Backstage Pass

It's official: Ryan Star is now a rock star.

"It's really been unbelievable," said Star, calling from a tour stop in Malaysia and laughing about being on "the most expensive call we'll ever have." "I'm being followed by paparazzi. ... When I arrived, I turn on the radio station and the guy's saying 'Ryan Star has landed in Malaysia.'"

Star's success on the CBS reality show "Rock Star: Supernova" this summer has already launched a series of firsts for the Dix Hills native - a chart-topper on MSN Music for his single "Back of My Car," a quickie live album recorded only days after being eliminated from the show and his whirlwind trip to Malaysia (flying first class, natch), where he will play to thousands of fans.

"The show was really a phenomenon here," said Star, whose intense, dramatic brand of lyric-driven rock created many fans through the TV show. "But what's really incredible is they're not talking about the show. They're talking about rstar.net and my myspace page. They're playing 'Back of My Car' on the radio."

So our homeboy Ryan Star checked in to drop a bombshell: He recorded a live album yesterday and it’s coming out next week. Seriously.

Since getting kicked off of “Rock Star: Supernova” last week, Star has been rolling full steam ahead on his solo career, even hitting No. 1 on MSN Music with his original song “Back of Your Car,” ahead of Beyonce, Nelly Furtado and The Pussycat Dolls. And Star, who hails from Dix Hills, says he was thrilled to learn that “Rock Star” producer Mark Burnett had become a fan.

It was Burnett who came up with the idea to record the live album quickly with the “Rock Star” house band yesterday, in front of hundreds of Star’s fans, and release the album online next week, in time for the “Rock Star” finale.

“You know me,” Star says, adding that if anyone else suggested pulling together an album that fast, he would have laughed it off. “I like to take a lot of time to make sure things are perfect. But since I started the show, I’ve learned to move quickly.”

The final songlist for the album hasn’t been finalized, though “Back of Your Car” is a sure thing. Star says he performed originals “We Might Fall,” “Sink or Swim,” and “O” yesterday, as well as “Losing My Religion,” “In the Air Tonight” and “Enjoy the Silence.” (Star's solo album "Songs from the Eye of an Elephant," with stripped-down versions of his songs is due in stores on Sept. 19 from Stone Crow Records. It's at iTunes now.)

Star says performing “Back of Your Car” on network television was “the greatest moment of my life, a rite of passage.” “I’m going to show that to my great grandkids,” he says. “I was living the dream. That erased all the disappointment. That was for my band Stage, for Harlan [Friedman, music director at WLIR-FM], for Newsday, for bands like Bandcamp. I wanted to make Long Island proud.” (More...)

Learn how to get Star back for another performance on "Rock Star" here
Listen to "Back of Your Car" here
More "Rock Star"

PHOTO: Ryan Star on "Rock Star" by Danny Moloshok/Blue Pixel for Mark Burnett Productions

After a nine-week run on "Rock Star: Supernova," Ryan Star delivered his farewell speech on last night's show.

After a powerhouse performance and a few tussles with his fellow rockers, Ryan Star received a new nickname from Dave Navarro.

This was in my inbox the other day and it reminded me of something I've been thinking all season long on "Rockstar: Supernova": Why exactly does Ryan Star need to be in Tommy Lee's new band? I thought his stuff with Stage was great and the solo stuff I've heard is just as good. This clip shows how he's on a completely different level from nearly everyone else on the show. I'd buy this in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, it's the only one of Star's performances not for sale on MSN Music. Guess I'll have to wait til he puts it on his new solo record.

Zayra Alvarez won the battle against Ryan Star, but lost the war.

Ryan Star landed in the bottom three for the first time and survived the cut, but his fellow Long Islander Jill Gioia wasn't so lucky.

Ryan Star knocked the wind out of Lukas Rossi's sails this week, and for the first time the Supernova judges seemed to ask themselves: Could Star be our man?

Ryan Star's burst of energy changed Supernova's minds, but Jill Gioia's humpty-hump didn't fare so well.

Lots of Long Island scenesters on TV this week. Taking Back Sunday will be on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" tonight and "Last Call with Carson Daly" on Friday. Ashanti will be repping her new movie "John Tucker Must Die" on "Live with Regis and Kelly" tomorrow. Of course, there's Ryan Star and Jill Gioia still hanging tough on "Rock Star: Supernova" on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. And, maybe my favorite, because I end up seeing it a bunch of times a day,1-800-OK-CABLE has started running that catchy Early Edison jingle again in its campaign -- this time with a new video.

Ryan Star went on the attack and turned in his best performance yet this week, but the Supernova crew remained unimpressed.

If "Rock Star: Supernova" were a horse race, Ryan Star would be the dark one.

Two Long Island contestants debuted on the season premiere of "Rock Star: Supernova" last night and avoided landing in the competition's dreaded "bottom three."