No Rock And Roll Fun

SUPATONIC FANS - THEY HAVE CLAWS WHICH HURT: Ah, never suggest that pretty boys might be all eyes and no larynx, otherwise you'll find yourself getting attacked by their fans. And Supatonic fans are really scary when they get riled. Apparently this "biogspot" is "typical lazy journalism of the Sun genre" which gets its kicks "dishing people without proper research."

Apparently, it would have been alright to dismiss Supatonic as reality TV chancers if I knew for certain they were untalented karaoke singers, but I overlook that "amongst all the dross tryers are pros and semipros." No, not really. The thing about Popstars/Idol is, in the first series, contestants could have been forgiven - just about - for thinking they were taking part in a series designed to discover and nuture new talent. However, by the end of the first series, it was clear what the point of the show was: bunch of untalented patsies giving Cowell something to throw his pisspoor insults at, with a sideplot of the discovery of the act with the most potential to produce the least offensive, bland, mass market tracks. I'm afraid that any 'professional' who believes that their talent is best served by appearing in what a cross between a blind auction and an agricultural show beauty contest has no interest in producing any great, life-affirming music; every interest in the shallow, fleeting pleasures of being on the telly at teatime. Pop Idol isn't Opportunity Knocks; it's Hey Look, That's Me. Talented people may appear on it by mistake, but only in the same way from time to time people who were able to dress themselves sometimes turned up on Jim Davidson's Generation Game.

Yes, there are loads of incredibly talented people out there who struggle to make it. Part of the problem they have is that record labels prefer to sign any old rubbish that have a spot of 'public recognition' from the telly rather than help grow genuine talent. The few decent acts who do manage to wangle a contract find that the charts are filled with the dross created by the run-off from the Fame Academy and Cowell fields, making their struggle all the harder.

But I understand Supatonic are now 'probably the top professional duo on the North Western circuit' and doing good work for the Greek Orthodox church. Which is great for them.