Print this page

Pick at the pops: 08 May 2007

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

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Life is fleeting, but we should never forget those we’ve loved and lost. Courtney Love, for one, is particularly keen to keep former partner Kurt Cobain’s memory alive. Her latest ruse is the forthcoming release of the erstwhile Nirvana frontman’s diaries, a bumper 800-page laugh-a-thon due in the shops this Christmas. The perfect festive gift! The seven-figure deal reportedly struck with the publisher should snag Courtney herself a big turkey too. It’s like Bob Cratchit all over again.

A more deserving prize was nabbed by Brit diva Des’ree last week, as listeners to Marc Riley’s BBC 6Music show voted the following morsel from her ‘Life’ single the worst lyric of all time: “I don’t want to see a ghost/It’s the sight that I fear most/I’d rather have a piece of toast/Watch the evening news”. Devastating. ‘90s technopop monsters Snap took a creditable second place for their delicate “I’m serious as cancer/When I say rhythm is a dancer” and there was an encouraging shout for rock-band-as-marketing-projection Razorlight – third place for “And I met a girl/She asked me my name/I told her what it was”. Keep it direct, Johnny: it’s what the focus groups want.

Legendarily inept lyrical gangsters New Order were also in the news, with low-slung bassist Peter Hook announcing that they’ve split for good. Again. Still, it’ll give them a chance to reform for some lucrative gigs and a wishy-washy comeback record. Again.

It’s all been about band reunions these last 12 months, hasn’t it? The Spice Girls rumours limp on, as reports speculate that each Spice has been offered £1m for a gig at Christmas – vying with Courtney Love for the encapsulation of the true meaning of Christmas, there. Melanie C, previously unreceptive, is apparently considering the offer, her hardline stance possibly softened by the stunning No.24 peak of recent single ‘I Want Candy’.

Finally, the Blur comeback gathers pace with bassist Alex James yet again hinting at the return of errant guitarist Graham Coxon to the fold, and drummer Dave Rowntree’s burgeoning political career being put “on hold” after he, er, lost his first ever election. Pop stars, eh? Take a long, hard look at yourselves.

Matthew Horton

Picture: Wenn

• 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 >>