Rock Star : Finale

Last Show of the Season and it's been a long strange trip - to where we are now. Only Four Rockers left after some truly amazing performances from many of the now departed such as Ryan, Storm, Zayra.

Now the Tommy-hawk falls on either Toby, Lukas, Dilana or Magni. Or not.

Bwak bwak gaves us the bottom two stats, and everyone except Dilana had been in the danger-zone at some point during the night.

Magni is the first rocker to perform for his survival for the last time, where he went up and performed "Fire" - the same elimination song he's used on Week 8. It was practically a mirror image of that previous performance - and you STILL couldn't hear his guitar. Lame move by the producers there. It felt good, but also like he was just repeating himself, and going through the motions. Will it be strong enough to overcome Magni's "Nice guy" deficit?

Toby is the second member of the bottom two and performs White Wedding. It's good, but nothing fantastic above what we've come to expect from Toby. Yet again I'm reminded how nice he sounds in his lower register, something he rarely used all season. He excels up in the stratosphere, which is where he drop-kicks the song on the second verse. Good job, but again - like Magni's performance - nothing we haven't seen before. Good enough?

Yes. The Tommy-hawk, now apparently permanently shifted to Jason -and coming completely out of left field as he's praising Magni - lands and takes him off the show and out of the running right at the finish line. Ouch.

I gotta say Magni took it very well, almost as though he suspected. Maybe he did, I don't know.

Each of the final three rockers then did a song, which I think is a bit cruel - sort of like being asked to dance at your own execution. Toby performed "Somebody Told me", again. Dilana did "Zombie" which goes all the way back to Week 3, so that was refreshing. And Lukas reprised "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve which he first performed on Week 3 also. Everybody performed great, but nothing stood out -- I hardly remember these performances, largely because of the memory of their previous versions. It was just a blur.

Then came the final moment of truth.

All three rockers stood up and gave their final pitch as to why they should become the lead singer of Supernova. Dilana - "I'm the one". Lukas - slyly picking up on what they had told Magni on the previous performance show - "I'm ready to Lead You". Toby - "I'm the tallest". (No, I'm kidding he said more than that - but that was his best line.)

The axe fell on Toby, knocking him out of the competition. He also took it great, even if this was like getting one toe over the finish line and having it cut-off.

Final Decision: And it's between the Drama Queen and the Drama Punk.

My original comments from Week one on each.

Dilana is Scary.

The ringer in my opinion is Lukas the Orgy-wannabe. He's definately got a look. He's energenic on stage if somewhat limited. I couldn't really hear his vocals, as with a lot of the singers he was swallowed by the band, and in his case the guitar was crushing him. But he's got something. I don't know if it contagious or whether their's a vaccine for it, but he's got it. He's this years J.D. hands down.

So was I right all along? Well, we had to wait until yet another commercial break as the SN boys continued in extended deliberation - although most of know that they usually take about 25 mins in real life and simply cut around it in post.

After some more commercials for the cars that they'd given out to Toby and Ryan, we finally had the answer. Jason made the statment - "Lukas, you're our guy".

They then proceeded to give Dilana the standard second place consolation package, Gilby offered to co-write and produce her album (which I'm not entirely sure is going to be a real boost to be honest - what's Gilby every written and produced?), they offered her a chance to tour opening for Supernova with the House Band, and Dave said he play some guitar for her record (as he'd said I believe for Deanna last year). Buck-up little soldier, you didn't win but you got this big box of goodies -- don't embarriss us on national tv, ok?

She didn't, Dilana took it like - a woman.

The ride was finally over and Lukas was the last midget (sorry - Little Person) standing. They then went on to perform the Supernova song - finally with the REAL band intact - that Toby had done back on Week 8, "Be Yourself" - which is highly ironic with Lukas singing it. Both in the sense that unlike J.D., he stayed the same person he was from the beginning on stage - except that he learned to be more gracious and charitable off-stage along the way.

I will still state for the record that I've never bought into the "bitch-edit" myth with J.D. They can't make you say something you didn't say, or do something you didn't do -- all they can do is not show what other people did (like the various comments Dilana made to the press, even though she wasn't the only one - she did say them.). He won last year becuase he Dr. Bruno Kirby'd he way through the competition, completely contorting himself into just what INXS told him to become - like a clay puppet. He Survivor'd his way through that show. IMO he's a total complete TOOL. I do think he needed to win more than anyone else, so peace be with him an JinxsD but I'll never spend a single solitary dime on him or them ever - I refuse to endorse the behavior he exibited last year because I've been in too many bands already with people who had the same no-holds-barred stab-any-back personality, and after JD - I'm sure there are many more of them out their using him as an example/excuse for their B.S. Never again. If you like JD, and I know plenty of people do, fine - I don't.

Fortunately Lukas, isn't like that. Although he was confrontational with Dana - he wasn't doing it as a strategy - it was just him, and he learned better long before Dilana figured it out the hard way. Good on him. Even though he was nowhere near my favorite, he's a cute little munchkin, even he has been stealing Orgy make-up tips. Good luck and long live Supernova.

I might even go to a show and post a review of that someday... who knows?

Vyan

Rock Star Supernova : Week 7 Performance

Ok, that was a big steaming bowl of bogus. But before I get into the nastiness, lets address the pleasantries.

Zayra's song was really good. Really. Honest.

Her outfit was still funky as all get-out with the parachute pantaloons and a bikini top - but her song wasn't bad at all if you're really into the stylings of the invitro love-child of Celine Dion, Bjork and Selena. In 1999 it was Ricky Martin who had his coming out party on the Grammies and launched his english language career into the stratosphere, and I think Zayra just did the near impossible - first she topped Ricky, and second she may have just guaranteed herself a major recording and performing career at the center of the Latin Pop Exploitation II after she finally gets her boney ass kicked off this show.

As usual, her song and performance choice was completely ballsy. This gal doesn't do anything half-way, and always throws caution - not to mention common sense - to the wind. But let;s think rationally for a second, she's auditioning to be a member of a bluesy hard rock band, what part of that picture screams Vegas Pop Diva?

And it seemed like she'd just used a stun-ray from beneath her billowing skirt to dull the minds of the Suave Porn guys - because they seemed like they were under a spell. Only Gilby briefly escaped it by asking the 50,000 Jager shot question - "What part of that performance, had anything to do with us?"

Nothing. But it was sure purtee.

Magni was up second, and did his usual stellar job with David Bowie's "Starman". Knocked it out of the park. Problem is - he was also dull as a doornail - and it might be because he's almost "too good". His vocals are so polished there like plastic, they just slide right off of you. All the character and personality's been beaten out of his voice with a sledgehammer making it very generic sounding. Bowie doing this song would have been very distinctive, and I don't think Bowie's vocal technique it actually as good as Magni's - but in Rock that doesn't matter all that much. This performance just left me cold. He sounded great, and looked great- but Ho hum and Bah Humbug, I wasn't moved. I still have same problem with Magni that I've had for a long time; He's this seasons Mig, a truly great singer - probably the best voice among the men on the show - but does he have the force of personality and mental toughness it's going to take to keep up with Tommy Lee and Jason Newsted? I doubt it. (It's also interesting to note that last weeks reality episode didn't reveal what Magni did with the original song or how the SN boys reacted to it)

His bit about "In the old country - they sing" was excellent though.

