Post by Gilby Admirer on Jul 18, 2006 5:27:01 GMT -5
torontosun.com/Entertainment/Television/2006/07/18/1690020-sun.html
Rock Star feverThe Sun's Bill Brioux puts on his leather pants and heads over to the Supernova epicentre for one of his most memorable moments on press tour ... ever!
By BILL BRIOUX, ON THE TV TOUR
Jenny Galt from Vancouver
Lukas Rossi from Toronto
Tommy Lee says Lukas Rossi’s performance “raised the bar” on Rock Star: Supernova.
PASADENA, Calif -- Still not convinced Canadian Idol sucks?
Check out tonight's electric edition of Rock Star: Supernova (9 p.m. on Global and CBS), where the 13 remaining wannabe rockers -- including two talented young Canadians -- blow the roof off the dump.
The finalists are all trying to follow in the footsteps of Canadian winner J. D. Fortune, now making a fortune singing with INXS. These singers are competing to impress and eventually front the made-for-TV triumvirate Supernova, consisting of drummer Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), bassist Jason Newsted (Metallica) and guitarist Gilby Clarke (Guns N' Roses).
A shuttle bus full of Canadian and American TV critics arrived at the taping, which took place Sunday night at CBS's Television City studios. Since we look more like a Price Is Right crowd (the long-running game show also tapes there, along with -- surprisingly -- Fox's mega hit American Idol), we were tucked way in the back bleachers, far from the roaming steadicams that sweep past the arm-waving kids crammed up near the stage.
Tonight's show is a triumph for Toronto-native Lukas Rossi, Rock Star's early front runner. In the week leading up to tonight's instalment, he let the others scramble through a stack of classic rock sheet music, settling for whatever was left over to sing on tonight's show. He lucked out with the early Stones hit Let's Spend The Night Together.
The 29-year-old, who has toured with Tea Party and I Mother Earth, claims he had never heard it before. He put a punk spin on the '60s classic and wowed the crowd.
Rossi's very distinct, black and white look -- his heavy eyeliner and white striped skunk 'do make him look like a cross between a young Brando and Pepe LePew -- sets him apart, as does his 'tude. "You came off rude and arrogant," host Dave Navarro tells Rossi tonight. "That was awesome, dude."
All three judges agree. "Killed it," says Clarke. Lee tells Rossi he'd "raised the bar" for the others.
Montreal-born, Vancouver resident Jenny Galt has a less memorable night. Galt, who also went to school in Ottawa, admitted later she was a bit pitchy on Incubus's Drive. "Too safe," says Navarro. Clarke called her performance "a little bit Lillith Fair ... we want Oz Fest."
Husky-voiced South African Dilana Robichaux -- Rossi's main threat -- makes it a race at the end of the show by smoking Zombie by the Cranberries. "Dilana, I wanna," says bad boy Lee.
As fun as tonight's show was to see live, it pales compared to the rockin' after party, held at the secluded Rock Star mansion (silent screen star Antonio Moreno's restored hilltop estate). The grand property, with its stunning view of downtown Los Angeles, has been the Big Brother house to the 'Nova newbies for three weeks. Cameras are everywhere, points out Galt, with only the bathrooms off-limits. (An "inside the mansion" edition runs Mondays at 10 p.m. on Global).
I found rainbow-haired Robichaux chilling in the candle lit backyard. Another reporter asks about her three pointy lower lip piercings. Why does she have them there? he asks. Dilana leans over and gently kisses him on the cheek. "Hey, I want to know why you have them there, too," I said. Another peck, which came with an added tickle of metal. "Do you have any other piercings?" I asked a little too quickly. This cracked Robichaux up. "Who are you, Tommy Lee?"
Besides Robichaux's busses, what still had critics lucky enough to be there buzzing was the kick-ass, impromptu jam session the various musicians on site put on Sunday night. All three Supernova members got in on the act, with Lee beating out time on anything or anyone handy, Clarke singin' and pickin' through Stones standards like You Can't Always Get What You Want and bassist Newsted jamming on bongos and guitar. If this slapped together super group seemed phony and forced before, that notion was exploded that night. These dudes are totally into it.
As were the contestants. Robichaux opened the extended set, wailing like she was channeling Janis Joplin. Iceland native Magni Asgeirsson jammed all night long, strumming everything thrown at him on guitar, including the Beatles ballad In My Life. The rock veterans and house wannabes kicked ass on everything from hip hop to Alanis Morissette.
At one point, Lee got up off the floor and poured a beer down contestant Phil Ritchie's pants. Ritchie returned the favour, dumping a pint down Lee's droopy drawers. These kids are learning from the best.
Clarke put a beer bottle to better use, using one to play slide guitar on Honky Tonk Woman. Last year's winner, J.D. Fortune, looked on in awe. The night was supreme and sublime, a genuine wow, one of the most memorable moments on press tour ever.
Sitting it all out was Rossi, with the ultimate, too cool for the room rock star move. It is the kind of sneering stunt that the band has applauded so far on the series ("Lukas scares me," praised Lee), but it probably didn't win him any brownie points with the band Sunday night. If he stumbles and winds up in the bottom three one week, this night may come back to haunt him. Still, don't look for that to happen on tomorrow night's results show (8 p.m. on Global and CBS).
