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Pick at the pops: 22 October 2007

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

They’re role models, they’re heroes, they’re practically perfect in every way – yes, we’re talking about pop stars. So how come they also appear to be cheats, liars and thieves? Take innocent, wide-eyed Fran Healy from polite Scots troubadours Travis - Fran admitted this week that he’d ripped off Oasis’s ‘Wonderwall’ for breakthrough hit ‘Writing To Reach You’. He was playing along to The Connells’ ’74-75’ (is there nothing he won’t rob?) when he stumbled across some nice new chords he liked that turned out to be the same as those used in Oasis’ classic. Says Fran: “Well, Noel’s always talking about nicking chords from people…” Two wrongs don’t make a right, Healy.

Fellow Scotsman Mylo can vouch for this. The two tracks the DJ recorded with Kylie Minogue were excluded from her final album line-up, so he slapped them on the internet anyway. Our diminutive diva took this badly and a “source close to the pint-sized popstrel” whispers that Mylo has now been “frozen out”. He must be gutted – bet he was champing at the bit to get more tunes rejected.

Back to good, honest fibbing: slapheaded world music bore Peter Gabriel has let slip that he didn’t join his former band Genesis on this year’s reunion tour because he was “too busy”. Riiiight. “Busy” Pete has released three original studio albums in 21 years. Just come clean that you hate Phil Collins, Peter – everyone else does, for some reason.

Let’s throw in some treachery too: former BMG starlets Take That have peeved erstwhile boss Simon Cowell by scheduling their new single’s release for the same week as current Cowell poppet Leona Lewis’s comeback. “I don’t know why they would do that,” whined poor Simes. He shouldn’t worry – ‘Rule The World’ is a wet fish next to Leona’s marvellous ‘Bleeding Love’. Good should triumph just this once.

Matthew Horton

Picture: PA Photos

• 15/10/2007: Keisha gets stuck into Girls Aloud >>
• 08/10/2007: Kylie doesn't trust Dannii shock! >>
• 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 >>