2006.11.17 - Tri-Valley Herald - Clarke Goes Behind The Scenes Of 'Rock Star Supernova' (Gilby)

Clarke goes behind the scenes of 'Rock Star Supernova'

By Tom Lanham
CONTRIBUTOR

GILBY CLARKE has experienced a lot of guitar-slinging high points in his illustrious two-decade career. Like "Whatever Happened to Fun," his overlooked'85 gem of an album with power-pop combo Candy.

Or that three-year early-'90s stint with the infamous Guns N' Roses, a supergroup that baffled him "with their 'Who gives a ——' attitude," Clarke says. "They always did everything on their own time, and somehow it would always work out for them." Not to mention Clarke's rolicking garage-gritty solo sets, such as'94's "Pawnshop Guitars" and'02's "Swag."

And — oh, yes — that certain little outfit he formed this summer with Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee and ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, Rock Star Supernova, while millions of viewers watched its 11-week lead-singer search on national TV. The project culminates Tuesday with the release of an eponymous Epic debut that is, despite its curious media-shrewd genesis, a remarkably confident exercise in stadium-school metal.

All solid achievements, to be sure. But what really revs Clarke's engine are memories of last year, when he hired on with a little reformed unit called the MC5, and blasted across Europe alongside its legendary aceman Wayne Kramer. "Wayne is the best," Clarke says. "And more than anything, it's his perspective on life in general, because what he's been through is just incredible. Whenever you spend any time with him, you're just kind of happy to be alive and happy to be doing what you're doing."

On that tour, the Dictators' Handsome Dick Manitoba was singing lead for the old Detroiters, Clarke says. "And he owned 'Kick Out the Jams.' But I sang a couple of songs, too."

The MC5 might have been missing two key members (vocalist Rob Tyner and guitarist Fred "Sonic" Smith, who both passed away in the'90s). "But I dug what they were doing — celebrating the MC5 music, not being the MC5. So for me, it was just amazing to play those classic songs and play my guitar really loud. That's the kind of music I would be happy making for the rest of my life."

The acme? A show they played in Bosnia, where a throng of impoverished youth sang along with every number. "And they didn't even speak the language — it was a connection that just blew me away," Clarke, 44, says. "And then you drive around their city and it's just destroyed. They have nothing, and everything's gray. But in that hour and a half we were onstage, everything was OK." Best of all, he adds, "Playing with Wayne, you just get to do your thing, and I like it when people don't correct you. You got a part wrong, he'd go 'Yeah! I like it when it's out of tune!'"

Clarke now knows a thing or two about reprimands. As the Mark Burnett-produced CBS reality show (which followed last year's wildly successful "Rock Star: INXS) whittled 15 aspiring front-folk down to a final four, the musician, acting as judge/jury, had to slap quite a few wrists, verbally. To arrive at the Eddie Munster-ish Lukas Rossi, a kooky Canadian extrovert who won over contenders Toby Rand, Magni Asgeirsson and the crowd-wowing Dilana Robichaux, Clarke suffered through countless indignities.

"Tommy and I were really trying to put a new band together, and these were the 15 people we got? As far as I was concerned, there were only three, so I was bored for the first 10 episodes."

One girl equated a good rock performance with wearing fishnets and high-heeled boots. Another sneered that she'd never heard Lee and Clarke's music, since their best albums were released before she was born. And then there was contestant Jill, Clarke growls, "who was actually a great singer, but she did a song where she and I jammed together and she kept grinding up against me.

"It was like some cheap Holiday Inn set, and I called her out on it. Dealing with these kids..." The garrulous guitarist is momentarily at a loss for words. "I don't know. I just thought it was a lack of respect, and it got to that point where I thought 'This is enough.'"

Along with level-headed "Rock Star" host Dave Navarro, Clarke managed to keep his cool and offer fair, unbiased advice each week to the hopefuls.

But he'd noticed the mascara-wearing, porcupine-haired Rossi the moment the producers handed him his photograph, pre-season. "And at least he gets it — at least Lukas wears makeup and has dyed-black hair," he says of their find.

Rossi defeated the favored Robichaux because "he made our music sound more like a band, whereas Dilana sounded like a singer, with us backing her. And that wasn't what we wanted. You want a singer that is the oddball, the guy that people notice when they walk into a room."

There were a few snafus. Thanks to the existence of another Supernova, the band is currently flying under its legalese Rock Star Supernova flag.

Newsted — who recently suffered severe shoulder injuries — will be replaced on the upcoming tour by Train/Black Crowes bassist Johnny Colt. But there's good news, as well; Clarke (an in-demand producer who's handled punk-metallers like the Bronx) has been working with Robichaux. She sings on his upcoming solo disc, and is undertaking her own album with his guidance.

Rossi contributed random lyrics to "Rock Star Supernova." But the music is Lee and Clarke at their campy best. "Leave the Lights On" echoes one of the duo's favorite bands, T. Rex, as does "Be Yourself (And 5 Other Cliches)," which sounds like vintage "Give Us a Wink"-era Sweet. "And that's exactly what I was going for," purrs Clarke. "Tommy and I grew up with a lot of the same records, so we're on the exact same page; we use a lot of 'Slider' or Cheap Trick references, and we just click."

But Clarke will readily admit the truth: It's a relief to have a full-time supergroup again. "Because one thing that's been really hard over all these years is finding a good guitar gig, you know?" he sighs. "No. 1 is finding a gig that's good music to play with good guitar parts. And No. 2 is finding one that pays."

And then there were assignments like the MC5, "which was 100 percent playing some great music, just to be able to say 'Oh, yeah, I played with the MC5, one of the greatest punk bands of all time!'"