American Idol has conquered the United States. Never in the history of television has there been such a far-reaching phenomenon, a water-cooler show that permeated all levels of society, from pre-teens to teeny-boppers to bored college students to working professionals to my own father. To Idol-haters, and there are a fair number of you, I hate to break it to you: this is true. It’s not hyperbole. There has never been another show like it. Be it I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, M*A*S*H*, or Seinfeld, no show has had as monstrous an impact as American Idol. And today, in a predictable move by FOX, it was announced that the monster is popping out a child.
The Next Great American Band will premiere on FOX this October and you can expect the hype machine to begin, well, now. The show will be executive produced by the American Idol/So You Think You Can Dance team of Simon Fuller, Nigel Lythgoe, Ken Warwick, and Cecile Frot-Coutaz. The concept is simple: American Idol for bands. The format will be exactly the same and, although no judges have been announced as of yet, we all know the general make-up of the panel: smarmy Englishman, industry insider, token lady. I’m sure that when the FOX brass was pitched the idea for the show, there wasn’t a nano-second of hesitation in giving it the green-light. Why doubt the Idol dream team? There is a problem, however, and it’s a mighty big one:
The idea is really, really stupid.
Don’t get me wrong: I like bands. I love bands. I live for music. But, there’s no way that this show will work as well as FOX is hoping. FOX encouraged bands of all genres (rock, hip/hop, country, techno, bagpipe, bell choirs, anything) to send in a VHS or DVD to show their stuff. Bands had to have at least two members, one of which played an instrument, and none of the auditioning bands could have a record contract. Fair enough. But, when the bands begin competing on The Next Great American Band, they will have to play music in a variety of different genres, like on American Idol. This does not make sense.
Who wants to see The Strokes perform hip/hop or Red Hot Chili Peppers perform country or The Shins perform heavy metal? The best bands are uniquely their own, and forcing them out of what defines their identity is no way to judge how good they are. Versatility is good, but only to a certain extent. The best bands first form their identity and then branch out once they have the freedom that comes with success. Making an up-and-coming band perform music in a genre that has no bearing on their future is a laughable notion. Maybe if they were producing America’s Next Great Cover Band, this whole thing would make sense.
I understand where FOX is coming from. They had the concept of “American Idol for bands” first, and had to find a way to fit it into a comfortable format. And, really, making the different bands perform in the same style every week is the only way to put them on an equal playing field. Unfortunately, the entire concept is flawed. Trying to compare two bands from wildly different genres is like comparing apples and rabid badgers. It’s not going to work no matter how hard you try.
-Oscar Dahl, Buddy TV
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8 responses so far ↓
1 yowsa // Aug 6, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Oscar, your wrong. They are looking for a great american band, not a good band like The Strokes, or the Chili Peppers who are only good narrowly defined.
2 Kent // Aug 7, 2007 at 3:17 pm
This is a VERY, VERY good point. But, honestly, I think we may be judging the show based on its “press release”. I do not think the producers of the show even know for sure yet what the weekly “challenges” are going to be for the bands. True, making a rock band do a cover of “In Da Club” is ridiculous. But a rock band doing a cover one night, tweaking another bands song into a their style, and then maybe the following night getting to play an original — now THAT may be interesting. I think this would be a good direction for the show.
I have been hearing a lot of pre-bashing of the show with people saying “who wants to hear a bunch of “unknown” bands play “original” songs?” I think if there is one thing most of America needs to wake up to, it is that: the bands “you know” and the songs “you know” were all once bands and songs NO ONE KNEW. They are original songs that SOMEONE said “hey, I like this song - I think other people might, too - we should sign these guys”.
At one point in time INTERPOL and THE KILLERS were just “interpol”….and “the killers” — NO ONE KNEW WHO THEY WERE.
I think it would be very cool for America to BE the “A&R guy” so to speak — America will be the one to say “hey I think they are good” - or not — that is where the voting comes in.
Either way it will be awesome exposure for any band involved - weather they “succeed” at the challenges or not.
just my 2 cents
3 Parker Metcalf // Sep 3, 2007 at 12:53 am
Believe me…The “guys” from19 Entertainment have a strong successful backround in how to make this Talent Show another phenomenon!!!..You’ll see!!
4 RONA // Oct 11, 2007 at 5:52 pm
AMERICAS NEXT GREAT BAND-ON FOX 11. THE ROCKETS, IS GOING TO BE STAYING AT THE PALAZZO AT PARK LA BREA EAST 340-348 S. HAUSER BLVD. IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. LAUREN, KRISTEN, KELLY AND LAUREN WILL BE JOINING THE NEXT GREAT AMERICAN BAND FINALIST. THEY MOVE IN MONDAY,OCTOBER 15TH, THEY MADE IT TO THE FINALS, THANKS ROXIE, “VANESSA GUZMAN” FOR THIS INFORMATION, I’M SURE YOU WILL GET MORE VOTES SINCE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE ROCKETS AHEAD OF TIME.
5 KURT // Oct 11, 2007 at 5:57 pm
AMERICAS NEXT GREAT BAND-ON FOX 11. THE ROCKETS, IS GOING TO BE STAYING AT THE PALAZZO AT PARK LA BREA EAST 340-348 S. HAUSER BLVD. IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. LAUREN, KRISTEN, KELLY AND LAUREN WILL BE JOINING THE NEXT GREAT AMERICAN BAND FINALIST. THEY MOVE IN MONDAY,OCTOBER 15TH, THEY MADE IT TO THE FINALS, THANKS ROXIE, “VANESSA GUZMAN” FOR THIS INFORMATION, I’M SURE YOU WILL GET MORE VOTES SINCE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE ROCKETS AHEAD OF TIME.
6 Kelly fan // Oct 20, 2007 at 4:31 pm
That’s awesome. Kelly is so freakin’ hot. But I have to ask you Kurt, why did you out Roxie like this? Do you have anomoscity against her? Are you a band that lost? I bet you’re one of the guys from Northmont.
7 believe // Oct 21, 2007 at 5:34 am
The Clark Brothers are the most talented people and the most marketable people on the show.
8 Debbie // Oct 21, 2007 at 12:08 pm
This type of show is needed ,different from Amerisn Idol is there are so much higher quality of fantastic singers and song writers that have been performing out there and instead of some body that’s resume has been singing in the shower can get signed on American Idol isnt fair ! This show gives bands that have been out for years and are great have finally found a way to get signed and they earned it and can out perform and sound better than signed performers ,that you wonder how they got signed in the first place. Go to myspace.com/facedownal this singer and band should be signed and now with this show they have a chance to be heard by the masses and let america jude who desreves a big break and signed . This show makes perfect sense ,you just need to get the wierdo’s that you know arent going to make it and sell thier music to the masses like I say. It just needs to give those that have earned it and that are obviously talented a big break finally!
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