedy united Paul McCartney and John Lennon and acted as a bond throughout their personal and professional lives?(a) Both suffered the death of their mothers while in their teens(b) Both had siblings who had died when they were young(c) Both their fathers were severely injured in the war
14. What does JLS stand for?(a) Jailed Last Summer(b) Jack-the-Lad Swing(c) Just-Little-Stars
15. In 1986, TV campaigner Mary Whitehouse wrote to Jools Holland after he had used the f-word on his music show The Tube, complaining that he was lowering standards. How did he respond?(a) He tore up the letter, live on air(b) He sent her a recording of himself singing swearwords (c) He wrote back admitting he absolutely agreed with her
Lock out: Why did Jay Z's New York restaurant have to shut its doors just a day after opening16. On what grounds did New York City authorities recently close Jay-Z’s Club 40-40 restaurant, just one day after it had reopened following a £6.3 million renovation?(a) Guns and drugs were found on the premises(b) It had 69 food safety code violations(c) The fancy new decor did not conform to fire regulations
17. Ed Sheeran recently hit No.1 with his debut album ‘+’. What, apart from its title, was unusual about the record?(a) It was the lowest-selling No.1 of the century so far(b) It was the first No.1 available only in digital form(c) It was released without Sheeran’s knowledge, following a contractual dispute
18. Alfie Boe got his first big break at 17 when he was overheard singing by someone who suggested he should audition for the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company. But what was he doing at the time?(a) Polishing cars at a factory where he was an apprentice(b) Running an ice-cream stall on Blackpool beach(c) Acting in a school musical
19. Adele was recently spotted pushing a loaded trolley outside her local supermarket. But where does a 23-year-old multi-millionairess from South London do her shopping?(a) Tesco(b) Sainsbury’s(c) Waitrose
WHO’S WHO1. Who in 1996 solemnly read out the lyrics to one of their biggest and silliest hits onstage at the Royal Albert Hall during the Poetry Olympics?
2. Who checks into hotels under aliases including Sir Humphrey Handbag, Bobo Latrine and Binkie Poodleclip?
3. Who has been married to a German devotee of Hari Krishna and an Israeli record producer?
4. Who owns a chain of hamburger restaurants called Fatburger?
5. Who has a recording studio designed to look like the set of cult TV show The Prisoner?
Guess the name: Someone has had their set designed to look like classic TV show The Prisoner - but who?6. A member of which group began his singing career in the hope of raising money to help his mother, who has multiple sclerosis?
7. Whose first name is actually James?
8. Whose middle names are Giovanni Roncalli?
9. Who recently put an updated version of their most famous stage costume on sale in Next?
10. Who was born above a brothel, married a gay film producer, lost a daughter in tragic circumstances and had a granddaughter who competed in The X Factor?
11. Who recently became the proud parent of a girl called Blue?
12. Which workaholic performer played 312 concerts in 2009 alone?
13. Who was caught up in the 7/7 attacks on London when a bomb went off on the Tube train next to his at Edgware Road station?
14. Who, in 2008, admitted to having a previously unacknowledged illegitimate son called Jonathan Berkery?
15. Who was named one of the 100 Most Influential People In The World by Time Magazine in 2009?
16. Who is about to sing in public for the first time in months, having had an operation to remove throat nodules?
17. Who had to perform a number of concerts last summer — including the Glastonbury Festival — sitting on a golden throne, having injured their foot during rehearsals?
ANSWERS
PICK OF THE POPS: 1 b; 2 b; 3 b; 4 c; 5 c; 6 c; 7 a; 8 b; 9 b; 10 a; 11 b; 12 c; 13 a; 14 b; 15 c; 16 b; 17 a; 18 a; 19 c WHO’S WHO: 1 Kylie Minogue (she read I Should Be So Lucky); 2 Sir Elton John; 3 Annie Lennox; 4 Kanye West; 5 Jools Holland; 6 Oritsé Williams of JLS; 7 Sir Paul McCartney; 8 Alfie Boe; 9 Geri Halliwell (her Union Jack dress); 10 Dame Shirley Bassey; 11 Jay-Z; 12 Ed Sheeran; 13 Gary Barlow; 14 Sir Tom Jones; 15 Lang Lang; 16 Adele; 17 Jessie J.
