Reports claim that some of Barack Obama's celebrity supporters - most notably Jay-Z - were asked to steer clear of the president elect's victory party at Chicago's Grant Park on Tuesday night, though it's said that he and other high profile supporters like Mary J Blige and P Diddy might be invited to the Democratic candidate's inauguration in January. The Chicago Sun Times say the campaign team didn't want anyone detracting attention from Obama, and quote a source as saying: "There really only needs to be one star in Grant Park, and that's Barack. There will be plenty of time for a new President Obama to be surrounded by famous fans, all hopeful about a new administration".
Elsewhere in music celebrity/Obama news, Madonna has said that the democrat's win made 4 Nov the best day of her life. Those very words. She told the audience at her Petco Park, California gig on Tuesday: "Are you as happy as I am? Let's hear it for Obama. It's the best day of my life". As previously reported, Madonna's had it in for the Republicans during the course of her current tour; she 'banned' Sarah Palin from seeing her shows (don't know whether Palin would have wanted to go or not) and ran a video showing McCain alongside Adolf Hitler.
Finally, from the file marked 'musicians/Barack', Death Cab For Cutie guitarist Chris Walla has called the president elect a 'revolutionary'. Which you might think is over-egging things a bit. But you might not. Anyway, here's what he wrote on his Rolling Stone blog:
"I feel safe speaking of Barack Obama as a revolutionary. He's got a brilliant analytical mind; a clear, executive control of speech; a kind, open demeanour; a full and complete grasp on the technologies of the day; a photogenic presence and beautiful family; a gift to inspire and involve everyone around him; the ability to lay the groundwork for plans, both big and small, in obvious, common language; a compassionate ear; and the good fortune to have the cultural winds at his back, and the managerial know-how to capitalize on those winds in unprecedented, brilliant ways. All of these are good things, some with more gravity than others, and every politician needs one or two of them to achieve a modicum of success. But to open a national dialogue as big and wide as the one we're in right now requires the whole truckload, in spades, and then some. It takes a leader - and I dress that word in full literal regalia - to show the way forward, to clear the path".