What “Idol” has done to the music industry

Our popular music industry is now at such a low-ebb that the major focus is on mainstream/crossover shows such as American Idol, leaving true original talent to only be marketed via independent music companies or by self promotion on the web.

The nature of these shows goes against any original ideas or artist development. Judges and therefore music producers are only looking for a short term quick buck, instantly marketable to masses, in a music style that in past decades was called “bubble gum” music.

Imagine serious heavy weight artists (before they were famous) going on to American idol…..

For Example:

Jimi Hendrix performing “Purple Haze”….

Randy (What’s up dog) Jackson would say…

“Dude, listen up. Ok man what are you doin’, dog? I don’t know, I don’t know. Pitchy! Pitchy! Pitchy! Lose the guitar. It wasn’t good for me man. I didn’t get it.”

Ellen (And my last hit single was?) Degeneres would say….

“Okay that was pretty good but maybe you should smile a little more. And I really think you should clean yourself up a little, sweetie. You know get a haircut, have a shave and sober up. The show was good though, I really like what you can do with your teeth.”

Cara (I can sing better than you) DioGuardi says…

“I have to agree with Randy the pitch was all over the place. What are you doing? I’m sorry but I see you more in a Jack Johnson vein. You should listen to him. And you don’t need that guitar…guitar solos are sooooo yesterday. But I like you; you seem like a nice guy.”

Simon (I am making so much money out of this show) Cowell says …

“I have to say that this was just self indulgent rubbish. I’m sorry it’s a fact. You are not a rock star my friend and shouldn’t act like one. Do you really think you can sing? Come on, you’re kidding yourself and wasting my time. This is nothing like what I want … I mean record producers today are looking for. You will never get anywhere and never be anything. People don’t want to hear music like that. I am sorry but that’s a fact. No one is interested in your music but I guess you’re not good enough to cover a song. Sorry.”

 As long as shows like this are our main source of popular music, good original music and artists with a fresh approach will never get the attention they deserve when the main criteria for success is sounding like someone else, looking good and being demographically acceptable on TV.

It seems talent is not an issue anymore, only how much money the record companies and television industry make from an artist. And let me tell you they are making an absolute fortune from American Idol.

Thank God we didn’t have American Idol in sixties, seventies or eighties then we may never have heard of people like Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Sammy Hagar, Phil Lynnott, Neil Young, Ted Nugent and other rock legends.

Could you imagine what the judges would say to Bob Dylan if he appeared on American Idol?

 Illy

What’s with djs? What’s the point of even having em? You might as well just play a long tape. Are they fun too watch? Do you like watching some poncy little dude hopping up and down on the spot or bending over a turntable? Do you think they are good entertainment value?

I just don’t get it. But I know why they are so popular; they are cheap. The bars, pubs and clubs don’t have to fork out the big bucks for a band, just hire a dj.  The music they play is also cheap. It’s easy to write a song on a computer and you don’t have to hire real musicians to record it.

So the record companies promote this “dance music” which you have to be on E to want to dance to. According to me ol mate Johnny Rotten, “the Sex Pistols wrote dance music, its just no one knew how to dance to it.”

These djs who wander around thinking they are rock stars, are wannabes with no real talent. Anyone can spin a disc. And they give themselves monikers like DJ Petey, DJ Mikey and other wussy names like that. All they are doing is taking the work and money away from us musos.

As far as entertainment value is concerned djs have zilch. I would rather go watch an average band that just stands there then see a dj. At least with an average band that does not put on a great show you can watch the guitarist or put shit on the band and criticize the way they do each song.

But you hear these brain washed geeks sayin’ stuff like, “Man he is mixing it up good. It blows my mind.” No it’s not the dj that is blowing your mind it’s the drugs. And as far as mixing is concerned that’s not mixing; its having two turntables, finding two songs with the same beat and fading one in while you fade the other out. I guess it must take a lot of talent to do that, especially when you’re whacked off your nut on party drugs!

So give me a dirty filthy rock band any day of the week. But as so many venues now have closed or turned into dance clubs I’ll just sit here in my rocking chair on my porch thinking about the good ol days.

- Axel