Rock Star 2: Supernova (Tommy Lee, Jason Newsted, and Gilby Clarke)

[joeshmo]

http://entertainment.tv.yahoo.com/entnews/eo/20060317/114264978000.html

"Rock Star" Supersized

Forget about Van Halen or Alice in Chains. The latest act auditioning singers on CBS' Rock Star technically doesn't even exist yet. And that's the way producers like it.

For the talent contest's second season, the network is offering the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for wannabe J.D. Fortunes to join Supernova, a new band composed of Mòotley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted and ex-Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke.

In case you missed it, Fortune was the Canadian crooner who was tapped to be the new face of INXS on Rock Star's inaugural run last year, and has since collaborated with the Aussie rockers on their new album, Switch, fronted a sold-out tour and helped them to a career revival.

Hoping for an encore, CBS and uberproducer Mark Burnett agreed to do a second series. But producers soon found themselves in a quandary after several singer-less big-name bands, including the aforementioned Van Halen and Alice in Chains, reportedly passed. Alice in Chains drummer Sean Kinney, told MTV News recently that the group turned down the offer and will audition singers on its on.

So instead of finding a band in need of a singer, the Rock Star brain trust decided to build one from scratch. They recruited some of the best known metal mavens to form the would-be supergroup Supernova. (That's not to be confused with a mid-'90s SoCal punk-pop band of the same name that scored minor success with a tune called "Chewbacca" from Kevin Smith's Clerks.)

"I've toured with both Gilby and Jason. They're incredible musicians and I've always wanted to play with them," Lee said in a statement. "Starting a new band with old friends on worldwide television is going to be a blast, and we're going to pull out all the stops to find the most charismatic and musically talented lead singer to front Supernova. I love breaking the rules."

There will be a few minor tweaks to the format this season, including expanding the number of contestants from 15 to 16, and--as Burnett told Toronto's London Free Press Monday--inviting back some of the first season finalists to compete a second time around (word has it, Toronto native and fourth-place finisher, Suzie McNeil, has already been asked to return).

"This is a new thing. It's never been done before," said Newsted, who cut his teeth (and gave himself whiplash) with Metallica before quitting the band in 2001. "We're going to break new ground musically and on television. The anticipation is building in me every day. This is a supergroup in the truest sense."

Dave Navarro, former axeman for Jane's Addiction and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Brooke Burke will be back as cohosts. They will be joined each week by various celebrity guest musicians, or as Navarro put it, "friends of mine like Slash, Macy Gray, Moby and Rob Zombie" who will "throw in their two cents about who should stay and who should go."

Of course, the big difference between this season and last is that Supernova doesn't have any recording history, meaning the winning singer will have the chance to help launch a band.

"The winner of CBS' Rock Star will not only play in huge stadiums before sold-out crowds, they will do it alongside legendary musicians from three of America's biggest, all-time rock bands," Burnett said.

After putting out his third solo album, Tommyland and starring in his own reality series for NBC, Tommy Lee Goes to College, Lee most recently rejoined the original members of M&$242;tley Crue for a successful reunion tour.

Newsted replaced original bassist Cliff Burton in Metallica in 1986 and went on to record six albums with the legendary headbangers. He then bolted and lent his bass to the underground thrasher outfit Voivod and also formed his own band, Echobrain.

As for Clarke, the former Kills for Thrills fretman is best known for replacing original rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin during GN'R's troubled Use Your Illusion world tour in 1991. He was fired by Axl Rose in 1994 and subsequently released three solo albums and became a member of Slash's Snakepit.

The new season of Rock Star debuts this summer--CBS has announced a specific premiere date. The newly formed Supernova will record an album after the show's run followed by a world tour in early 2007.

 

[O]

Rock Star / Supernova

Someone had to start it.

Jason Newstead, what the hell are you doing?

There are some good singers so far.

 

[Russ Smith]

There were 8-10 people tonight that were better than any of the last 2 winners on American idol, maybe more. The bottom 3 at the start of the voting were my bottom 3 too, the guy who did Roxanne just butchered it, and Gilbey Clarke told him it sucked.

The last guy you know Tommy Lee has to be pulling for him, if Mick Mars were to come back as a lead singer, it'd be that dude.

Very impressed with teh talent, the woman from South Africa just nailed it.

 

[joeshmo]

I was very suprised by the talent the got together.

Some really great singers and performers this season.

I think a chick wins it this year.

