Rock Star Supernova

World-renowned local Vancouver tattoo artist Thomas Lockhart supplied the tattoo art and ink for the popular Mark Burnett reality television series, Rockstar: Supernova, The Tommy Lee Project.

In its second season, Rockstar: Supernova was auditioning aspiring rock stars to front a new band led by Tommy Lee, formerly of Motley Crew, to be called Supernova.

Lockhart was approached by Microsoft's MSN and asked to provide tattoo-inspired artwork in keeping with the rock and roll traditions of body art to use on the Rockstar web site. The results are inspired.

Lockhart penned a full tattoo back piece that serves as the interactive backdrop for the front page of the Rockstar web site. Visitors to the web site could click on the various tattoo designs that make up the back piece and navigate around the site.

Lockhart's bio is carried here

Lockhart, the owner of Canada's oldest tattoo shop, West Coast Tattoo at 620 Davie Street in Vancouver, BC, Canada, has an extensive resume of work in film and television. He is perhaps best known for his work in front of the camera for the National Geographic documentary on tattooing in Borneo, The Vanishing Tattoo.

About the Show

Reality show? You could call it that but in the case of "Rock Star," an enhanced definition is required.

How about rock opera, rock and roll circus and the ultimate "Musicians Wanted" classified ad all rolled into one? That's Mark Burnett's "Rock Star: Supernova."

And it gets better. Check out this roster:

Tommy Lee (Mötley Crüe), Jason Newsted (Metallica) and Gilby Clarke (Guns N' Roses) form the show's featured band Supernova--a power trio if there ever was one. Graced by three legendary rock musicians from three monumental groups, the band's got all the style, chops and musical muscle to fill stadiums, ooze attitude and pile up groupies (not literally of course). Supernova boasts rocker extraordinaire Tommy Lee on drums, six-time Grammy winning Jason Newsted on bass and MTV Video Vanguard recipient Gilby Clarke on guitar. The band will record a hot current album produced and co-written by Butch Walker, Rolling Stone Magazine's 2005 "Producer of the Year" whose worked with Pink, Avril Lavigne and Bowling for Soup. But Supernova needs one thing--a lead singer.

That's where Mark Burnett, CBS and MSN come into the picture. After last year's successful "Rock Star: INXS," Burnett continues the music with "Rock Star: Supernova," a series featuring famous (and infamous) band members, celebrity and rocker judges, human drama, fan interaction and of course, a winner.

Created by Burnett (you may remember him as producer and creator of two little shows called "Survivor" and "The Apprentice"), the show featured 16 aspiring singers from all over the globe who journeyed to Los Angeles to vie for the coveted position of lead singer to Supernova.

And what a position.

Along with becoming Supernova's frontman/woman, touring with the band beginning January 2007 and cutting an album for a November 2006 release, they also faced the scrutiny of viewer votes (that means you) and weekly celebrity judges including Moby, Rob Zombie, Macy Gray, Slash and last year's "Rock Star" winner, INXS frontman J.D. Fortune.

Pressure anyone?

In an intriguing new format, the show aired 3 times each week with the full length reality episode presented only on MSN Video. For the first time ever, you could watch the contestants' drama of rehearsing songs and attempting to get along with one another (in a Hollywood mansion no less) exclusively online all day every Monday. The contestants' performances (airing Tuesday from 9-10 p.m. ET/PT) and their gruelling eliminations (showing Wednesday, from 8-9 p.m. ET/PT), will air on CBS, rounding out a unique and thrilling way to watch and interact with the show. MSN premieres the first reality episode Monday, July 3. The CBS premiere performance and elimination episodes will air Wednesday, July 5 and Thursday, July 6 at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET/PT respectively before moving to the regular Tuesday and Wednesday timeslots.

On Tuesdays, the contestants performed music's greatest rock tunes in front of a live audience with the show's supremely kick-butt house band comprised of some of the industry's most respected and talented musicians. Using either rockstar.msn.com or Verizon Wireless text messaging, viewers from all over the world would cast votes for their favorite performance. Then, on Wednesday night watch the battle grow fierce as the public's vote for their favorite is revealed and the bottom three contestants must each perform one more song in front of the live audience, the hosts and Supernova. At this point the decision is in the hands of Supernova as Tommy, Jason and Gilby decide who will stay and who will go.

Meanwhile, you could go online to get the skinny on the hopefuls, read inside gossip, check out additional words from celebrity judges, buy and download music and performances, view the contestants' innermost thoughts via their own MSN Spaces blogs, discuss your faves (and not so faves), read features, scroll celeb and contestant fashion galleries and undoubtedly hear even more from Tommy Lee. We're guessing he'll never be at a loss for words.

