INXS – SOLD OUT!

30 Comments

1. 1
   Bob
   Posted July 11, 2005 at 2:59 pm

   Well, it could have been Nirvana, so count your blessings.

2. 2
   paleghost
   Posted July 11, 2005 at 3:23 pm

   I agree with you. Michael was one of the great frontmen.

3. 3
   Get a Grip CBS
   Posted July 11, 2005 at 3:41 pm

   I agree as well. INXS was awesome live and on the radio. I’m surprised that Mark Burnett even involved himself in this drivel. The band died with Hutchence. It will never be the same, no matter who they find for a new lead singer.
   Anyone who finds this show “gripping” needs to get a grip.

4. 4
   tv freak
   Posted July 11, 2005 at 7:14 pm

   I thought the show was good.

5. 5
   Uncle Mikey
   Posted July 11, 2005 at 8:29 pm

   Rock Star is not bad at all. Some of the performances were pretty damn good, and although none of the singers can replace Michael Hutchence, they don’t really have to. And he wasn’t the only reason INXS was worth listening to.

   If Big Brother is worth your time, Rock Star is even more so. It’s certainly no American Idol; the contestants should be getting hammered and screwing each other in no time.

6. 6
   Bob
   Posted July 11, 2005 at 10:42 pm

   O.K., a West Coaster reporting in. I watched it, just to get an opinion. And I have to admit, it is darn friggin’ good. The singers put every contestant ever on American Idol (except perhaps Kelly Clarkson) to shame, especially those freaks Bo and Constantine from last time. And it’s so much darn tightly edited than “that Fox Thing”. If only they weren’t trying to front INXS on this show – a whole new band would be a better concept – the remaining INXS is rather hard on the eyes. It doesn’t help INXS any that Dave Navarro looks like Michael Jackson mid-surgery time-line. Brooke Burke, I had to Google her to figure out who the heck she was. Agreed, there will be a lot of drinking and hooking up going on, so it should be extremely interesting – personally, I’d rather see any of these people have sex via the night-vision camera before Carrie Underwood ever gets the chance. Agreed, it’s at least as good as “Big Brother”, and not in a retarded “I can’t believe that dork/dorkette” way (except for about four of the putative “Rock Stars”, who are sure to be eliminated pretty quickly). BTW, it’s kind’ve like “Beauty and the Geek”, only with rock songs and tattoos. It’s a much more positive version of the aforementioned “Fox Thing”.

7. 7
   gt
   Posted July 12, 2005 at 12:42 am

   Didn’t he die from autoerotic asphyxiation? or was that some great 80′s rumor…..funny, it was never mentioned in the intro…

8. 8
   Dana
   Posted July 12, 2005 at 5:13 am

   yes he did die from that gt, but of course they’re not going to mention that. As far as the show, I thought it was good. If you read the bios of the contestants, you’ll see that a lot of them are pretty established performers already. Plus, it’s a Mark Burnett show, and he has a talent for editing his shows to make them interesting to watch.

9. 9
   Eddiebosox
   Posted July 12, 2005 at 6:01 am

   YOu have to hand it to the man. Some rock stars go out with an overdose or a plane crash. Boooring. My man hutchenese accidentally choked to death while performing autoerotic asphyxiation on himself.

   THats way cool!

10. 10
    jack
    Posted July 12, 2005 at 8:33 am

    methinks ye overestimate INXS. rock legends? as i remember it, INXS was heading for spinal tap territory even before hutchence’s unfortunate accident.

    besides, INXS whoring themselves on an american TV show is sort of the equivalent of brad pitt or george clooney doing cheesy commercials in japan. their countrymen will probably admire them for fleecing the american market.

    and since the M in MTV now stands for ‘masturbation’ (thanks a lot, ‘real world’) instead of ‘music’, reality TV is the only surefire way for a bunch of has-been rockers to get any attention. these guys were always chumps–forgettable everymen behind a charismatic front-man (the doors made a similar sell-out gesture not too long ago, going on the road with morrison-wannabe ian astbury of the cult). ‘rock star’ is pathetic, but why should INXS sit back holding on to some frail concept of dignity while clay fucking aiken is raking in the cash?

11. 11
    Lady J
    Posted July 12, 2005 at 11:23 am

    Get over it. Michael Hutchence gave the band it’s sound, no doubt. But the act wasn’t called “Michael Hutchence.” It was a six-man act and these guys have a right to keep on making music under the brand name they built together. I remember the surviving band members quite well. INXS colored my ’80s high school experience heavily. But this isn’t about the old hits, it’s about the band going on to make new hits.