Even though she really didn't do that much with the arrangement I really like Patrice's version of "Message in a bottle" much more than Magni's song. She has the some overtraining issues as Magni's, and usually doesn't rise above them but did this time. I especially like how they modified the harmonies and melody lines during chorus - that was cool. I only wish they'd let the song simmer down at that point, dropping most of the instrumenation - especially the strings - and let us just hear the voices. And her outfit with the bicycle shorts was certainly much more "Rock" than Vegas.

Lukas - the J.D. of this season - had his own Seal moment and managed not to crash and burn on it. (Yes, I know this song was written by Nickleback - but they clearly stole their melody from Seal's "Kiss from a Rose". Their song was used on the Spiderman soundtrack, Seal's was from George Clooney's final Batman film. Go ahead, listen to them back-to-back, different words - same song.) Anyway, Lukas did a great job and pretty much killed it - even sitting down. Like Tommy I think the sit down thing is so "Not Rock" - but the Luke-man managed to pull it off. I still think this contest is basically his to lose, after both songwriting challenges everyone else is milse behind him. Plus, unlike Magni and soem fo the others - his voice has TONS of character and personality. He's got one in a million tone - one in a billion, even. The only complaint they have is his tendency to close up his throat, and that can be fixed. Also you have to factor in the intesity of the Lukatics. Looking rather unscientifically at the average number of posts on each singers individual forum on RockBand.com and other sites -- Lukas is waaay ahead of everyone else.

Let's be realistic. Certainly the band is going to make the final choice, but they aren't going to do it without input from management and their label. This contest allows for a label - which I strongly suspect is CBS - to prescreen the appeal of all these performers and to Market Test them thoroughly. By the time this is done, they'll know whose going to sell records and who isn't.

Lukas is going to sell records. Big time.

Checking both the RIAA and allmusic.com, INXS's "Switch" has topped out at #17 on the Billboard Top 200 and "Pretty Vegas" has gone Gold as a single. The fact that the full album hasn't gone gold indicates the record may not have "legs" to sustain sales, but if the band remains out on tour long enough that may change and this record will eventually be certified Gold and then Platinum. The Rock Star show gave them an impressive boost that I don't the final record has really lived up to, but they haven't done badly. Not at all. And I admit that despite the fact I loathe J.D. with the intestify of a - supernova.

All Lukas has to do is avoid doing something really terminally stupid, and he's got the job. His Rooster do comes close - but not close enough.

Ok, now we've arrived at the wrong-zone. I haven't read how any of the other fans are reacting yet, but Storm was Fucking Awesome on "I Will Survive". I could see the SN boys not loving it, but the crowd was not wrong - that was totally killer. She had been struggling with what she was going to do with that song (as shown in the reality segment) and went through several different iterations of arrangements - but what she finally did was All Storm. Completely Storm-ified. Tender and vulnerable one moment, tough and scary the next. That was easily her best and most polished vocal performance - plus it really displayed a lot of the unique character of her voice. She was wise not to try and out gospel Gloria Gayner, she instead took it in an entirely different direction added a touch of Jazz and Lounge Singer (which is also part of her background) and then ending with that acapella great vocal riff. I love what she did with the melody, shifting it around and modified the time - just as she had shown us previously on "We are the Champions" she has a great melodic sense.

She made that song into her own and it was awesome to behold.

Now, I would agree with the assessment that it probably wasn't a Supernova styled performance but let's be honest. NOTHING that was performed tonight was appropriate for Supernova. Nothing. You think Magni Leasure Suit was "Rock"? Not even a little.

Now I'm not one to give in to conspiracy theories - (ok, yes I am) - but I think the reaction by the SN boys was too extreme. I think they're full of male bovine feces. It seemed planned to me. They've never had anything negative to say about any of Storm's performances, and they just may have picked this one -- knowing that she was struggling with it in a way she never had before -- to deliberately slam the crap out of her just to see how she handles it. (If I recall correctly, INXS did the same thing to Mig at one point - essentially panning one of his performances just to see if it created a meltdown and crisis of confidence.) In the real world of rock- you're going to get panned. It's absolutely guaranteed, and don't let a poncy little asshole like Michael Mustow of the Village Voice be the one to do it - he's verbally slice you into cutlets.

You gotta be tough as steel.

But I already know Storm is tough, in fact I doubt this little blip will even phase her and she'll "pass" their little test. And the likelyhood of her going to be bottom 3 over it, is slim and nil. Lukas may be the most popular among posters and likely voters, but Storm is second. This contest is honestly only between the two of them. It's even possible that the extremely uncalled for comments by Supernova will cause a fan revolt of voting for Storm - to which I wouldn't be surprised. Dave and Supernova were the ones "Sauted in Wrong-sauce" this time.

I wasn't much impressed with Toby's performance of "Salsbury Hill". He sang it fine, even handling the odd timing. The bongos were a nice touch, but - Bah, humbug. Lick Magni, it left me cold.

Ryan has really learned to Bring The Drama, and really remains probably the top male contender after Lukas. I wouldn't have said that a couple weeks ago, but he's been hitting it out of the park each and very time. He did about as a good a job with Phil Collin's "In the Air Tonight" as anyone could do - except for Phil. He's really been showing just how powerful his vocals are to good effect - I'm not sure anyone one else, except Dilana or Storm could have done this song justice.

Lastly we had Dilana herself, and although she thinks "she's the one" -- as Zathrus from Babylon 5 would say... she's "not the one.... not the one". She did a good job with "Cats in the Craddle" but I still think the rock version by Ugly Kid Joe ten years ago was better. She did fine, but it wasn't anything special.

Even though she pulled Tommy aside during the Vegas party and made her play, saying "Just send the other seven home" I think she completely missreads just how much she flamed out on the song-writing challenge. She's completely clueless that the band thought her lyrics were "cornball". If there's a challenge that you absolutely have to nail - it's that one, and she blew it. I don't think you come back from that. She's done. It's only a matter of time. Yes, she's a fabulous performer, but if she can't write - she's practically useless to them. And like I said, she's not the most popular person on the show -- not even close.

Vyan

Rock Star : Week 5 Elimination

Well, that wasn't really a shocker.

The encore this time went to Ryan, who had pretty much killed and skinned it last night during the performance show with "Losing my Religion". I've been calling that song "Losing my Lunch" for years now but Ryan made it go down smooth. During this stripped down performance you could finally hear the quality of his voice, which has been largely covered up by the band so far. I'm not so sure he's going to be able to parley this performance into future elite-ness because I think the next time the house band cranks up they're going to yet again swallow Ryan whole and spit him out. But at least he got this one brief moment in the spotlight before becoming a lunchable again.

