More Songs of Love Donations!!!

I just received a $500 pledge for Songs of Love from a woman I consider my “Fairy Godmother”. How awesome is that?! Add that to other post-show donations, and it turns out that FOUR children may receive their own personalized song. ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!!!!

Rock Star: Supernova ~ Week 4 Eliminations

Phil Ritchie Goes Home From Rock Star: SupernovaReally and truly, I was not planning to comment again on Brooke Burke’s outfit, but Gee Whiz, her breasts looked great in that top. I’m a heterosexual woman, and I was impressed. And that is EXACTLY what I love about Brooke Burke. She effectively uses her breasts to hypnotize men so they forget how damn smart she is. I suppose I was a bit hypnotized myself. I admire that lethal dose of the feminine art of war: Brains and Beauty, Boobs and Booty! Make that money, Miz Thang!

So the show begins with last night’s post-show video, with Rockers getting in their rebuttals to the comments from Dave Navarro and Supernova (the band, not my CD). Patrice and Dave made up, which I though was nice. I like that the guys in the judge’s box are doing their best to keep the lines of communication clear. Even when one of the judge’s doesn’t “get” a particular Rocker, you get the feeling that grudges aren’t exactly allowed. That’s just interesting to me. Your mileage may vary.

Zayra and Gilby agreed to disagree. Gilby asked, “When does the pop show start, and the rock show begin?” Her answer was that she was different, and “that might be a good thing.” Good for her. And I love that she never fails to remind Gilby, “I know I love you, and you know you love me.” For a firecracker singer who has made the Bottom Three every single week since the show began, the girl has heart. And after Gilby gave his constructive criticism, she pointed at him, and said, “I’ll take that advice, and I’m going to use it.” You go, Mama!! Maybe Zayra and I got off on the wrong foot at the beginning of the show, but these days I’m rooting for everybody.

Then we saw Dana at the house, asking everybody for advice again. So of course, everyone is going to have an opinion, and now she’s mad because they won’t stop. First of all, she is the one who invited everyone’s opinion, and second, it’s not their job to be her teacher. We are born alone, and we die alone. You get on Rock Star: Supernova, you are on your own. Thirdly, to quote Dilana, “Does Supernova write a manual on how to be a rock star in two months? No.” Or fourth, Dilana again, echoing my comments two weeks ago (Dilana are you reading this too?) to Dana: ” I think you’re hearing what we say, but you’re not listening.”

Dana couldn’t take it anymore and said, “I’m done with being the student. Every day I learn something new from all of you, but I feel like I learn more when they keep their mouth shut.” People in the room were pissed, although I really think Ryan Star should keep quiet when it comes to telling anyone what to do onstage. So what, he can jump off a drum kit. I just don’t buy him for Supernova. Again that’s my opinion, and time will prove me right or wrong. Dilana looked like she felt betrayed, like her little sister just turned on her. Dana has to figure this out for herself, and Dilana seems to be swallowing a bitter pill.

And Jill and Gilby also traded comments on her choice to grind and hump him when he played guitar during her version of “Brown Sugar”. In last night’s video, she commented that he’s used to playing with guys who don’t express their sensuality that way. Gilby QUICKLY counters that he used to play with the rock band Heart, and “Ann Wilson never has to hump me” in order to prove anything. I’ve seen those moves before, like the Holiday Inn” Ouch. Jill tried to save herself by saying that “there’s nothing new under the sun in rock and roll.” Now why did she say that? My goodness, all the judges were booing, and someone even said “wrong answer!” Jill could not win this won, and the more she tried to save herself, the worse she made it. There’s some kind of famous rule about holes: “When you realize that you’re in a hole, stop digging”. Jill, stop digging!

For the encore of the night, of course it went to Storm Large. At the beginning of the evening, Tommy Lee told Storm, “A+ on the stage dive. We needed that!” about last night’s electrifying performance. For tonight’s encore of Anything Anything, her voice sounded even stronger. Without the pressure, Storm really crushed it. She did not repeat the stage dive, because most good magicians know not to repeat the same trick twice (Magni, are you reading?).

The Final Bottom Three:
Patrice
Zayra
Phil

Patrice Pike – My Iron Lung

I love Radiohead. Can someone tell me where I left my Bends CD?, Oh yeah, Ms. Pike killed it. She started with sunglasses, and I started to moan, and a few minutes later, she takes them off. She also does this business of putting her hood on her head, and later she takes it off. I’m not mentioning the action because it was special, but because it was different. But that’s not all she did. First she sang to the audience at the end of the stage, then she went into the stage, and up to the Rockers platform so she could sing to her friends and feel the love, hopefully not for the last time.

Seeing Patrice tonight, I have to say that she needed the kick in the ass. She took her anger and channeled it into an awesome performance. She worked her growl, as well as the stage. I hate t say it, but this is what she needed. The Rockers gave her a standing O. She ain’t going home tonight.

Zayra – Not an Addict

Her song choice, I think, was meant for the audience to feel her pain, to know what it’s like to know that she’s talented but misunderstood. I felt her pain from her emotions, but if you’re talking being the lead singer of Supernova, her accent still might be an issue. The audience started clapping on the beat (Who claps during a serious song? Wrong, I tell you), and Zayra looked for the first time like she might be fighting not to just run off the stage. I was sad. She did hold on, and she got another Standing O from the other Rockers. And why shouldn’t they be on their feet? She has entertained us every week, and we’re never bored.

Please understand, this woman is definitely a star, but she does NOT need to lead Supernova for her to get her break. Woody Allen says that 80% of success is showing up, and she’s doing just that. Zayra, know thyself! You rule, and there are plenty of people rooting for you. Be strong!

Phil – Smoking Umbrellas

The group that originally did this song, and Gilby hoped that the band’s name wasn’t an omen. Well, what do you think?

Phil is intense, but he doesn’t exactly show emotion. It’s weird to describe. Maybe you have better words, but I’ haven’t been exactly moved by him yet. He did the nice thing and visited Patrice and Zayra at the Bottom Three stage platform. He sang to Patrice who happily sang back to him. After all, she KNOWS that she ain’t going home tonight

And of course, Patrice goes back to the Rockers box and she’s safe for another week. Gilby tells Zayra, “You’re certainly original.”, and tells Phil, “That was your best performance yet, but I don’t believe that you want this.”

Cut to the chase: Tommy “The Hatchet Man” Lee puts on his red hoodie’s hood, which has devil horns. Tommy tells Phil, “Phil, we question your commitment”, and just like that, Phil Ritchie is going home. The Rockers look shocked, like they didn’t see it coming. I’m not surprised, but I’m not living in the Rocker’s mansion either. Maybe the Rockers see something that I don’t, but I see the faces of Supernova members after he performs, and today’s decision has been consistent.

