Just saw this in the Financial Times. Michelle Sting makes $1.25m as voice behind SLS By Paul Sullivan in New York Published: August 15 2003 5:00 | Last Updated: August 15 2003 5:00 Sting can thank Donald Trump for arguably the easiest $1.25m (£780m) he has ever made. The rock star will today be named as spokesman for SLS International, a manufacturer of high-end audio speakers. But before having to pose for a single photograph, he has seen the value of his stake in the Springfield, Missouri-based company rise sixfold. That is thanks to the Trump Grande International in Miami, Mr Trump's latest property development, saying it would buy up to $7.1m worth of SLS's new speakers, which sent the stock soaring from 51 cents on June 24 to $1.52 yesterday. John Gott, president, said: "It was a wonderful thing to be able to get him. We sent the speakers to his house in Malibu [California]. He listened to them and the next day he called back and said 'yes'." Sting said: "Listening to music on SLS speakers at home is like listening to the actual live recording sessions." Instead of being paid, Sting agreed to accept 1m options at 25 cents a share, the price when negotiations began, Mr Gott said. The speakers are based on "ribbon driver" technology, developed last year by Igor Levitsky, an electro-acoustical physicist from Ukraine, using a new Dupont plastic. Mr Gott claims his speakers produce "20 per cent less distortion" than those of rivals Bose and Wilson Audio Specialties. Wilson said: "We don't actively compare our own speakers to others". Bose did not return calls. Mr Gott said he was courting other spokesmen from the worlds of country, Latin, hip hop and pop music. "Bose has Paul Harvey," said Mr Gott, referring to the octogenarian radio host. "We have everyone else."