OT: INXS singer JD Fortune sacked, living in car

[StoneCold]

I listed to Afterglow - it is very good. INXS would probably still be going strong if their singer wouldn't have died. This song sounds better than most of the new stuff 80's bands are putting out these days.

I didn't like "Pretty Vegas", it got old quick. Hated "Hot Girls" track but the rest of it was passable. He didn't stand out anywhere as Hutch.

They'll get the runner up from Rockstar, Marty somebody or hang it up.

[jrnyman28]

I listed to Afterglow - it is very good. INXS would probably still be going strong if their singer wouldn't have died. This song sounds better than most of the new stuff 80's bands are putting out these days.

I didn't like "Pretty Vegas", it got old quick. Hated "Hot Girls" track but the rest of it was passable. He didn't stand out anywhere as Hutch.

They'll get the runner up from Rockstar, Marty somebody or hang it up.

Marty Casey is singing for L.A. Guns (the version with Tracii Guns, not the version with Phil Lewis).

[BobbyinTN]

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,28383,25076438-7484,00.html

ROCKERS INXS have sacked JD Fortune, the lead singer they recruited through a US reality show, with the star admitting fame drove him to drugs.

The singer, who was picked to front the group after winning the series Rockstar: INXS, said he was now broke and living in his car in native Canada after being dumped by the band at Hong Kong airport.

"I was in an airport at Hong Kong and literally got a handshake. They said, 'Thank you very much'," Fortune told Canada's Entertainment Tonight.

"I found myself really alone because I had travelled with these guys for 23 months.

"I don't know where I am going, from sofa to sofa, from night to night. I am trying to get through my life."

Fortune - real name Jason Dean Bennison - said his departure could have had something to do with his cocaine use.

"It got as bad as it needed to be for me to numb out the fact that I knew this was going to come to a screeching halt," he said.


Fortune was the latest singer to join INXS, filling the enormous void left by the death of Michael Hutchence in a Sydney hotel in 1997.

One-time INXS singer Jon Stevens famously lashed out at the band for enlisting Fortune through the TV show, warning his successor that he would be "raped and pillaged".

Stevens, who spent three years touring with INXS but never recorded with them, advised Fortune to make sure he had a good lawyer.

"(The show's) main objective is money, money and greed," he said in 2005.

A spokeswoman for INXS said she could not comment on Fortune's sacking, as did band member Kirk Pengilly's fiancee Layne Beachley when contacted by Confidential.

Maybe if he had saved a little of that money instead of snorting it, he wouldn't be living in a car. No sympathy from me either.

[Red13JoePa]

Send him to rehab and wait it out or get Jon Stevens back.

Andrew told me offline 3 years ago that there were issues w/ Fortune right as the Switched On tour was happening.

[The Sushi Hunter]

Yeah, INXS was one of the late 80's bands that I liked. I remember I had a friend/coworker who would have their Kick album playing on autopilot all day long. That was cool though cause the year before I did the same thing with the Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet album in our workspace.

[Triple S]

As a big original INXS fan, I was curious how their first album with JD would sound. To be honest, it wasn't as bad as I expected. There were a couple decent tracks so I thought they had a shot at continuing.

They even got decent radio play with "Pretty Vegas". Neal better give Arnel a raise or hole him up in the studio soon.

Afterglow (he got to play with Estella Warren)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4WiVPcayRI&

God's Top Ten
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zi2ZYoU9PI

Me too . I actually thought JD was the right pick from all the 'contestants'. I bought Switch - thought it was decent. But I had no interest in seeing them live singing songs Hutch made famous (kinda like a lot of you guys with Journey ).

God's Top Ten? - beautiful song but makes me sad every time I listen to it

[Deb]

As a big original INXS fan, I was curious how their first album with JD would sound. To be honest, it wasn't as bad as I expected. There were a couple decent tracks so I thought they had a shot at continuing.

They even got decent radio play with "Pretty Vegas". Neal better give Arnel a raise or hole him up in the studio soon.

Afterglow (he got to play with Estella Warren)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4WiVPcayRI&

God's Top Ten
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zi2ZYoU9PI

Me too . I actually thought JD was the right pick from all the 'contestants'. I bought Switch - thought it was decent. But I had no interest in seeing them live singing songs Hutch made famous (kinda like a lot of you guys with Journey ).

God's Top Ten? - beautiful song but makes me sad every time I listen to it

Never did see them live with Hutch back in the day. Just no comparison IMO, MH had a certain unique charisma and delivery. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7C9MtcRD6Q

[tammy]

Too bad for the guy - hope he gets sober, smart & doesn't throw away his talent (if it is still there). I bought his song, "Afterglow" 'cuz I thought it was good, but I don't know anything about INXS or the previous singer - not even sure what songs they are famous for.

