Ok, so I have avoided talking about this for as long as possible and to be honest I simply dismiss this whole programme as the disposable entity that it is but recently many unsigned bands have cited x-factor as a serious thorn in the live music and unsigned world. So i X-factor really killing the art of music? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
I really try to not let it bother me but this instant fame concept does bother me but are we not competing in different worlds. Most unsigned acts ultimately want recognition but simply having a stage to perform their labour of love is enough. Disposable pop has always been around and talent shows (opportunity knocks, stars in their eyes) have always been a very cheap form of entertainment. True X-Factor does it a little better with it’s Glitz and audience participation but ultimately the performers career is in the hands of the marketing machine. They do as they are told and their riches are there (Leona Lewis) but dare to not conform and you are out ready to be replaced a year later by the next hopeful (Steve Brookstein).
I try to remain impartial and look at the flip side. The wise mouth of young Dappy from NDubz recently stated his disgust at the competition and argued that his band had struggled for years and worked hard to get where they are. Now this is probably the same for most of us and a few will succeed. This is the true way of the unsigned act isn’t it? Learn your craft, pay your dues and build your crowd through hard work and word of mouth. I also think this is a far stronger proposition, your fans remain your fans and don’t care what label you are on. Essentially you are selling your songs and act. Purity comes through. Now I have seen a lot of great shows in my time and I actually went with the missus to see Leona Lewis at the O2 recently. A great flashy show but the energy and passion seemed to be lacking. I also recently saw Aerosmith – now that was a show. They had something you can’t teach or buy with a marketing budget – chemistry. It may be unfair to compare veterans to the new girl on the block but I think it is a valid point.
We live in an age where people want instant gratification and that is far more damaging. X-factor may contribute to those who think they want to get into music but see this as the only way. To them a music career is simply an audition once a year. You can also look at the “rockstar” games, why pick up a guitar and spend years practicing when you can play “stairway to Heaven” in seconds on an Xbox 360! Music is art and Art takes time. The journey is a far more satisfying one when you have tasted the sweet and the sour. I ask myself would I change one of my well attended, audience loving gigs at the local club for a night on the X-factor stage? No, I honestly would not.
I feel that the “long Slog” also prepares you better than being thrust into the limelight and then suddenly being dropped. Real musicians always get by on their talent and always have that to fall back on. All X-Factor stars have is their waning fame. Good music always comes through and I feel the tide will turn on X-Factor. Look at the 70’s – the hippy pop was flowing then along came Zeppelin and gave the industry a shot in the arm. Eventually Zeppelin were seen as dinosaurs and safe until Johnny Rotten and his crew came along an tore the world a new arse. Next came electronic pop which was smashed by the hard rock of bands like Guns n Roses and Metallica. This “hair metal” era was then seen a fat and arrogant and out for itself so it was inevitable that when a young man from Seattle came along with Grunge it would be a revolution. Ok so maybe this is not how everyone see’s it but the history of music has a habit of being a reactionary process. At the moment instant fame and disposable pop is here and I guarantee their will be an organic reaction to this. The Urban scene with it’s almost punk like ethic has threatened to strike at the heart of pop. Something street and very real taking on something slightly contrived and pop based?
So I don’t hate X-Factor with the venom I once did and I think there will be an uprising and it will come from something real, something that cannot be faked. The key is (and the whole reason I started band assist) being armed and ready. Ok you may not have the £1,000’s to spend on marketing but you need the skills to prove if you were invested in you would be a contender. Sadly simply playing your local venue is not enough anymore, you need to fight them at their own game and take your music to the people. That is what we want to help with (still for FREE I may add) and to be honest I am getting some many review requests from simply awesome musicians that I would certainly buy CD’s from that I know you have the talent. The issue is arming yourself because like the X-Factor hopefuls you get one shot – so fire a cannon.
Would love to hear your views on the whole X-Factor thing as an unsigned act – leave me some comments!
I really try to not let it bother me but this instant fame concept does bother me but are we not competing in different worlds. Most unsigned acts ultimately want recognition but simply having a stage to perform their labour of love is enough. Disposable pop has always been around and talent shows (opportunity knocks, stars in their eyes) have always been a very cheap form of entertainment. True X-Factor does it a little better with it’s Glitz and audience participation but ultimately the performers career is in the hands of the marketing machine. They do as they are told and their riches are there (Leona Lewis) but dare to not conform and you are out ready to be replaced a year later by the next hopeful (Steve Brookstein).
I try to remain impartial and look at the flip side. The wise mouth of young Dappy from NDubz recently stated his disgust at the competition and argued that his band had struggled for years and worked hard to get where they are. Now this is probably the same for most of us and a few will succeed. This is the true way of the unsigned act isn’t it? Learn your craft, pay your dues and build your crowd through hard work and word of mouth. I also think this is a far stronger proposition, your fans remain your fans and don’t care what label you are on. Essentially you are selling your songs and act. Purity comes through. Now I have seen a lot of great shows in my time and I actually went with the missus to see Leona Lewis at the O2 recently. A great flashy show but the energy and passion seemed to be lacking. I also recently saw Aerosmith – now that was a show. They had something you can’t teach or buy with a marketing budget – chemistry. It may be unfair to compare veterans to the new girl on the block but I think it is a valid point.
We live in an age where people want instant gratification and that is far more damaging. X-factor may contribute to those who think they want to get into music but see this as the only way. To them a music career is simply an audition once a year. You can also look at the “rockstar” games, why pick up a guitar and spend years practicing when you can play “stairway to Heaven” in seconds on an Xbox 360! Music is art and Art takes time. The journey is a far more satisfying one when you have tasted the sweet and the sour. I ask myself would I change one of my well attended, audience loving gigs at the local club for a night on the X-factor stage? No, I honestly would not.
I feel that the “long Slog” also prepares you better than being thrust into the limelight and then suddenly being dropped. Real musicians always get by on their talent and always have that to fall back on. All X-Factor stars have is their waning fame. Good music always comes through and I feel the tide will turn on X-Factor. Look at the 70’s – the hippy pop was flowing then along came Zeppelin and gave the industry a shot in the arm. Eventually Zeppelin were seen as dinosaurs and safe until Johnny Rotten and his crew came along an tore the world a new arse. Next came electronic pop which was smashed by the hard rock of bands like Guns n Roses and Metallica. This “hair metal” era was then seen a fat and arrogant and out for itself so it was inevitable that when a young man from Seattle came along with Grunge it would be a revolution. Ok so maybe this is not how everyone see’s it but the history of music has a habit of being a reactionary process. At the moment instant fame and disposable pop is here and I guarantee their will be an organic reaction to this. The Urban scene with it’s almost punk like ethic has threatened to strike at the heart of pop. Something street and very real taking on something slightly contrived and pop based?
So I don’t hate X-Factor with the venom I once did and I think there will be an uprising and it will come from something real, something that cannot be faked. The key is (and the whole reason I started band assist) being armed and ready. Ok you may not have the £1,000’s to spend on marketing but you need the skills to prove if you were invested in you would be a contender. Sadly simply playing your local venue is not enough anymore, you need to fight them at their own game and take your music to the people. That is what we want to help with (still for FREE I may add) and to be honest I am getting some many review requests from simply awesome musicians that I would certainly buy CD’s from that I know you have the talent. The issue is arming yourself because like the X-Factor hopefuls you get one shot – so fire a cannon.
Would love to hear your views on the whole X-Factor thing as an unsigned act – leave me some comments!
No comments:
Post a Comment