... and then there was 1 am

The 3AM Girls column has been looking a bit ropey for a while, what with only two AM Girls writing it; now, sole survivor of the original line-up Eva Sampson has quit. She's off to work on thelondonpaper, which appears to be a Rupert Murdoch sponsored initiative to cover the pavements outside railway stations in London with paper. Presumably it's to hide the chewing gum or something.

The other 3AMie, Caroline Hedley, is stuck in America as Victoria Beckham correspondent - possibly the smallest job in showbusiness - and is said by the MediaGuardian to be in talks about her future, too.

Newton gorn from The Sun, possibly no 3AM in the Mirror? If we didn't expect the vacuum to be filled with new forms of vacuity, we'd be secretly thrilled.

As I was going down the stairs, I saw a man who wasn't there

There's a great exclusive in Rupert Murdoch's freesheet TheLondonPaper, which seems to have been the only paper at Pete Doherty's solo Romford gig:

A very bitter end for lovelorn Pete Doherty Monday, 30 July 2007 Forget big, star-studded comebacks. Pete ­Doherty celebrated leaving rehab in Harrogate this weekend with a secret gig on Saturday night.

And where did he choose to play? A small pub in Romford, Essex, called The Bitter End.

During the short acoustic set, Pete belted out a couple of ­Babyshambles classics, but also showcased new material.

“Pete was looking the best he’s been for ages,” a source tells theBuzz. “He seemed really on top of it. He was joking about a drug addiction patch on his stomach.”

While there was no sign of his ex, Kate Moss, Pete had plenty of female fans to look at.

Indeed, not only were there no other papers present to see the gig, even Pete Doherty wasn't there. he'd pulled it last week, as confirmed on the venue's MySpace:

Dear All,

Due to unforeseen circumstances the 'Special Guest' for tonight's show is incredibly unlikely to turn up. The venue will still be open as normal and there are still some great acts to see.

I am sorry that I was not able to do the 'Big Reveal' on Wednesday. This was due to us holding out for an answer….

Refunds are available behind the bar for those that wish to get there money back.

So... who was this 'source' reporting on how well Pete looked, then? Doris Stokes?

[Big thanks to Rob Graver]

Two bald men arguing over a backcomb: Manson v Way

Marilyn Manson is apparently now so desperate for attention, he's been giving interviews to The London Paper, the only newspaper in the country which approaches news with the concept that it's today's newswrappings. And he's decided to pick on My Chemical Romance:

"I'm embarrassed to be me because these people are doing a really sad, pitiful, shallow version of what I've done.

"If they want to identify with me then here's a razor blade. Call me when you're done and we'll talk."

But have My Chemical Romance really stolen Manson' schtick? They are a very weak, mainstream-friendly third-generation copy of Eurogoth, which does sound like what Manson is doing.

How tiresome, though, that, Manson feels that, in order to make emotional music, you have to be a a faux-fuck-up. Is he really suggesting that Gerard Way needs to cut his arms to ribbons to make himself a little more "genuine" in some way? Does he reall confuse suffering with talent?