Sting, Jack Bruce, and Gene Simmons criticize X-Factor

[Chaser001]

Sting,, Jack Bruce, and Gene Simmons, as well as others, have come out with some pretty harsh comments about Simon Cowell and his X-Factor show.  I'll have to admit I haven't seen it, but it seems to be somewhat like the piece of crap American Idol that Cowell was also involved in.  I have to say some of these observations are pretty strange, especially those by Jack Bruce.


http://music.aol.co.uk/2010/11/23/gene-simmons-attacks-x-factor/

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1514390.php/Simon-Cowell-and-Sting-Not-so-mu

http://www.spinner.com/2011/01/10/cream-jack-bruce-simon-cowell-extermination/

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

Ha haaa haaaa I see Jack's point. Brilliant!

[uwe]

These shows are what they are. It would be news to me if their goal was the furtherance of pop and rock music as a cultural influence. And people that perform there are not the new Hendrix or Dylan nor do they want to be. Most of them don't even know a Hendrix or Dylan song. They want to be the umpteenth Mariah Carey or George Michael. Everybody gets what they expect, the jurors promoting themselves, the willing participants, the audience lapping it all up. No complaints there. It's crap, but crap among consenting adults. Or at least among those who don't know better.

I rule out that Robert Zimmermann would have participated in something like X-Factor. And if he would have and had won I rule out this would have spawned a career of Dylanesque longevity. We're really talking two different universes. It's like saying that a young Meryl Streep wouldn't have won a casting interview for Hannah Montana. That says nothing bad about Meryl Streep and nothing bad about Hannah Montana as a series unless you are a moron who believes that Hannah Montana is or should be the breeding ground of the next generation of Academy Award winners.

That said, Sting, Gene and Jack sound like grumpy old men here. Which they are. And Gene isn't Robert Plant by even his tongue's stretch.

No one from X-Factor or American Idol or however they are called will ever be Dylan, Hendrix or Led Zeppelin. Just the thought of it is ludicrous heresy. They won't even be Kiss. Best they can hope for is to be the new Monkeys. For a while.

If real rock and pop music is an erotic picture, then this stuff is cheap porn. Which has its place but let's not confuse the two and please, please, please leave the next Dylan/Hendrix/Rotten/Cobain out of stuff like it.

[Chaser001]

I can't really say anything about X-Factor, but obviously American Idol is much like it.  Plus, both came into existence because of Simon Cowell as far as I know.  I do know something about American Idol because I have some relatives who watch it.  Sometimes I become part of a captive audience.  The only other alternative would be to be rude.  I haven't seen any shows this year.  I realize it may be different now.  But what I have seen has been nothing but sheer meaninglessness.  Nothing is accomplished.  Nobody who wins is interesting or contributes anything to the music industry.  Originality itself is stifled, since the contestants are only allowed to do cover songs.  I hate the show and I resent that the arrogant Simon Cowell has enriched himself with it.  

[Barklessdog]

It seems to me it is no different than the manufactured bands from any era to make $$$, which have always been around (Monkeys, etc)

[Basvarken]

I agree with Uwe.

But,
I'd like to add that the musical landscape is becoming quite stale the last few years.
I've noticed a substantial decrease in the interest for live music lately.
The average age a of concert visitor seems to be 40+.

There's a whole generation who has never been introduced with live music other than what they see being performed on TV in shows such as Idols, X Factor et al.
For all they know all that music is about is some nondescript girl singing way too many scales and bends along with a tape or at best a hired studio band that accompanies every contestant.

Ever noticed that MTV doesn't broadcast any music any more? Simply because the younger audience doesn't care anymore.

Of course there will always be the exceptions; Young kids that start a band and make great music that kick our sour old butts. But the majority of the young people have no idea what a band really is. Simply because the media doesn't offer that kind of entertainment anymore.

[Pilgrim]

That said, Sting, Gene and Jack sound like grumpy old men here. Which they are. And Gene isn't Robert Plant by even his tongue's stretch.

Uwe sums it up nicely.

[Dave W]

There has always been music for people who really don't like music that much. It seems worse now.

[nofi]

i really don't care if young people discover 'real' music or not.

[Barklessdog]

I've noticed a substantial decrease in the interest for live music lately.
The average age a of concert visitor seems to be 40+.

Here, I have observed that my & daughter & her teenage friends go to concerts regularly. I have taken them to a few times and the audience was 99% underage teenage girls, which I read is the core youth music audience these days.

[Big_Stu]

I don't know if it's still the case because I haven't watched any of his shows in a long time; but in the beginning you weren't allowed to play an instrument, you weren't allowed to sing your own compositions & you had to sign on a dotted line for ownership of anything you produce as soon as you turn up for your first audition.
In other words it's all a money-making enterprise with 99% of the money created by either gullible kids or folk who are a sandwich short of a picnic; going to Cowell.
Cowell claims top have made £100's of millions from producing hundreds of hit singles or albums, but then when you start counting up how many of those are one (or two) hit wonders & you see how it works.

[Basvarken]

i really don't care if young people discover 'real' music or not.

Well I do. I like to have an audience when we play with our band. Now and in the future

[nofi]

kids will always listen to the stuff they want to. and in 20 years i don't think many kids will be listening to you. you will take your current audience along with you and maybe pick up some youngsters along the way. that's how i see it anyway for any decent bands not consistantly playing the newest  crap out there. like someone stated before it's mostly older folks you see at shows these days.

[Basvarken]

kids will always listen to the stuff they want to. and in 20 years i don't think many kids will be listening to you. you will take your current audience along with you and maybe pick up some youngsters along the way. that's how i see it anyway for any decent bands not consistantly playing the newest  crap out there. like someone stated before it's mostly older folks you see at shows these days.

That someone was me

[OldManC]

Uwe, you summed up my thoughts exactly...

Pop stars were manufactured before the term 'pop star' even existed (just ask Francis Albert Sinatra). Some of them grow into respected singers and musicians and some don't. I don't think the X-Factor or any other show is going to prevent anyone from discovering different kinds of music. The kids who only listen to pre-fab pop were most likely never going to notice anything else. I liked a lot of the one hit wonders that came along when I was a kid but I also noticed lots of other singers and bands, as did everyone else here. We're not the norm and never were. I'm sure there are still kids like we were who are looking for more. They'll find it.

As for Gene and the others, they didn't come up by following the rules so I don't know why they're so worried about the type of kids who are doing that now. Gene and his band were turned down by everybody but they still found a way. It seems very out of touch for him to think there's nobody left these days who might do the same thing.

Maybe the best thing that's happened in recent years is that MTV doesn't play music anymore. It may take a little while but eventually kids will be forming bands and actually working on their songs and how to play them and not just how they'll look on the video.