Ian Dickson The Next Great American Band Judge
Who is the Old Guy Judge on The Next Great American Band? It’s none other than Ian Dickerson. Dickerson thinks it harder for Bands these days with the overall popularity of solo artists and hope Next Great American Band can change that tune
“I think it’s much easier to market solo artists these days,” acknowledges Ian Dickson, one of “Next Great American Band” judges. “I don’t think it’s that people don’t want bands. I think it’s that the record industry has consolidated and rationalized so much that it just goes for the easy buck these days. The industry’s in such strife that the marketeers and the money men, they just head for the safe ground and solo artists are easier to plunge into the market.”
The British-born Dicko, as his friends and enemies call him, moved to Australia to work as a marketing executive for Sony BMG, but became a household name Down Under as the Simon Cowell proxy on “Australian Idol.” Dicko shies from the idea that shows like “Idol,” in all of its worldwide permutations, are directly responsible for a musical environment that’s hostile to bands as the expense of disposable pop tartlets.
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“I don’t know if they’ve caused the problem. I think ‘Idol’ is more of a result than a cause,” he explains. “I think the industry has become so tough that when somebody had the great idea of turning TV into an A&R process and creating a phenomenon that shoots an artist out into the marketplace at great velocity, in a profit-driven business, who’s not going to want to do that?”
“The Next Great American Band,” from the producers of “Idol,” will attempt to stem the tide, to use TV as A&R for bands, rather than karaoke solo singers.
“I think we’ve created a final group of bands that really reflect a wide musical heritage across America. We’ve bluegrass guys, country guys from Nashville, a brilliant rock/R&B fusion band from D.C., a great girl punk group,” Dicko says. “It’s really how they resonate with the American public on a weekly level given the banana skins we’re going to be presenting them with for theme shows.”
As with “Idol,” the “Band” contestants will have to show flexibility outside of their comfortable genres, performing weekly themes. Dicko knows, though, that whoever wins still won’t have an easy path to stardom.
“They’ll certainly get the profile, but let’s not hide from this, most contestants on talent shows get teased in the playground,” he says. “They never get the dues that they deserve, because the guys who came through the tradition route are so sniffy about it. We see this on ‘Idol’ as well. We get some older contestants who’ve tried and failed in the regular industry and they turn up slightly cap-in-hand to ‘Idol’ auditions as though it’s an entertainment version of a soup kitchen and we’re having handouts. But there’s no need for that. These days, to be that sniffy, it’s kind of retrogressive really. It’s a phenomenon and we can’t turn back the clock.”
Dicko knows the role he’s played in that phenomenon, as Australia’s “Mr. Nasty,” a part he relishes.
“I realized doing ‘Australian Idol’ that I’ve been a liar all my life,” he says. “I realized the record industry is just full of liars. We lie to the artists, the managers, media, the retailers, the public and to our own staff. It’s a liars’ business, so it was quite odd to get the discipline to tell someone the truth to their face. It’s quite dehumanizing at first and then you get the first whiff of blood in your nostrils and you’re away.”
Of course, it’s almost impossible to have a televised talent show without one acerbic British judge.
“It’s easier to hate someone from overseas, isn’t it?” Dicko cracks. “I was a little bit nervous at first because with the likes of Simon and Nigel Lythgoe on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ and Piers Morgan on ‘America’s Got Talent,’ I was a bit worried that this was a role that was pre-ordained in some ways. I would like to think that I can live in the moment and be fresh.”
Being the judge FOX hopes audiences will love to hate may take a different kind of toll on Dicko. He’ll perform his “Australian Idol” duties on Sunday and Monday, do local radio on Tuesday morning, hop a plane to Los Angeles for the Friday airing of “American Band,” then fly back to Australia immediately to repeat.
“My manager, who has never been one to miss a chance to earn a dollar, has got me a job as cabin girl on both legs as well,” he deadpans. “I’ll be handing out nuts and apples at the back of the plane.”
Don’t think he isn’t excited, though, to try to make his name on this side of The Pond.
“I’ve got to admit I’m feeling a bit of a tingle. I’ve tried to be dead cool about it up to now, but the prospect of coming and appearing on a U.S. TV show’s got me tingling like a 13-year-old girl on a first date.”
“The Next Great American Band” premieres on FOX on Friday, Oct. 19, 2007.
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4 responses so far ↓
1 courtney // Oct 20, 2007 at 10:31 am
“Dicko” is well-named. While viewing the show for the first time last night, I quickly decided I wouldn’t be watching it again, after hearing Dicko’s comment to the all-girl band that played the Ramones cover. One of his first comments was, “You aren’t even the hottest girls we’ve had on this stage”, or something like that. The comment was completely irrelevant to the purpose of their audition, which was to play music, and play well. It was so blatantly sexist. Would he have mentioned the “hotness” of an all-male band? Of course not, because men are judged by assholes like Dicko, strictly according to their talents and accomplishments. However, it doesn’t matter if women are brainless, talentless and uninspired, as long as they can be dressed up like silly tarts and paraded around on a stage.
If Dicko’s comment was RACIST, rather than SEXIST, it wouldn’t have been tolerated. But society has yet to evolve to the point where sexism is as frowned upon as racism. It is still okay to call women “bitches” and “hoes”, but we have developed a new vocabulary for race, referring to “african-americans” rather than “colords”. Dicko is the kind of ignorant ape who would have been still using the term “colords” during the civil rights movement.
After hearing him spout his backward ignorance, and watching the ladies onstage squirm and look uncomfortable, I thought to myself, “Why aren’t these girls mentioning the fact that his fat, ugly ass isn’t the hottest talent show judge we’ve seen?”
I am neither a bitter, ugly spinster, nor a prude, hardened ball-busting feminist. I am a female musician who is considered attractive, and “sexy”. It just chafes my ass that sexism is so prevalent and acceptable in society, and that shows like this support it.
2 ron henderson // Oct 20, 2007 at 3:56 pm
hey yous guys, who ever gets to read this. i, or should i say we didn’t even know there was a thing like this coming up. maybe you can have another “next great american band” contest and we can take part. we hope so. we are three guys way down south, next to the mexican border. you know where they are building a fence? we call ourselves “the voices.” we are all @ fifty or so and running out of “gas” fast. i think we gave up on “stardome” a long time ago. we came to the conclusion that if we could just find a local “pub” down the street and play there, even for mere tips on the weekends, we would be happy with that. but now you are having this deal, “the contest” we would be “stoked” just to be heard by someone other than a bunch of “over the hill drunk dudes.” if possible, keep us posted. we are one city block away from mexicali, baja mexico. you tell us what you want to hear and we will do our best to dish it out to you. besides, my mom says “they really aren’t bad!”
ron henderson and frank morlet
1755 west main street
el centro, ca. 92243
(760)337 1489
3 Jason D // Oct 20, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Dijeriedoo guys a hack. While the host shold be baiting crocks with lamb chops. Terrible . American talent being influenced via $$$ of the Aussie’s Bafuba bafuba bafuba bafuba bafuba bafuba… goes the dijeridooooba
4 Debbie Shaw // Oct 21, 2007 at 11:42 am
I think the show is awesome ,it gives great talented musicians and singer song writers that have performed with signed bands and blow them away in performance ,a chance to be heard and should be signed .but caint get infront of the right people to help them. You have got to go to http://www.myspace.com/facedownal and look and listen to this lead singer and his band ’s originals .
the Cd’s will fly off the shelves if they were signed .This Derek guy the singer and his band needs to be on your next show .It would be a tragedy if you didnt listen to them .They are the next big Hit !
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