Phil’s response: “Thanks for giving me this chance, and I’m sorry if it didn’t seem like I didn’t want to be in your band. It must have been a mellow day. It breaks my heart.” And that’s all he said. I felt bad for Phil Ritchie too.

Phil, your future is up to you. Take these lessons and fly.

Farewell, Phil Ritchie!

Rock Star: Supernova ~ Week 4 Performances

What a night! It’s another installment of Rock Star: Supernova, and there were surprises galore! First, I must give props to the lovely and talented Brooke Burke, who was rocking a dynamic Greek Goddess dress [Note to self: pick up toga from cleaners]. Complete with makeup, straightened hair, and accessories, Brooke looked great. Yeah, she’s got a cool job And special thanks to Jason Newsted for getting a haircut. Hmm, I wonder if he read last week’s column…At the beginning of the show, Tommy, Gilby, and Jason came by the Rocker’s Mansion to hang out a bit with them, and play some of their new tracks. Of course, all the Rockers loved the songs, and everyone could see themselves writing lyrics to them, yadda, yadda, yadda. Did all Rockers really love the songs that much, or was that for the benefit of the cameras? Gilby told the Rockers about the new Supernova songs (referring to their upcoming songs, not my Supernova CD), “No more excuses. You know what we want.” Gilby is hoping that the Rockers will get it, and stay away from songs by Duran Duran.

Lukas – Bittersweet Symphony

I love this song. And talking about bittersweet, the band The Verve, who wrote this beautiful song, sampled an obscure symphonic cover of a Rolling Stone song without permission. Of course the song becomes a hit. After The Rolling Stone’s people got a wind of the illegal sample, the guys in the Verve made about a thousand dollars total, and the rest of the publishing royalties went to the Stones. The sweet part is having a worldwide hit. The bitter part is not making enough money from hit to fly from London to LA. Priceless.

Back to Lukas. He can really do no wrong in the big picture. His vocals are a lot clearer this week, and I LOVE his eyshadow. The soft and sparkly lipgloss is where I draw the line, however. Lipstick is one thing, but lip gloss on a man has to go.

He sings his butt off, and this is such a great song choice for him. He keeps his intensity fairly medium until the song has this great break. All the lights come down, except for one on him. It was a quick moment, and can’t really be described here, but as soon as the lights came back up, his intensity was huge, and the audience went crazy. This is the kind of moment that an audience member likes to experience. Great job, Lukas.

Dave commented on Lukas ability to switch it up each week, and Tommy loves Lukas style: “Way to go. Nice jacket”. Of course, Lukas’ nemesis Jason has to add his two pennies, “I’m waiting for you to open up your throat and crush us.” No one added to that. Lukas gave a great performance, and his vocals sound better. I don’t know what Jason’s looking for, but he’s the one in the judge’s chair. I’ll gladly give Jason the benefit of the doubt.

Zayra – Call Me

Wow.

Okay, let me say that again. Wow!

The song choice was perfect for her. Okay, I didn’t mention the outfit first. Perhaps because I’m still searching for the words. She wore this electric blue outfit with white boots, and the sides of her torso were exposed.

She’s a live wire, and I love it. She’s unafraid, and I love it. But I’m not sure if the band Supernova is buying what she’s selling.

Dave, for one, wasn’t buying it. He told Zayra, “Get started on a solo career. Right now.” I’ll tell you what I think. Zayra, Honey, don’t worry, if you don’t have at least one record deal in the works by the end of this week, you need to switch management companies.

Gilby said that he enjoyed her performance last week, but “You lost me again”. But Tommy Lee’s comment said it all: “The last time I saw an outfit like that, I woke up with boot marks and bite marks all over me.” Ouch.

That was harsh. As Zayra met Brook on the stage, she said to Zayra, “I think you look amazing!” And this is what makes Brooke Burke smart. She knew that Zayra was being treated harshly by the guys in Supernova, and she chose to make a statement in her own way. Remember, Brooke is often portrayed as a “body”, and is not required to have opinions of her own. It might seem small, but Brooke siding with Zayra was a small step in the right direction for womankind.

Dana – About a Girl

I really liked what Dana did tonight. She has a versatile voice, an instrument, if you will. If you listened to her sing tonight, you might notice how she manipulated her strongest feature: her voice.

Dana performed this song acoustically, so the focus was on her voice. She dirtied up the color of her voice, giving an edgy tone to her sound, which was a great choice. By staying in one place, sitting and playing the guitar, she wasn’t concerned with looking beautiful or doing the miniskirt waddle, and we got to see Dana’s light shine. I think she got the effect she wanted.

Dave said, “You’re finally looking damaged enough…There’s no place in a rock band for a well-adjusted, normal individual”. Jason said that this was his favorite performance of hers yet, and Gilby adds, “I’m shocked!”

Patrice Pike – Remedy

Patrice has a great voice, and she’s not afraid to smile on stage. She has tons of power, but I’d love to see more movement and energy from her. But this song was great for her.

Dave said that he’s “just not seeing anything different. Frankly, I’m getting bored.” When Patrice asked him if he did anything new. His response: “I have a job. I’m not auditioning”.

Patrice, please Girlfriend, leave those kind of comments to Zayra. Zayra has to deal with being in the Bottom Three every week even when she’s done her personal best, so she’s allowed to have an attitude. You, Miss Thing, better work on switching it up next week.

Toby – White Wedding

His stagecraft just isn’t working for me, sorry. He’s sort of hopping around, and the song choice seemed iffy. He does make up for it with his strong vocals and heartthrob connection to the audience. So who knows?

Gilby commented on Toby being pitchy at the beginning, that the range of the song might not have been the best choie, but he added that Toby kicked it up a notch, and the song sounded great. Jason said it was the best performance that he had seen of Toby’s on this show.

In my opinion, Toby did enough to stay out of the Bottom Three, but not enough to win the show. We’ll see.

Magni – Heroes

I’ve finally figured out what it is about me and Magni: He’s just not as sexy to me as he is to himself, and I guess that’s a problem. He sang the song, but he didn’t add anything. At least he didn’t wear those blasted sunglasses again.

Gilby said, “Great delivery, great performance”. But Tommy Lee said nothing, not even a clap.

Ryan Star – I Alone

He still looks pained at the beginning of this song. He was all over the stage, moving and grooving, even jumping off the drumset. But I still don’t get him. Not for this band.

Tommy told him, “That was great. Your best performance yet!”, and Gilby said “For the first time I saw something.”, and Jason told Ryan to “show us more of what you did tonight.”

They’re buttering him up, I tell you.

