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Pick at the pops: 01 October 2007

George Michael

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

Our favourite pop heroes are in confessional mode this week, getting everything off their chests before, er, Hallowe’en? Who knows? They can be a superstitious lot. Anyway, first to lay his cards on the table is renowned deep thinker and peacemaker Liam Gallagher, who has finally buried the Blur/Oasis hatchet. Is there anyone alive who can remember what is was all about? No matter, Liam says “I don’t mind Blur. I’m over it. When I see Damon Albarn, I buzz off him. If I was still caught up in it now, I’d be a right w***er.” Quite.

Another frank admission comes from pop genius and steering wheel headbutter George Michael, with a novel explanation of his career catalyst. George announced on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs this week that he suffered a “bang on the head” (medical term) when he was eight, which completely changed his direction. Well, it would, wouldn’t it? It seems that up to this point, young George was only interested in insects, often getting up at five in the morning to collect them from the garden. After the “bang”, he cared about nothing but music. Thank Heaven for blunt objects. Still, you have to wonder what hobbies he’s turning to now after those persistent bashes on the dashboard.

Fearsome Sugababe Keisha Buchanan has finally come clean that she made Heidi Range’s life “hell” when the latter first joined the ‘Babes. Tell us something we don’t know, K. She confides that she didn’t like Heidi because the bubbly Scouser had been to stage school and hadn’t been “working hard” like her and Mutya. Clearly Keisha has never seen any stage schools – they’re like Dickensian workhouses. And Heidi had to do time in Atomic Kitten. She’d suffered enough.

Finally, someone not coming clean is Beyoncé. No, she’s staying dirty. Ms Knowles has cancelled a forthcoming gig in Malaysia after refusing to bow to calls to tone down her saucy stage show. Hurrah for her. Boo for Gwen Stefani who recently surrendered meekly to similar requests when Malaysian students (students!) threatened to boycott her show if she didn’t drop the raunchiness. The killjoys. In my day, students “boycotted” shows when they couldn’t be bothered to peel themselves off the sofa.

Matthew Horton

Picture: Rex Features

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