The bottom 3 this time weren't surprising. I didn't expect to see Zayra perform this time, her fanbase has grown too strong, even if she did release a petulant "of course" when she briefly had to stand while they listed those people who were briefly among the b3 during the night. For once she was actually wearing an appropriate outfit - no dayglow, no spandex superhero uniform, no bikini wax needed - this time she was sporting black gloves and black eyeshadow.
But no, were didn't get to see her sing and shimmy for survival again - no crazy dancing, and no hiccup vocals this time out.

The main limitation Zayra has, which I really haven't really seen anyone bring up, is the fact that her accent is so strong it actually affects her vocals. It causes her to clip of her words and phrases abruptly and akwardly. It's a real bad habit and I doubt she'll be able to fix it. We've already had the vocal clinic.

Anyway, on to people who actually were in the b3 - first up was Jill who did a fanstastic job on the Heart song "Alone". This is a song that needs a certain amount of vulnerability in the performance, and that's something that Jill hasn't shown yet. It's been all bombast, but she hasn't been able to show the proper amount of taste and sensitivity to the needs of the songs. She's been ALL JILL - ALL THE TIME, or else she's been channeling and emulating someone else - either Tina Turner on Mescaline or Courtney Love on - well, whatever it is that Courtney takes - and for once she wasn't. She was sweet. There are moment in this song where you have to basically bellow - but they're fairly restrained. Jill has proven that she has great pipes, and now she's shown that she actually has some control. Good job. She still has a long - long way to go with her constant excuse making and whining and simply not getting it - but this was a vast improvement.

Patrice did well too, but not as well as she has in her last couple performances. She's still learned how to bring it, but this time her performance of just seemed listless. Maybe she was intimidated by Jill's turnaround, maybe it was just nerves or fatigue - but she backslide a bit back into Boring!Patrice. That's not a good sign girlfriend, and hopefully won't continue - but we're well past the point where individual performances will make or break someone. It's the totatality that matters now - and although Patrice has certainly stepped up since "My Iron Long" she has to maintain it each and everytime to work off the deficit of her first few performances. This one didn't do her much credit.

Speaking of the totality of performances I have to address the Lukas issue. Yes, he probably should have been in the B3 based on how badly he fubar'd "Celebrity Skin", but that simply wasn't going to happen. At least to his credit, he knew it and was willing to admit it. But just like last year - certain people aren't going into the b3 even when they desperately deserve it (like Jordis' version of "Dream on") after a really bad performance. Oh well.

Last up tonight was Dana, whose clearly improved massively and bloomed from a little Country Flower into a Rocker Chick. She's learned how to crutch not on crazy outfits and hair - but on her ability to project the song which is impressive to behold. But it still wasn't enough compared to Jill and Patrice. As the "Suave Porn" guys stated, she just had too far still to go in the few weeks they have left. Whoever wins this gig has to be able to hit the ground running at full speed and keep it up for the next year and half straight. Dana isn't ready yet, but she will be.

We said goodbye to her and it was very bittersweet.

This year there have been both Jill's exit and this one which have shown a ton of class and maturity. Even Tommy pointed it out.

Both of these stand in stark contrast to Ty's exit last year, and his glaring return. Even though I found both Jill and Dana's departure inspiring in their depth and graciousness - I can't neccesarily find any contempt for Ty's tearful and bitter exit last season.

And before anyone gives me any shit about that apparent contradiction - I've already got a ready Rant on Deck!

The truth is that their situations are not the same. Ty went from being a major front-runner and contender with a stage presence that was probably too big for that group (they would have become the TY TAYLOR Band featuring INXS) to be shunned by the audience for speaking the truth. He was absolutely correct to state that there are fewer successful black artists in rock than you can count on one hand. I've checked. Twice.

The reason that it's important is because black people invented Rock N Roll. Everything that people call ROCK originally came from Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Chubby Checker, Fat Domino and Ike Turners original band who recorded the first "Rock N Roll" song Rocket 88 in the early 50's. From All Music.com

In 1951, the Kings of Rhythm traveled to Memphis to record at Sam Phillips' Sun studio. Their original tune "Rocket 88" (actual authorship is still disputed) was recorded with a lead vocal by sax player Jackie Brenston, and as a result was released under the name Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats, not Ike Turner & His Kings of Rhythm. "Rocket 88" zoomed to the top of the R&B charts and is today regarded by many critics as being quite possibly the first true rock & roll record.

Yes, there were also people right there at the beginning like Buddy Holly and Richie Valens(uela). But the influence of black artists on rock was undeniable. They called it "Race Music". When Elvis dared to perform it it caused riots - not simply because of his turbo charged hips (which he picked up from people like Chuck Berry) but because everybody knew where the music came from. Black people.

Black artist completely dominated Rock until the British artists like the Beatles, the Animals and the Rolling Stones showed up and began to mine the roots of black rock and blues without watering it down the way the White-bread American artists such as Elvis, Ricky Nelson or Pat Boone had. "Tootie Fruitie" is not a Pat Boone song - it's Little Richard. "Twist and Shout" wasn't written by the Beatles - it was written and first recorded by the Isley Brothers.

Gradually rock was stolen from black people - song by song. The executives at the record labels realized they could only sell so many copies of this music with a black face on the cover - but have somebody like Elvis do it and things would go through the roof. Elvis in fact, never wrote a song - ever. He may be the "King of Rock and Roll" but he never would have got there without the help of others - mostly black people.

I can't say that black people didn't help this take place - they capitulated. They could see the direction of the industry, the incredible invasion not just coming from England, but also from American/White artists who previously would have been drawn and quartered (as Elvis nearly was) for doing that Nigger music. (Yes, they called it that - calm down) But once the Beatles did it - it was safe. It was cool. The floodgates were open and black artists were about to be drowned (just like in New Orleans). So they swam for higher ground - they run to the hills - to R&B, to Funk and eventually to Hip-Hop. So the story isn't all bad, that's true, but they left behind part of themselves, part of their heritage - part of their culture. It's something that they'll always be a part of and in many ways - still belongs to them. Rock is about freedom, and nobody was screaming for freedom louder than black people during the '50s and '60s. Rock was their tool, and it's one they could - and should use again.

But now in 2005-2006 you honestly can NOT count more than five successful black artists in rock. There's basicaly Lenny Kravits and um... Lenny Kravitz. According to the RIAA database you have to go back five years and include not just Platinum albums but Gold (500,000 copies) to be able to include a band like Sevendust. You have to go back more than ten years to get to Terrence Trent D'arby who hasn't had a hit record since 1995 (and that one only hit #178 on the Bilboard Top 200). The fifth black rock band - isn't even considered black rock because hardly anyone knows that Tom Morello is black and that's a two-fer with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. If you go back almost 20 years you can pick up number six with Living Colour whose first record Vivid was released in 1987, and number seven with Guns N Roses featuring Slash (whose half black like Lenny).

And it's not like there aren't black people out their trying hard to get into Rock. Tom and I were both members of the Black Rock Coalition in the early 90's - before he formed RATM. At the time he was in a band called Lock Up, who were originally signed to Geffen for a multi-album deal. When the first record didn't take off like a rocket and they were accused of being a "Chili Peppers rip off" - which they weren't - Geffen voided the contract and told them - "Sue us - if you can find the money to do it".