    Though it pains me to even think that Michael Hutchence is permanently gone, this show features some *awesome* talent. Almost all of the women and most of the men have fabulous voices. They cut the right person last night. The girl who forgot her song had a serious voice and she get another shot.

    If nothing else this show provides some interesting insight into music and the industry. “American Idol” is about popular music and image making. This is about a bunch of pros trying to find someone who fits with their established harmony. I know they need to be able to evaluate each contender, but it would be great if INXS played with each singer themselves.

12. 12
    smithie
    Posted July 12, 2005 at 12:16 pm

    I agree, I think the show was fun. Way more watch able than AI. It is actually the first reality show that the person I hated got cut in the first round. I do think it’s a joke that there are any women up there. There is no way they are ever going to pick a woman…I love Burnett, he can do no wrong…

13. 13
    Uncle Mikey
    Posted July 12, 2005 at 12:23 pm

    I kind of hoped Marty, the guy who sang “You Really Got Me,” would get the axe, but he wasn’t even in the bottom three. Maybe next time.

14. 14
    moonman
    Posted July 12, 2005 at 1:06 pm

    Mig is from the London production of “we will rock you” It would have been great if he had done a queen song (the whole play is set to queen songs).

15. 15
    dani
    Posted July 12, 2005 at 1:30 pm

    I, too, grew up listening to INXS and I love them. However, I think their time is way gone. I can’t see what kind of relevance they will have on the current music scene. And it just feels gross and desperate that they are doing this. Michael Hutchence didn’t just die, he died tragically and embarrassingly. This is just cheesy.

16. 16
    Uncle Mikey
    Posted July 12, 2005 at 3:11 pm

    What’s embarrassing about it? Autoerotic aspyxiation is as rock and roll as it gets. And if you’re so cheesed off by it, don’t watch it. But spare us, and INXS, your judgement. They’ll always have more relevance than you ever will.

17. 17
    maryberry
    Posted July 13, 2005 at 5:02 am

    Hey I thought they show was way more watchable than American Idol. I liked it alot. I remember INXS too, and I do think they need to get along and stop using their fame from along time ago, like New Senasation which screams deliberatly who they are, and maybe use some of their music they have written since Michaels death.

    I’ll have to google Brooke Burke, too. They all cheered for her and I have no idea who the heck she is.

    I think that chick who looks like the Alien Creature is hot and has a rock solid voice…I also likes the blonde haired guy with the hat. He rocks, and is diverse.

18. 18
    Annie
    Posted July 13, 2005 at 7:08 am

    I understand your sentiments on this, because I’ve often said I wouldn’t watch certain shows because the idea of them even existing offended my sensibilities.

    But Rock Star was very good and it has now risen to the top of our Trash TV Heap. Like Idol except the competitors are *all* outstanding in their individual ways. Btw, they do all different rock songs, not just INXS songs. Nobody has done an INXS song yet. Something my husband had assumed they would do all along. Nope. They did the Who, Nirvana, Stones, Dylan, etc.. And they *all* know their way around a stage. Not like that poor schmuck on Dr. Phil the other day who wants to break into Nashville as a country singer except from the look of her audition, she’s terrified of audiences. None of that.

    Very compelling. We’re now hooked.

19. 19
    Lady J
    Posted July 13, 2005 at 8:46 am

    As I understand the directions given last night, the format is now the contenders perform, Brooke gives out the text codes to vote for them (Verizon Wireless customers only), voting opens for 4 hours at the end of the show. Then the next night, the three with the lowest text votes have to sing an INXS song and the judges decide who gets cut out of the three.

    The competition is frigging stiff. Hard to choose a favorite. I think my top picks are the tattooed girl with red hair, Jordiss, Daphna…but then the three blondes are all fantastic singers, plus the various guys esp. the black guy who is truly rock ‘n roll. It- I…I can’t even sort it out. They’re all so damn good.

20. 20
    kt
    Posted July 13, 2005 at 11:50 am

    The show is worth recapping if only for the cutaways to INXS and Dave Navarro during the performances. Dave was doing some of the dorkiest air drumming i had ever seen– obviously a producer thought it was ridiculous and by the end of the show he was given a pair of drumsticks. Its also really funny to watch the INXS guys talking about the singer during the performance when they obviously suck. As for the singers, they are good, but everyone is styled to within an inch of their lives and all their choreographed stage moves seem all just all little too affected. nevertheless, i was entertained.

