Band to take on X-Factor for Christmas no.1 (From Croydon Guardian)

Croydon singer wants to take on X-Factor for Christmas no.1

8:50am Tuesday 14th August 2012 in Local news By Nick Hitchens

A singer and her unsigned band are hoping to emulate rap-metal group Rage Against The Machine and challenge the might of Simon Cowell for Christmas No.1.

Dominique Olliver, and her band Shotgun House, has been picked as part of a campaign to break the dominance of X-Factor contestants winning the much-coveted Christmas no.1 slot.

Band Crusade invited thousands of bands from around the country to enter its competition, and has now whittled the field down to 100, but only one will be chosen to take on the X-Factor.

The 40-year-old, who previously performed in the Croydon area as part of group Scandal, believes the popular television show is a symptom of a negative change in the British music scene.

She said: "If you think back to the 60’s and 70’s Britain’s music scene was world beating – there was a message and the music had depth.

"Now we live in a celebrity culture, music has become a brand and is quick turnover. If you think of the people around now – how many will be here in ten years?"

After years performing in and around South London, Dominique, who works in telesales and marketing, had given up on making the big-time, but after linking up by her fellow band members guitarist Keith Bayley, bass player Stuart Wilkinson and drummer Miikey Dean-Smith, sees this as a final chance to break through.

In 2009 A Facebook campaign saw Rage Against The Machine's track Killing in the Name, first released in 1992, take the Christmas No. 1 slot ahead of X-Factor winner Joe McElderry.

Dominiue said: "It is the dream. Rage Against the Machine showed it can be done, and who knows where it could lead. We have to be picked first, but if we’re not I’ll be fully behind the winners in an effort to take the no.1 slot."

Shotgun House have put forward single We Are Vampire as their entry for the competition.

Voting for Band Crusade runs to November 15. The winner will record a single and music video in time for Christmas. For details visit www.bandcrusade.com