During the 90's I saw that story played out repeatedly. It happened to Cree Summer when her original band Subject to Change released their first album and were abruptly dropped due to a "Management change". It happened to former Arrested Development vocalist Dionne Farris who practically had to go to war with her own label over some of the tracks on her debut album which had a more "rock" sound. Eventually she scored a top ten hit with the rock tinged song "I Know" in 1994. They wanted her to be more like Mariah, more like Whitney - more bland, more POP - more "black". She refused and her career has basically gone nowhere since that time.

People forget that Ty has clearly been through the exact same experience as Tom, Cree and Dionne. He was a member of signed band - Dakota Moon - that managed to score a Top 10 hit on the Adult Contemporary Charts and tour with Tina Turner in 1997. But Dakota Moon wasn't just another R&B band - they had Rock Songs too. But somehow only two or three of those songs over the course of several records were ever released, almost like there was a quota or something. It was just like Dionne Farris, and just like Cree Summer who had to essentially abandon rock to make the labels happy and start doing R&B - cuz that's what black folk do now. Hendrix is dead - where's the hit single? Can we play it on Black Radio? What's with this guitar shit?

So when Ty had his eventually melt down - I knew exactly where he was coming from, that was ten years of frustration with record label bullshit erupting all at once, and although he may have shown a lack of class and composure - he said something that needed to be said particuarly on national tv.

This country (and several others really are racist, in many ways and on many levels. It's not always deliberate, it's not always malevolent - but it's there in the way people perceive and preconcieve each other. It's in how they can or can't "See" someone fronting this band or that band. It's in how labels fail to take a chance on a "different" artist, how they fail to take the risk and ultimately fail to see the benefits of that courage - meanwhile the status quo remains.

Dana and Jill have the luxury of being young, attractive, female and yes - white. But it's not going to be easy for them, they'll still have to crawl over broken glass to create real careers for themselves - and no I don't consider singing backup for Pink to be a real career - BEING PINK is a real career.

However neither of them is going to have to fight through the last 40 years of bullshit that someone like Ty has to deal with. Then again, he could always just cave-in and be a good little black boy and "go back to R&B" - or Vegas. He could capitulate like many other black people have had to.

Somehow I doubt he's going to do that. So good luck to him, and good luck to them - they all need it.

Vyan

(P.S. Many of the artists I mention in this rant are included on the T2P radio station, as well as other black rock groups such as RA, King's X, Fishbone, Skindred, Kilswitch Engage, Mother's Finest, 24-7 Spyz, Bad Brains, Skunk Anansie and Urban Dance Squad -- it's not like they aren't out there, if you know where to look for them)

Rockstar: Supernova - First Elimination

Ok, it's only the second night and the bullcrap has already gotten thick.

First of all the fact the neither Zarya nor Jenny wound up in the bottom three based on their performances on the first show is ridiculous. I guess their cute tight toned little asses are safe for a while at least. (Having now watched the Reality Portion of the first week on MSN.com, I can see that Zarya's vocal limitations are going to be a major factor very soon anyway. Her in the studio is some truly embarrasing footage, even worse than "Stop Go" - trust me).

Ugh, Dilana doing the Chicken Dance Again - Stop. The. Murder!!!

Lukas has definately got the JD-Asshole-IT-Factor happening, but in this particular case - I happen to agree with him completely. Jenny stunk, the Chicken Dance had best not return and Dana the little delicate flower is going to need to go to T.O.U.G.H. School real quick.

On tonights bottom three:

I had problems with Chris's rendition of Roxanne as well as Phil doing Cult on the first show, but again from the Reality Show it's clear that Butch the producer really likes Phil's voice for it's unique tone and his melody choice. Ok, fine. Phil's safe for now, even if his performance tonight was totally mush-mouthed.

Chris doing L A. woman was unimpressive, particular for one of the "best vocalists on the planet". Feh. Even though I wasn't wild about his Coldplay performance, Matt on the other hand really did a nice job on Planet Earth. Of this first set of final three vocalists he actually sounded the best and was able to really make the song his own without emulating Simon La Bon or sounding disjointed with his delivery. For his voice, this was a great song choice -- but apparently the SN guys have a big stick up their ass over Duran Duran - for them it was really, really bad choice.

Honestly that's not surprising - all those Metallica guys have had their hide chapped in general about other forms of music - particularly anything glam! It's a mad mad HATE-On they've been carrying for 25 plus years. I'm actually surprised Tommy escapes it because of how Hollywood Sunset Strip GLAM the Crue was at times, but then again as the top for Rock Star Website reminds us - this is The Tommy Lee Project. He's the one with the TV-Q and hot silicone encased ex-wife that makes this little engine go - so I suppose Jason has to just swallow it for the duration.

Unfortunately that means Matt had to take it in chops due to Jason's (and probably Gilby's) limited taste and was the first person eliminated. The performance was good, and so was the arrangement, I would have changed the high-hat part in the pre-chorus from sixteenth notes to eliminate that "disco feel" of that section, but otherwise it was fine. It definately rawked.

The truth is none of the people in the final fifteen are Metal singers anyway. I know - cuz I am one. I mean c'mon, Gilby said you guys said you weren't a "Metal" band so what do you expect really? If you open things up - then you've opened them up, ok? It's obvious the group is looking for someone with mainstream appeal - a rocker, but not too much of a Rocker, and apparently - not too little. But you really can't have it both ways at the same time. Are they gonna slam somebody if they do an INXS cover because their songs got played on the same stations and in the same clubs as Duran Duran? (And trust me, they were - I was there) Lame.

All three of these guys were dull on stage physically, but Matt's vocals were better than the two. Too bad that didn't save him at least a little while longer.

And now we're actually going to have to listen even more of Zarya? And more chicken-dancing? Oh heaven help me and pass the advil, it's gonna be looong summer.

Vyan

Rock Star II Auditions - Hollywood

Last year the CBS show Rock Star : INXS twisted the American Idol idea on it's head by using a reality show to help choose the new lead singer for a real, genuine band. In that case it was the group INXS who had lost their singer to a tragedy nearly a decade ago.

This past Friday the final set of open auditions were held for the new season of Rock Star in Hollywood, which will feature an all new group called Supernova (w/ Tommy Lee of Motley Crue, Jason Newsted of Metallica and Gilby Clarke of Guns N Roses) and being a big fan of all three of these groups I decided to come out and give it a try. Over the flip is the diary my experience.

9:00 Arrived via the Metro Rail in the Center of Highly-Weird California -the town isn't really a town because it's a marketing campaign - lugging my 20lbs Line-6 Combo Practice Amp and Strat-styled Yamaha guitar and get in the line which extends around the block just as the rain starts to trickle down (and I'm of course thinking -"OH, shit- MY AMP!"). Fortunatey for me- and my amp - the rain was pretty sparse and I had brought a pair of vinyl pants for the stage which double quite nicely as a rain shield for those delicate electronics.