21. 21
    dani
    Posted July 13, 2005 at 1:44 pm

    Take it easy Uncle Mikey – have I picked on your favoritst band ever? Just expressing an opinion – I thought that’s what this was for.

22. 22
    Trent Wolodko
    Posted July 13, 2005 at 6:12 pm

    Come on now, those among you who are truly INXS fans would understand that Michael’s charisma was just one small part of many contributing factors to the bands success. The formidable talent of Andrew Ferris is just one such factor that should certainly be given considerably more weight then it is in this forum. INXS will rock again, but I doubt they’ll ever be able to shake-off the ghost of M.H.

23. 23
    Lady J
    Posted July 14, 2005 at 6:59 am

    Who was kicked off last night? I didn’t realize it was on at 9:30. Missed the whole damn thing.

24. 24
    tv freak
    Posted July 14, 2005 at 8:12 am

    Wil was kicked off. His stage presence on the INXS song was horrible. He was in the bottom three with Suzie Forgetsalot, and Tara.

    Favorites vocally: Jordiss and Ty

    Favorites otherwise: Daphna for her dad improv song and Brandon (he’s from my home state of Michigan.)

25. 25
    simonsays
    Posted July 14, 2005 at 11:56 am

    Lady J- the black guy is soooo not the definition of Rock&Roll unless you consider very very gay to be rock&roll. And I’m not talking in a sexy Killers pseudo gay, I’m talking obviously hair flippin’ gay.
    (not that there’s anything wrong with that)
    I think he sucks…
    And can I just state for the record, although the girls have awesome voices who are we kidding to think INXS will ever pick a girl?!

26. 26
    Lady J
    Posted July 14, 2005 at 12:46 pm

    Oh, please. These people did Blondie and Jesus Jones on the same stage. Ty is somewhere along the lines of Lenny Kravitz. Stylish guy, powerful vocals. I don’t care what you say, that’s rock. The category is a wide spectrum of modes.

    There’s no reason for INXS not to seriously consider a female voice. There’s no substituting lead singers. It just doesn’t work. A band has to simply reinvent itself, which is a wide open road. LL Cool J and Will Smith both reinvented their sounds as the rap genre changed, and Bon Jovi got with the modern rock vibe too. INXS can’t sell records doing the same old stuff from 20 years ago. That day is done. They’ve got to do a new thing that extends from the talents that made them successful to begin with.

27. 27
    Trixie
    Posted July 19, 2005 at 12:45 pm

    I have to say, this is a good show. It’s fun to watch Canadians make fools of themselves. (kidding). I believe that Dave Navarro, as nice of a guy as he seems, has had WAY too many eyebrow waxings. Brook Burke has butterface..nice body, butterface…). Now onto the singers…Some are good, and some are awful. Suzie is awful. She’d get booed at karaoke. Tara is awful too. Bad hair, bad voice. The good singers are fun to watch, but the song choices are lame. I think MYL should be made to watch this, because there is a lot to goof on here. Mark Burnett is pure genius for his editing. LONG LIVE REALITY TV

28. 28
    nu_wava
    Posted July 21, 2005 at 10:02 am

    I was all ready to hate this show, but it’s not that bad, there’s some good talent, but I hate the way Brooke Burke keeps saying the word “rockers”, please stop it!! Another thing that’s annoying is when they show that little promo that goes something like “how would you like rocking a hundred thousand people” or something like that!! c’mon the footage was from 1991! They’ll be lucky to fill small theatres!! Although the band has a great legacy & a high(ish) profile now they won’t re-capture it again & should’nt be making out like their gonna!!

29. 29
    JohanTheOlive
    Posted July 24, 2005 at 5:46 pm

    Just felt I would chime in…

    I’m an INXS fan although I wasn’t around when they were. I am deeply against the show because of the notion of replacing Hutchence. INXS is recognized by songs that were done by Hutchence, and could never be redone. I don’t think they should just fall off the Earth, but I also feel that calling themselves INXS is lying because it is not the same band (you can’t tell me that they will do anything like ‘What You Need’ or ‘Never Tear Us Apart’. If they incorporate Pengilly’s talents into their new music I’ll be amazed). As the original article said, the show feels like it’s pissing on Hutchence’s grave. Just watch their 1991 concert, ‘Live Baby Live’. That was INXS in their prime, and their is no way they can top that, or even come close – with or without Michael Hutchence. RIP Michael, I still respect you.

30. 30
    hooking
    Posted July 31, 2005 at 5:51 pm

    Found your site through blogspot and wanted to say hi