POP'S SHIT, BOYS

You could almost poke this into our Bitter Men of Rock pigeonhole, but when Neil Tennant announces that reality TV pop groups are just so much piss in the musical well, you should listen because, as well as being the king of cone-hatted pop, he knows what he's talking about:

"We are going through a phase where the term 'pop' is used to mean rubbish. But bands like the Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, Killers, [and] Franz Ferdinand make pop music. They like to think they are rock but they are pop and all have a sense of fun about what they do and have a great look."

"It annoys me that pop gets clogged up with Pop Idol and reality TV rubbish. SHAYNE WARD has a waxwork in Madame Tussauds - can you believe it?!"

To be honest, I doubt if Ricky Wilson fools himself that he's going to get a call from Kerrang any day soon, but other than that, while Neil talks, you just have to stand there and nod without arguing much. (Come to think of it, that would make you Chris Lowe, wouldn't it?)

music neil tennant chris lowe pet shop boys shayne ward