9:30 Line isn't really moving as the doors are supposed to open until 10:00. Some people are clearly nervous, some are beginning to vocalize - while others complain "Oh, no - soon everybodies going to be singing". I'm trying to warm my voice up a bit considering how early it is in the morning, but really doing what I need to do - which is basically screaming at the top of my lungs - just doesn't feel right in such a public space. So instead I settle for option #2, which is to chew some gum and hope it gets rid of that dreaded morning phlem. (It's a singer thang, trust me on that one)

9:46 Camera crew shows up -- so I take a picture of them, taking a picture of the line. They don't say much to many people, until one guy asks me to step back as my pacing out of bordem is messing up his shot. Thanks dude. Thank God I'm not here to be noticed or anything vain like that. I'm just doing it for the da kids. Really. Honest. Cross my heart and hope not to Cheney!

10:00 Doors open, line begins to creep forward once every 10 or 15 mins. Some people have friends who came with them, I don't talk much and try to keep focused on my CD player which has the two tracks that the drummer from my last band Glitched had done a quickie vocal-less remix and emailed to me the day before. I also had "Man in a Box" by Alice in Chains and "Set if Off" from Audioslave on the disc since the requirements were that you be ready to do up to three songs and one had to be a cover. I also had the guitar an amp for doing one of my own original songs depending on where I saw weaknesses in the competition. My number one option though - was use the CD and perform Drown. I knew the song pretty well, and would simply focus on the performance itself without worrying about playing guitar and/or remembering lyrics.

10:45 Some old guy shows up with a "I Support the President" sign. Which generates a few hoots and negative comments from the people in line. Besides being completely wrong-headed politically, this guy with typical Hollywood pay-attention-to-me defecit disorder then starts to dig into us with "Hey, you guys here for Americon Idol? - I love Ryan Seacrest". Hey,doofus, this is ROCK STAR featuring members of Metallica, you might as well have accused us of wearing tutu's and buggering cats - so we toss back -"What do you drink, bathwater?" - and "I hope you reserve your tickets to the Impeachment!". [Later I realize that his sign probably was in response to the Censure Hearings which were talking place in the Senate today, not this this guy was about to deliver a nuanced argument on how the President hasn't willfully violated the law and the 4th Amendment with his NSA Spying program]

It generates about five minutes of fun and foolishness that slightly bonds the hopefuls together, but generally most people are clearly nervous and tightlipped as the entrace to the Knitting Factory looms into view.


11:30 - Inching ever closer.

The sign says - "Rock Star -->" This Way. Where all your hopes and dreams will soon be crushed into dust. Enjoy.

<>11:55 Starting to move out of the drizzle and into the foyer. A table is setup to accept applications and another camera crew, this one from TV Guide is filming people in line and having them perform their songs. I manage to get a shot of the ever-so-photogenic blond and beeming host.










But by this point in time, I'm not so worried about singing my song, I'm starting to wonder when and where I'll be able to take a piss. And I'm not the only one, I'd say about 1 in 5 people in line are starting to do the "Pee pee dance".

12:15 We turn in our applications, which basically is a release form for any music your going to perform and allows for CBS to use your likeness how they see fit and royalty free - in perpetuity. Wha-hoo, screwed by "da man" already. (Yeah, that's right - I actually bothered to read it, silly me.

Our pictures are taken with a digital cam, we're given a number (I was #174) and split into two lines -one for odd, one for even- for the impending slaughter like good little cattle. Some people are starting to vocalize more openly and I'm starting to recognize songs. I heard this pretty thrilling three-part harmony Journey song in the background, and then one girl was doing Skid Row's "I Remember You". (Ya aint gonna hear that one on American Idol. Not!).

12:45 Some people are getting their Primp On. One gal in a long leather jacket was having her already sky-high hair touched up by a friend - yeah, just a little more and she'd be have her own personal ozone-hole and be ready to join Vixen circa 1988. (Not that I'm much different with the bottle of Cobalt Blue Spiker in my pocket)

13:00 Still in line, close enough to see the door, pardon the Mike and the Mechanics reference but "All I need is a toilet." and all my tension will flow away like water. In fact, exactly like water.

13:15 I step out of line -(not to worry I'm already tagged and numbered like any good free-range musician should be) - to take a quick look down Hollywood Blvd and see if there are any bathrooms around (yeah, right). There's a little deli, but of course it's "Customers Use Only". I'm not hungry and the last thing I need is something to drink. I head back to the line, and two other guys ask me as soon as I get back - "Did you find a bathroom?". I give 'em the lowdown and they both go for it. A buddy of theirs stays behind to watch their guitars.

13:30 I see that security is letting people into the club one at a time for a bathroom break. Aha, I knew I held out for a reason. Besides if I'd lost it, I had brought a second pair of pants with me anyway. I take my turn and use it as a chance to case the layout. As I come in there's a black guy on stage singing Extreme's "More than Words". He's good, but missing some of the notes. That's a tough song to do properly. They have video setup recording the performance. It's a fairly relaxed atmosphere, not too many onlookers. I don't recognize anyone famous inside, just do my business and head back out.

13:45 The auditioners are grouped into lots of ten to enter the club. I take another quick trip inside to change into my vinyl pants. This time some girl is singing to some punk backing tracks badly off-key. Then a couple minutes later our group goes in. We line up along the wall, and get the low-down from the sound guy. Their only going to let us have part of the song, just enough to get the flavor -- if you're cut off, don't take it personally it's not the "Hook" - everyone gets cut off. You can provide a CD with backing tracks, play along with acoustic guitar - or have a friend do it, or simply sing acapella. The song can be original or a cover. I'm prepared to do all three but choose Door number #1 Johnny since it'll be easiest for me all around and I won't have any distractions (no guitar parts or cover lyrics to remember)

14:00 I'm third in line, the two people ahead of me do "Bring me to Life" by Evanescense (A good pick) and a Cheap Trick song respectively. Both are good, not drop dead awesome - but good.

I go up, and do my thing. I stay relaxed, take control of the stage like I own it. Grab the mic stand and swing it around so I can get my Steven Tyler Mojo going. I don't stand still and sing like everyone else seems to - I jump, pace, dance and Rock Out! I'm not nervous and I don't care that I'm alone on stage, I've played a dozens and dozens clubs like this -- I'm home.

(Me - Onstage w/Glitched-- in 2004)

The song flows out of me, and it should since I've already done it hundreds of times in reheasals and on stage with Glitched. The song is Hard rock/Metal, modern sounding but with a strong Metallica vibe - which is most appropriate with Jason Newsted out there watching. It goes just as I planned, and I did it about as well as I could have. Hopefully it translated well onto tape, but I have no idea if it did or not. All I could do is my best. Everything after that is up to them.

(<- Somewhere in the darkness is Jason Newsted, can you find Waldo?)

The moment is over fairly quickly - I get some enthusiastic applause from the other contestants. My work is done here, so I quickly change back out of my vinyl pants (they don't breathe so wearing them for longer than a few minutes can get kinda Fong-kay!) and back into my jeans. Jason Newsted is wandering around the back of the club watching, and chatting with the soundguy occasionally.