Jill – Brown Sugar

This is a great song choice for Jill, who was working that “bad girl bitch from Long Island” persona in a tiny black dress. Work it, Mama!

I almost forgot to mention that Gilby Clarke sat in on guitar for this song. She looks very small standing next to him onstage. I don’t know if that’s just because she’s petite or if Gilby overwhelmed her. But the dress was hot.

Dave liked her performance, although Gilby was quick to add, “You had me til the grinding. Grinding is predictable. You don’t have to do that. You can sing. It’s cheap, and it’s weak.”

Dave added to that, “Maybe it’s a perception thing. If it was my band, we’d be grinding all night long.”

And that was that.

Phil Ritchie – One Headlight

I just don’t know what to write about Phil Ritchie. I just don’t. Can he sing? Yes. Does he have something? Yes. What is it? Not sure.

Tommy wondered if people could listen to that for an hour and a half, and Jason said, “I’m concerned. I’m not crazy about what he does.” Neither am I, so I’ll move on.

Dilana – Time After Time

Bringing it down with a Cindy Lauper hit, Dilana has a few tricks left. She started singing while she was still seated, but she soon stood, and I felt like the way she performs is like a teacher giving a lesson.

At a lower volume, her voice was not supported as usual, but I didn’t mind. Her aim was reaching the audience, and that aim was true, (sorry Elvis Costello). And she has a killer voice. I felt like Dilana would be waiting time after time, you know?

Dave said, “It doesn’t matter what you do. I get chills.”, and Tommy Lee: “You are so enchanting (Is Tommy Lee a mack daddy with the ladies or what?!). Jason also gave credit to the guitar player, saying “That was a duet”, and classy Dilana agreed, and pulled the guitarist on the platform with her. She later admitting to feeling so much love form the audience. And why not? They love her, and she loves them. It’s a lovefest!

Josh Logan – No Rain

After hearing the new Supernova tracks, both Josh and this song don’t work for me. Without his soulful licks, Josh sounds like anyone else. Dave told Josh that after showing another side, he’s back to where he was, performance-wise. Tommy Lee commented that the song was challenging, and that Josh’s style wasn’t so soulful. Josh admitted to missing it, and was hoping to do more bluesy songs. Gilby said he’s “waiting to see how you’ll bridge those styles”. Me too.

Storm Large – Anything Anything

I love her energy and intensity. She’s hard, powerful, and sexy. At the end of the song, she tossed her mic, then stage dived into the crowd. Don’t know about you, but I was on my feet. Yeah!!!!

Dave: “That’s what a lead singer does!” Tommy Lee said it was perfect, and Jason commented that Storm is “always turbocharged”. Storm took the show to another level tonight, and it’s going to be awesome to see the rest of the Rockers meet her challenge.

Tonight, Storm Large brought a battle to the stage.

By the way, Ms. Large does have a set of photos that can be found via Google that I’d wager is worth the search engine spike that I predicted last week. Apparently, Storm was not kidding around when she hinted that there was more of her to be seen online. Erotic, art-type photos! The powers-that-be at Rock Star Supernova got her to remove the erotic photos from her websites, but everyone knows that websites, like diamonds, are forever.

And the Bottom Three at the end of the show:
Josh
Jill
Zayra

Rock Star: Supernova ~ Week 3 Eliminations

Chris Pierson was the second Rocker to be sent home.

But first the other juicy bits of the evening:

Tonight’s show started with the videotape from the Mansion, after last night’s show. Lukas was reflecting on Jason’s comments about his singing. Jill was stunned – she thought Dave was harsh. We got to hear some of their thoughts and reactions of the night. Toby, bless his heart, reminded them that they were there to learn, not just win.

Dave then gave the Rockers the chance to say it in his face, so to speak. And they all wimped out, in my opinion. Well, not really wimped out. I just thought that they must have all had a lesson in media training the previous week. All of the Rockers defending what they said before made everything sound all nice and friendly again. I’m not saying that their attitudes had to be all piss and vinegar, but Geez, even Lukas was Mr. Nice Guy!

And speaking of feeling all the love in the room, Jason was quick to remind the Rockers, “This is not an animosity contest”, and that they were about positivity. You gotta love that! Tommy commented that Toby had a good head on his shoulders, towhich Toby added, “You can’t buy this kind of advice”. He’s damn right.

Gilby put the kibosh on everything by reminding the room that things will get tougher every week, because “we need one of you to front our band at the end of the year”. Think of it this way: they are interviewing to hire a talented employee/colleague. Period. If you want that gig, you have to give them what they want, even before they know what it is. Good luck!

First performance of the night was another encore. Tommy asked Toby Rand to do “Take Me Out” again. By the way, I do own this CD, so I’d have to say it was quite a testimony for me to forget what Toby was singing, although I could remember that he was hawt!

Toby’s energy was a little lower than last night, but his singing was amazing! By saving the energy on his movements, he’s totally able to kill his vocals.

By the way, anytime you hear someone say “He killed it”, that means he sang the shit out of it.

Good deal, Mate!

Then, Brooke lists the names of the bottom three as of the night before, before the show ended, but before the voting was completed. So she mentions three names, and they have to wait until AFTER the commercial break to find out if their on the FINAL Bottom Three that was tabulated today. How awful that they have to wait for something that could totally change. But will there be much difference? The Preliminary Bottom Three was Jill, Chris, and Zayra, and after the tabulations, Jill was added to them.

So who had to perform?

Jill – Bring Me Back to Life

YEAH!!! Her voice sounded so good. Tommy Lee had told her earlier that she looked amazing tonight, and she did. Man, there is NOTHING like someone who is on the edge. This girl came back to life alright. Members of Supernova were even convening! Yeah, we were all feeling Jill tonight.

Jill Gioia, I believed you tonight. Rock on!

Zayra – You Really Got Me

She decided to do the same song, because she really liked it, and because it was fun and electronic, “and I know you do some of that”. Jason nodded at that. He’s so Zen these days. Hell, all the guys in supernova are sounding quite wise. Tommy, Gilby, and Jason are my ROCK GURUS!

Ahem, where was I? Oh yeah, so Zayra was “wondering what the hell happened?” when it turned out that she was in the Bottom Three again. Gilby and Zayra made up after her comment about being in diapers when their records came out. Gilby was all smiles, “It was classic”. Yeah, it was

Zayra’s on the stage, and she has a lot of heart. I like the way she uses her body. She screamed. She howled. I LOVED it!

Chris – If You Could Only See

Jason commented on Chris maturity when taking comments, which is a definite strong point that he has. Chris decided to do this song acoustically, and it was a good choice. I think he sounded great, but compared to Jills and Zayras performances tonight, he still wasn’t there.

