MUMBAI: US broadcaster CBS and reality TV guru Mark Burnett have announced that musicians from some of the biggest American rock bands have joined forces to form a new band, Supernova.

They will use CBS' reality show Rock Star as the competition to determine the new lead singer.

Supernova will feature drummer Tommy Lee (Motley Crüe), Jason Newsted (Metallica) and Gilby Clarke (Guns N' Roses). The second edition of Rock Star kicks off later this year. Rock group INXS found their new lead singer in Canadian heartthrob J.D. Fortune.

Since the show, INXS has taken to the studio and the road, releasing their hit single Pretty Vegas and selling out every concert in their North American tour. Their new CD Switch debuted in the Billboard Top 20, and is currently going gold and platinum in countries around the world.

Burnett says, "Millions dream of becoming a rock star…our show actually makes that happen. The winner of CBS' Rock Star will not only play in huge stadiums before sold out crowds, they will do it alongside legendary musicians from three of America's biggest, all-time rock bands who have sold a combined total of a quarter of a billion albums: Motley Crüe, Guns N' Roses and Metallica. Fronting Supernova is the ultimate rock ‘n' roll dream and it's about to come true."

After the winning singer is selected Supernova will record an original album that will be released in the fall before the band embarks on a world tour starting in early 2007. Lee says, "I have toured with both

Gilby and Jason. They're incredible musicians and I've always wanted to play with them. Starting a new band with old friends on worldwide television is going to be a blast, and we're going to pull out all the stops to find the most charismatic and musically talented lead singer to front Supernova. I love breaking the rules."

Bassist Jason Newsted said, "This is a fantastic opportunity for me to play with guys I've respected for a long time. It gives us a chance to be innovators. This is a new thing. It's never been done before. We're going to break new ground musically and on television. The anticipation is building in me every day. This is a supergroup in the truest sense."

Lead guitarist and co-writer Gilby Clarke proclaimed, "Rock n' Roll is so alive and I'm so excited to be a part of CBS' Rock Star. This is television history. Where else can you raid three historic bands to form
one great band? I can't wait for the summer to begin."

Butch Walker will join the project as co-writer and producer of the new album. Dave Navarro and Brooke Burke will return as hosts, with Burke returning to the stage for introductions and Navarro returning to the judges' couch for input and evaluations. He says, "Last year, doing Rock Star: INXS was the greatest summer job of my life. This year, I'm on the couch with my friends Tommy Lee, Gilby Clarke and Jason Newstead as they choose Supernova's lead singer."

The second edition of the show will also feature some format twists with a different music celebrity or rock legend each week. Navarro adds, "Friends of mine, like Slash, Macy Gray, Moby and Rob Zombie, will join us and throw in their two cents about who should stay and who should go."

In India the first season of Rock Star had aired on Star World.