Longing for the day ...

Marty Fan club

Right! I give up ...

There's no point in trying to pick this comp ... there's no justice to the public's voting patterns. I notice that this evening Marcia was very careful to put the Kybosh on any suggestion that Anthony might have the comp all sewn up. Don't want a repeat of the Ricky-Lee experience.

Few Notes:

Chanel was disppointing. Obviously out of her depth, looking ... odd ... and had that song in completely the wrong key for her voice.

Anthony was, the judges pointed out, steady without looking like he'd take a win any further ... especially if he can't some out of his shell for a photo shoot. Conservative talent-school training at its worst.

Casey sang a few notes flat, as usual, but hit the big ones hard, as usual. Boy can she work a camera! Dicko stunned me by stating that her vocal limitations were becoming quirks. I call them an inability to interpret a melody in her lower register ...

Courtney was uncharacteristically muddy - Mark was right about the falsetto being weaker than I expected. Made the band work well. Moved more freely than usual, if without pupose.

Hayley was, as Dicko said, always going to sturuggle with R&B. Her performance lacked precision and conviction - mind you, she chose a pig of a song.

It is amazing to think that this show used to run 15 minutes over time when there were 12 competitors and it's still going overtime with 5 competitors ...

No idea who'll go through or be voted out ... they're all good enough to get there now but my favourites have all been kicked out now.

Ricky-Lee fan club

NOTE: Since I posted this, I've had lots of comments that seem to indicate that people think this is Ricki-Lee's website (see below). It's not, and I don't know how to get in touch with her, either. Her website is here and I'm sure she'd love to hear from you. Not that I have a problem with you posting comments like the ones below, but I thought I'd better clear that up ...

+++++++

Well, after a week of stunned silence and disappointment at the Beatles show, I'm back with more irrelevant observations on this week's Idol. I can only assume that Ricky-Lee's supporters were complacent after that performance.

Marty: worked for me - I love that song. There's something about Mary that doesn't seem engaging. He just always seems to me to be avoiding the issue somehow ... maybe that's why he's been in the bottom three so many times.

Chanel: When I heard she was doing this song, I thought she's do it well. A bit pitchy in places, and didn't have the power of the original, though she warmed up towards the end. I wasn't turned on by the hair-over-eyes thing or the lack of movement, though obviously Mark and Dicko disagreed. Perhaps it translated better live ...

Casey: Once again demonstrated that she can't interpret the softer passages but hits the big notes hard. Had an annoying inflection on some phrases and a tendency to hold on too long to notes. Can't interpret what she hasn't experienced ... . Dicko was spot on about the vocal quality ... obviously she's better live than on TV ...

Courtney: His voice sounds surprisingly like the original! Worked the band well. Love it! Don't agree with Mark, but Dicko was right, again.

Haley: Powerful performance - but the same annoying inflection - without quite Martika's range. Didn't move much but was obviously enjoying herself. Dicko was right ... Not sure what Mark's getting at - except that perhaps he's looking for something more than a performer ...

Anthony: Don't make that song a dirge!! Plastic Anthony was back in force. Lacked any kind of edge, which the original has in spades. I have no idea what Dicko and Mark are talking about - he started too low and too muddy. Didn't move much and the gestures were cliched. Again, perhaps it's the TV vs live thing ...

General thoughts: This band rocks, but I'm not sure we're hearing the best of them ... or that the performers are, either.

So, prediction: No idea. Especially after last week. Performance is no indicator of viewer preference, obviously ...

Three more years of ...

OK, I'm officially pissed off. I made no secret of my desire for an end to John Howard's tyranny of the pathetic, and now I just hope I'm wrong.

It's odd, because I, personally, might be better off with JH in charge, but I still wanted him gone. Obviously the rest of Australia disagreed.

I hope this day does not go down as the day Australia failed to remove its worst government in history before it became too late ...

And I go on record as saying the this is: for all of our futures, the worst government in Australia's history! Only time will prove me right ...

Springsteen voting for change

Just read about the long-awaited Vote 4 Change concerts. As a long-time Springsteen fan, I've gotta confess It's no surprise to see the man stand up against what he percieves as the destuction of the America he loves.

I'm no fan of Bush, based on his foreign policy, but it's up to the Yanks who they choose to be their President. I'm just delighted to see some activism return to a "mainstream" music scene that has been strikingly devoid of substance for far too long. There's too much inconsequential dross released for supposed "risk aversion" reasons, and yet the "industry" is indecline anyway.

I'm writing this as I listen to an ABBA double-greatest hits set. It's amazing the way their songs (even the hits) became more intersting and complex as time went on. That's the benefit of encouraging artists to grow and develop over time, rather than manufacturing a "known quantity" for a short-term gain.

Anyway, bring on the turmoil - it always produces the most interesting cultural atrefacts!

What are the Idols thinking???

Caught the song selections for Sunday's "own choice" show - these people are not listening to the judges' comments!

An Italian hymn? George? They may be the best band in the land (I don't agree, with that, BTW) but they're not "raise the roof" pop material. Why would Ricky-Lee choose to show her "serious side" at this stage of a pop competition?

For heaven's sake, guys ... get with the program! Wise up! Rock the joint! Raise the roof!!

I fear for our entertainment tonight - but I'll be watching the NRL final, anyway ....