When it was decision time: “Chris, you are the second rocker to go.”

Dave commended Chris on his humility, and said that he thought that his performance tonight was the best one he’s seen of his yet. Jason reminded him that this was still a step up, and Tommy added, “Just to be at this level, you won.” Yeah, I admit I boo-hooed at that. Hey, it was a tender moment, give me a break!

And Chris was totally smart. He mentioned a song on his solo indie EP was named Stepping Stone, and Dave’s words were a sign that he was on the right track. Hey, my new CD is named Supernova, the same as this band, and I think I’m on the right track too. The Rockers gave the gracious and humble Chris a standing ovation.

I have a feeling that Chris is going to take this education with him to the next level, and I’m interested to see what he does next. Check out his group Street Light Syndrome

Farewell, Chris Pierson!

Rock Star: Supernova ~ Week 3 Performances

Can’t believe I’m dropping the dime here, but I saw it on the news tonight: Dave Navarro and Carmen Electra are separating. Does this mean that we can expect Dave to be snarkier on the stand? Are Dave’s flirty comments to Brooke going to get racier and racier? And is it me, or did Tommy Lee seem especially frisky tonight? All the innuendos and sexy looks? Yeah, Tommy Lee, your career is officially rejuvenated. Hugh Hefner called with an invite to the Mansion. Oh yeah, bring your buddy, Dave Navarro too. We heard he’s single again. It’s going to be a hot summer…Seriously, Supernova, as a trio looking for a bandmate, is actually taking shape. There is a cool vibe coming from the judge’s box with Dave, Tommy, Gilby, and Jason. You have Dave, the host who’s also a mentor. He can tell you good or bad. Tommy is the crowd pleaser. He loves the fans, and he loves the ladies. He has a sweet side about him that I didn’t expect. I bet his black book could fill an ENCYCLOPEDIA! Gilby is the professional. He’s looking for the front person that can handle arenas, and the pressure, and still rock out. Jason is the Jedi Master Rocker, overflowing with wisdom, and happy to share it. Each of these guys is way cool in his own style, and comfortable in his own skin.

I just want to invite them over for dinner for a pot of my Voodoo Jambalaya and talk about rock and roll. Bring out the guitars and start jammin’. I’d pass Tommy Lee chopsticks, in case he felt like playing. Ah…good times.

By the way, it is hot as Hades everywhere. Because of an air conditioning issue, I missed Patrice Pike’s performance. I feel awful about that, and I hope she did well. But in the meantime, I’m typing this wearing only a smile – DEDICATION!!!

Josh – Come As You Are

I liked the acoustic vibe. Josh and the other guitarists in the band did a nice cover of Nirvana’s “Come As You Are”. Josh contained his Stevie Wonder-ness, and you really got to hear his voice, and what else he can do with it. For me, it was his best performance so far.

Dave was complimentary, but quickly reminded Josh that the lead singer of Supernova would be playing Wembley stadium, not a coffeehouse. Ouch. [No matter how amicable this split is, Dave probably can’t help taking his issues to his job ;-] Gilby said he’s “still not sure if we’ve seen the real you.” And Tommy didn’t say anything.

By the way, I usually try to watch Tommy Lee to get a sense of what he’s thinking about a Rocker. He doesn’t hold back on the love when he’s feeling it. But if he doesn’t even pick up his mic to say anything about you, it’s probably best if he didn’t. He’d probably say something like he was bored.

Storm Large – Just What I Needed

Storm was fun to watch tonight. She was working the whole “microphone as phallic symbol” thing, and it was working for her. Rubbing her hands up and down, and up and down, and up and, where was I? Oh yeah, Storm was working the stage. She’s just a natural performer. Her voice didn’t seem as strong as usual, but not sure it mattered. Her energy and presence are just unavoidable.

Dave said that her performance was “night and day from last week. Awesome!” Gilby commented on how she’s “always so professional” because she takes their comments and puts them into practice. Tommy said “I want to less of you!”, as in less clothes. Storm’s response? “Six letters: google”. I bet she caused a search engine spike with that comment! I love her attitude.

Lukas – Let’s Spend the Night Together

So Lukas did a Rolling Stones tune, and like Tommy Lee suggested to Ryan last week, Lukas was “showing his boat”. He just sang and owned the stage. He has an interesting stage style. He works the stage well, but I have a hard time understanding his lyrics clearly. Does it make a difference? The singer Joe Cocker has a career out of singing songs no one can understand, so who knows if Supernova would care?

Dave goes first: “Dude, did you know that you come off arrogant on stage?” Waits a beat before adding “And it was awesome!” And then Tommy: “You’re raising the bar, and I’m pulling up a bar stool.” And Gilby completed with “If we ever did a Stones tune, that’s how we’d do it!

They seemed to love him, but personally I’m not crazy about his vocal tone. Okay, I’m partly a snob because I studied voice in college, but it drives me nuts when I can’t understand words clearly. He’d definitely not in the Bottom Three.

Jill – Alright Now

Jill is working the straight blonde hairstyle, and it’s working for her. Her performances are more natural, real, and down to earth. She has that great powerhouse voice, and she’s learning which stage persona works best for this kind of crowd. She even kicked down her mic stand. Jason practically jumped out of his seat at that, he was like a proud dad. I feel like Jill hit her groove tonight.

Dave said that she was “much better this week”. Tommy said “I’m definitely alright”, and Gilby closed with “This is the first time you’ve performed that we could imagine what you’d be like if you were onstage with us.”

It’s too soon to say how Jill will do, but I love her spirit. She’s willing to put it all out there. That’s what we love about underdogs, isn’t it? She won’t be in the Bottom Three either.

Ryan Star – Fortunate Son

Okay, who picked Creedence Clearwater Revival? Not sure about the song choice. Guess it was aiight. Ryan had better energy than last week, but there’s something I’m not getting from him. Don’t know what it is I’m missing, but it’s hard to see him fronting Tommy, Gilby, and Jason.

Tommy asked Ryan if he had duct tape on his shoes. “We want to see you rock!” Then Gilby asked “Are you even having any fun?” And just like that, Ryan gives this big toothpaste selling smile, and the heavens opened up.

Dude, I don’t know if you’ll get this gig, but you have a nice smile

Phil Ritchie – White Rabbit

As soon as it was announced that Phil was doing this song, Jason announced that he felt like playing. Now this may or may not have been planned already (Don’t look so shocked, Kiddies, this is showbiz after all!), but it was very cool to see Jason borrow the house band’s bass guitar so he could play with him.

Phil sounded great. He has the perfect voice and tone for this song, and his stage presence was miles ahead. Having Jason onstage was great, because you got to see Phil do his thing, while Jason is also running around onstage and interacting with him. Jason playfully bumped Phil a couple of times, and Phil kept going. Not bad at all!

