Abuse angers Brazier

Kiwi rock icon Graham Brazier has turned down the chance to appear on NZ Idol, saying he couldn't be in the same room as judge Iain Stables.

The former Hello Sailor frontman is fuming at being labelled by Stables as a "rock snob and has-been", "hung up on bullshit ideas of musical authenticity".

Stables and fellow Idol judges Frankie Stevens and Megan Alatini lashed out last week at the likes of Neil Finn, Dave Dobbyn, Boh Runga and Brazier for bagging Idol, inviting them to appear on the show to prove they weren't "musical snobs".

However, Brazier told the Herald on Sunday that while he had considered the idea, there was no way he could be anywhere near Stables after his remarks last week.

"If I had been asked in a courteous way, I probably would have gone on the show, but after that savage personal diatribe of abuse from Stables, I couldn't be in the same room as him," Brazier said. "I couldn't be responsible for my actions."

The rebel rocker said Stables' claims he had "sat around in Raglan for the past 12 years and done bugger-all" were absolute nonsense.

"I might be a boring idiot, but I've hardly sat around in Raglan for the past 12 years doing nothing."

In the past 10 years he had released three Hello Sailor albums along with two solo projects, including the 2004 album East Of Eden, a collection of 14 new songs. He had also performed numerous solo gigs and accompanied other artists like former Exponents frontman Jordan Luck.

Brazier first came to prominence in the pioneering pub rock band Hello Sailor in 1975, but perhaps his finest musical triumph was the hit song Blue Lady, which he penned in 1977.

Brazier did not believe Idol was the true path to musical success. While he did not dislike the show, generally talent quests did not lead to any sort of lasting career.

"That's just not the way things work in New Zealand."

Meanwhile, ratings for the show are steady. Last Sunday night's "rock special" pulled in 530,550 people in the 5-plus age-group, making it the highest rating TV programme at that time. It was a similar story for the elimination show on Monday night, when nearly 500,000 viewers over the age of 5 tuned in. The figures are nearly 100,000 down on the first season.

Latest Centrebet odds have Rebecca Wright at $2.60 to take the title ahead of Indira Moala at $3.75. Matt Saunoa is third favourite at $4.50, followed by Ben Hazelwood at $8.