Posted by Steven Wood
on 4/6/2008, 12:21 pm, in reply to "British fans: Stand by to be confused...."
220.239.196.X
Steven Wood says
Hi-5 are the first Australian pre-school TV show casualty and their split is the latest sign the manufactured pop bubble is bursting.
We have grown sick of faceless, processed muzak and real music is having a revival here in Australia - look at the success of Powderfinger, Silverchair, Savage Garden, Batchelor Girl, Kylie Minogue, Christine Anu, Delta Goodrem, Jade McCrae, The Wiggles, The Veronicas and The John Butler Trio.
Record labels and TV companies need to learn some lessons. Hi-5 were guinea pigs for a crèche-pop experiment which has blown up in their faces with Turner Broadcasting now wanting to introduce a new British cast.
As more shows like Hi-5 and the umpteen Popstars and Idol variants all around the world spring up, I predict the artists spawned will be less and less successful.
Record and TV industry gatekeepers will have to rethink their policies and, being unable to rely on acts produced by and for TV (least of all for children's TV), go out and scout for real talent.
That can only be good for homegrown music - it could become one of our greatest exports once again.
What next?
WHERE will the current Australian members of H-5 be in another five, let alone ten years? Here we look at prospects for the fallen(?) five.
SUN: The most likely to get an official major solo record deal.
Sun has enough front to go it alone - and it would be a tragedy to say goodbye to her very exotic and bubbly "Nightclub Karaoke Queen" image.
NATHAN: The former Romper Room child-guest could end up pupeteering Mr. Do-Bee for children's parties if he is unlucky. If he is lucky he could use his Schools Spectacular experience credentials to have a real stage-show future even in West End musicals.
KELLIE: Bubbly Kellie jumped into Hi-5 straight from an adult nightclub-based disco tribute band, having already tasted pop-TV fame years before that with the Teen Queens and E Street. Maybe she could now use her drumming skills to start an ALL-GIRL Hi-5 tribute rock group for the youth market! Acting in sitcoms may beckon - if not, she'd make a great guest-vocalist for an upcoming Ministry of Sound CD project.
STEVIE: Being a real Melbourne-bred die-hard Aussie Rules fan, he could be an excellent stand-in for the now ex-AFL Footy Show co-host Sam Newman or turn up in Neighbours.
CASEY: Having been in two failed/failing (you decide) kids' show host-bands, she could advise wannabes how not to follow in her [non-country musical] footsteps.
Cheers,
Steven.
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