Hambi & The Dance, Delta 5, The Lost Loved Ones - just three of the bands I thoroughly enjoyed - and paid to see - around 25 years ago. Even at the time I was aware they were highly unlikely to enjoy mass market success of any description. Not because they lacked distinction, ability, personality or charm, but because it was so bloody hard to arrive on the higher rungs of the music industry.
The problem in the early 21st century is easily defined: we've made the game too easy. Not only will we readily accept cookie-cutter plastic soul from the likes of Leona Lewis and Mariah Carey with hushed awe, but we apply the same over estimation to modest, bouncy indie like the Arctic Monkeys, to the point where the PM sees their name as a conduit to instant cool and cred.
This goes beyond music, of course. The quite appalling witterings of Fearne Cotton have recently earned her a daily show on Radio 1. This isn't snobbery. By any measure Cotton and her ilk have gained their lofty (and incredibly well rewarded) status with abilities which are now sufficient, but in years hence would have been deemed trite and hopeless. Perhaps this is because they can deliver demographic bums on targeted seats, rather than providing insight, humour or intelligence. But, hey, they're our bums and we're grown far too happy to park them on seats for diminished and diminishing returns.
So, average is the new genius and mediocrity the new splendour. We no longer expect too much from recording artists and that's because we don't demand that much. The recent Spandau Ballet reformation (pun intended) has been so well received because it has ignited a memory of a high watermark in the middle aged. Spandau are far from being one of the rock era's finest bands, but they certainly rose to prominence at a time when originality, a striking image and inspiration were the bare minimum required to make the big time.
It is very easy to blame the televised talent shows for these reduced standards, but up until now, the performers were at least judged by public and panel alike on their technical abilities and charisma. The dullness and unimaginative state of Hip-Hop is just as illustrative of our willingness to buy into poor quality output and praise it without applying the critical faculties which were once the norm. If you're in any doubt on this matter, try playing a Public Enemy record followed by a Kanye West record.
Which brings us to John and Edward. It is ridiculous to blame these fresh-faced Dublin brothers for their position. They're probably having the time of their lives and it's what they were asking for when they auditioned. If the status of Jedward is really a cause for concern, then we should rather blame ourselves for saying 'yes' to them. And if it's our teenage offspring who have actually said 'yes' then we should have ensured they were better informed. We should have told them they are entitled to ask, no, demand better. We should have told them the bar is way too low and they have the ability to raise it. And when the bar is set high, wonderful things happen.
Like sport, high success in the field of recorded music was never meant to be easy. Indeed, that is the whole point. When absolutely anything is accepted as brilliant nothing truly is. The harder the game, the greater the prize and the more rewarding the spectacle. But unlike sport, we get to set the standard. So let's set it as high as we possibly can.
Magnus Shaw, 2010
