Music Banter - View Single Post - X-Factor melted my Eardrums

ScottishSte · 06-23-2012, 05:32 AM

Running a music website I come across a wide array of new music of all different quality. This is sometimes enjoyable and can also be very frustrating when you have to sit through nonsense. Having taken some time to actually listen to the lyrics of numerous songs the worst thing that an artist can do in my eyes is sing about something that has no reference to them personally or as described in the Hip hop world would be “Fake ass”.

Music provokes emotions in different people, I once knew a guy that played Westlife as his “Sex Tape” to me that particular music provokes either vomiting or convulsion of my eardrums which is not something that then would put any potential partner in the mood. The key would be that the musician feels what they are singing, they need to really relate to what their saying otherwise it is uncomfortable and unnatural. Think about it why do you think the vast majority of songs have references to love, whether it be sexual or romantic.

“Steve what does this have to do with X-Factor?” I hear you say. Well the answer to that particular question should be glaringly obvious from my opening paragraphs. You have singers on there who turn up in jeans a tshirt and because they have stood outside for upwards of 5 hours their hair looks greasy and they often look like they just got out of bed. You then hear their auditions and think ok that wasn’t bad maybe I would sit through that at my local pub karaoke night. Then comes the next rounds which are a series of songs that they have been forced to sing and often learn in some cases and you think wow these are pretty rubbish. Finally after much tense drama about will they wont they be chosen it is then onto the live studio programme, the most annoying part of the show. You hear the crowd go wild (not surprisingly considering its their aunt Jean and Uncle Bill sitting in front row) and they sing something that has been a hit at some point in time probably from someone talented. The songs are chosen by the judges and they are taught how to sing it by a vocal coach.

To draw a parallel to my point you would say that some sportsmen (or sportspeople if you want to be PC) are solid at what they do, while some are gifted. That gift is in fact the talent to create something, be in a new move or a different way of doing something, whilst all the others use someone else’s creation and perform it admirably. This is why X-Factor really does melt my eardrums, listening to some of the crimes against music over the years this dross programme has been on. All the people on there have a general desire to be Famous, not be musicians but be Famous, that in itself is not enough to please the majority of people enough to spend their hard earned cash on your music. Its like going to a market stall and being told you can pay £10 and buy this cool t-shirt that says FKUC or you want the real thing that will set you back upwards of £30.

Darwin once came up with a theory, something to do with the fittest surviving and this can be applied across most things. Just watch Never Mind the Buzzcocks on BBC2 UK and you’ll see that they have a line up where talent less people stand before a panel of judges who can’t remember what they looked like. Imagine sitting in 50 years and your children run up and say “What was the best concert you went to?” Will you say the X-Factor tour? If your answer is yes then I’m curious as to why your parents allow you to use the internet and more curious about why you would be reading articles when clearly you should be looking at pop up books!

This piece was written whilst listening to Kings of Leon - Use Somebody, Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah and the entire Buffy Soundtrack.

06-23-2012, 05:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
ScottishSte Groupie Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Scotland Posts: 1	X-Factor melted my Eardrums Running a music website I come across a wide array of new music of all different quality. This is sometimes enjoyable and can also be very frustrating when you have to sit through nonsense. Having taken some time to actually listen to the lyrics of numerous songs the worst thing that an artist can do in my eyes is sing about something that has no reference to them personally or as described in the Hip hop world would be “Fake ass”. Music provokes emotions in different people, I once knew a guy that played Westlife as his “Sex Tape” to me that particular music provokes either vomiting or convulsion of my eardrums which is not something that then would put any potential partner in the mood. The key would be that the musician feels what they are singing, they need to really relate to what their saying otherwise it is uncomfortable and unnatural. Think about it why do you think the vast majority of songs have references to love, whether it be sexual or romantic. “Steve what does this have to do with X-Factor?” I hear you say. Well the answer to that particular question should be glaringly obvious from my opening paragraphs. You have singers on there who turn up in jeans a tshirt and because they have stood outside for upwards of 5 hours their hair looks greasy and they often look like they just got out of bed. You then hear their auditions and think ok that wasn’t bad maybe I would sit through that at my local pub karaoke night. Then comes the next rounds which are a series of songs that they have been forced to sing and often learn in some cases and you think wow these are pretty rubbish. Finally after much tense drama about will they wont they be chosen it is then onto the live studio programme, the most annoying part of the show. You hear the crowd go wild (not surprisingly considering its their aunt Jean and Uncle Bill sitting in front row) and they sing something that has been a hit at some point in time probably from someone talented. The songs are chosen by the judges and they are taught how to sing it by a vocal coach. To draw a parallel to my point you would say that some sportsmen (or sportspeople if you want to be PC) are solid at what they do, while some are gifted. That gift is in fact the talent to create something, be in a new move or a different way of doing something, whilst all the others use someone else’s creation and perform it admirably. This is why X-Factor really does melt my eardrums, listening to some of the crimes against music over the years this dross programme has been on. All the people on there have a general desire to be Famous, not be musicians but be Famous, that in itself is not enough to please the majority of people enough to spend their hard earned cash on your music. Its like going to a market stall and being told you can pay £10 and buy this cool t-shirt that says FKUC or you want the real thing that will set you back upwards of £30. Darwin once came up with a theory, something to do with the fittest surviving and this can be applied across most things. Just watch Never Mind the Buzzcocks on BBC2 UK and you’ll see that they have a line up where talent less people stand before a panel of judges who can’t remember what they looked like. Imagine sitting in 50 years and your children run up and say “What was the best concert you went to?” Will you say the X-Factor tour? If your answer is yes then I’m curious as to why your parents allow you to use the internet and more curious about why you would be reading articles when clearly you should be looking at pop up books! This piece was written whilst listening to Kings of Leon - Use Somebody, Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah and the entire Buffy Soundtrack.