In The Studio – Rock Star: INXS, 8-28-05by LauraBelle
It's not about talent anymore on Rock Star: INXS. It's all about INXS' catchphrase, "I'm sorry. You're just not right for our band, INXS."
After Deanna's difficult departure, the remaining six INXS hopefuls are very down back at the mansion. They listen to a song she and Mig were working on and he calls it hauntingly beautiful. Jordis feels especially bad, being that she thought she should have been the one to leave. It has increased her resolve though, and she realizes how much she wants to stay. Suzie is going to miss Deanna, but also wants to celebrate her success.
Before the six even get a chance to relax, Dave Navarro joins them in the mansion for the start of this week's clinic. He has with him the sheet music for a brand new unreleased INXS song, "Us." Every rocker will record this song in the recording studio, and there's a very good chance it will wind up on their next album.
Jordis is excited, as working in the studio is her favorite thing, and Marty wants to show he is flexible. Glancing at the music, he asks what "60s Funk" is. Mig takes his usual spot at the piano, while Suzie thinks it will be the most important clinic so far, as they'll be compared to each other.
While everyone else is already in bed, Marty stays up alone working on the song. Having never done this type of song before, he realizes he needs to try something new, and use sensibility instead of power. He's looking for a direction with it, to bring it to a modernization of his sound.
The next morning in the studio, Suzie is asked to go first. She tells them she has a bit of a morning phlegm thing going on, but hope to work through it. Along with Dave, Andrew and Jon Farriss are in the studio as well. They are pleasantly shocked that Suzie lays the song down in one take. Andrew and Jon comment that she has perfect pitch, and they wonder how great she would have been had she been healthy.
Jordis is up next and announces she has done something a little different with the song and wants to know what they think. Listening to Jordis sing "Us," they realize she has taken a lot of liberties with the melody and they prefer she stick to what's written. I have to point out here that she did forewarn them and even asked for their opinion.
Ty sings and Andrew and Jon call it awesome. They like the way Mig delivers the verse with empathy and note that it's not supposed to be an angry song and yelled. Cue Marty. He walks up to the mike and does his usual yelling as he sings. Andrew and Jon don't feel it works well with angry Marty. He is asked to try it against the key, and for some reason he doesn't yell and the emotions are much clearer. Marty walks out feeling he has proved something.
JD, the last up, gets confused as he sings his version of the song. Jordis laughs and says he should have learned it. While JD continues to work on it, Dave asks Suzie if she's irritated by JD not knowing the song. She feels if someone doesn't take the time to learn the song, that's it. Ty makes note of the irony that here's someone that preaches being the biggest fan of INXS, but doesn't even take the time to learn a new song. Personally, I don't think he wants to win the job; I think he wants to win the contest.
After their studio time, the new performance songs are posted – Suspicious Minds (one of my personal favorites), Wish You Were Here, Imagine, Live And Let Die, You Can't Always Get What You Want, and Bohemian Rhapsody. Marty says if they screw up these well-known classic songs, it will be the nails in their coffin.
A chorus will be backing up the singers of the last two songs on the list, and that increases the song values in Suzie's mind. She wants Bohemian Rhapsody as well as Mig, who calls it the best rock song ever written. JD tells Mig had he let Suzie have her original last week, maybe she would have let him have his favorite this week. She is more determined than ever as she knows she is not out of the clear. Realizing INXS still wants to see him take risks, and this wouldn't be seen as a risk since he's already done one Queen song, Mig gives it to Suzie.
As we get to peek in on Suzie's practice time with the house band, we see her struggling, making us wonder if she perhaps shouldn't have pushed so hard for what the band leader calls "perhaps the most difficult song to sing in rock-and-roll." It does seem slightly out of her league, but I wouldn't put it past her to pull it out.
Rock Star: INXS will have an hour to fill Tuesday night, and with only six songs, it leaves me wondering what else they have planned for the show. You can only stretch those six songs out so far. I think Mig is the most safe, both with the viewers and INXS. Jordis, if she can pull off something halfway decent, should be safe with the viewers as well. JD, with his increasingly irritating attitude, is the one who I think should start to seriously start worrying.
Questions? Comments? Concerns? Email me at LauraBelle@realityshack.com
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