Thoughts

This is a page where I express my thoughts in more detail, sometimes leaving it open for you to discuss. Feel free to contact me about them if they've particularly hit a nerve.

If you want to catch up on previous thoughts on this page, then you may want to take a look at this lot:

Thoughts 4.21 to 4.30
Thoughts 4.11 to 4.20
Thoughts 4.01 to 4.10
Thoughts 2.21 to 3.07
Thoughts 2.11 to 2.20
Thoughts 2.01 to 2.10

Thought 4.34: 16 December 2009: Why We Must Rage Against The X-Factor

As some of you may have seen in the UK at the moment, there is a concerted campaign to try and prevent the X-Factor's winning single (namely Joe McElderry's "The Climb") from gaining the Christmas Number One single. In a day and age where downloads count for a fair chunk of the singles market, and that no one knows who number one usually is because of the demise of shows like Top of the Pops on the TV, there's still some prestige about being Number One at Christmas, something only Simon Cowell and the mass media know too well, which is why for the last few years, it's always been their winner's single that's hit the top spot.

Last year, it was the Jeff Buckley version of "Hallelujah" which almost won out against Alexandra Burke's overproduced, sickly sweet make me want to throw up version due to an Internet campaign. The same campaigners are at work this time, only now they've chosen Rage Against The Machine's legendary anthem from 1992 "Killing in the Name" as their weapon of choice. Part of their reasoning is that as a bona fide rock classic of the modern era, those that like their rock and metal music will buy it, but also those that appreciate real meanings of songs will buy it too.

Let's compare notes: "The Climb" was originally a song by Miley Cyrus and as such performed in the Hannah Montana series of movies. As such that already makes it sickly sweet enough, and to take on a lame song in the first place in an even more lame way that the X-Factor has really does take the mickey - it's not even an original composition as some of them at least were in previous years. Compare that to "Killing in the Name", an anti-racist anthem that clearly explains some of the ills of the society that they had to put up with, and now you're under control, you'll do what you're told - hence the dose of anarchy and anger at the end with the immortal sixteen lines of "**** you, I won't do what you tell me" which grow more passionate and more laden with anger with each delivery.

There's no contest really. I remember listening to RATM's album in 1992, and let's be honest, it was one of the most important records of the 1990s. Its influence is still being felt today, and they put their money where their mouths are, battling against injustice and supporting those who seek it, as well as having one of the best-produced albums too - in fact some hi fi magazines still use the likes of "Take The Power Back" from that album as good system tests to make sure your kit is all working. It's also everything that X-Factor isn't, it's about real music played by real musicians with real instruments - and an innovative guitar player in Tom Morello as well too.

Simon Cowell has called the campaign "cynical" and that it'll hurt the X-Factor artist. Oh really? Well, maybe there's enough people out there who are sick of being force fed the trite that is the reality TV show and want to make their own minds up, for a change. Maybe people just would like some real music in the charts to counteract the endless tosh that comes out of the production studios of Syco Music. And maybe, just maybe, it's a case that the public themselves in enough numbers will realise that the over saturation of the UK market by tosh such as X-Factor is actually killing the UK music industry in the first place.

If you're an up and coming artist, and you want to get noticed, what chance do you have against the mass exposure that X-Factor gives you by being on the telly for almost four months? I'll tell you - none. In an age where it seems to be instant success or else you get dropped, the industry needs to wake up that we, the public, actually want to listen to proper music, where it's played properly and that when you go to see them live, it's no fancy stage trickery, it's just them doing what they do best, and playing to an audience who'll appreciate back. If only that could happen.

Well, let's make it happen people. Check the Rage Against The X-Factor website, its Facebook page, and use the download links to download the song and make it make a difference. Even if it doesn't make number one, the fact that there's so many people who want to really nark off the whole X-Factor thing, and what it represents, says a lot about the real music fans in this country. And the official campaign Facebook page is down right now - conspiracy by the powers that be or is Cowell himself worried that the campaign might actually succeed? Well that's just another reason to go download it. Now. And make a difference.

Thought 4.33: 02 March 2009: See The Person, Not The Disability

In the last few days, there has been considerable furore and fuss in the media, and it's all down to a presenter of BBC children's television channel CBeebies. Parents are up and down in wrath and rage in the country saying that the presenter will scare their children, and that they are boycotting the channel in protest. Now, all that would make you think that the BBC has employed someone with a track record of something a bit less savoury, but it's nothing of the sort. Oh no. They're kicking up a fuss because the presenter happens to be slightly different from everyone else.

