perfidy

Begging to Differ has been following the development of a new reality-type music show, called "Rock Star." Produced by Survivor Svengali Mark Burnett, the show will follow the efforts of contestants to earn the job of lead singer for Australian nostalgia act INXS. There'll be an album, maybe a tour, an onerous and unprofitable contract and everything!

Not to be crass, but, to be a little crass, INXS are notable in the annals of Rock Deaths for being the only band known to include a member who died of autoerotic asphyxiation. Out of a panopoly of choices: the boring old OD; choked on vomit; choked on someone else's vomit; electrocution; stabbed by father; wrapped car around abutment on the M1; riding in car with Motley Crue; died under mysterious circumstances, body stolen and burned in desert; shot in own home; heart attack on stage; plane crash; helicopter crash; plane crash in fright wig (Chase); murder-suicide, INXS are unique. (With apologies to Greil Marcus.)

That's quite an achievement and some serious shoes to fill. I wonder if the competition will include a psychological profiling of the contestants? Given the media's need to sell papers and latch eyeballs, I wouldn't be surprised if in the next few weeks we are all reminded repeatedly of the tawdry and tragic circumstances surrounding the death of Michael Hutchence. Of course, I'm getting the ball rolling here and now, but that's only because I am a follower of Rock Deaths and found this one to be particularly remarkable.

I only have one question. Rock star? INXS? There's plenty of bands out there in need of a lead singer. Both Van Halen and a reformed, Axl-less Guns & Roses would make for better TV than would INXS. But that wouldn't be a wholesome yet manky Mark Burnett production, now would it? May the, um... best... singer "win."

[wik] BTD Greg helpfully corrects my terminology: it's "autoerotic asphyxiation" not "erotic autoasphyxiation."