Pop music is wasted on the young
Tim Lovejoy has an interesting theory about TV production nowadays - basically all the people who were breaking ground with things like The Word and The Tube are the people making TV programmes today. Hence the reason we've gone through decade of programmes about doing houses up, then having children, coping with toddlers, buying second properties, then coming to terms with expanding waistlines and waning sex lives - basically as these producers grow up, they make programmes that suit them and their situation in life.
The Brits felt a bit like that; it wasn't the worst winners' roster ever; at least Annie Lennox's grip on best female solo artist is apparently loosened forever. But it was all very cosy and comfortable.
The production had very 30-something edginess - live (ooh what might happen), Russell Brand (ooh former drug addict, bit weird), and with swear words (bleeped out - you never know if children are watching). A lot was made of the fact it was live for the first time since the Mick Fleetwood and Sam Fox debacle, but that was 18 years ago, which probably says a lot about the target audience.
The performances were all very slick but uninspiring, which is something we've learnt from the Americans - put on a shitload of lights and video screens, then nobody will notice that the songs are a bit lame. Oasis were the exception, they were neither slick nor inspiring - it's a fine line with Liam, but he never used to shout like that, I'm sure.
And, isn't it terrifying what America has done to Joss Stone? Gone is the kooky Devonian with a voice like Aretha Franklin. She now seems to speak like she's reading from an auto cue, does that annoying 'born to sing' thing where she breaks out in song in the middle of sentences and puts a 'd' on the end of alright. It makes you shudder.
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