|
|
|
These days, if you want to supercharge your profile and boost your currency with the kids, all you have to do is become a judge on a reality TV show – just ask Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Howard Stern, Sharon Osbourne… and rocker-cum-crooner Rod Stewart, who is set to join the UK version of The X Factor, subbing in for judge Kelly Rowland.
According to Ultimate Classic Rock, the show is still searching for a permanent replacement for the former Destiny's Child singer, who cited the ever-popular “scheduling conflicts” as one of the reasons for her abrupt departure, but in the meantime, Stewart seems like a solid - albeit temporary - choice for the position. As the site notes, Stewart hasn't exactly been scorching the planet with his music these days… well, unless you're 65 and consider stuff from the 'American songbook' to be radical. But he was one of the greatest rock singers in his day, and he's very clever, as anyone who has ever seen him interviewed can attest. So, could be cool. The UK's Daily Mirror quotes a source apparently close to X Factor braintrust Simon Cowell as saying, “Rod is a genuine living legend and exactly what the show needs…He’s sold more than 100 million records worldwide so he knows exactly what it takes to succeed in the tough world of show business, and hopefully he’ll also be a big draw for viewers who might not have been fans of the X Factor before.”Stewart is in the midst of a two-year residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas (where he rotates with Elton John, Celine Dion, Shania Twain and others), as well as working on an album of blues standards with Jeff Beck so the X Factor thing would likely be temporary… but you never know. Stay tuned.
Wait... there's more!
John Mayer retracts ugly ex-girlfriend remarks, plugs new CD
The most powerful classic rocker according to Forbes is…
Crowded House drummer loses battle with cancer
U2’s Bono to become richer than God
Van Halen yank tour dates; ‘arguing like mad?’
Jack White slams Guinness Records Book
|
|
|
|
|
You know all of these talent reality shows are realy dumbing down the perception of what quality in music is and I'm not surprised to see Rod Stewart hop on the bandwagon. His first ten years were high quality then in the mid seventies he went disco and even worse...in the nineties he became a crooner.
Posted by: Joe | 05/22/2012 at 11:14 AM
What does Howard Stern know about talent I wonder as he does not have any himself so how could he judge other peoples talent/
Posted by: poo | 05/23/2012 at 11:44 AM
I don't watch these shows - saw the first 2 seasons of Idol - that's it. But I'm in TOTAL disagreement with Joe. He was and always will be fabulous. I was a HUGE fan when he started out, when I lived in the U.K. and he is one "old dude" who still looks yummy (imo) and decided to branch out a bit doing the crooner songbooks (which were all -time best sellers). They were done SO well, great classic songs that never go out of style - you CANNOT compare Rod Stewart with Vegas crooners. Hearing him do Maggie May not that long ago was really great - voice hasn't changed that much at all. He's been in the bus. for so long and is so good, I think it's just a great idea that's he's going to be a judge.
Posted by: Pirjo | 05/23/2012 at 11:49 AM
Several years too late on jumping on that bandwagon, granddad. The genre's completely saturated to hell anyway. Time to make peace with Ron Wood and Jeff Beck and make that Small Faces reunion happen instead.
Posted by: The Space Lord | 05/30/2012 at 04:19 AM