The presenter, Cerrie Burnell, was born with one hand. Her other arm only goes so far - and that's it. She was born that way. She's managed to live her life to the full, graduating with an acting degree, appearing in many BBC Drama series along the way, before being one of the successful applicants to be one of the new presenters of CBeebies. I'm sure that for most women, achieving all that would be a goal to be proud of, and certainly it is the case here. She got the job on merit, because she's actually good with children (she works in a school with them and is a parent herself, as is her co-presenter Alex).

So why the parents need to feel ashamed or embarrassed, claiming that "Cerrie is scaring my children" is something that I just can't grasp, to be honest. Most children I am sure would just see her as her, and if she's able to get the children to play, sing and be happy, then it's job done. Or so you'd think. The kind of language and vitriol spouted forth on several sections of the Internet has shown it to be a witch hunt of modern day proportions, and from parents, whom quite frankly, should know better. So what if she's different? Aren't everyone individual in their own way? And if the children like her, and see her as a friendly, amiable person on the telly who they can see having fun and making them happy, then that's that really.

It's almost as if parents want to brush disability under the carpet and not expose their children to it. Why? Surely actually treating that person as just another person and allowing them to let their natural talent shine should be the way forward? If the child asks questions, then answer them honestly and truthfully and explain what happened, and say "but that hasn't stopped her from getting where she is today, and nor should it stop anyone" and be proud that Cerrie's not only overcome prejudice over the years, but been honest and open about herself and not hid herself from the cameras or the children.

I completely agree with an article written in the Guardian a few days ago, and I can add to that. What about the disabled children out there watching CBeebies? If they see someone make it into the world of television, that can only serve as an inspiration even more so, and that if the child then says "I want to be on telly like Cerrie!" then that might help break down more barriers. One of the recent campaigns about disability was to see the person, not their disability, and I couldn't agree more with that sentiment. I see Cerrie as she is, a bright, bubbly presnter with a big smile and a big heart, and who with Alex is going to be a great team for the little children out there. The more parents who come out and speak in support of Cerrie give me hope that we have moved on from the Dark Ages of how we treat disability.

Thought 4.32: 26 August 2008: One Hundred Years' Best Of Performance

I can't help but feel mighty proud to be British today. I've been looking back at the last two weeks of competition in the Olympic Games, and to say that any goals were surpassed was a bit of an understatement. No one expected the British to do so well, as the often misused phrase of "Team GB" was overdone by the BBC presenters, but it was almost as if every day brought about news of another medal and indeed another performance worthy of note. In an era when often some sports are all about money rather than actual glory, I don't know about anyone else but for me to see sportsmen and women compete and actually want to win for the pride of their country above all else was such a refreshing change to see.

Take, for example, the cycling team. They've set the standards for other British sports to follow now, surely? By basing all the cyclists at the world class facility that is the Velodrome in Manchester, it means that they all train and work together as a team and push each other on to new goals and even better performances and times, and that spirit and cameraderie between the team was plain to see. And did it pay dividends? Oh yes, on the track the cyclists were immense, easily winning the most gold medals of any nations and Chris Hoy landing three to boot, with heroic performances wherever you went. Indeed seeing two Brits against each other in the sprint finals was just poetry and showed just what can be achieved. If Chris doesn't get BBC Sports Personality of the Year, I'd like an inquest why.

Mind you, he'll have stiff competition. Rebecca Adlington's two golds in the pool were wonderful, she was expected to do well in the 800 metre freestyle, but no one expected her late surge in the 400 metres to snatch gold virtually in the last metre and with her team mate Jo Jackson in Bronze, that was a good start. And then she didn't just win the 800. Oh no. She only went and smashed the oldest swimming world record in the book and indeed one set when she was born, if that gives you any idea of the level of achievement. Her cheery personality with proper local accent (she's from Mansfield by the way) made for such enjoyable viewing, and her and Jo hugging BBC's Suzanne Dando is one of those moments to remember.

