CBS's "Rock Star" to Select Lead Singer for New Band, Supernova

Press release
Source: CBS TV

CBS and Mark Burnett Productions announced today that legendary musicians from some of the biggest American rock bands have joined forces to form a new band, Supernova, and will use CBS's ROCK STAR (working title) as the competition to determine the new lead singer.

Supernova will feature drummer Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Jason Newsted (Metallica) and Gilby Clarke (Guns N' Roses). The second edition of CBS's ROCK STAR will premiere on the Network this summer.

After the winning singer is selected on CBS's ROCK STAR, Supernova will record an original album, to be co-written and produced by Butch Walker (hit songwriter/producer for Avril Lavigne, Pink) that will be released in the fall before the band embarks on a world tour starting in early 2007.

"I've toured with both Gilby and Jason. They're incredible musicians and I've always wanted to play with them," said Tommy Lee. "Starting a new band with old friends on worldwide television is going to be a blast, and we're going to pull out all the stops to find the most charismatic and musically talented lead singer to front Supernova. I love breaking the rules."

Bassist Jason Newsted added, "This is a fantastic opportunity for me to play with guys I've respected for a long time. It gives us a chance to be innovators. This is a new thing. It's never been done before. We're going to break new ground musically and on television. The anticipation is building in me every day. This is a supergroup in the truest sense."

Lead guitarist and co-writer Gilby Clarke proclaimed, "Rock n' Roll is so alive and I'm so excited to be a part of CBS's ROCK STAR. This is television history. Where else can you raid three historic bands to form one great band? I can't wait for the summer to begin."

Butch Walker will join the project as co-writer and producer of the new album. "Working with top-notch musicians from legendary bands who want to create terrific music is always an enjoyable experience. I'm looking forward to whoever the new lead singer is going to be so the guys can start corrupting their mind...!"

Dave Navarro and Brooke Burke will return as hosts, with Burke returning to the stage for introductions and Navarro returning to the judges' couch for input and evaluations. "Last year, doing ROCK STAR: INXS was the greatest summer job of my life," Navarro affirmed. "This year, I'm on the couch with my friends Tommy Lee, Gilby Clarke and Jason Newstead as they choose Supernova's lead singer."

This summer's edition of CBS's ROCK STAR will also feature some format twists with a different music celebrity or rock legend each week. Said Navarro, "Friends of mine, like Slash, Macy Gray, Moby and Rob Zombie, will join us and throw in their two cents about who should stay and who should go."

In the first season of CBS's ROCK STAR, rock sensation INXS found their new lead singer in Canadian heartthrob J.D. Fortune. Since the show, INXS has taken to the studio and the road, releasing their massive hit single "Pretty Vegas" and selling out every concert in their North American tour. Their new CD, "Switch," debuted in the Billboard Top 20, and is currently going gold and platinum in countries around the world.

"Millions dream of becoming a rock star...our show actually makes that happen," said Mark Burnett, creator and executive producer of CBS's ROCK STAR. "The winner of CBS's ROCK STAR will not only play in huge stadiums before sold out crowds, they will do it alongside legendary musicians from three of America's biggest, all-time rock bands who have sold a combined total of a quarter of a billion albums: Motley Crue, Guns N' Roses and Metallica. Fronting Supernova is the ultimate rock 'n' roll dream and it's about to come true."

Tommy Lee rose to stardom as a founding member of Motley Crue. One of the most successful rock bands in history, Motley Crue has sold over 40 million albums while also becoming the poster boys of rock star decadence. Most recently, Lee released his third solo album, Tommyland: The Ride, and announced a documentary project with award-winning filmmaker Bruce Sinofsky. His candid 2004 memoir, Tommyland, landed on The New York Times best-seller list.

Jason Newsted is a six-time Grammy winner and was a longtime member of the legendary band Metallica, one of the most successful musical acts of all time (100 million albums sold worldwide). After his departure from Metallica, Newsted created the band Echobrain and, in 2003, he began touring with Ozzy Osbourne while also playing bass for the iconic techno-thrash band, Voivod.

Gilby Clarke was the guitarist for the iconic rock band, Guns N' Roses (90 million albums sold), traveling on their legendary and infamous three-year "Use Your Illusion" world tour. He also worked with Michael Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, Jeff Beck, MC5 and on the Freddy Mercury Tribute Concert. He was a recipient of the MTV Video Vanguard Award.

Butch Walker is best known as the songwriter, musician and producer behind hit songs for Avril Lavigne, Pink, Bowling for Soup and for Tommy Lee's recent solo album, Tommyland: The Ride. His song "My Happy Ending" went to Number One for Avril Lavigne and was the key track in her nine-time platinum album Under My Skin, leading to him being named by Rolling Stone magazine as "Hot Producer of the Year" in 2005. Pink's new album, I'm Not Dead, features two Butch Walker compositions.

CBS' ROCK STAR is produced by Mark Burnett Productions. Mark Burnett, David Goffin, Lisa Hennessy, Dave Navarro, Tommy Lee and Carl Stubner are executive producers. Conrad Riggs and Eden Gaha are co-executive producers.