PET SHOP BOYS - TENNANT SLAMS CAMPAIGN CONCERTS

PET SHOP BOYS frontman NEIL TENNANT has slammed "campaign concerts" like this summer's (07) Live Earth gig - because he hates the idea of musicians preaching to the public. The singer believes it is arrogant to suggest celebrities know more about big issues than the average person on the street. And he accuses campaigning rocker Bono of using high-profile do-gooding concerts such as 1985's Live Aid, Live8 in 2005 and Live Earth in July (07) to increase his own fame. Tennant says, "I've always been against the idea of rock stars lecturing people as if they know something the rest of us don't - it looks arrogant. It's not as if they have a private source of information. To state the obvious as if you are the only person that knows it is intellectually weak. "Bono uses his celebrity but in doing so he increases his celebrity. I've never been totally convinced that the rest of U2 feel comfortable with that."