2003-08-15 - 10:15 a.m.

Not that I am watching it as per habit or anything... but I noticed on Australian Idol the other week that one of the 40 finalists is a guy I used to occasionally go to see sing jazz at Dizzy's [coolest jazz bar in Melbourne].

His name is Axel Whitehead and my friend and I saw him sing about two years ago now. I think he was only 19 and he had the most amazing jazz voice, he looked awfully cool [with scruffy hair and in a ratty turtleneck top], and he was very fresh and undiscovered. All in all, a very appealing combination when scatting on a tiny stage in an old post office.

But on the small screen in my loungeroom, on a big stage with bright lights and glitzy backdrops, he suddenly seemed very small and very ... ordinary.

There's something desperately UN cool about appearing on a television competition to win a recording contract [read: win large dept to recording company and give up any personal artistic control for next 10 years].

But good luck to him, I will be watching this Sunday to see if he gets anywhere. It's just sad that there is so little money in music for talented individuals unless they're packaged up and have their talent surgically removed.

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