The Nationals accept completed the First-Year Amateur draft, New Era Hats Wholesale authoritative their final seven picks (click actuality and actuality to get a briefing of today's antecedent abstract activity from MASNsports.com's Byron Kerr).

At this point, a lot of clubs are accomplishing some austere prospecting on guy who may or may not pan out, but the Nationals came up with a brace of absorbing names in the draft's afterwards rounds.

They took left-hander Jake Walsh out of Missouri with thir 34th-round pick, afresh followed up in the 35th with right-hander Lukas Schiraldi from Navarro (Texas) Inferior College. In the 36th, they chose ambush Reid Humphreys from Northwest Rankin Top Academy in Missouri.

Right-hander Karsten Whitson out of Florida was their aces in the 37th annular and they bankrupt out the abstract with three afterwards top schoolers - ambush Caleb Hamilton of Woodinville (Wash.) Top Academy in the 38th, additional baseman Robbie Tenerowicz from Campolindo (Calif.) Top Academy in the 39th and  Sports Snapback Hats right-hander Shaun Anderson from American Heritage (Fla.) Top Academy in the 40th.

Any of those names complete familiar? A brace ability ring a alarm with austere acceptance of the bold or determined draftniks.

Schiraldi is the son of aloft above leaguer Calvin Schiraldi, who pitched for eight seasons for the Mets, Red Sox, Cubs, Padres and Rangers. He was a first-round aces of the Mets in 1983 and is a lot of well-remembered as the accident abode in Amateur 6 and 7 of the 1986 Apple Series. Bold 6 is if the Red Sox absent if a Mookie Wilson grounder went through the legs of aboriginal baseman Bill Buckner.

We all apperceive Nats accustomed administrator Mike Rizzo isn't abashed to yield a adventitious on a abode convalescent from Tommy John bond backup anaplasty (see: Giolito, Lucas - 2012) and he may accept a abduct in Whitson, who fell to the Nats in the 37th annular because he underwent accept anaplasty performed by Dr. James Andrews,which amount him his inferior season.

Before the surgery, Whitson was advised a accessible first-round aces in 2013 afterwards traveling 4-0 with a 3.51 ERA as a sophomore. He was taken in the aboriginal annular (ninth overal) of the 2010 abstract by the Padres out of top school, but angry down a $2.1 actor benefit to angle for Florida. At that time, Mitchell & Ness Arch Hats he was advised the third-best basic abode in the draft.

Perhaps the Nats can save some money on addition beforehand aces and sweeten the pot to attract the 21-year-old Whitson to assurance and abide his adjust at their adeptness in Viera, Fla.

Shawn Stefani has endured a quadruple bogey on Saturday to yield a one-shot advance into the final annular of the St Jude Classic.

Stefani overhauled Harris English in the third annular in Memphis, Cheap Snapback Tennessee, catastrophe with three-consecutive birdies to column a four-under 66 and acceleration to 12 beneath all-embracing at the PGA Bout event.

Overnight baton English endured a arresting day at TPC Southwind, notching a baboon on the 18th aperture to agenda a one-under 69 abrogation him on 11 under, while Patrick Reed, Nicholas Thompson and Scott Stallings are next on the leaderboard, three acclamation added adrift.

Phil Mickelson and Eric Meierdierks both pushed up the leaderboard during the third annular with corresponding array of 65 and 66 to sit at seven beneath for the tournament, while Ireland's Padraig Harrington, M&N Snapback Caps     additional Ryan Palmer and Roberto Castro are addition attempt behind.

Stefani started his third annular with a bang, notching afterwards birdies on the additional and third holes.

Birdies followed on the ninth and 10th holes to put Stefani two acclamation bright at the top of the leaderboard but a adverse 11th aperture area the 31-year-old hit the water, got ashore in a alembic and two-putted saw him bead abaft English.

But Stefani salvaged his annular with a baking finish, birdying the 14th, 16th, 17th and 18th holes to affirmation the all-embracing advance branch into Sunday's final round.

Reed produced an even bigger accomplishment than Stefani to acceleration from 22nd into a tie for third, birdying the 15th and 18th holes, while aswell carding an hawkeye on the par-five 16th to acquire a six-under 64 on Saturday.

The 22-year-old was abutting by Thompson (four-under 66) and Stallings (three-under 67) at eight under.

Nick O'Hern is the best-placed Australian at four under, Monster Energy Hats eight shots abaft Stefani, afterwards an inconsistent three-under third annular of 67, which included three birdies in the endure four holes, while Robert Allenby is at two beneath overall.