Returning will be host Dave Navarro (from Jane's Addiction, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and currently Panic Channel), everyone's favorite mentor/judge/axe man, who'll provide both criticism and guidance to the aspirants. And who could forget Brooke Burke ("Wild On"), also returning to host--along with her parade of ultra-sexy ensembles.

Produced by Mark Burnett Productions, "Rock Star: Supernova" also counts Mark Burnett, David Goffin, Lisa Hennessy, Dave Navarro, Tommy Lee and Carl Stubner as executive producers and Conrad Riggs and Eden Gaha as co-executive producers.

Expect the unexpected, watch, participate and revel in the real life rock and roll fantasy of the hardest rocking (and for sure, craziest) auditions ever broadcast on TV. The song may profess that "it's only rock and roll" but for one lucky rocker, it'll be a whole lot more.

And we're thinking they will indeed, like it.

Supernova

Cream, Blind Faith, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Velvet Revolver, Audioslave--what do these bands have in common? They're all super-groups, rock outfits comprised of legendary musicians who took their varied qualities, seasoned expertise, boundless creativity and just plain kick-ass rock chops and melded them together in a mélange of virtuosity that's been, for the most part, tough to equal in the world of rock.

Tough to equal until now.

For joining those famous acts towards notoriety is another group of supers, a band named, quite appropriately, Supernova.

And who is Supernova? They would be drummer Tommy Lee (of Mötley Crüe legend), guitarist Gilby Clarke (of Guns N' Roses infamy) and bassist Jason Newsted (from the esteemed Metallica)--three musicians who're not only bona fide rock stars but supremely gifted, highly respected musicians as well.

But here's the thing--they need a lead singer.

With "Rock Star: Supernova," the three legends will find their frontman/woman in an audition process that'll capture the attention of television viewers worldwide. One very talented singer will enter this holy (or unholy--depending on who you choose to worship) trinity of rock gods to not only record an original album, co-written and produced by the mega hot Butch Walker, but embark on a word tour starting in early 2007.

And that's nothing less than thrilling. It's certainly thrilling for the trio of rockers involved. As Tommy Lee marveled of his band-mates "They're incredible musicians and I've always wanted to play with them...were going to pull out all the stops to find the most charismatic and musically talented singer to front Supernova." Gilby Clarke concurred: "Where else can you raid three historic bands to form one great band? I can't wait for the summer to begin." Neither can we.

Creating both television and music history, not only is the band crafting a new sound from their own varied backgrounds and influences, they're ready to break new ground, to be innovators. With the threesome's rock, metal, glam and thrash sensibilities merging with the catchy, riff-laden touches of Butch Walker, they're open to fresh colorings, contemporary sounds and new technologies. Supernova will be a unique, one-of-a-kind work in progress boasting, once again, its star-studded, super-group status.

And the band will be moving, as Jason Newsted proclaimed, "Forward for sure. Forward and up."

Tommy Lee

Rock Star? Tommy Lee lives the label loud and proud. Famous, infamous, controversial, and funny, Tommy is a brave, sometimes reckless provocateur. Yes, he's a rock star, but he's rock royalty as well. His exceptional musicianship and memorable antics continue to rock, shock, and delight fans generations over.

The perpetual teenager began his career as just that--a teenager--by co-founding one of the most influential rock bands of all time, Mötley Crüe, at the precocious age of 17. With a string of classic albums including "Theater of Pain," "Girls, Girls, Girls" and "Dr. Feelgood," Tommy ensured his legacy in rock 'n' roll history.

And you'd think that would be enough, but not for Tommy Lee. In 1999, the uber-gifted drummer followed with the rap metal outfit, Methods of Mayhem, releasing a self-titled album that fused rock, industrial and hip-hop. 2002 found Tommy in a more reflective mood with "Never a Dull Moment," a record that certainly lived up to its title. From the heart and quite moving, the record included the tune "Blue," written for his father who had recently passed away.

2005 saw "Tommyland: The Ride," a diverse, hook-laden recipe of rock tunes produced by Butch Walker. Featuring such guest artists as Dave Navarro and Joel Madden, the album generated the hit singles "Tryin To Be Me" and "Good Times" (the theme song of "Tommy Lee Goes to College").

His autobiography, "Tommyland," quickly landed on the New York Times best-seller list soon after its publication in October 2004, remaining in Amazon.com's Top 100 Memoirs for more than seven months. The candid memoir recounts the personal details of an iconic rock rebel: from his childhood in suburban California to his meteoric rise as the drummer for Mötley Crüe, from his headline-making life in the fast lane to his role as a devoted father.

Comfortable with poking fun at his own celebrity, he also produced the immensely fun reality show "Tommy Lee Goes to College." The tattooed rocker found himself in middle America at the University of Nebraska struggling with coursework, trying out for the marching band, and, of course, managing to find time to party.

