Supernova makes paramount mistake choosing Rossi
New rock n' roll supergroup Supernova's decision to crown Lukas Rossi its new lead vocalist is perhaps the worst travesty in music since Roseanne Barr singing the national anthem on live television.In choosing the ostentatious Canadian (supposed) singer, Gilby Clarke, Jason Newsted and Tommy Lee effectively recreated the early 90's horror of the comedian's caustic and murderous rendition of America's theme song.
Rossi has never lacked a commanding stage presence, but as fans are finding out with Taylor Hicks on American Idol's summer tour, commanding doesn't always carry a positive connotation. The Canadian flails about like a lost puppy on crack cocaine. He closes his eyes everytime he opens his mouth, frequently turns his back to the audience and rarely seems in control of his performance.
These are Rossi's best qualities as an aspiring rock frontman.
His singing on the other hand, is like a continuous leather whipping.
The band said Wednesday evening they chose the fan favorite, but someday soon the aging trio of hard rockers comprising Supernova will realize they championed a nasal, throat-singer who couldn't enunciate if he was hooked on phonics. Rossi's shrieking vibrato, which he reverts to when singing in the upper register, is a real teeth-clincher.
His mid-range wail brings back fuzzy memories of the last time I tried singing with a clothespin pinching my testicles--which I can thankfully say I have never actually done.
In the end, Toby's spot-on vocals and engaging stage presence - the very qualities I believed would score him the gig - was not what Supernova wanted.
I falsely spent this summer hoping the band would decide it wanted a true singer; someone the average rock listener would pay money to hear on a studio recording. Instead, I was dragged out of my living room and raped by the stupidity of three rockers who seemed to know more about writing cliche, ambivalent and regurgitated 70's style garage rock songs than picking a complete frontman.
Supernova chose a baffoon, not an artist. Rossi has believed since the show's July inception that the contest was his to lose. I congratulate him on the victory he so sorely wanted.
Nobody can question Lukas's desire to front this sagging rock band. He had all the desire, the guts and the gusto - just not the talent.
Even after braving Supernova's first crap "original" song called "Leave The Lights On," I had hope the guys would choose Toby, Magni or Dilana. I figured any of these three would dramatically improve the band.
Toby and Magni never faultered vocally. They were the only two who consistently cut through the house band's loud and raucuous arrangements without resorting to screaming. Sure both the Iceland native and Australian native threw in some aggressive screams, but it was never a vocal crutch.
As Rossi performed for the first time with Supernova, the very criticism Jason Newsted has levied all summer long was in plain sight. Rossi has not found his chest voice yet. I could not understand a single word he eschewed during either of the tunes.
Dilana may not have been the best songwriter of the bunch, but her Joplin-esque vocals and haunting stage presence were far superior to Rossi's.
Now my dreams of tolerating a listen to Supernova's album have been crushed. I can never support or respect any musician who would choose Rossi over the other three - regardless of what a few million tone-deaf viewers think they know.
Winning the most votes never gaurantees long-term success. Rubben Studdard, anyone?
Studdard has sold a few million, but compared to Idol's first champion Kelly Clarkson, his career has barely qualified as a flash in the pan.
Toby Rand could have been Supernova's Clarkson. He is a jovial performer who never loses sight of his act's plot. His voice has dynamic tiers and never fell off-pitch during the show's near three month run. He does it all without channeling cronyism or freneticsm.
In the end, Supernova got what they deserved. So far the band's music has sucked. Rossi sucks.
Perhaps this travesty will be a match made in heaven. Two awesomely bad forces uniting to repel modern rock listeners one shriek of a vocal at a time.
Rossi's win is anti-climatic and cements the entire show was a waste of time. I intently watched Rockstar for more than 10 weeks and I get this shit?
Supernova will always lag behind the other three finalists they didn't pick and the stellar house band who will open all of their tour dates. The Rockstar backing band rivals any group Frank Zappa ever led and if you've listened to a lot of Zappa records, those are some of the tightest, most adaptable musicians on the planet.
The fat lady has already sung on Supernova's career. Barr has stepped up to the mic again - only because she knows she's better than Rossi.
posted by Robert Kleeman @ 8:41 PM
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