Rockstar INXS

So I haven't posted on Rockstar INXS in a while yet I continue to be oddly attracted to the show. Don't know why. Did I mention that it is hosted by the lovely and delightful Brooke Burke?

At any rate, last night was yet another installment of the show where a group of singers are auditioning to replace the prematurely departed Michael Hutchence. Several have left the show and we are now down to the final six. Last night each contestant was tasked to sing a particular, "classic" and the results were muddled at best.

Suzie's song was the horrid "Bohemian Rhapsody" by the stunningly bad super group Queen. Remarkably, Suzie who arguably has the best pure voice of the group, had trouble hitting several of the song's notes, but none-the-less gave one of the night's best performances. The band seemed to like what she did, and I would not be surprised if she was tapped to give tonight's encore.

Most surprising though was the popularity of of Bohemian Rhapsody with the group of would be INXS lead singers. Most of these folks are in their twenties and to a person professed themselves to be "huge" fans of the song. What gives? While I'll admit that hearing Suzie have trouble with song gave me a new found appreciation of Freddie Mercury's vocal talents, the song itself is horrible.

First you have the lyrics. "Mama, just killed a man, put a gun up to his head, pulled the trigger, now he's dead"? Combined with the over the top musical production, a Queen trademark, and you have a tune most of us kids in the 70's found ridiculous. Worse, we couldn't get the bloody tune out of our minds! This, despite the fact that we were wearing bell bottoms, kiana shirts and had a roach clip stuck to our rear view mirror (right next to the prom garter). There was clearly some bad judgment going on, but not even a generation as stylistically confused as we were could muster respect for this song.

Also presented last night was John Lennon's dirge like ode to communism. Yup, Jordis received the "honor" of singing "Imagine". I won't waste time reviewing the numerous points on which this song is truly awful, but to be completely candid I would just as soon never have to hear it again.

Jordis' performance was not bad, but like so many of her performances in this competition, she leaves the listener with the feeling that she could do so much more with her voice. There is little doubt that from a vocal point of view Jordis possesses immense talent, but all of her presentations so far have for me, lacked passion, and rock without passion is......well it's whatever you call Brittany Spear's music.

That said, following her performance Jordis introduced some wildman from the audience as her father. Now this guy had passion! Outfitted in some cool Africanesque gown and hat with a white beard and specs, all I could think was that the 70's Pursuit described above would have "wanted to party with that dude".

Fellow Chicagoan, and one of the standouts of the show, Marty, turned in a fine performance of Pink Floyd's "Wish you were here". Doubly poignant, since the song is about a missing band member, Marty teared up at the end of the song and there was much discussion about "almost crying among the band members. Good grief! What is all this male crying about anyway? It is like some sort of epidemic, what with men from the odious Dirk Durbin to respectable hipsters such as Marty blubbering up from coast to coast.

I mean, I've got a heart, I know the band misses their friend, but a little stoicism is called for here, particularly from Aussies. We lost the American male long ago, yours truly excepted, and I had hoped my pals from down under would be able to resist the whole feminization of males trend, but alas we're getting close to a tipping point it seems. Worse of all, a Chicagoan (Da Bears!) was leading the sob session last night! Maybe I can get Da Mayor to ban Marty from returning if he doesn't shape his weeping act up.

All in all a pretty good show, and Mig who apparently PD1 wants to run away with, rocked the hardest with his version of "Live and Let Die". I've long felt Mig will ultimately win this competition, and last night further solidified this thought.

Oh yeah, and Brooke looked fantastic with her hip high white boots.