And let's not forget that monumental, blockbuster Crüe reunion, "The Red, White & Crüe Tour 2005: Better Live than Dead," an event that placed fans into a lighter-raising frenzy worldwide.

Tommy Lee proves once again that rock and roll is alive and well and as kick-ass dangerous as ever. Did you think he would have it any other way?

Jason Newsted

Though Jason Newsted served as bassist for one of the most famous rock bands of all time (you may have heard of them...Metallica?) he could also be called a kind of ambassador to punk rocker/metal-head unity. Seriously. For as any discerning punker kid or metal-head can tell you, it was the extra speed and complexity, ear splitting volume, and intense growl of thrash metal that got such disparate cliques talking with each other. Angry, scary, heavy and fast, this stuff was mind-blowing.

And so is Newsted. The Geezer Butler, Gene Simmons-influenced bassist pushed the thrash metal envelope in 1981 when he formed Flotsam & Jetsam, one of the forerunners of the genre. As lead songwriter, lyricist and bassist, Newsted and bandmates released their notable 1986 debut, "Doomsday for the Deceiver" to much acclaim. But that same year would push Newsted further into the world of metal, indeed, the universe of metal, as he entered the massively successful orbit of Metallica.

After the tragic death of Metallica's original bassist, Cliff Burton, Newsted joined the group, embarking on colossal world tours that benefited from Newsted's energy and significant talent. During his fifteen years with Metallica, "...And Justice For All," "Metallica," "Load," "Re-Load" and the live "S&M," were released. Metallica also became one of the most successful, legendary groups in rock history, earning stacks of Grammy's (Jason has six) and millions of devoted fans.

Being a full fledged Rock God might be enough for some people, but Jason, a smart, independent spirit, spread his wings, departing Metallica in 2001. Devoting himself to his band EchoBrain and forming the independent record label, Chophouse Records, EchoBrain released their self titled debut in 2002. And then came Voivod. Newsted, a longstanding fan of the legendary Montreal band, joined the eclectic, thrash/speed/progressive rockers, releasing Voivod's thirteenth studio album on Chophouse Records in 2003.

And proving Jason eats, sleeps and drinks his passion (music) even more than we thought, he then served double duty bass jobs at Ozzfest, playing bass for both Voivod and Ozzy Osbourne. On top of that, Voivod's "Katorz" will be released July 25, 2006.

And now, with Tommy Lee and Gilby Clarke, Jason has joined Supernova, gracing the group with his bass-playing chops, tremendous dimension and all that extra credibility we've come to expect from the guy. He rocks, he rolls, he thrashes and, well, he just totally rules.

Gilby Clarke

Let's get this out of the way right now: Supernova guitarist Gilby Clarke is flat out cool. Dig his credits: played with the re-formed, seminal rockers (and arguably the first punk band) MC5, added guitar to the bootylicious styling of Nancy Sinatra, was a founding member of the short-lived, much coveted band Candy and Kills for Thrills and produced tunes for critically acclaimed punkers The Bronx and '80s glam innovators L.A. Guns.

Clarke has also boasted one impressive solo career, releasing eclectic, hard-rocking records "Pawnshop Guitars" (which produced radio hits "Cure Me...Or Kill Me," and "Tijuana Jail") "Hangover," "Rubber," "99 Live" and "Swag."

But that's just the half of it. Did we mention he served as guitarist for this rock 'n' roll outfit called Guns N' Roses? Did we need to mention this? Serving a three year tour of duty on GN'R's "Use Your Illusion" tour and appearing on the albums "The Spaghetti Incident," "Live Era '88-91" and "Greatest Hits," Clarke became synonymous with legendary rock 'n' roll--the lifestyle, the music, the highs, the lows, the massive shows--all of it. During this considerably active time, Gilby was the recipient of the MTV Video Vanguard Award.

And then he left that particular Gun club. So much the better. Clarke extended his oeuvre writing and playing guitar on lauded solo albums, showcasing a spirited merging of his affinities and influences--hard rock, punk, blues and then some. He's also unleashed a couple of famed weekly L.A. gigs with Blues Mafia, jamming their riffs at jazz club Baked Potato and with The Starf**kers, who get down and dirty at the Sunset Boulevard haunt, The Cat Club. He has also worked with Slash's Snakepit (with ex GN'R-man Slash) and the garage-rocking Col. Parker with former Stray Cat, Slim Jim Phantom.

Did we also mention he's seriously into Harleys? And not just a few weekend day trips, but riding his hog 3,000 miles to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in 2004?

Yep, we said the guy was cool. Now add Tommy Lee, Jason Newsted and "Rock Star: Supernova" and we won't have to say it--you'll know it.