Dave said that “we finally got to see your intensity”, and Tommy told him to “keep cranking it up”, as in his performance. I’d say that without that slipping, sliding stage thing, Phil Ritchie is starting to come out of his cocoon.

Dana – It’s My Life

Before the song started, she looked ready to pounce on anyone who’d say she wasn’t tough. I have to catch up on the backstage drama at Rockstar.msn.com, but I’m wondering if she’s getting a lot of flack for being the “Southern Belle” of the group.

I still find her stage presence needing more certitude ($10 word!). She can sing her butt off, that’s not a question. But “can she bring it?” is. She walked up to a guitarist at one point during the song, but tentatively, and from behind. Her assertiveness is missing, although the longer she stays, the more she’ll pick it up from others in the group. I felt like she was working really hard tonight. I’m not saying that that’s good or bad. I just felt that she was doing her best out there. Singer to singer, I won’t knock that. But what does Supernova say?

Tommy: “You are so damn hot, and you can sing, but I want to see you just rock it”. My translation – “I’ll take you to bed, but you ain’t fronting my band”. Gilby said, “I still don’t see it”. I don’t think Jason said anything. But Dana is young, and can still parlay the show into another opportunity, so time will tell.

Toby – Runaway Train

I’m not sure if it was the sound on the stage, or if it’s the Rockers, but the lead vocal mic on Toby sounded a bit muted at first. Toby is a great singer, and he also showcased his intensity tonight. But I thought he sounded a bit tired. Dave still wants to see more of what Toby can do, and Tommy wants “someone to scare me, who’d fall off the stage”.

Interesting. He was encore material last week. This week he’s not scary enough. He ain’t in the Bottom Three though.

Magni – Plush

Okay, what’s up with those sunglasses? Magni, of the Pale Bald Head, wore dark sunglasses for the entire song. And it was very interesting to watch someone sing without being able to see his eyes. I realized how much emotion and intensity are communicated through the eyes alone, because I really missed it when Magni hid behind his sunglasses.

It seemed like even the cameras refused to stay on his face too, showing longer shots of him on the stage. This sounds weird, but his performing in sunglasses was disturbing to me, and it was hard to focus on the song or his singing. This is probably my favorite Stone Temple Pilot song, and Magni’s voice was in top form, but I was just too distracted to take him seriously.

Tommy: “Magni-ficent!” Gilby added that Magni’s been killing it since his second week. I don’t know about that. My issue with Magni is that he’s not really self-aware. I don’t think that he understands how he’s coming across, but as he’s told us, he’s one of the top ten most recognizable people in Iceland. What I want to say to him is: Dude, you are NOT Bono from U2. Lose the sunglasses, and find a new look. Please. Thank you

Zayra – Everybody Hurts

Ty Taylor from last year’s Rock Star: INXS got this same song, when he was at a low moment. It was suggested that Zayra chose it this year because she was also feeling misunderstood. So does this make “Everybody Hurts” the Rock Star underdog song?

For the verses, she started out contained, sounding like a little girl almost. Better breath support under her notes would have made the lyrics pop out more. I feel like she didn’t get my attention until the end, but she was wearing a lovely floor length dress that was see through. Nice! She also had some Bjork flavored vocal stylings that I hadn’t caught before. Zayra is the versatile one!

Dave told her that he “thought that they should have sent you home instead last week You proved me wrong!” Is that a compliment? Gilby added that the song choice was risky, but “we stand corrected”. Tommy Lee just said, “Nice!” It was a mellow song, but after her performance no one flirted with Zayra. What that means is anyone’s guess.

Jenny – Drive

I still love the color of her voice (for you vocalist geeks out there, the word is timbre), but her stage presence needs to come up, in my opinion. She played acoustic guitar on this pop-rock type song, and she looked a little too cutesy for me. Not sure how long she’ll be hanging on the show.

Dave told Jenny that her “song choices are getting safer and safer. This song is a step in the wrong direction”. Gilby then added that the song was “more Lilith Fair than OzzFest”. I had to agree on that one.

Dilana – Zombie

First of all, I LOVED her corset dress. That must have been a time to put the thing on, but it looks great. Can I tell you – Dilana knows how to take a song and make it her own. She’s a powerhouse, what else can we say? Dave had jumped to his feet at one point during her performance. Dilana was her usual energetic self, and then still grabbed a tambourine to play.

Dilana connects with the audience so well. One of the high points of her performance for me was actually the end. She made a point of turning to the house band, and sending them love in a form of a kiss and bow in their direction. She just finished another mind-blowing performance, and she instinctively gave the band the well-deserved thank you for supporting that gorgeous performance.

Dave: “I just can’t believe that I saw this on TV, it was that good!” Tommy just said, “I wanna”, and threw his mic down on the table. Gilby said, “I’m not gonna tell you what you already know. Enjoy your moment.”

And it was a beautiful moment. I’m getting a little misty-eyed now just thinking about it. Do not let the tattoos and piercings fool you. Dilana is a classy dame through and through. I thought about how her childhood in South Africa was very difficult. You can tell that she’s had a hard life, but tonight I caught a glimpse of her happiness and humility in the moments after she sang. Tonight was a very special night for Dilana. She had an inner glow radiating, and it was simply lovely.

And the Bottom Three results as of the end of the show:
Jenny
Dana
Ryan

My list was this as well, but as we’ve learned, this could change tomorrow. Get some sleep Rockers, and I’ll see you tomorrow!

Rock Star: Supernova ~ Week 2 Eliminations

Chris Pierson was the second Rocker to be sent home.But first the other juicy bits of the evening:

Tonight’s show started with the videotape from the Mansion, after last night’s show. Lukas was reflecting on Jason’s comments about his singing. Jill was stunned – she thought Dave was harsh. We got to hear some of their thoughts and reactions of the night. Toby, bless his heart, reminded them that they were there to learn, not just win.

Dave then gave the Rockers the chance to say it in his face, so to speak. And they all wimped out, in my opinion. Well, not really wimped out. I just thought that they must have all had a lesson in media training the previous week. All of the Rockers defending what they said before made everything sound all nice and friendly again. I’m not saying that their attitudes had to be all piss and vinegar, but Geez, even Lukas was Mr. Nice Guy!

And speaking of feeling all the love in the room, Jason was quick to remind the Rockers, “This is not an animosity contest”, and that they were about positivity. You gotta love that! Tommy commented that Toby had a good head on his shoulders, towhich Toby added, “You can’t buy this kind of advice”. He’s damn right.

