Posted June 24, 200420 yr CBS Joins Reality Hunt for New INXS Singer Thu Jun 24, 4:48 AM ET Add Entertainment - Reuters TV to My Yahoo! By Nellie Andreeva LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Four years after the launch of "Survivor," the show's chief, Mark Burnett, is reuniting with CBS in search of a rock star. After a healthy bidding war, CBS has landed an untitled reality series described as a cross of "American Idol," "Big Brother" and "Survivor" set in the world of rock music. It will feature aspiring musicians competing for the chance to become the new lead singer of Australian rock band INXS, a gig that opened up after the 1997 suicide of frontman Michael Hutchence (news). After a multicontinent search with auditions in cities throughout the United States and Canada as well as London, Tokyo and INXS' hometown of Sydney, about a dozen male and female finalists will be selected to live together in a Hollywood Hills home. The Mark Burnett Prods. series, set to premiere in summer 2005, will feature two hours of programming each week, a combination of taped segments that focus on the relationships between the contestants in the house, live performances and a weekly elimination determined by viewers, judges and INXS band members. How the two hours will be broken down into broadcasts is yet to be determined. The winner will embark on a worldwide concert tour with INXS and sing on the group's next album. "INXS is one of the world's premier rock bands, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for someone," Burnett said. "Rock stars are colorful personalities and charismatic performers who make great reality TV characters. Add to that a global format, elimination-style competition and the enormous stakes of becoming the lead singer in a successful group, and you have a unique environment for compelling unscripted drama." In addition to his four-year relationship with CBS because of "Survivor," Burnett said he was attracted to the network for the new project because of the additional opportunities stemming from CBS' hosting of the Grammys (news - web sites) and the network's sibling music-oriented cable and radio properties, including MTV and VH1. "We think Mark and his team have developed a concept that will generate excitement worldwide, will appeal to a broad audience here in the States and has tremendous synergistic potential with other Viacom platforms to create a huge television event in the summer of '05," CBS' entertainment president Nancy Tellem said. INXS, which formed in the late '70s, has had a half-dozen top 10 U.S. singles and sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. Following Hutchence's death, INXS has performed with guest vocalists Terence Trent D'Arby (news) and Jon Stevens (news). Reuters/Hollywood Reporter There won't be anyone like Michael Hutchence. :confused
June 24, 200420 yr there were a lot of bands worse than INXS, they did some good work for a pop/rock group. being that INXS was big in the 80s.... I'm assuming most of the band was in their early 20s back then, so I figure they're around 40 now. this is probably unnecessary. .......... *starts practicing*
June 24, 200420 yr What a disgrace to Michael Hutchence. Why can't some bands just accept that they're over? Yes, The Doors, I'm talking to you.
June 24, 200420 yr Author I need you tonight... Great song! Definitely one of my favorite INXS songs.
June 24, 200420 yr They still tour because they still have an audience that will come see them in concert. They still make records because they have an audience that wil still buy their records. They are musicians most of them have never doen anything other than make music. Even though they are older this is what they do, its their job. Its like telling them to stop something that is the only thing they know how to do. Should they just rot away? No, let them do what they love. It isnt hurting anything.
June 24, 200420 yr cough cough Aerosmith cough im feeling very sick ... i think i have a cold cough cough metallica cough cough cough rolling stones cough cough
June 25, 200420 yr Author Errr..... Aerosmith & Metallica are very good bands. Just my opinion though.
June 25, 200420 yr They still tour because they still have an audience that will come see them in concert. They still make records because they have an audience that wil still buy their records. They are musicians most of them have never doen anything other than make music. Even though they are older this is what they do, its their job. Its like telling them to stop something that is the only thing they know how to do. Should they just rot away? No, let them do what they love. It isnt hurting anything. I'm talking more about the bands that lose their KEY member, their star singer and just think they can get a new one and it's fine. SO MANY BANDS HAVE DONE THIS!!!
June 25, 200420 yr I listen to bands no.1 for the sound, so a new vocalist isnt the end of the world.
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