Self-Proclaimed Supergroup Not Doing So Super, Sales-Wise

On the eve of TV supergroup Rock Star Supernova‘s Radio City Music Hall show–which, some cursory research revealed, is nowhere near sold out–the New York Post looks at a few reasons for the band’s flameout:

Two of the three supposed superstars – GN’R’s Gilby Clarke and Metallica’s Jason Newstead (sic) – were late-inning replacements that put virtually no stamp on the sound of their legendary bands. And while Lee’s spinning drum kit was a Crue legacy, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars were largely responsible for the Crue’s feelgood tunes.

We’re sure that recruiting a bass player from the afterlife didn’t help matters, either (although at this point, bringing on Mars wouldn’t be too different). But there’s another key reason that this not-quite-supergroup didn’t even reach the modest successes of its television predecessor, INXS–that Aussie outfit has an established back catalog, and even though the idea of someone else trying to fill Michael Hutchence’s jeans creeps us out a bit lot, there are still people who want to hear “Never Tear Us Apart” live. That familiarity, which would probably bring in at least a few casual fans, isn’t anywhere to be found in the new-supergroup’s oeuvre–unless they’ve been working on a show-closing version of “Get Naked.”

Supernova Implodes [NYP]