Simon Saves Music

"How Do You Feel About Ruining The Music Industry?" asks Elly Jackson, singer from cooler than cool pop outfit La Roux to Simon Cowell, a man, who lets face it, needs no introduction. In the latest issue of NME they interview Cowell, but not to find out about the music industry, Cowell's life or anything remotely related to music. No the description of the interview, even before it is conducted is to discover how Mr Cowell sleeps at night (on a bed lined with Diamonds most likely). NME doesn't even try and pretend it is being anything but pretentious with this interview. The article begins with the mission statement; "To most indie fans Simon Cowell is the devil Incarnate". Good start, it emphasises the balanced and interesting piece NME wants to write about the pop mogul.

NME invited twitter followers to ask the man questions, almost exclusively coming from stylish 'indie' bands. One of my favourites they printed being "Why are you such a twat?". But why all the hate? Pop music has always existed, chart bubble gum pop has been around since I was born. Yet now all these bands have this 'Holier than thou' outlook on music. Elly Jackson is much cooler than you, she has a deliberately strange hair style (bright red quiff if you are interested) and conducts herself as if she is the single handed savior of decent music against the oppressive pop machine owned by Satan himself, Simon Cowell.

Cowell answers Ms Jackson's question by denying any 'ruination' of music is coming from him "It's [music] influenced by people who buy records". And thats true. With Killing In The Name Of top of the Christmas charts it shows how right Simon Cowell is. People didn't want another X Factor number 1 and look what happened. The democracy of music prevailed. Not through the help of La Roux or NME but normal people. People who aren't going to pretend they are better than anyone else because they like bands that are deliberately quirky and look cool.

I'd like to know whether Elly Jackson can explain to me, on an academic level, why her electro-synth tried and tried again pop is any better than Susan Boyle's rendition of 'I Dreamed A Dream'. What is the difference really? At base level what is the difference? Perhaps it is that Susan Boyle is a person who rather than think 'I want to change my style to ensure I am different and better than anyone else' I imagine she sat down declaring she wanted to sing. She wanted to entertain. Whats wrong with that? And what is wrong with Simon Cowell allowing her to achieve it? Ironically the only proof that Simon Cowell has ruined the music industry is that somehow La Roux's album has become a best seller.

I'm sorry Red, you are not bulletproof, you're absolutely full of holes.