February 11, 200916 yr Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant has branded Simon Cowell's view of music too narrow, and thinks The X Factor ignores whole swathes of pop music. The musician, speaking to the Radio Times, said Cowell's talent show was "basically people singing Whitney, Mariah and maybe Elton". "Why don't they have, say, a new-wave week? Or 80s electro week?" he asked. The Pet Shop Boys will collect an outstanding achievement accolade at the Brit Awards on 18 February. "The feeling is that pop has made a big comeback this year, and it's the right time to give us the award," he said. He explained that he watched The X Factor after writing a track for Girls Aloud, and decided to see what Cheryl Cole was like as a judge on the talent search. Tennant added of the show: "If it's not power ballads then it was a narrower version of disco. "I remember on Pop Idol, [judge]Pete Waterman told someone, very sympathetically, 'The thing is, you're more of a Depeche Mode kind of artist.' In other words, 'What are you doing here, pet?' Tennant scotched rumours that he will perform with The Killers at the Brit Awards, saying it was "made up by the papers". "There will be two guests for our performance, but I'd like it to be a surprise," he added. The 54-year-old also said he fully supports the return of Top of the Pops, but says it should not be updated. "It should never have tried to be cool. If it's brought back, it should be the original format - show the records going up the chart, and the number one," he said. Tennant, along with bandmate Chris Lowe, is due to release the first Pet Shop Boys album in three years on 23 March. I agree with him on all points, especially X Factor and TOTP.
February 12, 200916 yr Author Neil Tennant's an incredibly astute, intelligent pop commentator.... his opinion on Cowell is spot on. If it isn't bland air-clutching power ballads or naff cheesy tweety boybands - Simon Cowell really and truly doesn't have a clue about music. I dn't care how many records he sells - he's a good businessman - certainly no judge on musical quality or relevance or trend. He's a true 80s kid - but he obviously listened to all the wrong music in the 80s. What with retro electro so big now.... as Tennant says - why not have an electro pop week? And why oh why has XFactor still never had a band on there that - shock gasp horror - actually PLAYS instruments? Why do the bands either have to be toe-curlingly awful girlbands or Lous Walsh-fodder boyband fluff? Surely in these times of White Lies, Kaiser Chiefs etc. it's about timeXFactor caught up and gave us a bona fide band?
February 12, 200916 yr What with retro electro so big now.... as Tennant says - why not have an electro pop week? And why oh why has XFactor still never had a band on there that - shock gasp horror - actually PLAYS instruments? Why do the bands either have to be toe-curlingly awful girlbands or Lous Walsh-fodder boyband fluff? Surely in these times of White Lies, Kaiser Chiefs etc. it's about timeXFactor caught up and gave us a bona fide band? I don't think you're allowed to bring instruments to the auditions, which kinda rules out that type of group from the start. I do agree that the themes need to be brought into this decade and the song choices need to be more current. But as long as the show wants a big mainstream audience the contestants will be given dated songs that everyone knows. When Dannii dared to give Rachel one of 2007's best chart toppers it was criticised as being a rubbish song choice.
February 14, 200916 yr This is amazing! I'm very glad they've returned with such a tune... Somehow I feel this could've been recorded by Girls Aloud and made a great track too :D
March 4, 200916 yr great animated video, so odd though, like some weird old computer game :lol: can't believe it's been on youtube for over a week and I didn't think to search for it :o
March 4, 200916 yr I am liking this a lot! Blows the rest of their 2000s material out of the water IMO.
March 4, 200916 yr Girls Aloud are great! Pet Shop Boys are great! I think it's silly to breakdown and magnify an act like Girls Aloud. They front great pop, occasionally it's more than great! That aside, I like this new track. I'm sure Radio 1 will snub it completely, leaving Radio 2 to give it a good plugging. I hate Radio 1!
March 4, 200916 yr I wonder how this will realistically do in the charts. I'd love top ten, but is that possible now with physicals so minimal!?! are they the type of act who will shift a lot of downloads :unsure:
March 4, 200916 yr its so hard to know how the pet shop boys will do as they havnt released a single in the download era,after the brits hype it might do well fingers crossed it will go top 10 as if it doesnt no single from the album will go top 10 which i dont want to happen as they have had a top 10 hit of every studio album they have released i hope they keep their record going
March 4, 200916 yr its so hard to know how the pet shop boys will do as they havnt released a single in the download era,after the brits hype it might do well fingers crossed it will go top 10 as if it doesnt no single from the album will go top 10 which i dont want to happen as they have had a top 10 hit of every studio album they have released i hope they keep their record going I think it may enter low Top 10.. but it's certainly going to struggle with (at the moment) over 20,000 sales needed to gain entry into the Top 10. Even huge fan base acts like Morrissey are not selling more than 7 or 8 thousand physicals thesedays.
Create an account or sign in to comment