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No "Rock Star" for Van Halen

Even before J.D. Fortune won Rock Star: INXS and became the new singer for the Australian band, folks have been wondering: Which frontman-starved band in need of a career renaissance would be the next to make the move to CBS primetime?

Well, it ain't gonna be Van Halen, thank you very much -- at least according to current reports from spokespeople for both the band and the network. The show has provided a tremendous adrenaline shot to the sagging career of INXS, who essentially dropped off the pop radar following the death of original lead singer Michael Hutchence. Since finishing their hit show, the band has released a new record and embarked on a successful tour.

Van Halen seems ripe for a similar extreme makeover -- the band has shuffled through a series of well-known vocalists, from David Lee Roth to Sammy Hagar to…well, okay, so maybe Gary Cherone isn't that well-known. But the band has been adamant in denying the rumors, despite their frequent occurrence. Could it be that Roth, who fueled those rumors with speculation on his Valentine's Day radio show, is merely needling his former bandmates?

For their part, Rock Star producers have indicated that they are not sure if the second season will even involve another previously established band. Whispers about Van Halen had originally been kicked into full volume by producer Mark Burnett, who listed the band -- along with Queen -- as a ripe candidate. Tryouts for the show will begin in March, with the new season slated to air this summer.

-- The ARTISTdirect Staff
02.15.06