Wait a minute, American Idol is coming back?! I thought it was dead. Nope, looks like Ryan Seacrest is taking the show to ABC. And according to TMZ, we're getting a dose of heavy metal on the show.
Nikki Sixx is rumored to be joining Katy Perry (who herself has a bit of a metal past) and Lionel Richie as judges on the revamped version of the show. Ryan Seacrest is expected to return as host. TMZ notes the show producers are still working out the final details.
Even crazier is Katy Perry is expecting to net $25 million for doing the show, while Richie would get somewhere between $3 – $5 million, with TMZ noting that Sixx would likely get less than that. Still, even $2 million to sit there for a few weeks this summer doesn't sound like the worst gig.
Sixx recently announced on Facebook that he is retiring from touring:
"For those of you asking, I've been playing in bands and touring the world for 40 years. I have no immediate tour plans unless I get a wild hair up my ass or something or somebody really inspirational comes along."
He added: "Since I've been home, I've just been writing music non-stop, recording with other artists, taking vocal, bass and guitar lessons and focusing on photography. Money has never been and isn't a driving force for me. Let the chips fall where they fall. So I guess I'm unofficially retired or maybe just expired at this time."
I guess that means he'll have plenty of time to do American Idol. Maybe they'll have a metal musician on for Nikki to coach? I guess we'll find out in due time. The show is scheduled to return in 2018.
This reminds me of that time we shot a Metal Idol sketch.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS8-F39OLKs[/youtube]