[Don]

Too bad for the guy - hope he gets sober, smart & doesn't throw away his talent (if it is still there). I bought his song, "Afterglow" 'cuz I thought it was good, but I don't know anything about INXS or the previous singer - not even sure what songs they are famous for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZhHph4IOkc

[Deb]

Too bad for the guy - hope he gets sober, smart & doesn't throw away his talent (if it is still there). I bought his song, "Afterglow" 'cuz I thought it was good, but I don't know anything about INXS or the previous singer - not even sure what songs they are famous for.

Here ya go Tammy..........you've probably heard them but maybe didn't know who they were. They had lots, but these were the first few that came to mind.

New Sensation ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMUILorWSMM

Never Tear Us Apart ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj21qAwNWwQ

Devil Inside ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luobOzreRq4

Need You Tonight ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bheURHXB0x4

[Ftloperry]

And INXS is irrelevant since Hutch left us.

Rhiannon I agree with you 100% .

[Jana]

Too bad for the guy - hope he gets sober, smart & doesn't throw away his talent (if it is still there). I bought his song, "Afterglow" 'cuz I thought it was good, but I don't know anything about INXS or the previous singer - not even sure what songs they are famous for.

Here ya go Tammy..........you've probably heard them but maybe didn't know who they were. They had lots, but these were the first few that came to mind.

New Sensation ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMUILorWSMM

Never Tear Us Apart ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj21qAwNWwQ

Devil Inside ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luobOzreRq4

Need You Tonight ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bheURHXB0x4

So many great songs by them.

[Jana]

As a big original INXS fan, I was curious how their first album with JD would sound. To be honest, it wasn't as bad as I expected. There were a couple decent tracks so I thought they had a shot at continuing.

They even got decent radio play with "Pretty Vegas". Neal better give Arnel a raise or hole him up in the studio soon.

Afterglow (he got to play with Estella Warren)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4WiVPcayRI&

God's Top Ten
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zi2ZYoU9PI

I love INXS, so I watched the TV show. And I wasn't impressed at first with who they picked, but decided maybe I was wrong and should, at least, give him a chance. The CD had a few good songs, nice voice. But obviously, very, very big shoes to fill.

[Deb]

Too bad for the guy - hope he gets sober, smart & doesn't throw away his talent (if it is still there). I bought his song, "Afterglow" 'cuz I thought it was good, but I don't know anything about INXS or the previous singer - not even sure what songs they are famous for.

Here ya go Tammy..........you've probably heard them but maybe didn't know who they were. They had lots, but these were the first few that came to mind.

New Sensation ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMUILorWSMM

Never Tear Us Apart ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj21qAwNWwQ

Devil Inside ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luobOzreRq4

Need You Tonight ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bheURHXB0x4

So many great songs by them.

New Sensation has always been a favorite, still crank that one when it comes up on my IPOD. Such a catchy beat. LOL, find it physically impossible to not move some body part.

[larryfromnextdoor]

jd had a cool voice,, but i was pulling for marty casey.. his original song Trees was big time fun..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGwBXuve ... re=related

[StoneCold]

jd had a cool voice,, but i was pulling for marty casey.. his original song Trees was big time fun..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGwBXuve ... re=related

Me too, initially I thought Marty would take it also. He had the rock n roll look more than JD. I wouldn't mind Marty gettin' a crack at it if L.A. Guns would let him do it.

I guess I'm the only one thinks JSS could blow the doors off this band? True, he'd be roasted initially by the Hutch only crowd but he's got the groove that would fit them. It'd be one hell of a rockin' record.

But I wouldn't wish another Journey on Jeff either. If these guys are the jerks JD paints them to be.

[NealIsGod]

Anyone know what happened to the Rock Star: Supernova group with Tommy Lee? Are they still around? They picked the word singer of the bunch.

[WalrusOct9]

I guess being a rock star is not all it's cracked up to be, though I'm still trying to figure out how he got the gig.

By sounding just like Michael Hutchence? As soon as I heard the guy on the record I was like "jesus, why'd they even have a competition?"


I think he's trying to present this as a sob story, but if I had a coke addict in my band, I'd leave him at an airport too. The rest of INXS is too old to be dealing with that kind of childish bullshit. The rest of us can't do drugs at our jobs, so neither should he unless he was prepared to deal with the consequences.

He had to "Cope with the realization that it would come to a screeching halt" or something like that...well, maybe if he dropped the coke habit they would've continued, y'know?

Seriously, I don't feel bad for this guy. At all.

[Jana]

Anyone know what happened to the Rock Star: Supernova group with Tommy Lee? Are they still around? They picked the word singer of the bunch.

They broke up. Lukas Rossi now has a band Stars Down. I liked him. Wasn't the best singer, but a soulful singer. There was just something about him I liked -- great eyes. So maybe it was the eye makeup.

BTW, he's either married or living with a porn star.

[NealIsGod]

Anyone know what happened to the Rock Star: Supernova group with Tommy Lee? Are they still around? They picked the word singer of the bunch.

