Print this page

Pick at the pops: 08 October 2007

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

We’ll kick off this week’s trawl through pop’s overfilled bin bag with a touching look at sisterly love. Yes, it’s the Minogue sisters – always such a support to one other, always proud of each other’s success, always happy to share their… but no! What’s this? Younger, less popular sibling Dannii has revealed that she asked Brave Kylie for an advance copy of the comeback album of the year, and was refused! “You can trust me,” she said through gritted teeth and slightly-too-tight skin, but Kyles begged to differ. God knows what Kylie’s worried about: Dannii would only have done a pale, tuneless imitation of it at best.

No use crying for what might have been. That’s a lesson that Sir Cliff Richard could learn. The Peter Pan of Pop – actually, isn’t that Michael Jackson? Oh well, same difference – sobbed to the press this week that he would have loved to have played the Hugh Grant role in Notting Hill. And you thought it couldn’t have been worse. Another tragic might-have-been flitted agonisingly by with the news that Joy Division/New Order bassist Peter Hook was approached by the US distributor of Ian Curtis biopic Control to reform Joy Division for the US premiere of the movie. “Erm, I think the singer’s dead,” was Hooky’s sensitive response.

Heartwarming news reaches us that this summer’s Princess Diana Memorial Concert raised £1.2m for good causes. But who can count the cost to pop music’s reputation?

We’ll offer the final word to Shane Wotsisname out of Westlife. Mischievous journalists have suggested that Spice Girls have moved the release date of their Greatest Hits to avoid a clash with the new album from Ireland’s foremost purveyors of reheated bloodless ballads. Says Shane: “We always seem to be in some kind of chart battle”. That’s right, Shane - and one day the monster will be slain.

Matthew Horton

Picture: Wenn

• 01/10/2007: George Michael saw stars to become one >>
• 24/09/2007: Jamelia goes nose-to-nose with Gabrielle >>
• 17/09/2007: Led Zep swoop for their pocket money >>
• 10/09/2007: Bono leads Pavarotti tributes >>
• 03/09/2007: Snoop has a proposition for Amy >>
• 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 >>