Gilby put the kibosh on everything by reminding the room that things will get tougher every week, because “we need one of you to front our band at the end of the year”. Think of it this way: they are interviewing to hire a talented employee/colleague. Period. If you want that gig, you have to give them what they want, even before they know what it is. Good luck!

First performance of the night was another encore. Tommy asked Toby Rand to do “Take Me Out” again. By the way, I do own this CD, so I’d have to say it was quite a testimony for me to forget what Toby was singing, although I could remember that he was hawt

Toby’s energy was a little lower than last night, but his singing was amazing! By saving the energy on his movements, he’s totally able to kill his vocals.

By the way, anytime you hear someone say “He killed it”, that means he sang the shit out of it.

Good deal, Mate!

Then, Brooke lists the names of the bottom three as of the night before, before the show ended, but before the voting was completed. So she mentions three names, and they have to wait until AFTER the commercial break to find out if their on the FINAL Bottom Three that was tabulated today. How awful that they have to wait for something that could totally change. But will there be much difference? The Preliminary Bottom Three was Jill, Chris, and Zayra, and after the tabulations, Jill was added to them.

So who had to perform?

Jill – Bring Me Back to Life

YEAH!!! Her voice sounded so good. Tommy Lee had told her earlier that she looked amazing tonight, and she did. Man, there is NOTHING like someone who is on the edge. This girl came back to life alright. Members of Supernova were even convening! Yeah, we were all feeling Jill tonight.

Jill Gioia, I believed you tonight. Rock on!

Zayra – You Really Got Me

She decided to do the same song, because she really liked it, and because it was fun and electronic, “and I know you do some of that”. Jason nodded at that. He’s so Zen these days. Hell, all the guys in supernova are sounding quite wise. Tommy, Gilby, and Jason are my ROCK GURUS!

Ahem, where was I? Oh yeah, so Zayra was “wondering what the hell happened?” when it turned out that she was in the Bottom Three again. Gilby and Zayra made up after her comment about being in diapers when their records came out. Gilby was all smiles, “It was classic”. Yeah, it was

Zayra’s on the stage, and she has a lot of heart. I like the way she uses her body. She screamed. She howled. I LOVED it!

Chris – If You Could Only See

Jason commented on Chris maturity when taking comments, which is a definite strong point that he has. Chris decided to do this song acoustically, and it was a good choice. I think he sounded great, but compared to Jills and Zayras performances tonight, he still wasn’t there.

When it was decision time: “Chris, you are the second rocker to go.”

Dave commended Chris on his humility, and said that he thought that his performance tonight was the best one he’s seen of his yet. Jason reminded him that this was still a step up, and Tommy added, “Just to be at this level, you won.” Yeah, I admit I boo-hooed at that. Hey, it was a tender moment, give me a break!

And Chris was totally smart. He mentioned a song on his solo indie EP was named Stepping Stone, and Dave’s words were a sign that he was on the right track. Hey, my new CD is named Supernova, the same as this band, and I think I’m on the right track too. The Rockers gave the gracious and humble Chris a standing ovation.

I have a feeling that Chris is going to take this education with him to the next level, and I’m interested to see what he does next. Check out his group Street Light Syndrome

Farewell, Chris Pierson!

Music Business Diva Blogs Rock Star Life Lessons From Rock Star: Supernova

 (PRWEB) July 11, 2006 — Rock Star: Supernova, the new musical reality show on CBS TV, is this summer’s backstage pass into the life of an aspiring Rock Star, and Carla Lynne Hall, musician and music biz expert, seeks to turn the lessons learned by the show’s contestants into advice any musician can use. At her blog at http://www.MySpace.com/carlalynnehall  Carla blogs about the contestants on Rock Star: Supernova, as well as her own quest for what she’s coined “Rockstarhood.”This summer’s new Rock Star: Supernova seeks to find a new lead singer to front all-star band Supernova, made of Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses), and Jason Newsted (Metallica), and 15 Rocker contestants from around the world will be competing for their chance to be THE Rock Star of Supernova. “Each one of these Rockers had to be damned good to get on the show,” Carla adds, “but competing against each other on national TV takes the game to another level. Last year’s JD Fortune had his own issues to deal with before he finally won Rock Star: INXS. I’m just blogging about the ebb and flow of competing in a musical reality show, and hopefully providing examples, life lessons if you will, for aspiring rock stars.”

Carla Lynne Hall’s interest in Rock Star: Supernova came as a coincidence. Carla released her second CD, also called Supernova in February 2006. Described as a cross between Norah Jones and Sade with a touch of The Beatles, Hall’s Supernova is gaining a following in the Adult Album Alternative category. Hall auditioned for the Rock Star show eight days before the new band’s name was announced in March, but she didn’t get the callback. Still, Hall is undeterred. “I sang my ass off for the audition, and I’m sure I’m not the only possible Rocker who didn’t get the call. There were only 15 slots, and thousands of people auditioned. There’s such thing as the right time, and there’s such thing as the right fit. Now that I know who Supernova is, I have a better idea of what the producers are looking for. The point is, believing in yourself is the most important goal. It doesn’t matter what I say on my blog, or even what Tommy Lee says from the judge’s box. If success doesn’t come for a Rocker during this particular show, it doesn’t mean that success will never happen. A determined musician can take the pressure built from frustration and obscurity and transform it into a diamond. That’s the stuff of magic!”

So is Carla Lynne Hall giving up promoting her Supernova CD to promote Rock Star: Supernova? “Hell, no!” she laughs, “I’ll be using Rock Star: Supernova like a study guide, noting what works and blogging about it, but I have a few gigs of my own this summer. I’ll be blogging about my own quest for rockstarhood as well. While it’s fun watching these talented contestants, I’m ready to rock the house myself.”

And what is Rockstarhood, you ask? “Becoming a rock star means that you can command a stage, and control the energy of a room with the sheer strength of your personal power and charisma,” Hall explains, “Achieving rockstarhood takes into account all of the rock star life lessons that you learned along the way,” explains Hall, “Dealing with personal demons, self-confidence issues, addictions, co-dependencies, and the usual obstacles like not having enough money are issues that all aspiring musicians have to work out for themselves. Achieving rockstarhood requires a lot of self-work that people don’t often address. When you see an awesome stage performance, there was a lot of work behind it. I’ll be the one digging for that story.”

