Happy Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder has spoken out in defence of Miley Cyrus, insisting her recent headline-grabbing behaviour is simply part of her rock and roll persona.

The former Hannah Montana star has become a tabloid regular of late after shocking fans with her raunchy performance at the MTV Video Music Awards in August (13), when she danced provocatively with Robin Thicke, and then stripping off to appear naked in the video for her single Wrecking Ball and professing her love for ecstasy and marijuana.

The 20 year old's behaviour has split fans and critics alike, but Ryder claims her actions are typical of any youngster in her position - she's just showing her true rock and roll colours.

He tells Britain's Daily Star newspaper, "I think Miley Cyrus is great. She's a kid, she's young. If she wasn't ­having sex and doing drugs, she wouldn't be rock and roll. That's what it's all about..."

Cyrus hit headlines again this week (ends10Nov13) after visiting a cannabis cafe in Amsterdam, where marijuana can be legally consumed, on two consecutive nights - first with DJ Afrojack on Thursday (07Nov13), when they spent three hours at the eatery, and then again with British supermodel Cara Delevingne on Friday (08Nov13). The pop star is in the Netherlands to perform at the MTV Europe Music Awards on Sunday (10Nov13).