Music Towers likes both the Reading and Leeds Festivals. Some of us grew up in Reading, and having a festival on our doorstep was the only good thing about that armpit of a town. And Leeds had the amazing Beef Warehouse stage out in the camp last year.

So it was with great interest that we report that Melvin Benn, big chief at the festivals' organisers, Festival Republic, let slip (i.e gratuitously leaked) some rumours about this year's headliners to the BBC: "Interesting this year is that, probably for the first time, in my memory, we're actually going with three American headliners."

So, three American acts big enough to rule the main stage, and suitable for the Reading/Leeds crowd...rule out RHCP and Smashing Pumpkins as they played last year, and a shortlist of possibilities comes to mind:

REM, Metallica, Green Day, Aerosmith, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance...or dare we even whisper it? Rage Against The Machine?

In other news, Reading and Leeds will not be seeking a new sponsor to fill the void left by Carling and their gassy, Hard-Fi loving beer. But to be honest, in the face of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE we're finding it harder to get excited about that right now.