Genuine Authenticity

One thing we're good at as a nation is cynicism. Politicians don't get respect, bands are labelled "manufactured" and even authors are regarded with suspicion with their "true life catalogue of childhood abuse" books. Everything is about an angle, the edge, something different that will grab the nation. Like soduku. But the public don't want to feel manipulated because of course for "an edge", there's a high reward. Find the edge and you'll get loads of money. So instead of an edge just happening and everyone feels good at this new angle (but bored with it after a few months and it isn't new any more), people search for the edge, that extra something that will sweep the nation and reap huge financial rewards. This means that maybe my husband is right about the Arctic Monkeys- we went to see them at the Waterfront just before "Bet that you look good on the dancefloor" broke- a small but growing band in a small venue. The place was packed and there seemed to be a large number of nutty fans who sang loudly, pogo'd and went completely nuts. I just thought they'd built up a dedicated fan base who follow them around the country but admittedly, there was something strange about that kind of reaction to a band that were relatively new. Joolian still believes that it was a rent-a-mob, paid by the record company to whip up not only a positive vibe but a fervour surrounding the group. I enjoyed the gig but thinking about it the nutty crowd did add considerable atmosphere and "wow" factor. Were they genuine fans or a marketing ploy?
Blogs are another arena where "ordinary folk" can be discovered: one was a prostitutes blog who firstly got a column in a broadsheet, swiftly followed by a book deal. A more recent one is Wanderingscribe who apparantly was homeless and lived in a car. She made no bones from the outset that her intention was to secure a book deal. And by jingo, she has. However there is a backlash against Wanderingscribe with its own backlash blog. If you wanted to be really cynical, who's to say that that isn't just adding to the hype?
And we have Sandi Thom, just a struggling artist try to break through. Or is she? Was she signed to a record label before her home gig broadcast on the web?

I don't really know and I'm not sure I care. From the point of view that all the machine is interested in is making money, I do care that integrity is lost and we the gullible public are ripped off for every penny they can get. But from the point of view that talent can be discovered in a multitude of ways and the methodology isn't important remains. Let's face it: Pop Idol brought to us Will Young, Big Brother has brought us... nothing and probably never will. Long live Genuine Authenticity.