Rock Star feverThe Sun's Bill Brioux puts on his leather pants and heads over to the Supernova epicentre for one of his most memorable moments on press tour ... ever!
By BILL BRIOUX, ON THE TV TOUR
Jenny Galt from Vancouver
Lukas Rossi from Toronto
Tommy Lee says Lukas Rossi’s performance “raised the bar” on Rock Star: Supernova.
PASADENA, Calif -- Still not convinced Canadian Idol sucks?
Check out tonight's electric edition of Rock Star: Supernova (9 p.m. on Global and CBS), where the 13 remaining wannabe rockers -- including two talented young Canadians -- blow the roof off the dump.
The finalists are all trying to follow in the footsteps of Canadian winner J. D. Fortune, now making a fortune singing with INXS. These singers are competing to impress and eventually front the made-for-TV triumvirate Supernova, consisting of drummer Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), bassist Jason Newsted (Metallica) and guitarist Gilby Clarke (Guns N' Roses).
A shuttle bus full of Canadian and American TV critics arrived at the taping, which took place Sunday night at CBS's Television City studios. Since we look more like a Price Is Right crowd (the long-running game show also tapes there, along with -- surprisingly -- Fox's mega hit American Idol), we were tucked way in the back bleachers, far from the roaming steadicams that sweep past the arm-waving kids crammed up near the stage.
Tonight's show is a triumph for Toronto-native Lukas Rossi, Rock Star's early front runner. In the week leading up to tonight's instalment, he let the others scramble through a stack of classic rock sheet music, settling for whatever was left over to sing on tonight's show. He lucked out with the early Stones hit Let's Spend The Night Together.
The 29-year-old, who has toured with Tea Party and I Mother Earth, claims he had never heard it before. He put a punk spin on the '60s classic and wowed the crowd.
Rossi's very distinct, black and white look -- his heavy eyeliner and white striped skunk 'do make him look like a cross between a young Brando and Pepe LePew -- sets him apart, as does his 'tude. "You came off rude and arrogant," host Dave Navarro tells Rossi tonight. "That was awesome, dude."
All three judges agree. "Killed it," says Clarke. Lee tells Rossi he'd "raised the bar" for the others.
Montreal-born, Vancouver resident Jenny Galt has a less memorable night. Galt, who also went to school in Ottawa, admitted later she was a bit pitchy on Incubus's Drive. "Too safe," says Navarro. Clarke called her performance "a little bit Lillith Fair ... we want Oz Fest."
Husky-voiced South African Dilana Robichaux -- Rossi's main threat -- makes it a race at the end of the show by smoking Zombie by the Cranberries. "Dilana, I wanna," says bad boy Lee.
As fun as tonight's show was to see live, it pales compared to the rockin' after party, held at the secluded Rock Star mansion (silent screen star Antonio Moreno's restored hilltop estate). The grand property, with its stunning view of downtown Los Angeles, has been the Big Brother house to the 'Nova newbies for three weeks. Cameras are everywhere, points out Galt, with only the bathrooms off-limits. (An "inside the mansion" edition runs Mondays at 10 p.m. on Global).
I found rainbow-haired Robichaux chilling in the candle lit backyard. Another reporter asks about her three pointy lower lip piercings. Why does she have them there? he asks. Dilana leans over and gently kisses him on the cheek. "Hey, I want to know why you have them there, too," I said. Another peck, which came with an added tickle of metal. "Do you have any other piercings?" I asked a little too quickly. This cracked Robichaux up. "Who are you, Tommy Lee?"
Besides Robichaux's busses, what still had critics lucky enough to be there buzzing was the kick-ass, impromptu jam session the various musicians on site put on Sunday night. All three Supernova members got in on the act, with Lee beating out time on anything or anyone handy, Clarke singin' and pickin' through Stones standards like You Can't Always Get What You Want and bassist Newsted jamming on bongos and guitar. If this slapped together super group seemed phony and forced before, that notion was exploded that night. These dudes are totally into it.
As were the contestants. Robichaux opened the extended set, wailing like she was channeling Janis Joplin. Iceland native Magni Asgeirsson jammed all night long, strumming everything thrown at him on guitar, including the Beatles ballad In My Life. The rock veterans and house wannabes kicked ass on everything from hip hop to Alanis Morissette.
At one point, Lee got up off the floor and poured a beer down contestant Phil Ritchie's pants. Ritchie returned the favour, dumping a pint down Lee's droopy drawers. These kids are learning from the best.
Clarke put a beer bottle to better use, using one to play slide guitar on Honky Tonk Woman. Last year's winner, J.D. Fortune, looked on in awe. The night was supreme and sublime, a genuine wow, one of the most memorable moments on press tour ever.
Sitting it all out was Rossi, with the ultimate, too cool for the room rock star move. It is the kind of sneering stunt that the band has applauded so far on the series ("Lukas scares me," praised Lee), but it probably didn't win him any brownie points with the band Sunday night. If he stumbles and winds up in the bottom three one week, this night may come back to haunt him. Still, don't look for that to happen on tomorrow night's results show (8 p.m. on Global and CBS).
