Ananova:

Morrissey has launched an attack on Pop Idol and the culture of pop celebrity.

During his first interview on Los Angeles radio station KROQ, in over a decade, he told the Kevin and Bean Morning Show he thought the series was "shocking".

"I think all the contestants should be put in a cage and sent to Thailand," he said.

"I think it's awful. It's the worst aspects of the music industry and just dreadful."

He criticised what he believed was the show's lack of artistic merit, reports the NME.

He said: "They think all they have to do in order to be an idol is stand up there and sing an old Diana Ross song and suddenly they are a pop idol. I think there's a bit more to it then that, really.

"I think they're very sad and I feel sorry, genuinely sorry for them. I think they look a bit sad and they sound sad and they're treated in a sad way. The panels are awful. And I think it's very unfortunate."

He added: "Anything that would suggest creativity would be good but there isn't any suggestion of [it], but they're all just simple folks to me. Sorry."

The former Smiths leader also took aim at The Darkness.

"I've never been interested in heavy or soft metal or medium metal. It doesn't offend me. I don't know what it is, but it's just not my bag."

But he praised the current crop of UK bands saying: "I think the atmosphere in England has changed now, the music scene has changed. It's a lot better. There's a lot more exuberance in British music now."

Morrissey releases his new album You Are the Quarry on May 17.