Surprised it took so long. His career was finished when the third single flopped. In fact his career was finished the moment he won!!


uk.omg.yahoo.com/news/matt-cardle-droppe...eport-192300946.html

I'm rather sad; these Reality TV shows can throw up some good talent (The X Factor had several excellent singers apart from the Dog Act); they just need nurturing, developing, teaching, touring... everything A&R was MEANT to be.

Matt had a fine voice; given the right teaching and songs... that's where "labels" should be; acquiring these singers after they get dropped and training them.

But in this era of 15 minutes of fame... you were wrong Andy (who I knew)... it's 15 SECONDS!

But given that the people that run the labels are largely devoid of talent themselves how could they possibly guide others? Get their similarly talentless mates in to coach & advise I suppose.

JK wrote:
"... nurturing, developing, teaching, touring... everything A&R was MEANT to be."

Wasn't that the old ROCK model, with the artiste in the center?

And didn't you (and Cowell according to Bower) work according to a different model? With the song / the producer in the center? One hit wonders turned out by hit factories (Phil Spector/Motown/UK Records/Stock Aitken Waterman/ZTT) vs. artistes?

Yes DJ - there are many ways of getting hits and I never really liked artistes - neither did - does - Simon; but that doesn't mean there are no other ways of developing music too and this particular strand is sadly lacking.

Why doesn't Simon look after his X Factor winners ?

I think you meant BGT but you make some great points. Yes you are spot on about the whole concept of a&r and also the different models. There are the producercentric, writercentric and artistcentric models and all deserve merit. Ultimately it is all about the hits which are harder to come by today than ever before. Could we possibly have exhausted all hit potential? I think there is a link somewhere else about the independent labels of the 70s (I shall reply to that post shortly) and I think the answer is somewhere in that article. It is about maverick types who love music and trim the fat. Artistes today, including unsigned ones are far too childish and want everything on a plate (a by product of the excesses of the 90s) but as far as Matt is concerned he is not the right type of artist for Cowell and I think Cowell should just focus on the money shot for him (young women, boybands and the odd housewives favourites such as Boyle, & Robson and Jerome).

andrew wrote:
Why doesn't Simon look after his X Factor winners ?

They are like buses ... there'll be another one along in awhile.

He doesn't want last year' 15 minute wonder standing in the way of this year's "success".