'SingStar superstars' head for number one

An invented New Zealand band with no musical experience may turn the music industry on its head tomorrow, with Boyband's single You Really Got Me expected to debut at number one on the singles chart.

Created as a publicity stunt for CanWest radio station The Edge, the manufactured pop group features the questionable talent of Chris Murray, Rob Arnold, Peter Tuhuro, Gerard Clark and Jay Coote.

Leon Wratt, programme director of the Edge, said public response to the group had exceeded his expectations.

"I think people just appreciate that we're doing something fun. Everyone's so serious about music at the moment, talking about how the music industry is dying, when in reality they forget that it's about entertaining people," said Wratt.

The competition began in August this year, when the Boyband Bongo van toured the country filming auditions.

After radio station officials selected the top ten finalists, the aspiring stars were sent to Boyband band camp, where listeners voted for the final line up.

Wratt said none of the band members had any professional music experience and were mostly "SingStar superstars".

"They were attracted to this because it was fun and they knew it wasn't serious," said Wratt.

The competition also aims to take the mickey out of NZ Idol, which Wratt said was "just getting far too serious".

"To get to number one on the charts really isn't that huge an achievement. We bet we could bring five guys together and do the same sort of thing."

Tomorrow will be judgement day for the band, when the week's top 40 singles are announced.

Wratt is optimistic that Boyband will make number one, and said: "No band has worked as hard as these guys to get to number one."