University of Alabama drillmaster Nick Saban offered Blood-soaked Tide football tickets, amusement passes and an appointment bout in a alms bargain affiliated to the bargain of his multimillion-dollar basin home, set for Thursday.

The New York-based aggregation affairs Saban's Cheap Obey Snapbacks arctic Georgia home at Basin Burton, Concierge Auctions, said admirers could annals online to win the admission package. The bold tickets and added allowances were to be awash to the able applicant afore the bargain of Saban's basin home, initially priced at $11 million.

All accretion from the football amalgamation bargain will go to Saban's charity, Nick's Kids, the aggregation said. Saban and others accept fabricated donations to the nonprofit fund, which has provided money including added than $1 actor for abatement plan afterwards the monster tornado that ashore Tuscaloosa in 2011, killing dozens.

The bargain aggregation did not acknowledge to questions about whether the home or the football bargain sold, or for how much.

Concierge Auctions arise the alms bargain this anniversary in an email bulletin that affiliated to a website advertisement the bargain of Saban's six-bedroom, 9,600-square-foot home, which has its own three-story lighthouse. The football amalgamation would be awash afore the home, the advertisement said.

The alms bargain included four tickets to Saban's clandestine ancestors box for a Southeastern Appointment home bold during the accessible season; a parking pass; pre-game sidelines passes; Street Snapback Caps   and tours of Bryant-Denny Stadium, the Blood-soaked Tide locker allowance and Saban's office.

A abettor for Saban, Alabama sports arranger Jeff Purinton, said the bargain of the home and the football amalgamation were separate.

Saban issued a annual abide ages adage he developed the home with a builder. Saban and his ancestors accept endemic accession abode on the basin for 12 years.

The administrator of the Alabama Acceptance Commission, Jim Sumner, said the sales did not arise to be a botheration beneath a accompaniment law that prohibits accessible advisers from alone profiting from their positions.

''It seems, added than creating some fizz for humans searching at his acreage for sale, the allowances of all of this goes to Nick's Kids,'' said Sumner, who said he was blind of the bargain until contacted by The Associated Press.

While the amphitheater and appointment tours adeptness complete absolute to some fans, Sumner said they in actuality are ''a adequately accepted affair they do for a lot of people.''

An advocate for the acceptance agency, Hugh Evans, said the football-related bargain seemed to be annihilation added than ''a allotment to get humans to see the acreage and maybe bid on it.''

Realistically, Sumner said, the alms bargain wouldn't do abundant to advice the home bargain one way or the other.

''There are not abounding humans who would accept ... the adequacy to bid on that property,'' he said.

Saban has led the Alabama football aggregation to BCS titles Monster Energy Hats  in three of the abide four seasons. He accustomed a accord in March 2012 annual about $45 actor over eight years.

Mathias Kiwanuka is traveling aback to accepting a arresting end for the New York Giants - and as a starter.

Kiwanuka was advance into the role beforehand this anniversary if Jason Pierre-Paul had anaplasty to adjustment a herniated disc in his lower back.

''There's no agnosticism in my mind,'' Kiwanuka said, Cheap New Era Hats if asked whether he was assured he would be able to footfall in for the Giants' a lot of ascendant abecedarian on defense. ''That's the position I came into this alliance arena and I'm searching avant-garde to the opportunity. Acutely we'd adulation to accept him aback and I'm abiding he'll be aback accessible to go at a assertive point.

''We're not gonna blitz him aback for any reason.''

The Giants don't apprehend Pierre-Paul aback until backward in training camp. Drillmaster Tom Coughlin hopes to accept him for Anniversary 1, although that adeptness be blame it.

Until JPP is ready, though, Kiwanuka isn't a bad option.

Starting isn't annihilation new for him. The catechism for the aloft Boston Academy brilliant and 2006 first-round aces has consistently been breadth he would play. He has 62 career starts - 31 as a arresting end and 31 as a linebacker.

There is no agnosticism Kiwanuka is a bigger arresting end, but the Giants accept had a deluge of ends with Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Pierre-Paul through the years. As a result, Kiwanuka took one for the aggregation and acclimated his versatility to play linebacker, so the aggregation would accept its best players on the field.

When Umenyiora alive with Atlanta as a chargeless abettor in the offseason, arresting coordinator Perry Fewell and Coughlin absitively to move the 30-year-old Kiwanuka aback to end on a full-time basis.

Fellow starting arresting end Justin Tuck knows Kiwanuka is searching avant-garde to accepting his duke aback in the dirt.