Carla has opened for legendary bluesman Taj Mahal, and has performed at clubs and college campuses throughout the United States. Front & Center, Carla’s debut CD on Moxie Entertainment, was released in 2001, and rose to #3 on college playlists. In 2004, Hall’s “My First Child” lullaby was released as a single, and won raves from celebrity moms Courtney Cox and Debra Messing. Also known as “The DIY Diva” in music circles, Carla Lynne Hall is also the author of The DIY Guide to the Music Biz, and her columns appear in Vibe Magazine, MusicDish.com, and other publications around the globe. Carla’s Rock Star: Supernova blog can be found at http://www.MySpace.com/carlalynnehall, and her official website is located at http://www.carlalynnehall.com/

Rock Star: Supernova ~ Week 2 Performances

Week 2 Performances

Magni – My Generation

Much improved!!! Magni went back to the drawing board for his outfit and stage presence, and we got a glimpse of why he was picked for the gig! He has a great rock voice, can scream at will. I think tonight’s performance will keep Magni out of the Bottom Three, but how far he’ll go in the competition is still to be decided. Tommy Lee called his performance “ho hum”.

Jenny Galt – Tainted Love

I love her voice – it has a distinctive color to it that I like a lot. She did lose the guitar this week, but I felt like she was overcompensating with her hands and upper body to hide nerves. Her beginning was shaky, as she sang a little ahead of the beat. It seemed like the band was trying hard to keep up with her, but she eventually found her way. The next two weeks (if she survives) will give me a better idea of what she’s actually bringing to the table.

Jill Gioia – Violet

After writing last week that Jill Gioia made me think of a wedding singer, she comes onstage this week in a short wedding dress, black leather boots and dead red roses. With the smeary red lipstick paired with the leather and lace, I figured that she was borrowing a page from Courtney Love’s style book. Her performance was dirtier, and more rock and roll. She still has a great voice, but I wasn’t crazy about the jumping she was doing. Still, I had to give her kudos for going for it.

Dave was not feeling the Courtney Love vibe at all. When he called Jill on it, she insisted that this was her own idea, and that she knew nothing about what Courtney was doing musically. Then Dave countered that her song’s CD had a photo of Courtney Love during her grunge days, also wearing a similar dress.

Gilby thought she had a better singing voice than a screaming one, and Tommy Lee asked if she was wearing panties. In my opinion, by insisting that she didn’t know what Courtney Love was into (while looking like a Courtney look-alike), it appeared that she was out of the rock and roll loop. I don’t think that Tommy takes Jill seriously. And I don’t know if she’ll be able to change his mind.

Zayra Alvarez-You Really Got Me

Zayra has something…She was at her exotic best – black catsuit, sexy and sleek like a panther. The Kinks’ classic was a great choice, as the song gave her plenty space to pose and moan like the diva she is. Her performance was theatrical and sexy. This song was also good because it masks her possible accent issues. Her accent doesn’t bother me, but what about Tommy, Gilby, and Jason???

Gilby was quick to ask Zayra if she knew anything about any of the bands that the Supernova members had come from, if she owned any records of theirs. Her answer? “I was in diapers when they came out.” Ouch!

I admit, I loved her sassy response, but what about Tommy, Gilby, and Jason? Remember, this is the job interview of your life. Do you tell a potential employer that he or she is over the hill? And to come back to Gilby’s point, has she done her homework? It might be time for Zayra to reach in and find some rock roots. But she’s fun to watch.

Chris Pierson – Take Me Out

Better song choice, but he needs more power and energy in his performance.

Dave got a little snarky, and told Chris that he was still missing some authenticity. Jason agreed. Nothing particularly stood out for me.

Dilana – Ring of Fire

I love when women cover songs done by men, and Dilana’s choice of a Johnny Cash song did not disappoint. Dilana has this great gravelly voice, but also a clear tone that she demonstrates every so often when she sings in a higher register. Her outfit was sort of Elvira, Mistress of the Night, which fit her dark and elegant performance. Dave, Tommy, and Gilby all loved her performance.

Josh Logan – Arms Wide Open

He chose a Creed song? Dude, enough of the gospel riffing. Too much is just filler, and the more you do it, the more it loses its meaning. Dave found him average, and Jason warned him of overdoing the “Stevie Wonder” licks. Amen

Josh Logan is going to get signed, and go on tour, but not with Supernova.

Phil Ritchie – If You Could Only See

Good emotional singer, but hard to understand what he’s singing. His song choice was good. Jason also wanted him to stop sliding around the stage, “plant your feet on the ground and just CRUSH it.” But Tommy dug him, so he may be around a bit longer.

Storm Large – Surrender

Since she wasn’t in the first spot this week, I had a better opportunity to check out Storm’s performance. The thing I like about Storm is that she’s natural onstage. I feel like she was meant to be on somebody’s stage. She has a great voice. She gives a great swagger in her performance. Great energy, and a powerful performance.

Dave thought parts of her act was a little Broadway, like Cats. She was gracious and humble about the comments, but I don’t agree with Dave.

Patrice Pike – Heart Shaped Box

I can’t help but think of Jordis Unga’s version of this from Rock Star: INXS last year, but I suppose that memory has no place in this recap. Anyway, she played guitar, and her voice was in good form, but this week I had a better idea of Patrice’s range. The song choice was good, but if she had the vocal chops to kill it, she could have. I still like Patrice, but I’m on the fence this week…

Lukas – Dont Panic

I love the eye shadow on this year’s bad boy Rocker. He has great stage poses, and excellent presence. His voice is versatile, but I still have problems understanding him.

Tommy liked his singing, and Jason gave him a mini-vocal lesson. Tommy teased Jason about that but Jason added that Lukas’ voice is his instrument, and that he needs to take care of it. This is true, Folks. Bad singing technique will damage your vocal chords – especially dangerous for singers on the road with a hectic schedule. Lukas took the comment well.

Ryan Star – Jumping Jack Flash

I wanted more energy from Ryan at the beginning. Somewhere in the middle, he went into the audience, sang through the house, then ran back on stage. He came alive at that point, and the audience connected with that.

Dave mentioned how his venture through the audience turned his performance up a notch. Tommy reminded Ryan how Mick Jagger does this song: ” He’s a showboat, so show your boat!”

Something’s missing for me that I can’t put my finger on. We’ll see…

Dana Andrews – Born to Be Wild

She has a powerful voice, but she’s still green. She wore a leopard print corset, black miniskirt with what appeared to be thigh high boots. It’s a sexy rock and roll look, but she can’t hide that baby face. It seemed to me that the miniskirt waddle (or maybe the stiletto heels) also prevented her from doing more on stage. She also reacted a bit with one of the guitarists in the house band, but it felt like an afterthought to me. But she was working it, never you mind about that.

Gilby asked if her parents would recognize her, and said that he’d like more “dirtier rock” from her. She giggled that the leopard print was supposed to be dirtier. She should have kept quiet with that comment, as it made her seem like she was playing dress up. Tommy said she was “born to be mild”. Jason said she had “killer potential”. What does it mean? She has the chops, but the band might throw her back in the water til she gets bigger.

