I Can't Sing

I'd like to start this blog by making a couple of things clear.

1. I can't sing.

2. I have no musical ability, even less than my brother who could at least play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on the guitar.

3. I have no qualification to judge another's musical ability.

4. I think X-factor is abhorrent.

5. I rather enjoy an eclectic mix of music.

All that being said, I can't fail to avoid the current furore over the twins on X-factor. So much so that I have watched (and therefore listened t0 and suffered) this weeks instalments of the X Factor. Agreed, the twins don't appear to have the same level of musical talent that many big names have, think U2, Frank Sinatra, BB King etc. and we have a different league. On the flip side of the coin, there was a pre pubescent kid doing back flips to Fly Me to the Moon. You can't tell me that's right either.

Methinks that we need to lighten up a little here, whilst we can decry the hype surrounding X-Factor and the fact that the once coveted Christmas number one is now a one horse race and not a Christmas single (novelty or otherwise think Slade), lets not forget the talent shows from times past. Good things came from New Faces (Marti Caine, Showaddywaddy) and Opportunity Knocks (Lena Zavaroni, Bonnie Langford). Have I convinced you yet? Think back to X factors over the last couple of years. Apart from the die-hard fans, who could name all the winners or, more pertinently, name more than one single from the winner. Now think back to Christmas 2000 - who can tell me the Christmas number one? No cheating, no looking it up.

It was Bob the Builder. A novelty if ever one was yet a huge selling song keeping Westlife off the number one spot (hurrah) when the 24th December charts were announced. And we all remember Bob The Builder. My point being that a bit of light hearted-ness is no bad thing. I would personally rather watch the twins having a bit of a laugh and putting on a stage show than many of the karaoke singers that appear on the show. Which of course brings up a whole different issue. When I were a lad, there were bands in the charts that could even play instruments. I don't see any of the contestants with a guitar, drums or even a synthesiser on stage.

So in summary, a straight contest, Bob the Builder, Slade, Mud or Boney M vs. This year's X-Factor winner, voted for by a gaggle of pre teen girls. I know which I would prefer.