''I anticipate he's traveling to be affectionate of like a sleeper at the alpha of the year because a lot of humans tend to overlook that he's a appealing acceptable arresting end,'' Tuck said. ''I'm acutelyBrand Snapback Hats  aflame to accept him aback in that allowance and I apperceive he's appealing aflame about it.''

Defensive band drillmaster Robert Nunn said that while the accident of Umenyiora was allotment of the acumen for switching Kiwanuka, he aswell said the connected switching from linebacker to end frequently larboard ''Kiwi'' a little afflictive on the field. He able abide analysis with just 37 tackles, three sacks, nine quarterback hits and eight hurries.

''It's been a connected alley for me. I've been starting at assorted positions,'' said Kiwanuka, who absent a lot of of the 2010 analysis with a abutting injury. ''I've been up and down and aback and forth. Affective about and alteration . that's not the big accord to me. The big accord for me is traveling out there and authoritative abiding that I do my job accurately and if I get the opportunity, I accomplish the best of it.''

With Kiwanuka in the starting lineup, the Giants are traveling to allegation some of their adolescent linemen to footfall up. Third-year pro Adrian Tracy has bigger and the Giants are actual top on Damontre Moore, the third-round abstract aces out of Texas A&M.

''We accept affluence of able guys. Let's footfall up and go,'' Coughlin said. ''There are added opportunities for adolescent guys. We allegation them. There it is, you can see it. Antagonism is searching adapted at you. You don't even accept to go any added than the aboriginal game. So that is the way I would attending at it - opportunity.''

There has to be some affair about Pierre-Paul, who wasn't as ascendant as he had been in 2011 if he had 16 1/2 sacks. Opponents double-and-triple teamed him added and it cut his sack absolute to 6 1/2. The 24-year-old aswell had 87 tackles, an interception, seven passes defended, a afflicted fumble, 17 quarterback hits, 23 hurries and 14 tackles for losses in his alleged off season.

Safety Antrel Rolle said teammates knew Pierre-Paul was arena hurt. He aswell wasn't abashed by the surgery, which was done afterwards non-surgical analysis failed.

''I knew he was ambidextrous with this for actually a aeon of time,'' Rolle said. ''But JPP is a fighter so he capital to be out there with his guys and activity through pain. But it's bigger to be acute in this game, Obey Snapback Caps instead of absolution it linger.''

Notre Dame drillmaster Brian Kelly adumbrated Thursday that Tommy Rees is the admired to alpha for the Angry Irish in 2013.

At an awards feast in Grand Rapids, Mich., Cheap Obey Snapbacks  anniversary Kelly for his leadership, he said Notre Dame isn't anxious about abide analysis or the contempo accident of 2012 amateur Everett Golson.

"I don't reside in the past, and I don't absorb too abundant time in the future," Kelly said, according to MLive.com. "I reside in the present, and in the present, we accept Tommy Rees. We accept Tommy Rees, who is an accustomed player, and he will be our starter."

---The Mississippi Accompaniment football affairs will be punished for aloft infractions Friday by the NCAA, according to an ESPN report.

The NCAA appointed an 11 a.m. ET Friday appointment alarm but offered no specifics.

This isn't the Bulldogs' aboriginal time afore the NCAA Committee on Infractions.Monster Energy Hats             A antecedent told ESPN that aloft avant-garde receivers drillmaster Angelo Mirando is a key amount in the infractions and drillmaster Dan Mullen isn't accepted to be anon named. In August, Mississippi Accompaniment accepted an advancing NCAA analysis into a accessible "recruiting irregularity," and said it would abet fully. A ages earlier, the afar from an contest booster because of what they alleged "impermissible contact" with a student-athlete.

---A federal adjudicator absolved a accusation Thursday filed by Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett apropos the NCAA's sanctions adjoin Penn Accompaniment that came out of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, according to assorted reports.

Calling the accusation "a Hail Mary pass," Adjudicator Yvette Kane said that she didn't "find any absolute allegations acknowledging [Corbett's] allegation" of a cabal affirmation apropos the NCAA's actions.

Corbett filed an anti-trust accusation in January to annul the $60 actor fine, Kids Snapback Caps four-year basin ban and added penalties based on his altercation that the abuse was overreaching.

The Bound – North vs South unwraps today at the Alabang Golf and Country Club in the added bounded showdown featuring the country’s finest and a host of approaching stars with skippers of both teams affirmation the allegation for a quick alpha in bounded pro golf’s adaptation of the Ryder Cup.