The other contestants file up, this one guy is onstage while I'm changing is pretty awesome. He has a great look, tats, doing an original song (I think) and sounded very modern like the band H.I.M or My Chemical Romance. He's a strong contender in my book. Later I learn his name is "Toreen". His girlfriend, Christy, is next and after a slightly rocky start she kicks the shit out of Journey's "Seperate Ways". I complement them both, and Christy tells me she's only their because of Toreen and she has bronchitis.

14:20 Before our group is done we have an older heavy-set black guy who is clearly an accomplished jazz singer go up. He sounds great, but I think he's at the wrong audition - this is ROCK STAR, not Lounge Singer. He'll kill 'em on the cocktail circuit - but not Webley Stadium.

Then we have this white kid, about 18-19 in a muscle shirt with well developed pecs and lats. He does Luther Vandrose and oversings it - which itself is quite an accomplishement. He's great too - if he's trying to be the fifth member of N'Suck. His best shot is probably to become Nick Lechey Mark II and see if Jessica's little sister Ashlee Simpson is still dating her slack-rocker boyfriend Ryan. There he might have a shot -here, auditioning to sing for guys who used to be in Metallica, Guns N Roses and Motley Crue? Maybe I'm wrong, but I just don't think so.

One of the last persons up is this girl in a wheel chair. Her mom(?) wheels her up to the mic, and she stands, shakily, to perform Tina Turner's version of "Proud Mary". She doesn't have the greatest voice, but she has the greatest enthusiasm. It isn't long before most of the other contestant, myself included, are singing backups from the audience. She really gets going on the "Doo doo doo" parts, and then kicks it into overtime on the fast part. The soundguy tries to stop here at the normal spot, just like everyone else - but it's no use. She's in the zone. We got Wilamena Hung in da house. Only she's sings better than he did, actually manages to finish the entire song and get a huge set of applause. Hey, could you cut-off somebody in a wheelchair halfway through?

Yeah, I could too - but don't spread it around.

The last guy gets an even bigger response doing "Whole Lotta Love" while accompanying himself on an unamplified electric guitar. Without the Marshall's, it's really pretty funny particularly when he gets to the moaning "Oh" parts. "Waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy down insiiiiiiiiidde....". Oh yeah, baby.

What I wouldn't give to see the rest of those tapes, man. That's gotta be a goldmine of amazing moments, but this show is very different from American Idol specifically on that point - they don't broadcast the outakes and subject people to ridicule. I'm doing it here - cuz it's so much fun - but then only the other ten or twelve people in the room saw these performances at the time and most of them have their own opinions about them, including mine. (Hey, what's wrong with that guys pants!!! And why's his hair kinda blue? LOL) If you get out in public to perform, you need to be able to take a lump or two. If you can't take it - don't get on stage.

14:23 Finally out and done, and the line is still pretty long. Only this group of people isn't nearly a nervous and tight-lipped as those I went in with. They're having a great time. It's a party out here -- with tons of people singing all kinds of cover songs. It's like the band camp sing-a-long from hell, dude.

This one guy with a soft-curl fro (pictured right) is pretty much the de-facto band leader with about a half-dozen back-up singers. I joined in and did a couple different versions of "Purple Rain" while cameras scrolled by from some website or the other. I also met a pretty awesome local R&B singer out there by the name of Anthony Powers. (www.anthonypowers.com

Rockband.com has lots of great pics also, most of which were taken pretty much at this particular time (I swear I must have been a couple inches off camera for some of these shots, but I'm not in them).

I was having so much fun, I decided to hang around. Since I'd already been inside everybody wanted to know the scoop about how it was and what to expect. I borrowed a guitar and played "Hole Hearted" - which was one of my backup songs, although i never have learned all the correct words - which is why I didn't do it inside. Nobody else knew them either, so we were basically even.

(End of the Line)

15:00 I eventually wandered to the back of the line, where there were some others who'd already been in and out hang around doing rock song covers. We did "Patience", "Sweet Child 'O Mine", "My Sacrifice" (with modified lyrics that made fun of Scott Stapp getting beaten up repeatedly), "It's Been Awhile" (Staind) and if - if you can believe this - an acoustic version of System of a Down's "Chop Suey" (!?!).

(Shannon and her Guitarist - the "Chop Suey" Man)

The other guys who were still in line were Pop and R&B singers -- but this group were ROCK singers and the difference was obvious. These guys even made up a song on the spot called 'Hollywood Blvd" for this website that was filming for Showusyourcharacter.com, which was connected to USA Networks.

(Me with a borrowed Guitar, you can see Brian from Vicious Rumors and Ira from Metal Church walking around in the background in the video from Showusyourcharacter.com where I'm performing a song I didn't do in the audition.)

(Neal, his girlfriend and Shannon, Real Rockers!)

After doing about six songs I got to talking to the others, there was Shannon and her guitarist - then there was Neal and his girlfriend. Neal mentioned his old band Sunburn, and I suddently realized I knew this guy. I had seen that band in Sacramento, and was a big fan. They were from Walnut Creek in Northern California and I've been featuring one of their songs, "Last Words", on my Live365 Station for years. One of the other guys hanging out there was Brian (O'Connor) who was a friend of Neals and former lead singer for Vicious Rumors. He's yet another guy I knew of from NorCal, but I'd never really met him -- and even stranger yet, he knew of me and my old Sacramento band Planet X. We started talking about Jay from the Town Pump in Yuba City, who was the guitarist for my last group Glitched - and the fact that I'd just auditioned with a track that had Jay playing on it.. It was like NorCal Central down there, and we we're partying hard - Neal's girlfriend had gone across the street and picked up a twelve pack of Corona's. They were in the sharing mood, so you're talking semi-drunk rock camp-fire songs in the middle of the drizzle.

Toreen, Christy and someone else from Rockband.com's Pics

The little guy on the right posing is Dave Navarro (Jane's Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers) who will be the host of the show.

(Ira from Metal Church with Brian from Vicious Rumors - note the Corona's in their hands - Par-tay!!)

I got into an interesting coversation with Brian, who'd toured and performed in front of 50,000 person crowds with Vicious Rumors. He was terrified by this audition. Stomach all notted up, because you were completely under a microscope in there - it's completely different than having a faceless crowd of thousands. I'm sure he did fantastic though, but it just underscored another point that is different from AI and in fact different from the first season of Rock Star. IMO too many of the people auditioning were simply not suited to what this band was most likely to become. It might not be as heavy as Metallica, because this is clearly intended for the mainstream - but it also wasn't going to be Avril Lavigne. My best guest is that this project would probably emulate the success of Velvet Revolver, which was another "supergroup" of ex-GNR and STP personel. All the people doing Christina Aguilera were missing it IMO.

(<-- Yes, the Devil really does live on Hollywood Blvd).

If people like Neal, Brian and Toreen don't get picked then I certainly won't feel bad if I don't. These guys are the Real Deal, and I expect with or without this show we'll see them again. Heck, Neal said he was going to auditioning for the band Fuel soon -- so who knows, eh?

All in all, about 370 people showed up in Hollywood, about 50 of those will be called back on Monday for secondary auditions, from there things will eventually be wittled down to the 15 people who'll be in the fishbowl of the show. One way or the other, it should be entertaining.

