Jarvis Cocker criticises TV talent shows

[Pip Madeley]

Jarvis criticises TV talent shows

Jarvis criticises TV talent shows

Former Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker has criticised TV talent shows such as Pop Idol and the X Factor, saying the winners never have "good voices". Speaking to the Radio Times, the 43-year-old said he thinks contestants only get through if their voices betrayed "zero personality".

"It saddens me because I love pop music and these shows prove that it's become an industrialised process," he said.

The star, who led one of the biggest bands of the Britpop era, said: "They never pick people with great voices. They pick people who show off how many notes they can fit into a 10-second period. The kind of pop I was brought up on is over. A great voice expresses something and gives you some idea of the personality behind the voice. There's zero personality in the voices of any of the people who sing on these shows."

The Sheffield-born singer admitted he would "be straight out" if he appeared on a TV talent show. "The kind of pop I was brought up on is over," he said. "The pop charts used to be where everything happened. Now the most interesting stuff is happening outside in the independent music sector."

Jarv speaks the truth.

[Ralph]

I hate tv talent shows full stop!

There only on TV cos it's cheap

[Dino]

Yeah, but Pulp weren't as great as people thought!
(And yes, being 6ft 6 and skinny I am bitter about people shouting "Jarvis! You W%*er!" at me, back in the day.)

[Pip Madeley]

Pulp were FANTASTIC. So meh.

[Wayne]

Jarv speaks the truth.

He does indeed.

[Jonno]

I trust you've bought today's RT where this originated from, Pip? Complete with Jarvis front cover.

[Pip Madeley]

Someone scanned it on a Pulp forum so I've no need to - the man didn't bother to wash his hair for the photoshoot...

... that's our Jarv.

[Darren]

For fans of Jarvis, he will be "Running the world" on The South Bank Show, Sunday night @ 10.45 itv1.

[Pip Madeley]

And he's on The Culture Show this evening too. Sadly, it clashes with Doctor Who, so I'll have to tape the repeat, in the early hours of Monday morning, at 1.50am on BBC2.

[WhiteCrow]

What Jarvis has failed to grasp is that TV talent shows are all about singing along with the common people, like you ...

[Carol Baynes]

What Jarvis has failed to grasp is that TV talent shows are all about singing along with the common people, like you ...

Er...no! ...and NO again!