Simon Cowell

From LoveToKnow Music

The king of the smart mouths, Simon Cowell, is best known for his Pop Idol/American Idol empire (and of course, for wearing his trousers a tad bit high-waisted), but his career in music began long before his television debut. Love him or hate him, Cowell’s story is an example of someone who has made their mark on the music industry by paying their dues every step of the way.

The Early Years

Simon Cowell, born October 7, 1959, in London, began his career in the mailroom of EMI music publishing. His father was an EMI executive, and Simon eventually rose through the ranks to become a music producer.

In the early 1980s, Cowell struck out on his own to start Fanfare Records. The label received a lukewarm reception, save for one success with a record by his then girlfriend Sinitta Malone. That record was not enough to keep the label afloat, however, and soon Cowell found himself $1 million in debt and forced to move back in with his parents.

Through his work at Fanfare, Cowell met Pete Waterman, of the 1980s hit factory Stock, Aitken, and Waterman, who helped him get back on track. In 1989, Cowell assumed the position of A&R rep for BMG Records.

BMG

Cowell’s ear for chart-topping pop music brought him many successes throughout the 1990s, mostly on the British charts. He scored big with 5ive, Sonia, and most notably, Irish boy band Westlife. Cowell’s BMG success led him to take another stab at his own label, called S Records. BMG subsequently bought S Records for a reported $42 million.

Television Success

Cowell and former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller created the show Pop Idol for UK television in 2001. The show was an instant hit and the top two contestants, Will Young and Gareth Gates, each reached number 1 on the UK charts while signed to Cowell’s S Records. Cowell acted as one of the show’s judges and quickly became the man everyone loved to hate.

Pop Idol became American Idol for US audiences for its 2002 debut. Again, Cowell acted as one of the judges, and again the show became a runaway success.

In 2004 in the UK, Cowell created the show The X Factor. The X Factor was similar to the Idol format, in that pop music hopefuls vied for a chance at a music career, and performed weekly for a public vote. The difference was that Cowell and his two co-judges, producer Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne, each took a group of the artists under their belt. The judges picked the songs, styled their acts and promoted their acts. Though The X Factor was really a contest between the judges, its similarity to the Idol format lead to Cowell being sued by Simon Fuller. The case was settled out of court.

Pop Idol has become a worldwide franchise. Cowell appeared as a judge in the 2003 World Idol special edition. Many countries across the world continue to have their own Pop Idol competitions.

Other Cowell Projects

In 2003, Cowell devised the dating show Cupid for American television, but it was a ratings flop.

Cowell created opera pop group Il Divo in 2004 which went on to worldwide success.

2006 saw Cowell’s American Inventor debut. The show follows Idol’s recipe, with inventor hopefuls pitching to a panel of judges. American Inventor is similar to the UK program Dragon’s Den. Summer 2006 will be the premier of Cowell’s next project, America’s Got Talent, an anything goes talent quest.

Personal Life

Cowell is in a relationship with Extra reporter Terri Seymour. He maintains home in the US and the UK and has a well known love affair with cars, especially his Ferrari.