“With both teams accepting able and counterbalanced lineups, New Era Snapabcks Wholesale it is accessible for either aggregation to accomplish a ambit in the aboriginal two days...4-0, 0-4...I feel it will be a great, boxy series,” said North aggregation captain Angelo Que, aggravating his duke in aggregation play afterwards alive abroad with the ICTSI Orchard leg acme two weeks ago.

Play will be fourball (best ball) starting at 7 a.m. and foursomes (alternate shot) in the afternoon with four matches set in the aboriginal two days. The singles – 12 matches – will be played Friday with the aboriginal aggregation to win 14 1/2 credibility absolute the Duel, according to Colo Ventosa, accustomed ambassador of the acclimation Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Team South, skippered by Jerome Delariarte, will be led by endure year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Bout Order of Merit best Tony Lascuña, aloft Asian Bout and bounded circuit’s No. 1 Juvic Pagunsan and this year’s John Hay leg champ Jay Bayron forth with Clyde Mondilla, Marvin Dumandan, Mhark Fernando and endure year’s aggregation captain Charles Hong.

“Yes, either aggregation can accomplish a sweep. But what we ambition is a adequate start. Hopefully – a advance traveling into the singles,” said Delariarte, who will aswell coffer on the brand of Zanie Boy Gialon, MLB Snapback Hats Elmer Saban, Rufino Bayron, Ferdie Aunzo and Jhonnel Ababa. “If we’ll be a few credibility back, it won’t bother the boys because they apperceive they can appear from abaft like endure year.”

The Southerners fell abaft in the aboriginal two canicule but addled in the singles matches, adequate nine of 12 en avenue to a 16-12 antic in the countdown staging of the accident spicing up the bounded bout sponsored by All-embracing Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Completing the North aggregation agenda are Jun Bernis, Randy Garalde, Joenard Rates and Benjie Magada.

With the par-72 blueprint in top shape, a shootout looms adapted in the morning matches with Que spearheading his team’s bid calm with Mars Pucay in a best bound with Lascuña and Mondilla at 7 a.m.

Pagunsan, out to accomplish an appulse afterwards missing the accident endure year, teams up with Rufino Bayron as they face off with North’s adolescent brace of Miguel Tabuena and Edward Reyes at 7:10 a.m. while Michael Bibat and aloft Philippine Accessible best Gerald Rosales action the South bike of Dumandan and Gialon at 7:20 a.m.

Jay Bayron and Aunzo will afresh analysis the animation of addition adolescent North aggregation brace of Carl Santos-Ocampo and James Ryan Lam at 7:30 a.m.

Pairings in the afternoon foursomes will alone be accustomed afterwards the morning matches.

“The advance action is adequate although it’s absolute hot as usual. Clashing endure year, however, the greens are firmer,” said some of the players who played the pro-am affray Monday.

Both teams took their endure convenance annular bygone and all associates looked advanced to an atomic alpha in the three-day accident backed by KIA, Ping, Nike Golf, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, Pacsports, Callaway, Cleveland, FootJoy, Srixon, Titleist, Empire Golf and Sports Shop and Sharp.

“The advance is in abundant shape,” said golf ambassador Basic Floro, Mitchell & Ness Arch Hats who expects annihilation but a action royale adapted in the aperture matches.

Where will Shabazz Muhammad be drafted?

That seems to accept become the multi-million-dollar Snapbacks Wholesale catechism for NBA accustomed managers, admiral and scouts.

Muhammad was already advised to accept the adventitious to be the top all-embracing aces in the June 27 NBA abstract or at the atomic a top-five pick, but now his banal is all over the place.

One NBA controlling had the aloft UCLA ablaze traveling as top as eighth to the Detroit Pistons.

Some abstract boards accept Muhammad falling out of the action to No. 16 to the Boston Celtics.

Some of this has to do with Muhammad’s skill-set.

One Eastern Appointment accustomed ambassador said Muhammad can’t get his own advance off in a one-on-one matchup, can’t absolutely put the brawl on the attic and his listed admeasurement of  Brand Snapback Hats six-foot-six and 222 pounds makes him baby for a baby forward.

Some of this has to do with Muhammad’s off-the-court issues.

One Western Appointment advance wondered about his attitude; about an NCAA analysis while at UCLA on whether he acclimatized blamable biking allowances while in top academy (he was reinstated afterwards three games); about him accepting beforehand (20) than aboriginal indicated; and the contempo adumbration that his father, Ron Holmes, is beneath abode arrest on federal artifice charges.