Toby Rand – cant remember, but he was hawt

I loved Toby’s performance this week. He had a strong start, and he maintained that edge through the whole song. He gave a powerful, direct, and sexy performance.

Gilby commented that Toby “killed it” two nights in a row, and Tommy added “Its obvious. Girls like you.” Toby’s answer? “”That’s good cuz I like girls.” This week’s heartthrob award definitely goes to Toby.

By the way, did anyone else notice how Dave Navarro was a bit snarky this week in his comments? Are he and Carmen Electra having a tiff, or are the producers trying to turn up the heat on the contestants? I also detected canned applause during the judge’s comments. What are the show’s producer’s up to now?

My rankings:

Top Three
Dilana
Lukas
Toby

Bottom Three
Jill Gioia
Chris Pierson
Dana Andrews

Tomorrow night is the next elimination round. See you then!

CUTTING ROOM, NYC – AUG 17th – BE THERE!

Before we continue on our regular Rock Star: Supernova programming, it turns out that I have a gig of my own to announce. On Thursday, August 17th at 7pm, I’ll be performing at New York’s The Cutting Room. For you Sex & The City fans, The Cutting Room is a nightclub owned by Mr. Big (Chris Noth). I can’t promise he’ll be there, but you never know…This will be a fundraiser for The Songs of Love Foundation, a special organization that creates personalized songs for children and teens with chronic illnesses. Can you imagine being a child stuck in a hospital, having to undergo all kinds of treatment, and then receiving a CD with a song written just for you? These songs incorporate the favorite people and activities of the child too, which is pretty cool.

I first heard of this charity from David Lee Roth when I did a gig with him a few months ago. He performed with my band as a special guest, and then turned 100 percent of his appearance fee over to the Songs of Love people. I’m a Van Halen fan from way back, and it was cool as hell to sing with Diamond Dave, but my respect for David Lee Roth went up tenfold with that gesture. Now that I’m playing out more, I’m happy to do a gig to help the kids. I’m charging $10 at the door, and giving Songs of Love 100f the profit. If you’re in town, please come out and support this cause.

Okay, the first elimination round is about to begin. Cannot wait!!!

Rock Star: Supernova ~ Week 1 Eliminations

Matt Hoffer Goes Home from Rock Star: Supernova

Before I get into the elimination stuff, I have to mention the juicy bits at the beginning of the show. Turns out that Lukas may be taking the JD Fortune abrasive route. After the Rockers returned to the Mansion, Lukas asked Dana in front of everyone who the Bottom Three should be. She asked him back, but he wouldn’t answer. During tonight’s show, Dave asked Lukas to answer, and Dana was on her list. Lukas said that he didn’t know if she’d be able to hang with the boys in the band. Dana said that she felt that before she could answer, she’d have to take the knife out of her chest. She might be tougher than she looks. That’s a good thing.

Lukas also said that Dilana and Jill should go. Dave was quick to let us know that he and the band respect that kind of honesty, and he let both ladies respond, and of course they held their own, but Lukas might not consider how such comments can turn fighters into champions. Michael Jordan is one of those athletes whose game gets BETTER when they’re angry, or have something to prove. If Lukas is trying to maintain his lead by psyching out the competition, he better make sure that he knows what they’re bringing to the table.

Tommy Lee and the rest of Supernova wanted an encore performance of Dilana’s Lithium. After Lukas’ harshness, it seemed liked Dilana exploded even more (yes, like a supernova). Her delivery didn’t so much change, but got even bigger. As you can tell, I like my rockers onstage to work hard for me. Earn that money, you know?! Dilana was intense and ferocious, and even wilder. Mark my words, the smackdown between Lukas and Dilana is coming…

So tonight’s first elimination round show was extra dramatic. At the beginning, the names of the Bottom Three results last night BEFORE the rest of the international votes were tallied today: Magni, Phil, and Chris. At the latest count, the Bottom Three was different: Zayra, Ryan, and Matt. Interesting.

After plenty of dramatic pauses, Brooke named the official Bottom Three: Chris, Phil, and Matt –

Chris – LA Woman

Early in the show, Chris was asked if he had any regrets about yesterday’s song choice, he said no, and that part of rock and roll is not caring what people think. Point well taken. But if he cared more about what people thought, he could have put forth even more energy on stage. His voice sounded much better tonight, but I felt like he was kinda walking around the stage.

In my opinion, his performance was lackluster til he hit the floor, rolled around, and started flirting with the girls in the audience. Even then, it seemed a little forced to me. But time will tell. Time will tell it all…

Phil – Stars

I have to look this song up. I really liked it. Phil was much better than last night, but I still wanted more energy. He ended the song with a good rock yowl (is there such a word?). I don’t know if he’ll be the lead singer of Supernova. He clowns a bit onstage when nervous, making faces and such. That’s a bad habit to be quashed immediately.

Matt – Planet Earth

As soon as Matt is asked what his song was he immediately went into musician qualifying mode: “Some people might not like think of this song as a rock song, but yadda, yadda, yadda…” Listen to me, please: NO EXCUSES on the stage.

Personally, I hate it when a musician apologizes BEFORE the song, explaining that they have a cold, or the chorus isn’t finished, or whatever. Can’t stand it. JUST SING THE DAMN SONG! Apologize AFTER you eff it up. Better still, don’t even apologize at all. Owning a stage is about going for the moment – no regrets, no apologies. If you hesitate, you’re lost.

Most importantly, Matt didn’t follow directions. Yes, kiddies, your second grade teacher was right – life does get a bit easier when you follow instructions. Just the night before, Dave had suggested that he do choose an uglier song, Tommy Lee made a big deal about song choice, and even Gilby had gotten into Chris’ shorts about the right song. Taking all of that information in, what does Matt choose to sing tonight when elimination is stalking him? Planet Earth by Duran Duran.

Now I LOVE the song Planet Earth, but it ain’t really hard rock and roll. And it sure ain’t Tommy, Gilby, or Jason. When Matt’s performance was done, I noticed that Tommy and Gilby didn’t applaud, so I had a feeling that Matt was going to be first one kicked off rock star island.

But I will say this – Matt has made choices that are consistent with his voice and style. He has stayed true to himself as an artist, but he’s not a good fit for Supernova. As hard as it may be to swallow, sometimes you don’t picked for a band, job, or whatever, simply because your personality, politics, or style don’t fit with the others in the group. When that happens, it’s a waste of time and energy to remake yourself into the kind of person who’d fit in. It’s best to find a spot where you can be yourself, and give your best effort. Matt may now be able to leverage this TV appearance into getting a deal doing the music his soul really wants to do. He got this far, who knows how much farther he’ll go.

Farewell, Matt! See you at the top of the charts!