 

[Russ Smith]

I was very suprised by the talent the got together.

Some really great singers and performers this season.

I think a chick wins it this year.

Agreed there were 5-6 people that could easily do that job and several of them are women. I guess it would help if Supernova actually had any songs so we knew precisely what sort of band they are. They said it's not metal but what exactly does that mean? GnR was metal, Motley was glam metal, Metallica was metal, Tommy Lee's solo band was sort of rap/metal.

Really liked a bunch of the singers though.

 

[SirStefan32]

I heard on the radio another day that they were being sued. Apparently there is a band called Supernova in SoCal if I remember correctly and they were suing these guys, saying that they have the right to the name and don't want to be associated with a bunch of washed out metal heads, or something insulting like that.

 

[Russ Smith]

Well the booted off guy wasn't actually the worst but probably the dumbest. They stress over and over song choice, and even told him the day before to play a song that rocks, so he picks .... Duran Duran.

You see the look on Newsted's face like dude, why even let you sing, just go home now you obviously are not listening to us.

The chick singing Nirvana is just awesome.

 

[NMCard]

They tell him to rock and he sings Duran Duran ???

They need to get rid of the guy who sang the doors song also.

 

[Russ Smith]

They tell him to rock and he sings Duran Duran ???

They need to get rid of the guy who sang the doors song also.

yep he was awful the first night, Roxanne never sounded so bad.

I am really blown away by the talent on the show so far although the short guy who did Billy Idol the first night sure seems to be a freakshow waiting to happen. You can already see the rest of the people on the show hate him.

 

[Russ Smith]

Anybody else still watching?

Much disappointment for me, after a great first week I thought most of the people sucked last night. I didn't even like the Ring of Fire version by my favorite performer although the band seemed to love it. The Spanish chick may as well pack her bags, I think her comments to the band are going to heavily influence the fan vote ensuring she's in teh bottom 3, and they're going to boot her.

For those who didn't see, Gilby Clark said I don't think you have a clue what we want, have you even heard a single song any of us ever recorded? Her answer was something like yeah I have heard of you guys but you have to understand I was in diapers when you guys were around. Talk about blowing a job interview.

 

[joeshmo]

Bad night overall.

There was some really bad performances. Especially from the Courtney Love wannabe. I love how Dave called her out on it, then she stated she was just being herself like it was her idea, then Dave fired back that she was full of crap and the album cover the song came from had Love on it in a Wedding Dress holding roses. What a tool that chick looked like.

Anyways the only performance I liked was the Aussie dude at the end. I think he is the only person I can see fronting that band as of right now. Although I liked most of the chicks last week, I think the Aussie wins it.

 

[Russ Smith]

Bad night overall.

There was some really bad performances. Especially from the Courtney Love wannabe. I love how Dave called her out on it, then she stated she was just being herself like it was her idea, then Dave fired back that she was full of crap and the album cover the song came from had Love on it in a Wedding Dress holding roses. What a tool that chick looked like.

Anyways the only performance I liked was the Aussie dude at the end. I think he is the only person I can see fronting that band as of right now. Although I liked most of the chicks last week, I think the Aussie wins it.

I looked online, I think the album cover has Love holding flowers but not in a wedding dress, but in one of the videos on that same album she's in a white dress, not sure if it's a wedding dress. But yeah Navarro totally called her out as did Newsted for screaming not singing.

The Aussie guy is definitely in the final 3 or so. My girlfriend thinks Tommy Lee will vote him out because he'll see him as competition for groupies!

I'm waiting for one of the contestants to file a sexual harassment suit against Lee.

I get the distinct impression that due to song rights they're not allowed to perform any GNR, Motley Crue or Metallica originals because nobody has done it yet. Someone last week covered a GNR song but it wasn't an original it was a song they'd covered (Live and Let Die I think).

 

[NMCard]

They should have gotten rid of Zaita along with Chris.

 

[jf-08]

The song choices are terrible.

What is so ridiculous about this is that the singers have to pick from a list and there is no songs left over. In other words, all of the songs that are sung are picked by 3 Amigos in the first place.

My final 4, in order:

4th place - Lukas - Mick Mars Jr (great call - Russ!). Dude is a ticking time bomb and seems to be too individualistic to front these guys.

3rd - Magni - I think he'll get better as the show goes along.

2nd - Toby - Aussie dude. Can belt out the songs and has stage presence, but voice isn't very distinct.

