INXS New Vocalist and New Single Today

Phil A · 09-21-2005, 10:31 AM

"Sep 21, 2005 11:13

INXS Name New Vocalist; Canadian Singer J.D. Fortune Chosen to Front Multi-Platinum Rock Band; First Single 'Pretty Vegas' Hits Airwaves Today; New Album Switch in Stores November 29

NEW YORK --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 21, 2005 After months of heated speculation, multi-platinum rock band INXS have embraced Canadian singer J.D. Fortune as their new lead vocalist. The new INXS will immediately head into the studio with producer Guy Chambers (Robbie Williams) to begin work on their Epic Records debut, entitled SWITCH. The highly anticipated album is scheduled for a November 29th release.
"J.D. has a slightly dangerous edge and will bring a sense of spontaneity to our live show," says INXS guitarist Tim Farriss. "In addition, he has both the star quality we were looking for and is an inspired lyricist. I think he'll grow with us on all levels. We're a complete band once again."

"It's an understatement to say that this is a dream come true," says Fortune. "Growing up, INXS albums like Shabooh Shoobah, Listen Like Thieves and Kick were a huge musical influence on me. I'd listen to their songs and wonder what it would be like to be in this band. That they've chosen me to be their new lead singer is just mind-blowing."

Equally exciting for Fortune is the fact that "Pretty Vegas," the song he co-wrote with INXS guitarist Andrew Farriss, will be the first single from the album. The hook-ridden track, released earlier today, quickly became a fan favorite following Fortune's electrifying rendition on the hit CBS series "Rock Star: INXS." The three finalists (Fortune, Mig Ayesa and Marty Casey) each went into the studio with INXS before the show's final taping to record new tracks, but it was "Pretty Vegas" that struck a chord with fans. After viewers flooded message boards at MSN Music praising the song and the studio audience screamed for it at the finale, the choice was clear.

"'Pretty Vegas' contains signature INXS sounds but sits somewhere between The Pistols, Elvis and R&B," says Andrew. "Combined with J.D.'s vocal, there's an energy and passion to the song that makes it the perfect introduction to the new-look INXS."

"Pretty Vegas" will be available exclusively through iTunes for two weeks beginning October 4th.

The new INXS will make its national television debut on Friday, September 23 on "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson." On October 17, fans in Los Angeles will be treated to a preview of the band's live show with a special performance at the new Virgin Megastore on Hollywood and Highland. In January 2006, INXS will take their show on the road and embark on their first worldwide tour in eight years. Fans can sign up for info and fanclub pre-sale opportunities at http://www.INXS.com.

http://www.inxs.com

http://www.inxsusa.com

For more information on INXS, please contact Lois Najarian or Michael Moses in the Epic Records publicity department.
"

Michael Hein · 09-22-2005, 02:38 PM

Not to thread shit but as a big fan of INXS collecting many of their albums/Ep's over the last 20 years this is one I will NOT be getting.

Phil A · 09-22-2005, 03:23 PM

I probably won't get it either. I have at least a half dozen CDs I have not even played and another 4 or 5 on the way. I just noticed the news and thought it might be of interest to some.

Paul.S · 09-22-2005, 09:20 PM

I'm happy for the guy--what a story. Will look into checking out the new Virgin Mega on Oct. 17. My next INXS CD will prolly be that Shine Like It Does: Anthology though.

They're gonna record an entire new record between now and mid-November??

-p

Hunter P · 09-23-2005, 10:51 AM

Quote:

The new INXS will make its national television debut on Friday, September 23 on "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson."

**HTF Ads**

TheLongshot · 09-23-2005, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Dunno why anyone with a finger of talent would want to waste away with an "oldies" band instead of continuing to try and make a career of their own.

It isn't a bad starting point, and could get you attention that you wouldn't get otherwise. I keep thinking of guys like "Ripper" Owens and Blase Bailey, who are young guys who took over for Judas Priest and Iron Madien respectively. Owens is now the lead singer for Iced Earth, and Bailey has a solo career.

Jason

Paul.S · 09-23-2005, 01:17 PM

Thank you, Jason. I agree. And who's to say that the legacy members of INXS aren't discussing their future and how they wish to be thought of as a band. Perhaps they'd prefer to go out--if that's what happens--having released a record of new material with a new vocalist rather than leave it as is: being thought of more as the band that faded away after its lead singer offed himself.

Hunter you obviously have issues with the commercial success of the band's later output. That's fine. But I think it's a dicey thing to dismiss acts as no longer relevant. No one person is in a position to adjudicate whether a band's work--new or old--still has meaning for its audience. Those who do often come off sounding like blowhards.

Quote:

Was Michael Hutchence the writer for INXS's songs? If so then this new band should not call themselves INXS. If they were not the creative force of the band then these new songs should not be INXS songs.

Hunter P · 09-23-2005, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Hunter you obviously have issues with the commercial success of the band's later output.

Paul.S · 09-23-2005, 04:00 PM

Hunter:

1) You're conflating commercial success with artistic relevance.

2) You're backpedaling in your post above from your sloppily broad assertions in your post #5 and that makes it harder to pin down your position and reply.

You said, "This band hasn't been relavant musically in like 20 years." 20 years ago was of course 1985, the year of Listen Like Thieves. It also falls after seminal works like 1982's Shabooh Shoobah but before what many called the sellout of the massive success of 1987's Kick. You're thankfully pointing a finer point on the matter now in your post immediately above by (problematically) saying "many INXS fans (myself included) believe that INXS's body of work ended with MH's death." But the reasonably obvious metamessage of your 'irrelevance' comment in the earlier post is that once Kick dropped, 'true' fans dismissed them as no longer relevant.

Again, I think it's a dicey thing for any one person to make IMO pretentious comments about "the hearts and minds of the general public." According to whom, Grohl and Novaselic handled the end of Nirvana "correctly"--you? Maybe others feel differently. And Nirvana is a teeeerrrible example given that I think that band and its work (or at least the success of Nevermind) represented a fundamental shift that echoed throughout the 90s. Cobain was and is so mythologized and the band's songs were arguably so reflective of his personal demons that I think Nirvana/Cobain is/are (a) problematic example(s) to use as a model for the way other bands should handle the death of a member/frontman.

And as a practical, legal matter I think Grohl and Novaselic would have had to deal with Courtney and all of her mischigas had they done anything but let Nirvana rest.

-p

P.S. - I'm also a little confused/put off by the contemptuous comments about INXS now being "old farts" and an ""oldies"" band. Why would a fan say that about a band they dig? I guess its further grist for the mill that is us sort of defining 'fandom' in different ways.