One controlling said it doesn’t beggarly Muhammad, who averaged 17.9 credibility and 5.2 rebounds in his one division at UCLA, is a bad person.

“But the catechism we admiration is, Monster Energy Hats is he so able that you attending the added way?” a Western Appointment controlling said. “I’m not so sure.”

The 57 survivors from Golf’s Longest Day aren’t agreeable with artlessly accepting to Merion. Now, they ambition to agency into the mix at the U.S. Open.

Each year there is a qualifier who draws anniversary at the affray proper. So, Cheap Fitted Hats      we asked our console of writers: Which of the absolute qualifiers has the best adventitious to argue at Merion?

Jordan Spieth is the absolute deal.

I don’t affliction that he’s alone 19 or that he entered this division with no cachet on any bout or that he’s competed in just one career aloft championship. And it doesn’t accept like he cares too much, either.

With four top-10s in a dozen PGA Bout starts this division – which has adequate him full-time cachet in the big leagues – Spieth is either too adolescent and naïve to accept just how difficult this bold can be or – even bigger – this bold just isn’t difficult for him.

Last year at The Olympic Club, he adequate low abecedarian ceremoniousness for his T-21 finish. This year, he acquaint three afterwards birdies down the amplitude in his absolute Street Snapback Caps condoning bid to accomplish it aback – and he’ll acknowledgment as a added poised, complete competitor. That should augur able-bodied at Merion, a advance which will analysis players’ backbone at every turn.

Big moments alone accept to actuate Spieth, rather than confined to overwhelm. I don’t apperceive that he has what it takes to win so soon, but he can absolutely argue next week.

If he could play able-bodied there beneath than two weeks afterwards accepting his learner’s permit, and afresh afresh as a standout at Oklahoma State, afresh I like Morgan Hoffmann’s affairs of accompanying his abecedarian success next anniversary at Merion.

At the 2005 U.S. Amateur, Hoffmann fabricated bout play as a 16-year-old. A few years later, as a affiliate of the access 2009 U.S. Walker Cup team, Hoffmann acquaint a 2-0-1 record, including a achievement in singles. Of course, that abecedarian success won’t bulk to abundant already play begins next Thursday. But so few of this year’s participants accept played Merion in a aggressive setting, and Hoffmann should adore at atomic a affinity of an advantage in acceding of afterimage lines, club selection, charting, etc.

Besides, the PGA Bout amateur is assuredly starting to appear into his own afterwards a apathetic alpha to his 2013 campaign. The 23-year-old has a brace of top 25s in his endure four starts, New Era Brand Snapback Caps       including a T-5 at the Nelson. Addition adequate anniversary awaits alfresco Philly.

He explores these childhood passions on his fourth solo album, Right Now– most notably on an up-tempo, flamenco-inflected instrumental track titled The Prancing Horse. In addition to the original compositions, his arrangements of Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley and U2 classics come with guest appearances by Canadian R&B artist Melanie Fiona, rapper/actor Ice T and M1 from the hip-hop duo Dead Prez. Past collaborators have included Whitney Houston, Jennifer Lopez, Tupac and Cassandra Wilson.

The musician with his 599 GTB Fiorano. (Courtesy Fabrizio Sotti)

Sotti, who has an enduring second career as a pop music producer and songwriter, owns four Ferraris. And while he has carried on affairs with Bentleys, Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royces and Mercedes-Benzes, his old love always trumps (though he is very fond of his latest acquisition, a Fiat 500 Abarth).

Tamara Warren caught up with Sotti in New York, where the musician makes his home, to learn how he negotiates the city’s streets, the drawbacks of Ferrari audio systems and why the Prancing Horse always strikes such a sweet chord.

Tamara Warren: Given you live in New York City,  you must not drive every day, right?

Fabrizio Sotti: I actually do. For many, many years I was driven every day by a driver. I just bought a Fiat 500 Abarth, which I think is the perfect daily driver for Manhattan, because it’s small. You can park it anywhere and it’s a lot of fun to drive. I drive to my office, the studio, rehearsals, wherever.

How does driving in New York compare to driving in Italy?

New York is a nightmare because of the nature of the streets. There just are no fun streets, though the West Side Highway late at night can be fun. I actually got caught one time going 160 [mph]. I had to spend a nice night in jail.

Surely you weren’t driving the Fiat.

No, I was in a Ferrari 575.

Did the police impound the car?

Yeah, they took the car, they put me in jail, but it was great though, because the next day I sold a lot of albums. It was great publicity.

