My name is George Sephton. For the past thirty seven seasons I've been the match-day DJ and Stadium Announcer at Anfield. I usually play about an hour and a half of music before each home game and again at half time.
There is a direct link, believe it or not, from Simon Cowell to the England Rugby team.
The English Anthem, before the England versus France game, was sung by thirteen-year-old Faryl Smith. This in the week that her album was apparently outselling U2 at one point. Faryl appeared on Cowell’s “Britain’s Got Talent” programme last year and decided, thankfully, to decline an offer of a recording contract with his record company. She decided to take the advice of her heroine and mentor Katherine Jenkins and sign up with Universal Classics and Jazz. Personally I am CHUFFED !
Cowell seems to think that he actually OWNS music. He’s got his grubby little paws into the recording industry and reality television and turned himself into an institution on the other side of the Atlantic. His “X Factor” series is the modern equivalent of the Roman Amphitheatre or the Victorian Freak Show and Faryl, God Bless her, decided she wanted no further part of the Cowell Circus. As it happened I saw her appearance on “Britain’s Got Talent” and heard the great man declare “You may be special”Well spotted Simon.
My dog was watching and came to the same conclusion. She is REMARKABLE ! A skinny little waif of a girl who produces a stunning operatic voice. I was going to say that she’ll be a star but believe she already is ! I made my own little protest against the Cowell Empire (coming soon to a galaxy near you !) at Anfield on Boxing Day.
Last year’s “X Factor” winner (Alexandra Burke) is a supremely talented singer and deserves her place in the sun. I refused, however, to have anything to do with her Christmas single “Hallelujah” on the grounds that I REFUSE to be told by the likes of Cowell what I am going to buy and, more importantly, which song is going to go down in the history of our culture as the Christmas Number One.
Firstly I joined a Facebook group dedicated to getting enough copies of the Jeff Buckley version of “Hallelujah” to make sure that HE was number one.
Secondly I played my favorite version of the song at Half Time during the Liverpool/Bolton game on Boxing Day. The track in question is by k.d.Lang. If you haven’t heard her sing then you should if and when she comes back to the UK.
She has a voice which is one of very few I can think of who come under the heading “pure.” I’m old enough to remember Karen Carpenter although I never saw her in the flesh. I have met Hayley Westenra twice and heard her several times and have 8 of her CDs in spite of the fact that she claims to have only issued three in the UK !
K.d.Lang is someone I have seen in concert whenever she has been in this corner of the world. Her gigs are an experience. She attracts, shall we say, an unusual audience but by gum she can sing. Don’t take my word for it. Keep your eyes on the papers and hope that she tours again soon !
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