Itâs that time of year again, as the X Factor gears up for another year of dream-making and heart-breaking, âcoolâ? celebrities speak out against the evil popstar-making-machine. This time itâs Graham Coxon of Blur with a Cowell-shaped Chip on his shoulder, branding The Voice and X Factor âdisgracefulâ?.
âTo get better at anything you have to practice a lotâ?, Coxon told The Independent.
âWhen I’m on my own in my front room with a guitar, there’s no one going to say to me, ‘That’s really great’ if I play some old rubbish,” he added. “I do believe in doing things right.
âWhich is why The X Factor and The Voice are so disgraceful to me.â?
The 90s Britpop band which carried Coxon to fame were recently honoured with an âOutstanding Contribution to Musicâ? award at the Brits 2012. Since disbanding to pursue individual projects in 2003, the band members have reunited to perform at several festivals.
The 43-year-old went on to admit that his views may be a touch outdated.
âPerhaps I’m old-fashioned in that sense â that I believe you have to pay your dues. Being a musician is not something you can become overnight. It doesn’t just appear.”
Despite feeling a tad defensive over the like of Leona Lewis and Jo McElderry, it is difficult to deny that the star-making-machine has had its fair share of besmirching headlines since its inception.
The most recent – which has emerged before the show even comes to air – accuses the Saturday night talent show of fast-tracking better acts through the arduous audition process.
Reports in The Sun suggest that some singers were given a chance to “bypass the huge crowds” at open auditions. A source said: “It makes a mockery of the ordinary people. It’s unfair that they queue in the rain for hours and others get invited to cosy auditions. They’re encouraging established acts to use the show as a marketing tool.”
A spokesperson for The X-Factor attempting (and failing) to defend the show’s impeccable reputation pretty much admitted the crowd-fiddling. He/she said: “To ensure we find the best talent we have been exploring all avenues. All contestants are auditioned on merit and everyone has the same number of auditions.”
Come on though, that selective process is hardly a far cry from the cut-throat world of showbiz selection and rejection…is that such a bad thing?
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