Vyan

The Color of a Rock Star

I haven't posted much largely because I've been pretty much obsessed with the show Rock Star:INXS and it's unfolding psycho-rock-opera. For me the focus point was the contestant Ty Taylor - easily the best singer and performer on the show and his eventually ousting. As he departed, through tears he commented that he "knew that the real reason for his leaving - that his people simply weren't seen as Rock Stars".

Interviewed the Chicago Tribune just after leaving the stage - Ty had the following to say.

Coming off of a great performance last night, which the crowd and the band loved, how did it feel when you were called into the bottom three today?

TY: Well, I've gotten used to it a little bit. Like I was saying, it was exciting because I got to sing an INXS song ["The One Thing"] which was far from mediocre, like they said. I guess they needed some reason to say I was going home because I know my performance wasn't mediocre. [Laughs.]It hurt, really. It's hard. And I've spent this whole show really never taking any platform about race issues at all, but I know how hard it is just judging by history, judging by the fact that I can count on my hands how many successful artists there have been that are African-American in rock 'n' roll. And it's just like a lot of people aren't going to watch the television show that aren't into rock music, and then therefore those people that have not seen enough black people in rock 'n' roll don't think to put me in [the band, INXS]. That's the only reason, that's the only reason. I know things. I'm very in touch with myself and the world and spirituality. And I know what my performances are like and I know – now that I don't have to deal with being so politically correct – I know where they land as far as substance. And you know, I hate having to live history [Starts crying]. You know that's it. I just hate being a part of something that
just doesn't seem like it's gonna change.

His comments ontage and off generated a torent of outrage that he would use the excuse of being a black person (or possibly gay according to some viewers) as a cop out for his own failings. I myself deeply questioned the intensity of the outrage, many seemed to take his comments as a personal affront, insult and accusation, as if to say - "How dare he accuse ME of Racism"? It reached the point of becoming a near-mantra, almost as people were reading from a prepared script. (Much like GOP-Talking Points.) It was almost creepy.

• He was a great singer - just not Roit, that's my opinion and you need to take it as fact, cuz I do and you should too..
  
• He'll do great on his own. - (somewhere, anywhere - but not in a Rock band - maybe Broadway or as the new lead singer of Kool and the Gang! or the Village People)
  
• It had nothing to do with race - (except that he said his people aren't accepted in Rock bands, and he's right! But It's they're own fault - they know their place and they stay in it - away from Rock!)
  
• See look there was a black guy accepted in a Rock band named Hendrix - once - long ago - he's been dead 35 years, but he was accepted -- kinda -- oh well he's dead now and nobody else had followed him -- but Ty's still wrong.
  
• It has to do with how he performed - (which happens to be heavily steeped in black music and black culture -- which is where Rock n Roll orginated -- but it's not about race, remember!)
  
• Hootie! See there's another one! Yay, can we all go home and forget about this now? I'm missing a rerun of Desperate Housewives.
  
• He shouldn't have spoke his mind, because he couldn't possibly be right --("Sure, we have freedom of Speach - Just watch what you say" - Ice T)
  
• Yeah, there's racism and bias somewhere - out there - maybe Connecticut or Boston - but not here!
  
• Lenny Kravitz - Wow, were on a roll - three guys in 40 years - it's an epidemic! What more could he possibly want?
  
• It's not MY Fault, why did he have to insult me personally? (Besides, J.D.'s so hot and sexy - how could I resist!)
  
• Why do all those blacks always DO that? It makes me so MAD!! (But I never look at race, honest I don'! - except for those whining black guys - DAMN THem, Damn them all to H*LL)
  
• He had been in the Bottom 3 (elimination group) three times - that was enough - didn't he get that? (Yeah, not like Jessica had already been in the Bottom 3 times and stayed, or that Suzie had been in the Bottom 3 times - uh, I mean 4 times - and stayed. Oops, never mind.)
  
• Didn't he know *my* opinion on him sucking, why can't he just accept that and move on?
  

I've personally walked a few miles in Ty's shoes as a Rock performer of color myself, and I have to say that his comments are not completely without merit. But in my view the main reason for his leaving, beyond the rather silly set of excuses given by those who seem intent on denying the continually deteriorating state of race relations in America, was a case of marketing - not strickly racism per se.

On the main Rockstar forums I've had many discussions of this subject over the past two weeks and I've mostly said all along that racism might have played a part in how things turned out, but I've repeatedly said I don't think it was the primary part of what happened to Ty.

What I've said is that racism is what drove black people out of Rock N Roll back in the late 60's and early 70's (which even the biggest dullard knows was not exactly a period of racial harmony), and that it's marketing and apathy -- on all sides -- that keeps it that way today.

Now that cooler heads are gradually begining to prevail -it's time we had the real discussion - not "find the racist" - but FIX the problem!

And the problem is that Black people were the primary architechs of Rock N Roll. They didn't do it alone, but there were right there in the thick of it -- then suddenly they weren't anymore. That wasn't an accident. Rock is built on Blues - and where Blues is about the sharing of pain and the commiseration of people going through hard times, Rock N Roll was originally about overcoming that pain and focusing on the positive. If Blues was a person in tears and despair about their world, life and home going up in flames (or drowning under water) - Rock was an affirmative declaration by people who weren't going to burn up with the house, who were instead were gonna party their butts off and build a new one once the ashes cooled off.

Now, just imagine - you rebuild your house and you're throwing your party and a few neighbors show up and start to crash. Then a few more... then a few more...than a lot more - like Millions. Next thing you know they taken over the party, and they've taken over the house. They put the fire out (ended segregation and jim crow) which is a good thing, but the party's going in alll kinds of different directions -- anything you bring to it, they just take and they barely say thanks. They've moved IN to the house -they're doing renovations, they start changing rooms and putting up walls (by which I mean that in the 70's Radio began to split and segregate into very narrowly targeted MARKETS) and they didn't even say "May I" -it's just BOOM - not your house anymore and you have two choices.

1) Stay and wind up stuck in the corner or in the hall closet (niche) most of the time since there's hardly any room. In order to remain in the house you have to FIT one of the specific market brands that have now become standard, you can't just do your own thing anymore. (Not to mention some of the people who were fueling the fire, then ripped off all the furniture are still in there with you -- somewhere -- you just can't tell where anymore!)

2) Leave and build a new set of houses - create your own markets from scratch without all these other people bum-rushing the deal - houses which eventually became known as R&B, Funk and Hip-Hop.

So most you make your decision, but meanwhile your old place is still there -- with all it's squatters - jamming right along - parrellel to you, equal but seperate.

Segregated once again.

Every once in a while someone like Sly Stone comes along to visit the old place. Michael Jackson does a rock song like "Beat it" or "Dirty Diana", his sister does "Black Cat", Envogue does "Free Your Mind" and Jay-Z moonlights with Linkin Park - but almost noone has the nerve to risk their entire career on full-time rock music. And those that do - get quickly shown the error of their ways and are either sent scurrying back to R&B (Cree Summer) or see their careers come to a complete standstill (Dionne Farris). So for the most part - Rock and Black people remain seperate.

