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Pick at the pops: 27 August 2007

Our weekly round-up of the weird and wonderful world of pop music...

Samantha Cameron. Remember the name. Yes, the fragrant wife of Tory party sock puppet David Cameron has a thing for Gwen Stefani, believing the retina-meltingly blonde yodeller is her “alter ego” and confessing she’d like to be her: “Every time I see her, I go, God, I wish I looked like that!” Come on – something has to liven up the drab world of today’s politics. What could be better than the opposition leader’s wife trussed up in a basque with her arms sticking out of a doll’s house?

While some of us were gazing into space, dreaming of Cherie Blair recast as Marilyn Manson, the rest of the pop world was seeing off the festival season at Reading and Leeds. It was the usual crowd of My Chemical Romance fans hiding from the sun, but some surprises were thrown in – not least a heartwarming, unscheduled appearance from Kaiser Chiefs at Leeds. The lads were billed as Hooks For Hands and wowed their hometown fans with a selection of identical hits. Things were slightly more crotchety at Reading, where Red Hot Chili Peppers had some sound problems and faced the wrath of the crowd when Anthony Kiedis’ dancing caused a cable to come loose. Why on earth were they booing? Did they want to hear them?

And speaking of exhibitionist has-beens tripping over cables and ruining the whole show, rumours abound that Britney Spears will be the opening act at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards on 9 September. That is all.

Teaching the youngsters a thing or two, there are some old lags who won’t let drink, drugs or dodgy wiring get in their way – but the long arm of the law is another matter altogether. Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood of the evergreen Rolling Stones can barely play a note without an ash-dripping cigarette stuck to their bottom lip, but the hardened rock‘n’roll fossils couldn’t say boo to a goose when “officials” at the O2 Arena suggested they stub out the gaspers as they hobbled onto the stage last week. What a comedown: “Their Satanic Majesties Request… you kindly refrain from smoking on these premises.”

Matthew Horton

• 20/08/2007: Is Kanye West bottling the hip-hop showdown? >>
• 13/08/2007: Robyn and Kate Nash do it for the girls >>
• 06/08/2007: Prince shows the old guard the way >>
• 30/07/2007: KT Tunstall shirks celebrity circuit >>
• 23/07/2007: Pick at the pops mingles with the A-list >>
• 16/07/2007: No smoking, no swearing - this is rock >>
• 09/07/2007: Live Earth seals our fate >>
• 02/07/2007: Pop stars try to remember Diana >>
• 18/06/2007: Ronnie and Keef in boring row >>
• 11/06/2007: George Michael avoids jail >>
• 04/06/2007: Beth Ditto bares all >>
• 29/05/2007: Stevie and Jacko disappoint Macca >>
• 21/05/2007: Lily vs Cheryl in catfight nirvana >>
• 14/05/2007: Eurovision carve-up shame >>
• 08/05/2007: How is Kurt Cobain still writing diaries? >>
• 30/04/2007: Bez and Mani? It's 1990 all over again >>
• 23/04/2007: MC Hammer inspires Arctic Monkeys >>
• 16/04/2007: Your planet is safe in Madonna's hands >>
• 10/04/2007: Kaiser Ricky fights for pop double standards >>
• 02/04/2007: Weller vs Sting in battle of the spittle >>
• 26/03/2007: Jagger and Trousersnake snubbed >>
• 19/03/2007: Ray Quinn and the death of pop >>
• 12/03/2007: The Jackson Five eye some filthy lucre >>
• 05/03/2007: George is on his way to Wembley >>
• 26/02/2007: Mel C holds up Spice reunion >>
• 19/02/2007: Joss Stone's big love >>
• 12/02/2007: Lily conquers America >>
• 05/02/2007: Oasis to meet Ringo at last >>
• 29/01/2007: Amy Winehouse wows the Savoy >>
• 22/01/2007: Chris Martin: the B-Boy >>
• 15/01/2007: Whitney auctions her belongings >>
• 08/01/2007: The Police to reform? >>
• 02/01/2007: James Brown RIP >>
• 2006 archive >>