SIMON SAYS
I read a post today about how great Simon Cowell is 😂
In a pivotal moment at just 32 years old, Simon Cowell found himself with a mere £5.26 in his pocket, returning humbly to his parents' home amidst financial ruin. It could have marked the end, but for Cowell, it sparked a remarkable new beginning.
Then it went on about facing adversity and being a testament to the triumph of will etc.
But it kinda left out the whole bit about working for Stock, Aitken and Watermen, which is why he faced bankruptcy in the first place. Plus he was born into the music business & his parents were quite well off.
So we're not talking proper homeless rags to riches here. We are talking about a guy who wouldn't give me the time of day. We're talking about a guy who quite literally says what goes. Who's idea of talent is all about ticket sales.
Its because of people like Simon here, that there is nothing challenging about todays music, nothing new, nothing beyond a one hit wonder, take the money and run.
Gone are the days of artist development. Today you have to be born perfect in every way. You must be a literal android, without faults. And just as bland.
The X Factor is just that. A filtering system, designed to make young hopefuls pin all their hopes and dreams on the so called opinions of a minority.
Nobody takes calculated risks anymore. The win some, lose some happy go lucky ethos of yesteryear, has been replaced by todays cold hard units of product and expenditure. If you aint got a million zillion followers on Tik-Tok, you aint got nothing.
Dave Grohl said of the The X Factor and Pop Idols, that if Bob Dillon went on there now, they'd reject him for singing too nasally and a bit flat.
Frank Zappa pretty much summed on the state of play in the modern music industry, by stating that it was the old Cigar-Chewing entrepreneurs of the 50's and 60's that allowed music to flourish in the first place. They didn't even like the music but they could see that certain styles appealed to the youth.
It was about giving something a go and seeing what happened. And thats why we got Bill Hayley opening the hallowed gates of rock n roll to pretty much anyone, allowing Elvis, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis and so on.
But somewhere along the line, the Simon Cowells of the industry came out of the woodwork. They started off life in the industry serving tea and coffee to said Cigar-Chewing entrepreneurs. They did all the boring stuff, shuffled paperwork, made phone calls, made sure Ozzy Osborn was served only brown M&Ms.
And when the old order eventually died off, the coffee boys took over. Holding all the keys, they quickly took control and became the arbitrators of what we should listen to.
So if you want to prey before the alter of Simon Cowell, well go ahead. Or get out there and create your own independent music scene.
