013 Cowell Factor

This week - I take a look at the whole business of pop comebacks - are they good for the music industry! And….are the rumours about Simon quitting the X Factor really true? I find out - from the man himself.

I’ve just kicked the lid off the Fame Games - Talent Bank - and guess who I found lurking inside --- All Day Sucker. I found a song called Santa Ana - which I love because you’re sounding a little bit Steely Dan!

And now a quick shout out to Brit band…Sunbox…who this week sent me a great pic of themselves dressed as The Cure - god know why. But thanks guys - you look as good as you sound.

So check it out - check it out - American Idol really hit its stride this week with Motown as its theme. As the singing oil rigger finally got voted off we got to see Stevie Wonder and Joss Stone perform. But I was kinda happy to welcome back season two winner Ruben studdard - wearing what looked like pyjamas.

And my Idol scoop? Next week …the contestants will sing songs from the I Tunes Top 100 - so… expect lots of Lady Gaga and Britney Spears...Oh lordy…

So lets check in on Simon’s world because the rumors have been flying this week over whether this year's X Factor will be his last.

No way….

But who on earth would replace him on the judging panel? Well… he told me that if he did leave - and he is yet to sign a new contract - the judging panel would be left in the manicured hands of Cheryl Cole. Mmmm - good job Cheryl.

So here's the thing….
Old popstars never die they just make comebacks. The scary news this week is that 80’s New Romantics Spandau Ballet are to reform - but Spandau join a long list of proposed comebacks including Simon and Garfunkel and Brit band Blur who are also to reform this summer and jump a board the lucrative tour bus - or is it bandwagon.

So I couldn’t help but wonder….are all these comebacks good for the music biz or is just easy money for the record labels?

But doesn’t the fact that with all these comebacks and old 60’s stars still touring say something about the strength of their back catalogue of songs? Of course it does.

The fact is if you want to get signed to a major label you’re gonna need a whole lot of hit songs in your back pocket. It’s a bit like the publishing business when authors submit their first novel to a publisher - and they go WOW that’s brilliant - but before they agree to publish your book and hand over a wad of cash in the hope that you become the next JK Rowling - the next thing they want to know is…can you write another. And It’s now the same for music - imagine the Beatles only coming up with one album’s worth of songs?

Look…The fans of all these comeback kids… just want to hear all those great songs again - so it’s a win win situation.

I guess my message here is - the importance of building up your own portfolio of songs. Otherwise you know what happens if a label signs you on the back of only one good song? Yea, they’ll make you record a album of covers. We want new artists and new songs …that’s why Fame Games was born.

So lets make it work and get Indy music to take over the world. To hear this week's full Cowell Factor, listen to this podcast!

Email me a tony@famesgamesradio.com

The Cowell Factor

If you've only got ONE shot at FAME you might as well get it right!!