The X Factor - a hideous stain on the musical map

Up until this weekend I had successfully avoided anything to do with the X Factor thanks to no TV aerial. Unfortunately this Saturday has a big red cross on my otherwise unmarked record. An indoor TV aerial had been found and positioned in optimum position for receiving ITV for my X Factor loving housemate to tune in. She convinced me to stay and watch as she thought it would be funny because I'm so critical of this sort of thing. She wasn't disappointed! 

Firstly I'm going to briefly state why I hate the X Factor so much. It is a tired, formulaic show which has the same characters every year, presented in the same way, at least one person will have a lame sob story to try and play on the audiences sympathy for their vote (not their talent because they don't have any), churns out the same unimaginative "artists" every year, and always gets the Christmas number one spot (apart from the wonderful year when Rage got it - power to the people!!!) so that hard working bands or acts who haven't had an easy access into fame miss out. It was a bit of a novelty and a bit exciting when the shows Popstars and Pop Idol where on which must be about 10 years ago now but its been on every year since then and it is boring and predictable. It has nothing to do with music and anyone who thinks it has is a fool. As the show has progressed the judges (excluding Simon Cowel) have become more and more pathetic, treating the live shows like a popularity contest with the audience, not saying what the contestants performances are really like but saying everyone was wonderful so that they don't get booed! Lies! And lets not forget the way that whenever anyone unique and interesting comes along they get re-branded into the usual pop garbage. Remember Diana Vicars from a few years ago? Just compare her wonderful performances and image on X Factor to the mindless artificial bubblegum pop she has been rebranded into. Of course the main reason I hate the X Factor is because even by the live finals half of the contestants can't sing!! And this weekends programme was no exception.

Dedicated follower of fashion: The perpetual relationship between music and fashion

Ever since the "invention" of the teenager there has been a counterculture to follow, consisting of music and fashion. The clothes we wear are the easiest way to quickly identify with others who listen to the same music or have the same interests. It is a fast, simple and effective way of showing which modern day tribe you belong to. Fashion can depict a time, place, ethos and music. This relationship between music and its accompanying fashions has always fascinated me. Do the clothes accompany the music or is the fashion the most important part with the music just a distant soundtrack? You may not realise it but the clothes you wear say a lot about who you are, your likes and dislikes and have been influenced by one or more of the many countercultures from the last 60 years. You may be surprised to see the evolution of your outfit and the events that shaped it. Hear are some of the most prominent and influential countercultures over the years.


The Beats

When: Late 1940s-50s.

Music: Jazz

Style: Polo neck jumpers, shirts, berets, (if you're a man) beards.

The power of the choir

When I used to think of choirs I would think churches and hymns or being forced to sing at school, something a bit dull and drab. It has only been in the past nine months or so that I've begun to discover different uses for choirs and how they can transform a piece of music in a truly magical way. 

As I sit here listening to Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe - which has fantastic use of a wordless choir and is the inspiration for this blog - I'm going over in my mind my favourite pieces with choirs. I've come up with the following which I think would be an good introduction for anyone who, like I was, is dubious about choirs.

Holst - Neptune, the Mystic from The Planets

This was the first piece that really made me sit up and pay attention to choirs. I went to see the planets suite at the Royal Festival Hall in the first half of this year. I had not heard it prior to seeing it performed so I had no expectations. Now if you've never seen this piece performed I won't spoil the surprise for you (if you have seen it you'll know what I'm talking about) but the staging of the choir has such a fantastic impact. The choir is a female wordless choir with an eerie feel. The pieces ends with the musicians stopping, leaving just the choir singing. They fade out to end. It is incredibly beautiful and very eerie and effective.

Grieg - In The Hall Of The Mountain King from The Peer Gynt Suite

This is a well known piece used in a lot of things. If you don't know it by name you will recognise it when you hear it, it was used on the Alton Towers advert a few years back. It builds up to a powerful fff ending with an aggressive sounding choir. Its very powerful, my 18 year old sister is still scared of it!

Tippet - Ritual Dances

I saw this when I "Trogged" at Dartington Summer School this August. It was one of the pieces in a concert I was trogging (and when you're a trog you get to listen to concerts for free!). Again this was something I'd never heard before but on hearing it I forgave the choir for the annoyance of spending the day sorting out the staging problems they posed! Again it was a fantastic piece with the choir adding to it greatly.

Ravel - Daphnis et Chloe

Last but by no means least! This excellent suite was written to accompany a ballet but is now performed in full by orchestras. Like Neptune, the first time I saw it performed was the first time I heard it and it literally took my breath away. The overall piece is wonderful but the parts with the choir are just amazing. I saw it at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the proms with a choir of about 100. You can image the power! It is a wordless choir again, the best kind! Again this creates an eerie sensation. The piece begins with the choir singing very quietly, almost humming and gradually builds up from there. Ravels writing is excellent and the choir has such a powerful effect. I can't do it justice in words, you have to listen to it. Also listen out for the wind machine!

So in essence choirs are good when they're with orchestras, particularly wordless ones. If you're wanting to write an orchestral epic of some kind they are your best friend! If you've never heard the above pieces definitely listen to the Holst and Ravel, they are a must.

Can women be rock n roll, feminine and sexy?

The Runaways

Having just had an introductory lecture about women in pop music and the somewhat derivative avenues for female singers/musicians to enter into the music industry, I find self pondering the topics of music, sexuality and gender stereotypes. 

As we were getting a background on this, most of the music we focused on was from the 60s-70s which, incidental, is my favourite period for music. I was interested and a little concerned to find out the my favourtie bands - Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Stones, Hendrix etc - are what is, or was, known as "cock rock" and is aimed at men with a large percentage of the audience at a gig being male. I cringed a little when I was told that "women's music"  was "teeny bop" and consists of Donny Osmond and the like! Now I have always been aware of what "cock rock" and "teeny bop" are and which artists fall into their categories but when exploring this in my teen days I made the assumption that "teeny bop" was for young teens say 10-15 and "cock rock" was for older teens and adults, 16+. Despite the overtly masculine name, the question of gender never crossed my mind. To continue liking "teeny bop" when you were a grown woman, in my mind, is absurd! It lacks all the excitement, rebellion and promise of a good time which "cock rock" exudes. It is parties, wild nights, extravagance and adventures. In comparison "Teeny Bop" is good table manners, cardigans, sunday school and in bed by ten. Why should women not want a bit of excitement? Yes, generally women want to settle down, nice house, married with kids. But there is a period before that when you are growing up which is about rebellion, waving the middle finger at rules and authority and just having fun. "Cock rock" is the sound track to that. I mean can you really imagine sneaking out to a friends house party, staying up all night, getting wasted, meeting boys and blaring out of the stereo is not "Whole Lotta Love", " My Generation" or even "Paradise City" or "Kickstart My Heart" but "Puppy Love"? No. It just doesn't work.