Buoyant clairvoyants

Every now and then a spectacular musical force rises up from the landfill of throwaway hooks, sexy poses and layers of cheese.

Winehouse spends night in custody

Singer Amy Winehouse spent the night in custody after being arrested on suspicion of assault, police said on Saturday. The 24-year-old handed herself in at a police station in central London on Friday to face questioning by detectives. It was not clear when she will be questioned.

UN: Celebrity junkies are bad influence

Letting celebrities get away with drug crimes is sending out the wrong message to impressionable young people, a United Nations report warned on Wednesday. The UN drug control agency has for the first time highlighted the damaging influence drug-using celebrities -- such as Amy Winehouse, Pete Doherty and Kate Moss in Britain -- have on fans.

Grammys: Kanye West, Aretha Franklin hold court

Two years ago, Kanye West's Grammy afterparty was a booze-filled, late-night affair with 3 000 screaming guests, bikini-clad women -- and his mother, Donda, in the house. He was more subdued at this year's party, celebrating four Grammy wins on Sunday night in tribute to Donda West, but it was still a boozy, celeb-filled event.

Winehouse rules Grammys, Soweto choir wins award

British pop singer Amy Winehouse, whose rapid descent from promising newcomer to emaciated junkie played out in the full glare of the public eye last year, took home five Grammy awards on Sunday. The Soweto Gospel Choir won a second Grammy for their album African Spirit.

Blaze ravages London's Camden Market

A blaze that ripped through London's trendy Camden Market area, destroying shops, bars and homes, has been brought under control, firefighters said on Sunday. One hundred firefighters tackled the blaze that broke out Saturday night, forcing police to evacuate bars and clubs packed with young revellers.

Winehouse's singing 'awful, out of tune and slurred'

Troubled soul singer Amy Winehouse kicked off her 17-date British tour with a shambolic performance that saw fuming fans booing and marching out, reports said on Thursday. The concert at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, Britain's second city, was a chance for the 24-year-old to get back to singing and put her woes behind her.

A soundtrack to our urban lives

CD OF THE MONTH: The National's new album is an instant classic, writes Lloyd Gedye.

They finally made her go to rehab

Esther Addley asks whether Amy Winehouse's overdose will make the talented singer alter her lifestyle.