interview with z on 13th may 2003

A.M.P (Against Manufactured Pop) actively campaigns against the spread of Manufactured Pop within the music industry and have even started a web based petition, encouraging people to join their movement to oppose the corporates that they feel are stifling true musical creativity. 

Here are their responses to my questions:


Q: Why do you think 'Manufactured Pop' is killing the music industry?

All industries have to look towards the future to expand and survive. 99% of manufactured bands have very short-term careers and no longevity - their catalogue won't sell once their shelf life is up. Record companies are currently relying on their back catalogues for the bulk of their income. These back catalogues will be non-existent in 10 years' time. They're not investing in their own future.

Q: Hasn't it always been the same, just a few more than usual.

Obviously, there is nothing new about a manager or label getting a bunch of cute kids together and churning out hits. But, in the past (The Monkees through to Take That), there were still writers in the bands. These days no-one writes. It's a very contrived machine and formulaic.

Q: Isn't it all about the image teen-idol thing and not judging the music, its more about competing with each other for popularity rather than a judgement on musical genres.
So true music as an art isnt really affected. 

Art cannot be defined. There are no true rights or wrongs in art so there is no such thing as "true" music. I was affected greatly by the bands I grew up on, tomorrow's adults will be the same. If they all grow up thinking all they need is a couple of vocal lessons and some grooming to make it big, there'll be no-one left to do the real work! Leave the entertaining to the entertainers - I'm fed up with seeing shop assistants that got lucky.

Q: What about artists like Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Nu-Metal they found a way through corporate control despite huge disadvantages.(being poor,black,little support)
What about Eminem - he spat in the face of the MI and is the biggest act on the planet at the moment.

Well, that's the whole point. Nu-Metal IS manufactured. Eminem IS manufactured. Fred Durst was a wannabe Vanilla Ice 10 years ago but he manufactured himself into what you see today. And once one of those bands hit big, a thousand more are put together by the labels. The Jimi Hendrix's of tomorrow do exist, it's just that we'll never get to hear about them. And as for Eminem spitting in the face of the Music Industry - wouldn't you if it would sell a few million more albums??

Q: If the music is good enough or original enough don't you think it will be heard.

Possibly. Alas, most breakthrough acts have a great marketing strategy rather than great songs. There are a few that do break through though. Fortunately, we have independent labels that do the work for the majors. They sign great bands, allow them to grow and expand then the majors come along and sign them. You want to know the policy in most majors A&R department?? I have this from the head of A&R at a MAJOR label - they WILL NOT sign anything until someone else has proven it works (ie indie's). That is absolutely abhorrent. It is an appalling artistic decision and an appalling business decision.


Q: Isn't Manufactured Pop really targeting young girls and teenies and therefore .doesn't really affect serious music buying public.

I think you underestimate the serious music buying public! Those young girls and teenies spend millions and millions of pounds each year on buying singles and cd's. The generation aged 14-25 do an awful lot of downloading and much less spending. Soon, no "serious" bands will be able to afford to record anything and labels will only invest in pop acts that they can actually sell.

Q: Isn't this just another lull in the cycle waiting for the next big thing to happen. 

Already I can smell the revolution in the air. I have it on good authority from an insider in Universal that the latest version of Fame Academy will be much less pop orientated. Manufactured Pop will never die though, there's too much money to be made and too many hungry greedy a&r people. I'm not after the annihilation of manufactured music, I just want to see more balance.


Q: Are you just opposed to the making money out of music , the commercial side to the industry.

Absolutely not! I am in a band myself (who's just been offered a 5 album deal from a label with NO pop acts on!) and I hope to earn vast sums of money from it. I'm not some hippy reactionary who's kicking up a stink for no reason. I have genuine concerns for the industry I am in and wish to make my living from.


Q: Do you agree that the cycle seems to be , new exciting genre of music emerges from the youth culture and then everyone follows. Eventually they manufacture some acts to exploit the market and wait for the next thing. So really music evolution is driving the changes.

When I was a kid, exciting bands happened. Adam Ant, Duran Duran, Frankie Goes To Hollywood. This was the mainstream pop. Three completely different original acts. All manufactured to an extent but all had something that has stood the test of time. There is NOTHING around like that any more. The mainstream now is lifeless, soulless and purile.

Q: Are you just opposed to the contrived representation of a music as an artform

I am against anything that is contrived. Music IS an artform but, like all artforms, it can be faked. That's what's happening today. Watching Top Of The Pops is like walking through the Louvre filled with fake Picassos. What's the point? Wouldn't you rather see the real thing?

Q: Isnt there a place for happy horseshit on the Radio , throw away tunes to entertain us on our way to work.

Music is about escapism so, yes, absolutely. Everything has it's place in this world. Manufactured Pop though is, at the moment, Musical Naziism.

Q: The ratings for for Reality talent shows have been record breaking …. Isn't this what the people want. Why do you think you know better.

The music industry is a fascinating industry and one that, until recently, had been kept under wraps. The novelty will wear off. Unfortunately, it gives people a very false impression of the industry and bares little resemblance to the experience of 99% of recording artists, successful or otherwise.


Q: Can you give an example of an artist or great talent that didn't make because of Manufactured Pop.

No, because we will never know what talent has been lost. You don't know what's available to you until you switch the light on. Without the support of a record deal though, most people are left in the dark.

Q: Would it help if there were different charts so people could see who was Manufactured.

That might help to a degree. There are already many different charts though. The singles charts these days are a joke - they are a completely false reading of true popularity. I was employed by a major record label a few years back to buy a particular single from particular shops during a particular week. End of that week, an unknown band had their first top 20 hit (and, yes, you have heard of them). I can almost guarantee that every major label out there is doing this, they would never admit it though. It's another marketing ploy - money is set aside for it. In some quiet weeks, you only need to sell a few thousand singles to be top 20. The only people that have time to buy singles are kids anyway!"

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