Rockstar: INXS
Just who wants to sing in a band so dormant that the original singer commited suicide?
Don't get me wrong I love INXS. From the moment I saw Michael Hutchence swagger and croak through "The Original Sin" video on MTV, I was hooked. My favorite member was pre-Weezer nerd rocker Kirk Pengilly doing double duty on guitar and alto sax. It is only in retrospect that I realize just how unique was the sound that they created along with the Farriss brothers and Gary "Garry" Beers.
Unfortunately, fame is fleeting and unaffected by trivial matters like talent and originality. Some of their contemporaries (okay just U2) have managed to throw off the mantle of "That 80s Band" and stay current. INXS, like The Cure and Duran Duran, struggled to remain relevant among the Grunge Rockers and Boy Bands without sacrificing their integrity but failed to stir anything more than reminiscence. But who am I to say that this most recent attempt to rekindle the fire won't burn down the house?
It does seem an odd choice to involve the public in the audition process. Four seasons of American Idol have yet to yield anyone of significance. William Hung gets more bookings than any of that lot.
Comparisons to Idol may be unfair, though, as the very least of the INXS wannabes rock harder than a Clone Army of Bos and Constantines.
So who do I see taking up the microphone?
Forgive me, but the ladies are out. I can't wait to see what the future holds for the likes of Jordis and Suzie, but they don't belong in this band. INXS needs to move forward not change their dynamic. That leaves the boys, only four of whom are left. The best four.
Ty looks like the lovechild of Living Colour's Corey Glover and the token black from "The Revenge of the Nerds". He sings like the dreamchild of Otis Redding and Bryan Ferry. He has shown an ease for writing songs which are fun, if a bit fluffy, and he would add a welcome bit of color to a band who's native country has race issues nearly as complex as those in America.
I don't want to over-do the analogies but Marty is the progeny of Iggy Pop and Kurt Cobain. Easily the most contemporary and edgiest of the players, tackling radio-fresh works by The Killers and sacred "Do Not Touch" songs by Nirvana with ease and grace. Oh, and let us not forget his dark twist on Britney Spear's "Hit Me Baby, One More Time".
J.D. is possibly the most talented of the bunch. He has a knack for tweaking the standards and pumping the crowd, but seems to have chosen as his greatest influence Johnny Fairplay of Survivor (the show not the band). Take the visit from the "long lost sister" who choked him up so much he couldn't sing a note, but which I am certain was a ploy to cover his inability to get a handle on the song and gain the sympathy vote. Don't get me started on how he fares in group activities. Now playing nice with others has never been a strong suit of history's greatest rockers, but normally it takes 3 to 5 years to piss the band off enough to part ways. J.D. will manage this feat by the end of the season. Believe me if they wanted a pompous, insanely talented asshole they'd still be working with Terence Trent D'Arby.
At last we have Mig who's greatest asset is that he's Australian. This may seem snide but I'm serious. That unique INXS sound I mentioned? It's Australia, mate! You can hear it to lesser effect in Icehouse and Midnight Oil. He can rock with the best of them and when they tried to fuck him by assigning Peter Frampton's "Baby I Love Your Way" he kicked ass and earned that weeks encore. His second greatest asset is that he has been the most compassionate and self-sacrificing member of the household This is what will make him a part of the greatest comeback since Aerosmith teamed with Run-DMC.
Don't get me wrong I love INXS. From the moment I saw Michael Hutchence swagger and croak through "The Original Sin" video on MTV, I was hooked. My favorite member was pre-Weezer nerd rocker Kirk Pengilly doing double duty on guitar and alto sax. It is only in retrospect that I realize just how unique was the sound that they created along with the Farriss brothers and Gary "Garry" Beers.
Unfortunately, fame is fleeting and unaffected by trivial matters like talent and originality. Some of their contemporaries (okay just U2) have managed to throw off the mantle of "That 80s Band" and stay current. INXS, like The Cure and Duran Duran, struggled to remain relevant among the Grunge Rockers and Boy Bands without sacrificing their integrity but failed to stir anything more than reminiscence. But who am I to say that this most recent attempt to rekindle the fire won't burn down the house?
It does seem an odd choice to involve the public in the audition process. Four seasons of American Idol have yet to yield anyone of significance. William Hung gets more bookings than any of that lot.
Comparisons to Idol may be unfair, though, as the very least of the INXS wannabes rock harder than a Clone Army of Bos and Constantines.
So who do I see taking up the microphone?
Forgive me, but the ladies are out. I can't wait to see what the future holds for the likes of Jordis and Suzie, but they don't belong in this band. INXS needs to move forward not change their dynamic. That leaves the boys, only four of whom are left. The best four.
Ty looks like the lovechild of Living Colour's Corey Glover and the token black from "The Revenge of the Nerds". He sings like the dreamchild of Otis Redding and Bryan Ferry. He has shown an ease for writing songs which are fun, if a bit fluffy, and he would add a welcome bit of color to a band who's native country has race issues nearly as complex as those in America.
I don't want to over-do the analogies but Marty is the progeny of Iggy Pop and Kurt Cobain. Easily the most contemporary and edgiest of the players, tackling radio-fresh works by The Killers and sacred "Do Not Touch" songs by Nirvana with ease and grace. Oh, and let us not forget his dark twist on Britney Spear's "Hit Me Baby, One More Time".
J.D. is possibly the most talented of the bunch. He has a knack for tweaking the standards and pumping the crowd, but seems to have chosen as his greatest influence Johnny Fairplay of Survivor (the show not the band). Take the visit from the "long lost sister" who choked him up so much he couldn't sing a note, but which I am certain was a ploy to cover his inability to get a handle on the song and gain the sympathy vote. Don't get me started on how he fares in group activities. Now playing nice with others has never been a strong suit of history's greatest rockers, but normally it takes 3 to 5 years to piss the band off enough to part ways. J.D. will manage this feat by the end of the season. Believe me if they wanted a pompous, insanely talented asshole they'd still be working with Terence Trent D'Arby.
At last we have Mig who's greatest asset is that he's Australian. This may seem snide but I'm serious. That unique INXS sound I mentioned? It's Australia, mate! You can hear it to lesser effect in Icehouse and Midnight Oil. He can rock with the best of them and when they tried to fuck him by assigning Peter Frampton's "Baby I Love Your Way" he kicked ass and earned that weeks encore. His second greatest asset is that he has been the most compassionate and self-sacrificing member of the household This is what will make him a part of the greatest comeback since Aerosmith teamed with Run-DMC.
posted by OGRastamon at 8:29 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home