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Rock Reality Show Recap: Rocket and the Muggs Get Pink Slips on Billy Joel Week of “The Next Great American Band”

The producers of American Idol think they can find The Next Great American Band on TV (and no, they’re not talking about the next great Grand Funk Railroad). We think we can find some pleasure in this pursuit with our Rock Reality Show Recaps. Here’s our fourth report: Two Great American Reality Hours in Three Sentences: Occasionally tuneless Detroit garage-rockers the Muggs and always-tuneless gal-punx Rocket, two bands Dicko claimed were a victim of “death by lead singer,” were sent home. After last week’s catty diatribe by the Hatch (”I’d like to say that America has spoken … I think about 300 people in Nebraska have spoken”) neither band were allowed to say goodbye beyond a silent blown kiss and an uncomfortable fidget. The remaining eight bands (including all the country groups — shocking news about a show where Americans choose the results) covered Billy Joel. The complete lack of rap groups on the series makes our yearning for the inevitable hip-hop “We Didn’t Start the Fire” cover even more tangible. Best Great American Band: While RS fave Franklin Bridge did a hard-rockin’ “Big Shot” that mirrored their winning twenty-ingredients-in-one-pot style (”Kickstart My Heart” whammy bar noise, slow soul, a little funk-metal, a reggae lilt, some dramatic “spirit finger” hand motions), they sadly took the judges’ advice from last week and dialed back their pyrotechnic drumming. The best band was actually the Clark Brothers, whose gorgeous, minimal and subdued version of “She’s Got a Way” was the only emotionally gripping cover of anything performed on the show to date. Dicko praised them for their conviction, the audience waved their arms like idiots. Worst Great American Band: Bluegrass BBQ-ers Cliff Wagner And The Old #7 complained that Billy Joel isn’t really suited to their style of music, and did a twangy cover of “Yo

Published: 2007-11-13
Provider: Rolling Stone
Keywords: Rock Reality Show Recaps

Rock Reality Show Recap: Crappy Groups Galore Grace the Premiere of “The Next Great American Band”

The producers of American Idol think they can find The Next Great American Band on TV (and no, they’re not talking about the next great Grand Funk Railroad). We think we can find some pleasure in this pursuit with our Rock Reality Show Recaps. Here’s our first report: Two Great American Reality Hours in Three Sentences: The producers of American Idol scoured the nation for sixty bands, drove them to a stage in “the heart of the desert” and, unfortunately, did not do the world a great service by leaving them all there. We met our judges who already fit the Idol mold perfectly: the prickly veteran (Aussie Idol judge Ian “Dicko” Dickson), the overly nice diplomat (Sheila E., doing a perfect Paula) and someone to break their ties (Goo Goo Doll John Rzeznick). Twelve bands were chosen, but just one will emerge victorious … and dozens of others will have already sacrificed their dignity for a few extra MySpace hits. Best Next Great American Bands Bands: Of the twelve finalists chosen, most of them are glorified local bands who somehow convinced three judges and a team of producers they have potential: lame Maroon 5 clones (the Hatch), way-sloppy girl punks (Rocket), something with a lot of eyeliner and leaping (Dot Dot Dot), and a twelve-piece big band that doesn’t realize the swing-revival revival is still like fifteen years off (Denver and the Mile High Orchestra). Only two bands are truly worth putting a sawbuck in the office pool: Philly heavy-soul crew Franklin Bridge who have an air-tight mix of funk, rock and chops; and Nashville’s Sixwire, whose Sawyer-Brown-meets-Big-And-Rich-style blend of country, rock and fast-rap will probably go the Daughtry route and sell bazillions no matter if they win or not. (Advantage: They were signed to Warner Bros. in 2002 and are now the veteran also-rans competing in a contest of amateurs and future also-rans) Saddest Great American Moment: The entire episode worked on the premise t

Published: 2007-10-22
Provider: Rolling Stone
Keywords: Rock Reality Show Recaps

Joe The Plumber Hires Eddie Money's Publicity Team, Eyes Book

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Like all good celebrities, Joe the Plumber has hired a publicity team. The Press Office in Nashville, where clients include rockers Grand Funk Railroad and Eddie Money, will help him handle the flood of interview and appearance requests that have poured in since he was mentioned during a presidential debate and quickly became a household name. "It's like any other celebrity who is in the public eye," said Jim Della Croce, who owns the agency. "There needs to be someone acting as a clearinghouse and interpreting the opportunities and coordinating the media requests, and he truly is being inundated." Despite rumors to the contrary, he's not planning to release an album, though a book is in the works. "He's not doing a country record," Della Croce said flatly Thursday. "I think that was an angle that was presumptuous." Joe the Plumber, whose real name is Samuel J. "Joe" Wurzelbacher, 34, of Ohio, gained national attention when Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama told him during a campaign stop that he wanted to "spread the wealth around." Their exchange about Obama's tax plan aired countless times on cable news programs. Republican nominee John McCain repeatedly cited Joe the Plumber in a debate, saying Obama's plan would hurt people like him who want to own their own businesses. Wurzelbacher campaigned for the Republican ticket on his own bus tour around Ohio this week and appeared with Sarah Palin on Wednesday. His name comes up at just about every GOP rally. But with the election next week, what's next? A lot of things are too premature to talk about, Della Croce said, but a book is already planned. "Certainly Joe will go down in history and will be a celebrity regardless of which way the election turns," Della Croce said. "He is a curiosity. He's touched a nerve with the common man, and people are curious as to what's on his mind. I think he speaks for a lot of people." So many, apparently, that he needs three manager

Published: 2008-10-31
Provider: Huffington Post