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Pick at the pops: 03 September 2007

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

It’s an Amy Winehouse Special this week – everybody else is doing it, why can’t we? It doesn’t seem to matter how troubled she is, or how long it’s been since the last new record, the column inches just keep stacking up. People could build a whole career around this sort of thing, eh, Mr Doherty? Pete himself is due a sentencing this week - or not, if our esteemed law enforcers fail once more to get him into court in time. Well, it’s all too easy to lose your grip on the
                                             skinny little rake.

Anyway, yes - Amy. We found some favourites while sifting through the 4,617 stories about her last week, not least renowned clean-living rapper Snoop Dogg suggesting that she might like to come and stay with him if the going got too tough: “If she needs a place to chill for a bit, my hood is her hood” was the enticing proposition. She'd get less messy spending a week with Britney.

Still, Ames is chilling out nicely in St Lucia… with her five wigs. Yes, she needs her hair to be as big as possible at all times, so a handy clutch of beehives has accompanied her and husband Blake on their hols. Things are also hairy back in Blighty, where Mercury Prize punters are deserting Winehouse in droves and she’s lost her betting favourite position for Tuesday’s award to novice Bat For Lashes. Watch this space. At least no one listened to Amy’s father-in-law Giles Fielder-Civil, who urged fans not to buy her records to send some sort of message – Back To Black is back up to No.2 in the album chart this week. Yah boo to you, Giles, what what?

While we’re on loopy pop queens, there’s just time to mention a couple of earlier models: billion-selling warbler Mariah Carey claims she played her new album to a few girlfriends, in the hot tub. Keep your friends close, right? And 75%-plastic baritone Cher fell down the stairs at her Malibu mansion and broke three toes – weren’t they ‘Strong Enough’? If only she ‘.. Could Turn Back Time’. OK, we’ll stop.

Matthew Horton

• 27/08/2007: Kaisers surprise, Chili Peppers disappoint >>
• 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 >>