Rolling around naked in my love o' "Rock Star"

My friend Tom Rozwadowski, who covers entertainment for The Green Bay Press Gazette, and I are inexplicably hooked on "Rock Star: Supernova" this summer. We ended up chatting about it over e-mail today, and I thought it was fairly interesting so I'm reproducing it here. I might try to get Tom to make this a weekly thing, so look out for some more pop culture tedium, suckas!

Tom: What did you think of the "Rock Star" drama (last night)? How does Lukas not get into the final three, or even have to stand the hell up? Dude sounded like he was gargling mouthwash during "All These Things I've Done."

Me: I think it's funny that Dilana has already entered her late period Dirk Diggler phase. She's clearly the best person, but I think this ego thing might cost her. I thought Ryan's original song was pretty good in a crappy modern rock sort of way, but he still seems really stiff and self-important on stage. Lukas is terrible. I was SURE the judges would rip him after the Killers song. He sounded like absolute horsecrap.

Tom: Last year, nobody failed on the "let's get someone to say something bad about another rocker to the press" ruse. Even the dude who won refrained, and he was known for Dilana-like criticism about how the band saved others, etc. I found it quite amusing. It was a bit contrived, but if Dilana had to perform last night, she would have totally choked. The camera shots had her looking legitimately shaken. Now that Patrice is gone, it actually gets interesting because Magni and Toby are my favorites (if i had to pick two outside Dilana), and they're getting in the bottom three. I, too, thought Ryan's song was decent. I just think he's a dime-a-dozen meathead rocker. Toby, to me, is the most fluid and comfortable on stage. Magni has some chops. Storm is too theatrical. I thought she did a great job with "Cryin'" -- an overplayed song i hate -- but she always makes me crack up with her "Matrix" style dance moves and bug eyes. Gotta ease up on that. I thought Dilana was mediocre on "Every Breath," to be honest. I wonder if this is the beginning of the end for her, though she might be the kind of person needed for a group with three alpha males. I also think school girl emo crushes are keeping Lukas alive in the voting. His Killers cover was just as bad as the hole butchery from a few weeks ago.

Why don't they play Jane's songs with Navarro?

Me: Maybe the same reason they won't ever play Metallica covers with Newsted. (Quick side rant: Navarro is the Rod Stewart of his generation. He could have been one of the greats based on his mindblowing playing on "Nothing's Shocking and "Ritual de lo Habitual." but once he became a rock star, he realized he could coast on his fame and not try anymore. and he's been doing it for 15 years.)

Toby is decent. I really don't like magni. His covers of Nirvana and Radiohead were WEAK. (Seriously, who is dumb enough to cover "Smells Like Teen Spirit"? I know you hate "American Idol," but Randy and Simon would have slapped Magni upside the head for tackling such an iconic song.) I don't think Ryan is a meathead. He's just a humorless dude who takes himself WAY too seriously. I can't see him surviving a band with Tommy Lee. I really think it's Dilana's race to lose.

Tom: As a sidenote before I respond on "Rock Star," have you ever seen "The Thin Red Line? I don't claim to be a movie buff, but I know you actually take your film watching seriously. I got into a heated discussion with two co-workers about my hating "Crash" yesterday, and I was subseuqently slammed for liking "Thin Red Line." It's not your typical war movie, which is why I like it. The symbolism is very "Lost" like, but more than anything, I love it's deliberate pacing. It almost lulls you into submission, or maybe i'm the only one who dug it.

Back to "Rock Star," I think I like Magni the person more than Magni the performer, which sounds stupid. I can't imagine a dude like Lukas making the bottom three and singing along with say, Toby, when he put the mic in my face. I really enjoyed his rendition of "Starman," though. But you're right ... tackling iconic songs is a bit foolish, and I think that has hurt him in the voting. I don't think he's been awful, per se, but he can't live up to either Yorke or Cobain, so the fans will naturally yawn. I'd much rather risk comparison to Brandon Flowers or something.

I say Ryan is a meathead because he couldn't even defend himself with Dilana. It was Magni who had the best line about how she's just doing the same thing every week. I would have been all up in her grill, yo!

Totally agree on navarro. It's pretty sad, actually. I suppose there would be a hell of a lot of pressure to perform "Been Caught Stealing" with Navarro, but it'd be great TV. Or maybe they can do a Panic Channel song next week.

Was that original Supernova song actually pretty catchy, or should I just end this conversation now?

Me: I saw "The Thin Red Line" when I was in college and remember liking it. I'm a fan of Terrence Malick, the director, who is best known for his first film, "Badlands," which came out in 1973 and starred Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. It's about this young couple who go on a killing spree across the Midwest. Awesome, awesome movie that is definitely worth Netflicking.

"The Thin Red Line" definitely isn't for everyone, and I think it suffered in comparison to "Saving Private Ryan," a more traditional war movie that came out around the same time. I liked "Crash," by the way. I don't think it deserved Best Picture, but it's certainly not hate-worthy. When I saw it I thought it was a well-made rip-off of "Short Cuts" with a racism theme mixed in. Not terribly profound or anything but pretty entertaining at the time. I support your right to rip "Crash," though. I remember hating "American Beauty" when it came out, and most people got ticked at me whenever I voiced that opinion. But seven or so years later, critical consenus has really turned against that movie. So I feel vindicated, fools!

Back to "Rock Star," I agree Magni seems like a decent dude. I also thought Patrice was nice (and surprisingly hot this week), but she definitely needed to go. Toby is a good singer but he has no charisma. Storm has the swagger (and she's also pretty hot) but she seems a little bush league to me. I can't stand Lukas, but he'll stick around til the end because he fits a washed-up rocker's definition of a modern rock singer.

It's clearly between Ryan and Dilana, and I'm leaning towards Dave's assertion that Ryan is the dark horse who seems to be gathering strength. Dilana seems a little to big for her britches. Ryan is a TOTAL (jerk), but aren't most rock singers?

Re: catchiness of Supernova: I kinda like their songs, too. If they pick Ryan and record his "Back of the Car" song, they might actually be better than Velvet Revolver, which must be their main goal.