I've watched with some interest, as I sent in an audio audition,

and I've gotta say that I was stunned by some of the absolute shite oversinging, over-outa-control vibrato, burro-braying, technique-deficient throat-wrecking, unjustifiably-self-satisfied spotlight-whores that Mark Burnett Productions dolloped onto INXS' plate, but then the band did approach their Aussie mate about the possibility of making this otherwise-footnoteworthy 'quest' into a made-for-U.S. network-TV prime-time career-defibrillator.

This was all about bringing the 'look' and 'mix' of Survivor, with the voyeurism of Big Brother, and the sing-off schtick of 'Idol', to yet another mid-summer music-themed repeat-killer. And they could only work with whoever showed up.

I didn't want to do a cattle-call, preferring to demonstrate vocal/songwriting chops on my own terms. And queueing up came with no assurance of making it in the door and getting to do your 8 minutes.

They HAD a new lead singer, a fellow they themselves approached, convinced, and toured with. Jon Stevens was singer for an Aus band called Noiseworks. He started appearing with the band in 2001, fronting the band at the Aussie Rules Football Grand Final (think Super Bowl) halftime show. I saw the show, he sounded GREAT!

They toured the U.S. and the world in 2002, I saw the Phoenix show, from about 15 rows, and it kicked! He did a great job of making the repertoire sound like it did with Michael's delivery.

Problem for the band was that few people cared. In a 2500-seater, about 1300 were empty. In spite of the fact that they still sounded great!

It's my guess that they saw the writing on the wall, sandbagged doing an album until Stevens got fed up and called a face-off with the band, and they cut him loose, so that they could look for somebody younger to drum up some fresh new demographic to pull coin into the wallets and put butts in the seats.

The result is this tripe-fest, offering up nobody that can do justice to the sound MH had. Andrew can write fine tracks, but the voice and words were Michael's job.

Nobody competing on that show can do it.

If they think that any of their old fans are gonna line up and pay $40 a head to hear whomever they choose singing "The One Thing" or "Don't Change" or "What You Need" or "Listen Like Thieves" or "New Sensation" or "Kick" or "Never Tear Us Apart", they need to think back to that half-empty room in Phoenix, and think again.

I read that mate Keith Urban called them up last year and asked if they'd be his new road band, and they turned him down.

Too bad they'll never again play in front the size crowds that HE will this year.

Bad move, all the way 'round. Tie me kangaroo down, sport.


[This message has been edited by ed323 (edited 08-10-2005).]

EdX.iuma.com http://www.soundclick.com/40LOVE http://www.soundclick.com/EdX