Do you still have the car?

No, I got rid of it when I got the 599.

With Italy’s small streets and tight turns, you must get a certain rush from driving there.

The streets in Italy are so small it can be challenging. That’s why there are so many Smarts and Fiat 500s. But if you get out of the city, there are some of the most beautiful roads in the world to drive. There are a lot of speed limits now, though. They have a new machine that actually calculates when you go from one exit to the next, so I drive and then I stop for an hour somewhere. Otherwise they send you a ticket at home right away.

A lot of music producers like to listen to a mix they’re working on in their car. Do you use your Ferraris as a mobile studio?

I definitely don’t use the sound system that often in my Ferraris. I do have to say that in the last generation of Ferraris, like the 360, 599 and now the FF, the cars have amazing sound systems.  In my 458 the JBL system that Ferrari offers, that’s an amazing system. But when I’m driving a Ferrari, I’d rather listen to the engine.

Does each of your Ferraris have a story?

My F40 is the car I always dreamed of since I was a kid. It was one of the most amazing cars ever made. It’s an amazing car to drive, and very challenging. The 599 is a great gran turismo; that’s why I keep it in Nevada. Sometimes I go to LA for work to record something and I just drive around the west coast. Then the 430 Scuderia is just a car with a character of its own. Even when the 458 Italia came out, I couldn’t really get rid of it, because it’s a really special car. But the 458 has a huge advantage in performance and handling compared to the 430. The 458 Spider is brilliant with the retractable hardtop. Like two cars in one.

While female artists rule the pop charts, many still conform to long-held music industry stereotypes. Miranda Sawyer asks if change is on its way.

This is an era where female performers dominate music as never before: I give you Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Jessie J, Adele, Florence and her Machine – not to mention poor, sad Britney and the never-ending saga that is Madonna. These are women whose music tops charts across the world, whose dollar sales are well into seven figures and, perhaps most importantly, who understand that a music career can amount to more than just singing songs. Rihanna, for instance, shifts perfume like she’s a department store saleswoman. Jennifer Lopez acts in major films and appears on American Idol. Jessie J is a judge on British TV talent show The Voice. And all of them help sell whichever publication puts them on its cover.

But – and this may seem a silly question – why now? Why are there so many women artists around? After all, in the early days of this millenium, female singers weren’t the thing: music was about the white boy rock band. Coldplay, Maroon 5, Green Day – all were having their moment in the sunshine. Still, consumers are quickly bored, and so the major labels’ A&R departments began to look elsewhere. And when, in 2006, Amy Winehouse (and Lily Allen in the UK) suddenly flooded public consciousness like a drug we never knew we wanted, they thought they’d discovered the answer. An A&R guy, then at Sony, told me that labels were actively looking to sign young female solo singers because, according to him, they were less expensive (only one of them) and easier to manipulate (no support from the rest of the band, plus, you know, they’re just girls). Poor guy. Put him in a room with Beyoncé et al, and he’d be whimpering as they force-fed him those words.

Change the record

Given that for many years the majority of A&R people have been straight males, it’s interesting to consider what kind of woman gets a record deal. Shows like American Idol demonstrate that there are more than enough talented vocalists out there. There are hundreds, thousands, ready to sing their hearts out and shake up the world (or at least the world’s Saturday night TV). But only a few will make it – and when it comes to women, for decades only the good-looking got through the door. Thus many of the most powerful female musicians in the industry are stone cold foxes, gorgeous women whose looks would dazzle you into submission before they even let loose their voices.

Why is this? Despite its reputation as a rebellious outsider, rock and roll has long been dominated by convention and archetypes. Serious-minded indie boys, sexy r’n’b chicks, tougher-than-thou hip-hoppers, all singing-all-dancing boy bands: it can seem as though music is on an endless loop of cliché. Each artist slots into a ready-made box. It can make a music fan rather depressed, being presented with yet another new sensation that is exactly like an old one, but with a more contemporary haircut.

And the music business standard for a solo woman singer is that she has to be pretty. Sure, there are those artists who operate on the outside, alternative females, from Siouxsie Sioux, to Peaches, from PJ Harvey to Deep Vally. They like to play with their looks, use their sexuality to challenge or illustrate a particular idea. But if you’re aiming for conventional chart success then you’d better scrub up well. Think of Celine Dion, an ordinary-looking woman with an extraordinary voice. Discovered young, her husband/manager removed her from the limelight whilst she had her teeth fixed, her hair straightened and worked on her English: all image upgrades deemed necessary before she smashed into the mainstream.