Am I the only one who thinks this concept is an insult to Michael Hutchence fans? VEry morbid! Let the legend of INXS as we knew it with Michael rest!


Reality Show to Yield New INXS Singer

Tue Jun 15, 2:05 AM ET Add Entertainment - Reuters to My Yahoo!


By Barry A. Jeckell

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


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


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


Since Hutchence's death, surviving band members Andrew Farriss, Tim Farriss, Jon Farriss, Kirk Pengilly and Garry Beers have occasionally performed with fellow Australian Jon Stevens (news) on vocals. That lineup played during the closing ceremonies of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games (news - web sites) in Sydney and toured North America in 2002 with Simple Minds.


"After Michael died, we wanted to search the world for a new singer but didn't know how we could effectively do that," Tim Farriss said. "By having Mark and everyone at MBP (Mark Burnett Prods.) embrace the concept, we've now found a fantastic way to make that happen."


"Rock Star" auditions will be held on five continents. The winner and INXS will record a studio album, the band's first since 1997's "Elegantly Wasted" (Mercury), and then head out on a world tour.


Unlike other music reality shows such as "American Idol" and "Nashville Star," the viewing audience will not be the sole arbiter of the show's outcome. Band members will also assess contestants in tandem with leading entertainment industry specialists.


Reuters/Billboard

first off, it was NOT suicide. it was freaky deaky masturbation.

second...this is pathetic. so they mean to say that they have no idea how to conduct auditions for a singer? this is, at least to me, banking on the fact that michael hutchence is dead. it is incredibly distasteful. auditions should be held in private and NOT for ratings. they have lost all relevance and dignity in my eyes.

not that my opinion matters much

i think skin from skunk anansie would be an amazing replacement for michael hutchence.



then again, i just think bald black rock chicks are cool.

FUCKING DISGUSTING.

Form a NEW band, you assholes!

madartista said:

Damn Chris...you need a hug?


I think it's a good idea actually. Why not? It'll get a lot of attention and get interest back in the band. Why form a new band? The band is intact and they should be able to further the Inxs legacy if they choose to. I've met them and actually had drinks and played pool with them and talked for hours and they miss Michael so much that if this helps them get back out there then so be it. Love ya Chris!

And SassyB..get a clue already.

Michael Hutchence was an incredible vocalist, no one can replace him. But for INXS (unlike the group Journey who let personal feelings and egos break up their band), their lead singer is not alive anymore. I hope whoever sings with INXS, makes the fans proud and does justice to Michael's memory.

Sorry, I kinda had a hard time listening to the new Journey, so I just hope INXS doesn't end up like that. No offense to anyone who likes Journey's current lead singer.

LovesexyIsThe1 said:

that journey singer isn't steve perry's clone? Could've fooled me! LOL.

SASSY B ROCKS! and he has a nice ass.

EverlastingNow said:

I'll definitely take the hug, but I think that INXS is so strongly identified with Michael Hutchence that to use another singer is a charade. And to do the search as a reality show is completely disrespectful.

That's what I think.

SassyBritches said:

I agree 100%.

Didn't they have a replacement and that didn't work out, WTF?

EverlastingNow said:

i've got 7 actually

Oh come on you monkeytards. They've already tried out Terrence Trent Darby and some other b-rate has-been 80's Aussie star. At this point, those dudes have enough cash and enough hits to not worry about fame or "re-inventing" their band, NOR the need to earn any frickin street cred. They DEFINED 80's era rock. Without their SUPER charismatic lead singer, they're just another bar band now.

They love to play, they happen to be short by one singer, so, what the hell, why not enjoy yourself and entertain the masses at the same time? If I were them, I'd enjoy the hell out of it. What's to lose? They've already discovered that the band will NEVER EVER be the same no matter WHO fronts them, they've discovered that, even with a new singer and new songs, they will NEVER play on a level that they did with Michael, so, what the hell, stop expecting them to continue to carry the torch for Michael.

Obviously, no matter WHO fronts that band, it will never be the band that put out Listen Like Thieves, The Swing, Shaboo Shoobah or Kick, 4 of the greatest records of the 80s.

And yeah, INXS ARE my favorite band of all time.

otan said:

Aside from not liking being called a monkeytard, I can see your point.

But all that said, if this is true:



why try to re-create? why not just have a new band? which essentially is finding a singer they can work with, and then picking a new name.

What's the point of using a different name? They're now 5/6 of the original band.

They own one of the more desirable catalogs of material that work well with any bar band, no matter who's the singer... sort of like the stones.

So, OBVIOUSLY, it's not going to be Michael Hutchence and INXS, so there's no need to clarify that part, right? So if you see, "coming to your town! INXS!" you'll obviously know, oh, that's INXS musicians with a new singer. There will be no doubt in your mind, whatsoever. I doubt that ANYONE at the place will ask for their money back because Michael ain't out on tour with them.

I'm fine with them using the name, the songs, and a new singer, who's been picked by a lame ass reality show. If anything, I'll actually WATCH this reality show for the amusement.

The remaining members of Bauhaus reformed as Love & Rockets and seemed to do pretty well with it...and Peter Murphy didn't even have to die!

otan said:

ALRIGHT. You're a much bigger fan than I, so if you're okay with it, I'm okay. But I still think it's wrong!!!!

yes very much so. if the band goes on it should be the band to decide and time will tell if it can continue as in the case of ac/dc or flop like gary shirone joined van halen.

I don't see why they shouldn't do it.
It's been, what, seven years since he died. How long should they mourn?
They must like playing with each other, and the music is good. So why break up? The name INXS will bring money & publicity with or without Muchael Hutchence.
And they are not exactly Bob Dylan, you can't really get upset about them selling out.
And if they want to be like Chicago, Styx, Van Halen, the Commodores, why not? Maybe they can be like fellow aussies ACDC if they're lucky.

Lucky? You kidding me? These guys owned the world for a period. There's no need to worry about keeping the band going in the hopes of getting even bigger... Halen was the same way - they could play with Pee Wee Herman, and they'd probably still have fun, despite the fact that they'd sound like crap. Oh wait. They DO.

Love and Rockets - do they play any Bauhaus songs? Like that one song that actually gets airplay on college radio between 2 and 5 am?

dont kill me. I own that record... just makin a point - them reforming and going on ain't the same.

I dunno. As long as they dont care, then neither do I. Whereas with Halen, I wonder what on earth are they thinking. If they're going to re-form with a former singer, bite the bullet, bring more sedatives, whatever it takes, bring Diamond Dave back.

Lord I'm showing my mullet, aint I?

I'm not even going to read the story or the article. That is the saddest thing I ever heard and I'm not that big of an INXS fan (first concert, though).

this is just despicable.

otan said:

Unfortunately, they tried the guy from Extreme and failed miserably and now they went back to the singer that made them more successful than DLR ever did, not to mention, put out a live album (which wasn't possible with DLR). The new VH song does suck though.



Diamond Dave made an ass of himself when they did the best-of album and showed that he'll be a Vegas act for the rest of his life. They don't care if you can't remember the words in Vegas and you can jump around with your comb-over trying to impress big-haired girls until the royalities run out.

Business in the front party in the rear - everyone loves a mullet.

-everyone loves an edit
[This message was edited Wed Jun 16 7:34:55 2004 by Slave2daGroove]