Some interesting stories have emerged with the recent passing of Nelson Mandela.  One of the more bizarre ones comes from E Street Band and Sopranos star Steven Van Zandt.  While visiting South Africain the 80's, the guitarist says he discovered that Paul Simon's name was on a list an anit-apartheid South African feedom fighter group had compiled of people it wanted assassinated.   Simon was apparently a prime target because he defied a global boycott organized against the South African regime in the process of making his Graceland album.  Van Zandt, who in 1985 joined Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Pete Townshend, Keith Richards to record Sun City, a song protesting the regime, said, "In spite of my feelings about Paul Simon I said to them: 'Listen I understand your feelings about this; I might even share them, but this is not gonna help anybody if you knock off Paul Simon. Trust me on this, alright.' "
ClassicRockMagazine.com