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Pick at the pops: 17 March 2008

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

This week we were going to talk about how a life in pop can send you loopy, but instead we’re going to concentrate on Madonna. Ahem. Inducing – sorry, inducting – her into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, Justin Timberlake made reference to “one of the greatest days of my life”. This turned out to be the day Madonna administered a Vitamin B12 shot in the Trousersnake’s “ass” because he was feeling a bit poorly. Nothing unusual about that – everyone’s got a dotty old aunt with a handbag full of hypodermics, right?

Madonna’s all over the news at the moment – it’s almost as if she’s got a new album coming out. She admitted last week that she fears she could die on stage, because of overwhelming panic attacks, poor love. “I feel like everyone is breathing my air,” she added. The cheek. Don’t these unwashed gig-goers know who she is?

The British Madonna – if you like – Amy Winehouse is on the mend (again). Dad Mitch (as he might as well rechristen himself now) says that she’s ok as long as she’s hanging out with Kelly Osbourne: “If Amy’s with Kelly, there’s no relapse. Kelly’s a drugs counsellor, so Amy’s completely safe with her.” But what about Amy’s God-given singing gift? Isn’t Dad Mitch afraid Kelly might suck it all down into her talent vacuum? We’ve yet to hear.

Lastly, there’s intriguing news of a new version of BBC2’s Later… With Jools Holland. The new show, cunningly rebranded Later Live… With Jools Holland, will air soon on Tuesday nights in a primetime slot. The first programme will feature Gnarls Barkley, Adele and hot US tips Black Kids. Hmmm. Music show, you say? Youth-friendly acts? Weekday early evening slot? Maybe they could give it a whole new name: Top of the… nah, it’d never work.

Matthew Horton

Picture: Rex Features

• 10/03/2008: Bjork gets political >>
• 03/03/2008: Keef disses Led Zep >>
• 25/02/2008: Mark Owen gives KT Tunstall his last quid >>
• 18/02/2008: Aretha or Tina - just who is the Queen of Soul? >>
• 11/02/2008: We mourn the Spice Girls - again >>
• 04/02/2008: Winehouse and Spears - will the madness end? >>
• 28/01/2008: Oh no! Simply Red and UB40 have split up! >>
• 21/01/2008: Annie Lennox and The Verve won't pave streets >>
• 14/01/2008: Robbie and Coldplay turn on EMI >>
• 07/01/2008: Out with the old, in with the new >>
• 2007 archive >>
• 2006 archive >>