The greatest question facing INXS since lead singer Michael Hutchence died of an apparent suicide in 1997 was how to replace him. Now, the question many have for the Australian band is, Why do it with a reality show?
Ratings for CBS’ “Rock Star: INXS” are low, and predictably, some fans are dismayed by the band’s decision to find a new frontman via a TV genre perhaps best symbolized by people willing to eat insects. “Doesn’t anyone think it’s in incredibly poor taste to have a reality show auditioning members for your band to replace your lead singer who (hanged) himself?” one post from the15minutehipster.blogspot.com asks.
But for INXS, it may be a clever move. On national TV, even poor ratings translate into invaluable exposure for an act trying to re-establish itself. The week of the show’s premiere, sales of “The Best of INXS” nearly tripled to more than 5,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan. That represents the album’s best week since its debut. And despite not releasing an album since 1997’s “Elegantly Wasted,” the band has a new record deal with Epic, thanks largely to the show.
INXS guitarist and co-founder Tim Farriss believes the televised contest “promotes the band, promotes the singer, (and) it puts the singer through the rigors of what they’re going to have to go through.”
“In all seriousness,” he adds, “what were we supposed to do? Put an ad in the paper?”
'Weird time of the year'Ratings for “Rock Star” certainly have been poor. Its July 11 debut episode finished last in its time slot among the big four networks on a night when CBS won every other prime-time slot. But INXS manager Dave Edwards says he is not concerned. “It’s a weird time of the year, a brand new show and a whole new format,” he says. “People still aren’t sure what the show is.”
The idea for “Rock Star” came from INXS guitarist Kirk Pengilly during a band meeting seven years ago. But it was not until 2003 that the group approached producer Mark Burnett, the creator of “Survivor” and “The Apprentice.”
“Rock Star” stands apart from other reality TV music shows -- “American Idol,” notably -- because it is built around an internationally successful rock band. R&B group TLC will mount a similar effort with “R U the Girl,” which debuts July 27 on UPN. That show will follow remaining members T-Boz and Chilli as they audition possible replacements for Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, who died in a car accident in 2002.
INXS will choose a winner during the show’s Oct. 5 finale. Then the band -- new singer in tow -- will record an album of new material.
Farriss says INXS is excited to hit the studio. “We’ve got a s+++load of great songs. We’ve been writing for a really long time now.”
The new Epic record will be followed by a tour at the end of the year.
It remains to be seen who will buy the album. At inxs.com and elsewhere on the Web, plenty of longtime INXS fans have registered their disapproval of the show’s impact on Hutchence’s legacy.
Farriss says the band would never do anything to diminish Hutchence’s memory. “Michael was like a brother to me and part of our family. We’d never do anything to disrespect his legacy.”
Farriss thinks Hutchence would find the situation amusing. “He always had a great sense of humor. But I also think he’d be kind of bummed, because he’s dead -- he’d be really disappointed that we had to make the show in the first place.”