Kiss off Jackson tribute line-up

The rock band Kiss have been dropped from the line-up for a Michael Jackson tribute concert after it emerged the group's bassist had called the dead pop star a child abuser.

Jackson was cleared of child molestation in 2005, but in an interview with Classic Rock magazine last February, Gene Simmons said: "Where there's smoke there's fire. There's no question in my mind he molested those kids. Not a doubt."

Global Live Events, the promoters of the "Michael Forever" concert at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium in October, called the booking an "oversight".

Jackson's brother Jermaine said: "Global Live mishandled this booking in the same way it has misjudged the event's timing and mood of the fan community."