Print this page

Pick at the pops: 26 November 2007

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

Has the world gone mad? We’ve just heard the news that Shakira is causing civil war in Afghanistan (another one?) because a local TV station broadcast some footage of one of her live shows, whipping up some of the more radical elements into a bit of a rage. One can only assume Wyclef Jean was in it.

And that’s not all: in the week that Amy Winehouse was accused of killing a pet hamster belonging to the lead singer of Palladium (no, us neither), New Romantic repeat offender Boy George was up in court to face charges of falsely imprisoning a 28-year-old male escort. “Do you really want to hurt me?” the escort might have asked. “Bow down mister” was possibly George’s reply.

Getting back to reality, it’s Reality TV! It appears the Spice Girls reunion shows are in danger of being derailed because Mel B – the one who looks as if she’s been replaced with an automaton this time around – has reached the final of US TV show Dancing With The Stars. The nail-biting showdown with Marie Osmond (!) takes place this week and may “distract” our Mel.

Mind you, no one’s going to care, are they? On its full release, comeback single ‘Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)’ has hobbled to No.11 in the charts. Oh dearie me. Not to mention the fact that their gig tickets are selling for half-price online. OH DEARIE ME.

Speaking of “going mad”, we’ll leave the last word to the fragrant Joss Stone: “Well, I’m sorry but I like my pink hair.” Joss this week reacted to all those made-up newspapers that have taken the time to “blast” her hair dye. We must have missed all those seething editorials.

Matthew Horton

• 19/11/2007: George cheeses Geri off >>
• 12/11/2007: Fiddy and Jacko postpone retirement >>
• 05/11/2007: Amy and Britney struggle with rock'n'roll >>
• 29/10/2007: Robbie and Brian - the new Robson and Jerome? >>
• 22/10/2007: The great Leona/Take That chart battle >>
• 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 >>