And staying with water, what of Ben Ainslie? Three golds in the last three games is a level of consistency only matched by Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent really. Sailing might not be a majority sport, but the level of dedication with most of their team based close by to each other also paid dividends, and I'm sure that they'll all be training at Portland in Dorset between now and 2012 to make sure that they are ready for all conditions that will be thrown at them there. Not just Ben though: the three Yngling girls (Sarah Ayton, Pippa Wilson and Sarah Webb) did the business, as did Paul Goodison in the Laser and Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson in the Star. The togetherness there showed in their end of event party, a real sense of family.

And maybe that's what track and field athletics needs to take from the sailing and cycling - the will to be as a team and indeed perform that way. Would have certainly stopped the baton dropping antics and indeed underperformance from several athletes tipped for medals. Christine Ohorougu aside, who did superbly, as did Germaine Mason in the high jump, what else did we really have to cheer about in the track and field? We despartately need performances here - it's the most high profile of all the Olympic sports on offer and one we need to really push on in.

But let's not dwell on that too much - that's for the future. What was great to see was lots of young talent giving their all and being rewarded, Louis Smith's bronze in the pommel horse being a case in point. If we can keep these sort of talents nurtured and fit for 2012, then we will have a chance of doing just as well at home. And if performing in front of a home crowd to your best isn't enough incentive, I don't know what is. It's good to see that the British idea of concentrating on sports that we're good at and targeting medals there I'm sure is part one of making sure we do well in four years' time. The second part is now to push on and make sure of more glory.

To put things into perspective, the performance at the Olympics was the best Britain have done for one hundred years, and back in 1908, the nation won medals by default in some sports because it was the only nation competing. In terms of numbers of competitors and competiton out there, this is by far the best we've done as a nation. The dedication, devotion and determination of those who've achieved should be an inspiration to those who want to take up sport and indeed be as revered as the heroes and heroines are now after their arrival home. It feels like something special did happen out there and I am sure that Nicole Cooke's early gold in the road cycling would have served as perfect fodder for inspiration and got everyone feeling that spirit together.

Suffice to say that it's not often you can say that Britain has done so well, but it's something to be proud of. And if those who've performed can do so again, then there's a chance that the nation might have something to celebrate come 2012. Just ask the English athletes in Manchester what it meant at the Commonwealth Games to be in front of the home crowd, and they'll tell you exactly how it felt, and having that sort of buzz is just what we need. Bring it on, and let's bring home the medals!

Thought 4.31: 01 July 2008: The CD Single Is Dead, Long Live Seven Inches

Just a musing really but I couldn't help but notice that even some of the diehard record shops in the centre of Manchester are deeming it more and more fit to declare the single officially dead. Well, okay, not quite so true in terms of the seven inches of vinyl, as you can still pretty much get those and if anything, the stock of the ubiquitous vinyl has increased in stock locally over the last year or two. However, it seems to me that the CD single seems to be getting more and more difficult to find, get hold of and purchase, and indeed play.

Inevitably downloads have played their part, and the one silver lining is that there are at least enough people out there paying for single downloads now to at least give the record industry some much needed impetus and the major players far too much cash. When you consider that the overheads for a download single are inevitably much lower than the CD single (no shipping or packaging for one thing) you'd think that the consumer would pay less, and indeed be able in some cases to get some of the B-sides as well, except you can't. Which then means that the real diehard fans lose out anyway as they'll inevitably buy the single for those B-sides.

It's surprisingly the CD single that's taken the most knocks though. Lots of bands and artists along with their record companies seem more content to use the maximum three formats for a single to make it up with two seven inch singles and a mere one CD, rather than the opposite trend many years ago. And indeed most CD singles are just two track affairs now than three or four tracks as they used to be - meaning value for money also inevitably drops somewhat. But it also makes you somewhat wonder that the vinyl singles are being bought mainly by indie kid diehards who are keeping the format much more alive - and with some aplomb.

In this crazy world we live in, the consumer is really not impressed with the CD single as a format anymore because it doesn't give as much value as it used to (dance singles had 4 or 5 mixes on the same CD, and many of my favourite artists would make the CD single a 4 track affair) and for the price of the difference between the single and B-side, it's much more convenient for them to just download the track that they actually do want. But I can't help feeling that some record stores have accelerated this death because the profit margin on that is much lower than a CD album - which is where the real money seems to be these days.

So, the CD single seems dead, but the seven inch single seems to be staying alive rather nicely. As someone who still adores the latter format just as much, it's good to see that some music traditions are at least alive and not all the world is going completely digital obsessed, it's rather reassuring in an analogue kind of way.