Wanted : Singer, Good At Hanging Around



This is so much more complicated than putting an ad in the Village Voice : "VETERAN AUSSIE ROCK/POP ACT SEEKS STUDLY SINGER. MUST HAVE OWN BELT"

thanks to Tim Midgett for today's tip at CNN :

Australian rock band INXS, which lost its singer, Michael Hutchence, to suicide in 1997, will be at the center of a new reality show called "Rock Star."

The latest show from Mark Burnett, the creator of such reality hits as "Survivor" and "The Apprentice," will see a new lead singer chosen for the veteran combo.

"I am a long-time fan of INXS and feel very fortunate that INXS approached us with this idea and have entrusted us with their future," Burnett said in a statement posted Monday on the band's official Web site (http://inxs.com/). "I feel there's room on TV for more than one great music-based show, and I feel that rock music has been totally left out of that mix."




(y'know, Ian Curtis went out the exact same way and you don't see people making nasty jokes)

I'd have much preferred a reality show based on young hopefuls taking over Terrence Trent D'arby's career (if not his physical being). But Burnett's latest project, distasteful though it maybe, should be more watchable than M2 UK's torturous "Breaking Point", in which 9 generic bands --- all signed to Island Records --- battle it out for the dubious honor of not being dropped after one single. It's cliches on parade in every episode, as moronic musicians argue with smug, self-styled A&R clowns over singles choices, "creative direction", etc. Far more depressing than "Pop Idol" or its ilk, "Breaking Point" --- assuming more than 10 people watch it --- is capable of destroying whatever little mystique remains in what we'll charitably call "the artistic process". M2 and Island Records have managed to make starting a rock'n'roll band look like the most uncool pursuit on the planet.

CSTB's tips for the top ; the so-bad-I-thought-they-were-the-Datsuns-when-I-heard-them-on-the-radio Tokyo Dragons. Closely followed by the heavily styled Portabella, whose "Covered In Punk" (oh the levels of cynicism that went into that catchy title) hits levels of vapidity not heard since's Republica's "Ready To Go". Though it could be the same song.

Posted: Tue - June 15, 2004 at 09:55 AM      

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