SUPERNOVA IMPLODES

By LARRY GETLEN

January 28, 2007 -- Rock Star: Supernova, the latest spawn of reality guru Mark Burnett's Rock Star franchise, had all the earmarks of a true supergroup - members from Motley Crue, Metallica and Guns N' Roses; a high-profile personality in drummer Tommy Lee; and a predecessor in INXS, whose "Rock Star" success with lead singer, J.D. Fortune, garnered a Top 20 album and a sold-out tour.

But instead, their self-titled debut album failed to crack Billboard's Top 100, and as of this week, almost five months after tickets went on sale, good seats were still available for their shows in Worchester, Philadelphia and New York, including 11th row seats for this Wednesday's show at Radio City.

We hope the following tips will save future "Rock Star" participants from becoming "Rock Star: What the Hell Happened?"

Research Your Name

Initially monikered just Supernova, the band had to switch when it turned out another Supernova had established use, leaving them with their current, unfortunate tag. Is there anything less hip then screaming, "Look at us, we're rock stars!"

Fill your Supergroup with actual SuperStars

Two of the three supposed superstars - GN'R's Gilby Clarke and Metallica's Jason Newstead - were late-inning replacements that put virtually no stamp on the sound of their legendary bands. And while Lee's spinning drum kit was a Crue legacy, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars were largely responsible for the Crue's feelgood tunes.

Act Your Age

If you're gonna serve as mentors to a new generation, make sure your lead guy didn't spend the year bringing creepy back. Was there a moment more icky than 44-year-old Tommy Lee drooling over 17-year-old cheerleader Hayden Panettiere on the VH1 Big in '06 Awards?

Check a Calendar

Supernova's album actually rocks - if it's 1988. When contest winner Lukas Rossi chants "yeah, yeah, yeah" in "Leave the Lights On," you're left waiting for the Robert Palmer girls to emerge. It's 2007, guys - check out Pitchfork and brush up.