I wasn't going to post this because I can see people writing me off as a music snob. And if liking music from medieval church music to Mozart to Nick Cave, then I am.
I don't much like Ed Sheeran and want never to hear Galway Girl ever again, although I wish Ed good luck with his career (which will probably end quite soon and no one will remember a single one of his songs - but never mind, he'll have made a packet by then) but I like Tom Odell and Mariah Carey and I can sometimes enjoy listening to Beyonce, even if her lifestyle just makes me think she's a pain in the a*se. The old gals and guys are fine with me: not Elton or the Stones or the Beatles or Abba (meh), but Queen, Johnny Cash, Yes, Elvis, ELO, Chicago, Nick Drake, the Killers, James Taylor. Are Coldplay and Radiohead old guys? I quite like them. I'm also glad to see Oasis sort of making a comeback and I still have a soft spot for Dire Straits and Dolly Parton.
There was a preview in the National for a new series on BBC called Pitch Battle. (Just a small aside: the correct term is pitched battle). The previewer didn't like choirs and said she couldn't listen beyond a couple of minutes. But I do like choirs and I know a lot of people who are in choirs so I decided to watch.
It's grim. Fronted by either Mel or Sue (I don't know which is which but at least it's not the awful cloying Claudia or Ant and Dec, one of whom is currently in rehab, though I couldn't say which). The opening number had been choreographed by a West End somebody and involved lots of very acrobatic running about while singing. A spokesperson for an a capella group mentioned it was tough to run about and sing at the same time. O, really?
We were introduced to the judges and there - to my horror - was Gareth Malone.
Gareth has fronted quite a few series about choirs. He's in favour of singing, is Gareth. He has got all sorts of people together in workplace choirs, community choirs, gospel choirs, college choirs, refined what they do and put them in the hands of music teachers and sometimes choreographers and what they produced is the best they can possibly be. They must be proud of their performance. They're not West End ready but they are pretty nifty for amateurs. He has spent time with the choirs, got to know their talents, respected their beliefs. Gareth brings out the best in people.
Why isn't Gareth presenting Pitch Perfect? Why is he just a judge? Because this is not about singing. It's a show. It's showbiz. It's about winning back the Saturday night audience for the BBC. It's all noise, funny camera angles and odd comments by the hostess and the judges.
Frankly, it's embarrassing.
This was the BBC's opportunity to encourage community solidarity through music, educate people (it's in the BBC Charter, people) and make entertainment fun. They're never going to be able to compete with ITV and C4 'reality' programmes (not so real to anyone I know) so why does the BBC go on with awful stuff like this?
If you have an answer, don't contact me - I've long since given up trying to discuss anything with the BBC - but feel free to email the BBC. Why not? We pay for them.
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