THE LITTLE GIRLS UNDERSTAND: More on Eminem, as we compile this, Any Answers is taking calls - the first on Marshall starts with the words "I have never heard his records, but as a gay man..."; then another makes the statement "Either he's homophobic and misogynistic, or he's not..." - or, how about, he's playing a part and ACTING? D'oh. Thank god they found space to read out emails from a couple of teenage girls who basically DO get it - yes, his lyrics are ugly, isn't life the same, though?

BRAGG ON EMINEM: "[Eminem is] the authentic voice of the schoolyard bully. Thats what he is, a loudmouthed bully" - Billy Bragg on Any Questions, BBC Radio 4, 23-2-01. Asked if he'd ever written a song with lyrics that people might find offensive, Bragg replied "Tories, hopefully"

KITTENS AGAIN?: Atomic Kitten are number one for the third week running, which probably comes as much of a surprise to them as it does to us, don't you think? Even though the market has been fairly slow, and the Argos Appletons (thanks, popbitch) are probably getting sales that would only have guaranteed a top thirty slot and a quick trip back to working Hope Street before Christmas, to hang on to the slot for three weeks is a remarkable achievement. They're busily re-recording their stiffkitten debut album with yummy new material featuring interchangable new member in the hope that this snow-in-July success may actually feed through to some sort of profit centre...

Passing observation, number 455: That new Turin Brakes single is good, but not a patch on The Boss