I've recently become obsessed with the reality show ROCK STAR: INXS. I saw very little of it when it was actually on TV, but after buying Marty Casey and Lovehammers, and the new INXS disc, I decided to pick up the DVD of show highlights, and I've been watching it a lot, since.

I really enjoy Marty Casey's performances, especially his acoustic version of The Killers' Mr. Brightside, but I also liked his renditions of Radiohead's Creep and Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. Even his performance of Baby One More Time (a song originally made popular by Britny Spears) is good.

There are other very good performances on the DVD, too. Jordis Unga does a terrific job on Nirvana's Heart Shaped Box and on The Man Who Sold The World by Bowie. Suzee McNeil does a admirable job of covering Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, and MiG Ayesa's energy on McCartney's Live And Let Die is entertaining. Other performances are good, too, including winner J.D. Fortune's takes on the Mamas and Papas' California Dreamin' and on Joe Cocker's version of The Letter. His version of Pink Floyd's Money was spot on until he lost the timing near the very end of the song, but it's a very tricky song with something like 7/4 time signature or something to that effect. There are a few extras on the DVD, clips from behind the scenes and stuff that didn't make the show, and the 5 song unbroadcast INXS performance with J.D., where they do 4 classic INXS tunes and the hit off the new disc (Pretty Vegas, penned mostly by J.D. apparently).

I'm tempted to buy a "complete season" set of DVD's if one should come out, if it isn't too outrageous. In the meantime I'll have to content myself with listening to HOT FUSS by the Killers and Marty's solo effort.