Queen guitarist Brian May has labelled the BBC talent series The Voice as ‘absolutely the dullest, dumbest, most depressing programme on TV’ in a blog on his official website.
“Every time I catch a glimpse of young singers busting their guts trying to win somebody’s attention, who is rudely sitting with their back to the singer I feel sick,” the guitarist writes. “It brings singing down to the level of a stupid obstacle course on ‘It’s A Knockout’. This is not – NOT – what music is about.”
The UK version of The Voice features four judges – the understated Jessie J, Danny O’Donoghue of soft rock grinning troupe The Script, Tom Jones and good ol’ William. Despite gradual falling viewing figures during the course of its first series, it made a thoroughly unwelcome return – apparently with some tweaks to its format – last March.
“The performance is all about EVERYTHING the performer gives in voice, in sound, in body language, in facial expression, in intimate eye contact,” May continues. “This stupid, stupid idea that someone can JUDGE a singer by turning his back on him, and missing out on proper contact, is, to me, a fatuous nonsense. And actually poisonous to the growth of young performers.”
“I hate seeing the great Tom Jones shoehorned into this scenario it seems to deprive everyone who takes part of their dignity.”
“I hope this vile programme dies a natural death very soon.”