July 11, 2005 |
INXS Catches a Rising Star
by Ben Katner
TVGuide.com: Finding a new lead singer can take scads of auditions and callbacks. So how did you convince yourselves that you'd be happy with someone you discovered on this particular talent sweep?
Kirk Pengilly: It was a really difficult and long process, but we saw a hell of a lot of great talent during the auditions. [My bandmate] Tim [Farriss] and I personally went to many of the auditions around the world, [so we knew] the standard was really high. At the end of the day, I think you just know when someone's got what it takes. Tim and I referred to that certain something as it. If they had it, they went on to the next stage of the auditions. TVGuide.com: Since INXS has always been closely associated with Michael and his decidedly masculine sexuality, what prompted you to invite women as well as men to audition?
Pengilly: We decided before embarking on this adventure that we were going to be open to any race, color, creed, religion, sex or sexual preference. A woman would add a whole new dynamic to the band. And besides, they can be sexy, too, you know! TVGuide.com: So I hear. Tell me, what's your judging style — are you a Simon Cowell type?
Pengilly: As judges, I don't think any of us are Simons. These singers aren't amateurs, and the bar has been set pretty high for one of them to become our new lead singer. So if there is a need for criticism, it will always be constructive and [given] with respect. TVGuide.com: So you never try to push contestants' buttons just to see how they'll react?
Pengilly: It's still early [on in the contest, so] I think the time for button-pushing will be later on if needed, when we get down to the final four or five. TVGuide.com: Something to look forward to! Do you have an idea of the direction you want the band's sound to go in, or will you let that be decided by the new group dynamic?
Pengilly: INXS has always had a pretty diverse sound, and we have always embraced technology in our music. We love making music that makes you want to dance and move, and the fusion of rock and funk that we have became known for is in our blood. So we are really looking forward to what the new singer brings to the table and allowing the creative process to unfold as we record our new album. TVGuide.com: Since you'll essentially be living with the winner forevermore on tour, did you review the footage of contestants cohabitating to find out what they were like behind closed doors?
Pengilly: Of course! That's why we put them together in the mansion. INXS is a family, so we really wanted to find a way to test out the singers' strengths and weaknesses and see exactly what sort of people they are. TVGuide.com: How do you respond when critics suggest that it's ghoulish to replace your fallen frontman through a reality show?
Pengilly: Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, and I learned a long time ago that you can't please everyone. [The way I see it,] this show gives us an amazing opportunity to spend three months getting to know our eventual new lead singer... see how he or she performs under pressure, relates to other musicians and copes with the many tasks and clinics that we've put together from our own experiences. We also get to see what a worldwide audience thinks of the singers. So [no matter what,] I love it!
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