Winner - Dilana - she captures, I think, exactly what the 3 are looking for - uniqueness in style and voice. I really liked her Ring of Fire version. If nothing else, it shows that she has a a sense of music and what audiences like - unlike the Jim Morrision wanna be voted off last night.

And Zyda (sp?) is a freaking train wreck.

 

[Russ Smith]

I missed most of last night(essentially I saw the ending credits) but I guess the guy who went does deserve to go. By Zayra(Sp?) should have gone I just am amazed. My girlfriend thinks the band keeps her around to look at(not that impressed myself) or because they respected her for talking back to them. not sure myself I was pretty convinced she was going home last night.

I agree I think Dilana is probably the best fit for the band, the Aussie guy gives them the chick magnet lead singer but I agree he's not "unique" so if they're looking for that, Dilana is the way to go. I guess it depends what genre they are going for, they said on the first show this is NOT a metal band, but we don't really know what they are.

 

[MadCardDisease]

I just started watching it this week.

How Zaita is still there I have no idea. After all three of them performed one final time it was obvious who should go. Zaita is a complete joke.

The guy was in the bottom three twice so I guess that is enough to send him packing. I didn't see his performance the first week though.

That other chick in the bottom three looked like a total fool on Tuesday and then Rocked yesterday. What the hell was she thinking when she screamed that crap on Tuesday and looked like a total fool.

 

[MadCardDisease]

I didn't even like the Ring of Fire version by my favorite performer although the band seemed to love it.

I thought that chick was casting a "ring of fire" spell or something. I didn't see here the first week. Was she any good?

 

[Russ Smith]

I thought that chick was casting a "ring of fire" spell or something. I didn't see here the first week. Was she any good?

She sang Nirvana the first week and it was really cool. She has a unique voice but it sounded great on Nirvana and she had this really intense look the whole time.

I thought she was much better the first week. I like Ring of Fire but I didn't particularly like her version of it.

 

[MadCardDisease]

She sang Nirvana the first week and it was really cool. She has a unique voice but it sounded great on Nirvana and she had this really intense look the whole time.

Which Nirvana song did she sing?

I like Ring of Fire but I didn't particularly like her version of it.

Same here, its a great song(Walk the Line is a great movie if you like Johnny Cash). It started off kind of shaky but she got better towards the end. However to me she sounded more like she was casting a spell than singing a song.

 

[Russ Smith]

Which Nirvana song did she sing?



Same here, its a great song(Walk the Line is a great movie if you like Johnny Cash). It started off kind of shaky but she got better towards the end. However to me she sounded more like she was casting a spell than singing a song.

Lithium, I was blanking and had to look at the shows website to find out which song.

Very good though

 

[AZ Shocker]

Winner - Dilana - she captures, I think, exactly what the 3 are looking for - uniqueness in style and voice. I really liked her Ring of Fire version. If nothing else, it shows that she has a a sense of music and what audiences like - unlike the Jim Morrision wanna be voted off last night.

Yep...she is performing exactly to those guys taste and style. Loved the "Ring of Fire" redention. So unique. Kinda Godsmacky...reminded me of "Serenity" by Godsmack. Obviosly those dudes (Tommy, Jason, Gilby) like the edgier stuff and Dilana brings that vibe.

The Puerto Rico girl should have been gone with her horrible rendention of "You Really Got Me" twice. I'm not sure why the producers felt the need to keep her.

In the end...I think they will prolly settle in on a dude, but that Dilana chic could really do something with that group. A little risky, but why not. At this point (and a huge fan of those legendary rockers) I wouldn't mind seeing them take a chance with Dilana and creating a new band/style with a chic frontman errr woman.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Is it just me or is Jason Newsted kind of a dork. The other Metallica guys used to pick on him constantly. I always thought it was because he was the new guy. Now I'm starting to think they picked on him because he is kind of goofy.

 

[AZ Shocker]

Is it just me or is Jason Newsted kind of a dork.

He's very articulate and communicates well. Almost like he is educated. Does anyone know if he went to college before his Metallica days?

 

[jf-08]

I think he went to Mesa Vo-Tech (seriously).

Supposedly, dude has a near-genius IQ even though.

 

[AZ Shocker]

I think he went to Mesa Vo-Tech (seriously).

Supposedly, dude has a near-genius IQ even though.

I did not know that. That's cool, and I figured he was pretty smart. Prolly why some of the guys give him s#*t. lol