It's all about the attitude. "Show me how to walk cool, talk cool and be cool. Show me cool first — forget about the instruments. Learn how to walk it, talk it, be it. Then we'll figure the music out later.

"Because if you're going to stand in front of a crowd and really play well and look like you're (a rock star) — if you look down at your shoes, you're dead. Whereas you can be tone deaf and wildly out of tune and barely play, but if you're as exciting as hell, you'll win. You will win."

But Simmons doesn't think that most of the "American Idol" finalists will end up in the winners' circle.

"All those people, well, they'll go off on tour together (and) next week you won't know who they are," he said. "It's not how well you sing. It's whether you've got the goods."

---

'School' is in session

VH-1's "Rock School" debuts Friday/early Saturday at midnight and repeats Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 1 a.m., 2 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; and Monday at 9 p.m.

---

E-mail: pierce@desnews.com