The Next Great American Band

The producers of American Idol have launched a new show...a search for a band, not just a singer. Last night they showed some of the audition process and introduced us to the Top 12 bands who have made it onto the official show. Judges for the show are Johnny Rzeznik, Sheila E, and Ian Dickinson (aka Dicko). The Top 12 bands include rock, pop, country, bluegrass, gospel, big band, and even a heavy metal band consisting of 12 and 13 year olds.

I've said before that I'm a Reality TV junkie...and that holds true for the music shows. My absolute favorite was Rock Star (yet another MBP creation). I started watching with the very first episode of Rock Star: INXS and never missed an episode. By the time Rock Star: Supernova rolled around, I was beyond hooked. Granted, I wasn't as emotionally involved with the outcome of Rock Star: Supernova (seeing as how I've been a fan of INXS since the early 80's, but Supernova was to be a brand new band), but the talent on the show kept me watching every week, on the edge of my seat.

Now, I am also a fan of American Idol. I love seeing the train wrecks and seeing the amazing vocal performances. I've been watching since part way through the first season, and rarely miss an episode. One season truly bored me, after America continued to vote off the true talent week after week...so I stopped watching. But I came back the next season and watched just as religiously as before. But however much I enjoy American Idol, to me, it just can't quite hold a candle to Rock Star. On Rock Star, each week, we are treated to ROCK songs, performed by a ROCK band, and sung by ROCK singers. That's not to say that we don't occasionally see some of that on American Idol (Bo Bice and Chris Daughtry ring a bell?), but it isn't as consistent from week to week. Of course, that's not entirely what American Idol is all about, so I don't expect it when I watch...but it doesn't quite hold my interest the way Rock Star does.

Anyway, all of this is to say...I'm really looking forward to seeing what The Next Great American Band will bring us each week. There is a large diversity within the Top 12 bands, which is to be expected from the American Idol producers. But there are definitely some rock bands represented. The format of the show seems to be extremely similar to American Idol, with theme weeks on the horizon. I'm hoping though, that most of these bands in the competition take the theme from each week and rearrange the songs they choose to suit their own style. We rarely see that on American Idol...it is much more common on Rock Star. But if these bands are going to succeed at this format, they are going to have to show their creativity and ingenuity each week, by taking the themes they are given and working them into something new and exciting.

I'm ready for more!