Blimey! Even Eric Clapton has become embroiled in the Wikileaks American Embassy cables scandal. A 2007 cable from the American Ambassador to South Korea in Seoul back to the Government in Washington has revealed that the reclusive Stalinist state of North Korea had effectively requested a performance in the country by Clapton.
It was ‘suggested’ that it would be a good idea for Slowhand to perform in the isolated country where rock n’ roll is banned. It seems that the country’s ‘Dear Leader’, Kim Jong-Il’s son, Kim Jong-Chol, was a massive fan of the guitar legend and North Korean officials suggested that a “performance could be an opportunity to build goodwill”.
The cable also suggests “arranging an Eric Clapton concert in Pyongyang… could be useful, given Kim Jong-il’s second son’s devotion to the rock legend”. It seems that plans for a Clapton gig progressed through in to 2008, before stalling. A spokesperson for Clapton said he “receives numerous offers to play in countries around the world”, and that “there is no agreement whatsoever for him to play in North Korea”.
