[Stu]

I think in regards to the industry the internet is a much bigger factor. It makes it much, much harder to make money from music and at the same time allows more people than ever to make, release and consume all manner of music. Something which often goes under appreciated.

To be honest I think it's the mind that the X Factor has helped tarnish. It's poisoned music culture far more than the business. True great music will always exist but the face of music is the X Factor, really. It's making the loudest noise and reaching the biggest audience. And, crucially, it's just monstrously boring stuff. Dull people singing dull songs about absolutely nothing. It can earn some sort of merit as being a good exercise in vocal, sure, but it aint art kids.

Public Image made art when they stayed up all night zonked on speed writing the albums that would come to typify the post punk movement. Ian Curtis made art when he poured his battered soul on to paper. This stuff to me is what music is. Little Johnny Joe from next-door-to-everybody isn't making art because he stood in a cue and belted out a tune someone handed to him because his gran fancies he has a pretty lovely voice.

I just don't know why people bother. You get people watching it as just another entertainment show and ... whatever, like ... but these people who year after year get sucked into it and become fans of the acts perplex me to no end.

You're going to die someday. Why waste precious hours on devotion to such a frivolous parade of spastics.