35-40 years go by -- and finally one ore person, someone like Ty comes walking up to the door of your old place and gives it a loud hard knock. Hardly anyone has seen anyone like him in most of that time, they don't know what to make of him -- the house has new tenants, he doesn't look or sound like them anymore. Times have changed. He's like a martian. All this while people like him with an authentic R&B and Soul background have been gone away, THE MARKETING OF ROCK HAS SHIFTED from classic Rock in the 70's to 80's Hair Rock to 90's Grunge, to Post-Punk to EMO)

Ty comes across musically like the original rockers who built the house, he's upbeat rather than gloomy - he's got soul rather than angst. He sounds a lot like classic rock too, since that sound is pretty close to the foundations of Rock -- but that was long ago. His look is also a bit throwback to the Punk of the 80's -- clothing is a bit all over the place. Not really sure about that. (Just rememberr It took Lenny about six years to find a look that "worked" for him - now, noone else is "allowed" to use that look without being called a "Lenny Clone") Either way, he doesn't "fit" into any of the pre-existing Markets that Rock now has. Should he pretend to be an EMO-Boy, or simply be who he is?

Most people who felt that Ty didn't fit - weren't themselves racist IMO, and I've never said they were. Some probably were, and many weren't - on the Rockstar Forums we've pretty much had that arguement already - but in the end, it makes no difference.

Many of those people who don't have an issue with Ty as a black man singing rock, are still judging him by the standards of a Market which was formed and founded upon a racist act -- the purge of Black people from Rock in the 70s. Rock music itself became racist in the 70's, and for all intents and marketing purposes - it still is.

I'm not saying anyone today was involved in what happened to Rock in the 70's, most of the dirty dealing was done by record execs who wanted to make a faster buck by taking songs away from black artists and repeatedly given them to white artists like Elvis and Pat Boone - I'm only saying the legacy of it continues (Did you guys know that Black Crows didn't write "Hard to Handle" - it was Otis Redding!!!) - -and will continue, until people take a stand to change it.

The Market for Black Rockers existed once -- it can be built again, newer, different, stronger - an black and white as all get out at the same time - just as it used to be.

All it takes is for a few people with an authentic black cultural perspetive - not just one, not just two, several - to get through the front door and back into the party, and then change the party! Rebuild the Market. A couple of tokens to our collective guilt over the past 35 years (like Lenny or Living Colour) aren't enough - it requires a miny FLOOD of them like what happened with Grunge and the "Latin Explosion" - it has to be a movement, not just a random incident.

IMO Ty was well positioned to help begin that start of such a flood - (this is exactly why he felt a lot of pressure to succeed in Rock as a black person - because it just might have made a difference for "his people" and frankly, everyone else)

Truth is, a lot of black people don't listen to rock today because they don't see and hear themselves in it the way they used to. It doesn't appeal to them - it isn't MARKETED to them. If it was and they did see and hear themselves reflected in that music - things might change, but since they don't it's likely to remain the same for the next 10, 20, 30 or even 40 years.

Hopefully, it won't. Hopefully, they'll be other oppurtunities for him and others to break down the walls that continues to segregate black and white's in music - but we'll just have to wait and see - won't we? I myself, have my doubts.

When you contrast the intensity of feeling on both sides in this situation with that of the accusations of racial bias in the lack of response to the post-Katrina flood, it seems clear that we have a very long way to go. Those walls have had over 30 years to solidify into place - it's going to take something huge to loosen thier foundations.

Vyan

Ty Taylor: Rock Star Novelty?

A mini-controversy seems to have erupted among some fans of the CBS Show "Rock Star:INXS" over whether or not Ty Taylor, easily one of the best singers and performers in the competition, would be an appropriate fit as front person for a band such as INXS since Ty, is a black man. One would think that such an issue would have been long settled before 2005, but apparently it is not.

---

It's not as if Ty is anywhere near the first person who has been in this position, and delt with the question. Far beyond the Grammy Winning Rock band Living Colour and their lead singer Corey Glover, whom Ty has already - unfairly - been compared to -- there has been a long history of Rock Bands front by black men and women.

Mother's Finest was originally formed in the 1976 featuring a multi-racial lineup. Originally mixing funk, R&b and rock the group gradually evolved into a hardrocking powerhouse in the early 90's that would give Ozzy Osborne and Black Sabbath a good run. The group is still together, still touring, has released 10 CD's so far and are considered huge superstars in England and Europe. The highest U.S chart position was #22 on the Black Music Charts in 1979.

Formed at about the same time as Living Colour in New York, the group 24/7 Spyz featured a predominantly black lineup fronted origially by P. Fluid, and later by Jeff Broadnax the group has released 8 studio albums, the latest being Heavy Metal Soul by the Pound.

King's X is a group from Houston Texas that has been together over 20 years, releasing 11 CD's on Megaforce, Atlantic and Metal Blade Records. They even appeared at Woodstock II, taking the stage just after Blues Traveller and right before Sheryl Crow. Their latest CD, a live disc, was released last november and is called "Live All Over Place". They tour the U.S. every year and occasionally Europe at venues about the size of the House of Blues and have developed a loyal and devoted following. Their biggest hits so far have been "It's Love" (#6 on the Mainstream Rock 1990), "Black Flag" (#17 Mainstream Rock 1992) and "Dogman" (#20 Mainstream Rock 1994).

Stuck Mojo formed in 1993 as part of the trend of Rap/Rock bands of the mid 90's, ultimately releasing 6 CD's peaking at number 48 on the Heatseakers chart with the song "Rising".

Follow For Now is an all black rock, soul and ska group that debuted in 1991, they never charted - but theri lead singer David Ryan Harris went on to work with former Arrested Development vocalist Dionne Farris and to found the group Brand New Immortals.


Ra is a relatively new group from East Rutherford NJ with two CD's out so far whose song "Rectifier" went to #30 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks in 2003.


Skindred is also a new group that has been making waves in the hardcore/metal scene with a unique blend of ska & reggae and hardcore - following in the footsteps of the seminal hardcore group - Badbrains. They had the #1 Reggae record of 2004, and hit #14 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks that same year.

Moke was a british group that has toured with King's X (see above), they released two albums. I've seen them live and they were a great group but establish no significant chart position in the U.S. before they broke up.



The self-titled debut CD by Sevendust was released in 1997 and so far has four follow-ups. Their third album Animosity went to #1 on the Top independant Albums chart in 2001 and #28 on the Billboard 200. Their 2004 CD Seasons also went to #1 on the Independant Chart and they've had 11 songs in the Top 40 Mainstream Rock tracks, plus 5 in the Top 40 Modern Rock tracks - the highest position being the song "Denial" at #14.



Killswitch Engage is a group that has been touring with group such as Slipknot as has so far hit number #21 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart.

Body Count is a hardcore/rap/punk outfit fronted by Rapper/Actor Ice T that has released three CD's so far and toured the world several times. Their latest CD, "Violent Demise: Last Days", was released on 1997 and besides getting Charlton Heston to quote their lyrics on TV, they've also managed to hit #26 on the Billboard 200 with their self-titled debut.

Vyan