Band contest surprisingly refreshing

Fox debuts a new show Friday6 that promises to do for rock bands what "American Idol" has done for singers.

Which begs the question, just what did rock bands ever do to Fox to deserve such ill treatment?

Loyal readers know I'm no fan of the most popular program on TV. "American Idol," in my humble opinion, has contributed to the collapse of the music industry by championing singers who use cheap melisma in place of genuine emotion while trafficking in the tired old standards of yesteryear. No authentic or even remotely innovative artist has a chance of winning "American Idol." Instead, it foists off well-meaning hacks like Clay Aiken, Fantasia Barrino and Taylor Hicks as stars.

Feh.

So I wasn't looking forward to the premiere of "The Next Great American Band," which is set to debut at 7 p.m. today on Fox's WFLD Channel 32. It uses the same cookie-cutter triad of judges -- John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls in the Randy Jackson industry-insider role, Sheila E. in the personable, if washed-up, Paula Abdul role and Australian Ian "Dicko" Dickson in the more caustic Simon Cowell role -- with Dominic Bowden as the fawning host in place of Ryan Seacrest.

It figures to parade groups through and let the judges sort them out, and while I know Sheila E. should have good taste from her days in Prince's band, the Goo Goo Dolls are nothing to recommend to anyone, and even as an Australian Dickson could be more a fan of Men at Work than the (unjustifiably ignored in this country) Go-Betweens.

Now there's a band worth discovering.

Like many a reality show, "American Band" hasn't been completed in time to get screeners out to critics, so what's surprising about the 25-minute highlight reel Fox sent out instead is -- and you better sit down before reading any further and finish that sip of coffee or juice right now -- how good it is. The bands rock, and even the ones that don't seem to be treated with a bemused good humor by the judges, instead of the humiliation "Idol" piles on its William Hung-style washouts.

Understand, I can't vouch for the finished product. The judges might yet reveal themselves to be cretins (and not in a punky good way), and it's still a long shot that "American Band" will actually produce a great American band as its ultimate victor. But after seeing a few of these undiscovered groups I've never heard of, I'm ready to say that the show has some undeniable talent to work with, and it might yet prove worthwhile -- both to TV viewers and music fans.

Tonight's opening audition segment appears to take place on a desert lake (not unlike the on-the-water stage Green Day plays on in Lake Springfield at the beginning of "The Simpsons Movie"). It's an impressive backdrop, and right away it gives "American Band" a more open feel than the claustrophobic "American Idol" auditions, which always seem to be held in a hotel conference room.

In any case, keep your eyes and ears open for the Clark Brothers, who do a rocking version of "This Little Light of Mine" worthy of Mavis Staples, only at a breakneck pace with nothing but guitar, dobro and mandolin. Then there's Tres Bien, a Hives-esque Florida power-pop group whose original song (something unheard-of on "Idol") "Your Graceful Soul" is worthy of Lenny Kaye's classic "Nuggets" collection of garage rock.

Philadelphia's Franklin Bridge does a rocking soul song in the style of Living Colour, only without Vernon Reid's guitar chops, and Rocket is a Los Angeles girl group audacious enough to cover the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop" (although if the judges are worth their salt they'll slag the band for letting the tempo drag).

Mixed in with the quality are bands like Fifi LaRue, a Hollywood Goth band featuring the self-proclaimed "Killer Clown of Rock 'n' Roll," and the Zombie Bazooka Patrol, which disguises bluegrass in death-metal makeup. What the judges make of these I don't know, as their responses have been saved for the show proper, but Sheila E. looks great, Rzeznik gets to show off his T-shirt collection and Dickson does seem to have a laid-back Aussie droll humor in place of Cowell's acerbic wit.

At one point he calls out the bluegrass group Cliff Wagner and the Old No. 7 to play something at least halfway contemporary, and the band answers the challenge by breaking into Madonna's "Like a Virgin." That's all in good fun in a way "Idol" has never even imagined.

If "American Band" can sustain that playful mood after it narrows the field to a dozen semifinalists and retreats to the TV studio for audience voting, it will be a fine new addition to the schedule -- and a cause for optimism in the music biz. I still think that's a long shot, but I might yet find myself watching -- and maybe even calling in a vote for Tres Bien.

In the air

Remotely interesting: The Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences plays host to a discussion by "Chicago's Television News Bosses" at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Pritzker Military Library, 610 N. Fairbanks, Chicago. All the major local broadcast affiliates will be represented. Admission is $25, $20 for NATAS members.

The last nine episodes of "The Sopranos" will be released on DVD Tuesday as "Season 6, Part II," with a list price of $100. … The Republican presidential candidates debate health care and financial security in Sioux City, Iowa, at 8 p.m. Thursday on WTTW Channel 11. … NBC's "Scrubs" returns at 8:30 p.m. Thursday on WMAQ Channel 5. … The Sundance Channel's "Inconoclasts" returns with Sean Penn interviewing Jon Krakauer and vice versa at 9 p.m. Thursday.

End of the dial: The Cubs lifted personality-talk WGN 720-AM to an easy win in summer Arbitrons released this week. Yet, with Steve Harvey replacing Howard McGee as morning host, urban-contemporary WGCI 107.5-FM dropped from its usual runner-up position into a tie for fourth with adult-urban WVAZ 102.7-FM. All-news WBBM 780-AM placed second, and Spanish-language WOJO 105.1-FM was third.

WBEZ 91.5-FM's "Worldview" holds a live debate on China's economic development and the environment at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park downtown. It will be recorded to air Oct. 30. Admission is $15, $10 for subscribers to The Economist, which is co-sponsoring the debate. … "Hambone's Blues Party" features Halloween music at 10 p.m. Thursday on WDCB 90.9-FM.

Waste Watcher's choice

Turner Classic Movies is featuring great horror directors this month, and one of the high points of the festival comes with a 1932 offering, Tod Browning's "Freaks," at 8:15 p.m. today. Real-life circus freaks exact revenge when a manipulative beauty marries one of their own. It was a seminal influence on many films -- as well as the Ramones.