They broke up. Luca Rossi now has a band Stars Down. I liked him. Wasn't the best singer, but a soulful singer. There was just something about him I liked -- great eyes. So maybe it was the eye makeup.

BTW, he's either married or living with a porn star.

I hate that guy. He came off as so fake and pompous when he can't even sing.

[Arianddu]

I guess being a rock star is not all it's cracked up to be, though I'm still trying to figure out how he got the gig.

By sounding just like Michael Hutchence? As soon as I heard the guy on the record I was like "jesus, why'd they even have a competition?"


I think he's trying to present this as a sob story, but if I had a coke addict in my band, I'd leave him at an airport too. The rest of INXS is too old to be dealing with that kind of childish bullshit. The rest of us can't do drugs at our jobs, so neither should he unless he was prepared to deal with the consequences.

He had to "Cope with the realization that it would come to a screeching halt" or something like that...well, maybe if he dropped the coke habit they would've continued, y'know?

Seriously, I don't feel bad for this guy. At all.

Don't forget they've been there before. Michael had a serious drug problem for many years, and it was ripping the band apart before he died. What surprised most people who knew them wasn't that Michael died but the way he did - people had been expecting him to overdose for years. I can understand them being very reluctant to deal with another drug addict, especially the Farris brothers.

[jrnyman28]

JD said he has been clean for two years. So does that mean he got clean after they dropped him? Still seems like the guys should have tried to help him, with cleaning up, with his money, whatever. He WAS supposedly a member of the band right?


This story is getting picked up everywhere now so I would say JD did something right. There is a lot of attention on him now and every story mentions his solo album.

Still no word from INXS and JD is still listed as a member of the band on their website...

[Red13JoePa]

JD said he has been clean for two years. So does that mean he got clean after they dropped him? Still seems like the guys should have tried to help him, with cleaning up, with his money, whatever. He WAS supposedly a member of the band right?


This story is getting picked up everywhere now so I would say JD did something right. There is a lot of attention on him now and every story mentions his solo album.

Still no word from INXS and JD is still listed as a member of the band on their website...

Yea, the timeline represented is strange.
The way it SEEMS is that he got clean in 2007 and they just kicked him out the other day?
He IS still on the band's site....

[larryfromnextdoor]

Still no word from INXS and JD is still listed as a member of the band on their website...

you mean they didnt have him CROPPED out of every pic aready and erased from their history? thats unreal...

[Don]

Still no word from INXS and JD is still listed as a member of the band on their website...

you mean they didnt have him CROPPED out of every pic aready and erased from their history? thats unreal...

Shouldn't be too hard when the time comes. Only two letters, JD instead of three, JSS.

[tammy]

Too bad for the guy - hope he gets sober, smart & doesn't throw away his talent (if it is still there). I bought his song, "Afterglow" 'cuz I thought it was good, but I don't know anything about INXS or the previous singer - not even sure what songs they are famous for.

Here ya go Tammy..........you've probably heard them but maybe didn't know who they were. They had lots, but these were the first few that came to mind.

New Sensation ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMUILorWSMM

Never Tear Us Apart ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj21qAwNWwQ

Devil Inside ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luobOzreRq4

Need You Tonight ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bheURHXB0x4

Oh, okay, yes, I have heard 3 of those songs. Out of all of them I like "Never tear us apart".

[NealIsGod]

Still no word from INXS and JD is still listed as a member of the band on their website...

you mean they didnt have him CROPPED out of every pic aready and erased from their history? thats unreal...

Nice.

[Triple S]

I guess being a rock star is not all it's cracked up to be, though I'm still trying to figure out how he got the gig.

By sounding just like Michael Hutchence? As soon as I heard the guy on the record I was like "jesus, why'd they even have a competition?"

Not to me, he doesn't.

[StoneCold]

JD said he has been clean for two years. So does that mean he got clean after they dropped him? Still seems like the guys should have tried to help him, with cleaning up, with his money, whatever. He WAS supposedly a member of the band right?


This story is getting picked up everywhere now so I would say JD did something right. There is a lot of attention on him now and every story mentions his solo album.

Still no word from INXS and JD is still listed as a member of the band on their website...

Yea, the timeline represented is strange.
The way it SEEMS is that he got clean in 2007 and they just kicked him out the other day?
He IS still on the band's site....

Also thought this might be another stunt. Next we'll hear they've patched it up and releasing their next album.

[Rip Rokken]

I hope that living in his car is bringing JD a renewed humility, and that he seeks help. Hopefully, this is enough of a bottom for him.

Maybe everyone forgot, but that was part of his story during the show -- that he'd been living out of his car. So maybe this is true, or just a time tested sympathy ploy, who knows? I pretty much knew they had to pick him all along, because he was the only one who sounded like Michael Hutchence. The whole deal about being open to even women singers was never sincere for a minute.