INXS is a rock mainstay that have been around since 1977. After almost three decades of success, their lead singer Michael Hutchence died. In 2005 INXS participated in a TV reality show to find their new lead singer. Canadian J.D. Fortunte was chosen to lead the band. Jordan sat down with Kirk Pengilly and JD Fortune to discuss about the amazing evolution of these rock legends. Catch INXS at the Sound Academy March 2nd in Toronto.
Even in death, INXS frontman Michael Hutchence is being exploited – by his own sister.
Tina Hutchence joined eBay with the username of lilytigerlily, a reference to Michael’s daughter, reports TopNews.in.
Hutchence attempted to sell her brother’s handwritten lyrics to the INXS song ‘Wild Life.’ However, when she was questioned about their authenticity, she backed out on the sale.
She exposed her identity when she again tried to sell memorabilia under that username, stating in the description that she got the item “While I was researching my book Just a Man on my brother Michael Hutchence.”
Newly revised rock band INXS has left their record label Epic in North America. They will now only remain on their Sony BMG label in Australia.
The rock band had a long journey trying to find the new member of their band that would take them to the top. With their hit show “Rock Star,” INXS crowned JD Fortune, 33, as their new front man, replacing Michael Hutchence, who passed away.
Their album “Switch” sold 375,000 copies, and their single, “Pretty Vegas,” hit the No. 37 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The single was the band’s highest debut, reports Billboard.
The band has currently stopped their worldwide tour because guitarist Tim Farriss has to undergo surgery for his torn knee ligaments.
Before Canadian JD Fortune, there was Michael Hutchence, who was the lead singer of INXS. And now the band’s original frontman will see a movie done about his life and death, the Hollywood Reporter reports.
The film has been in talks about getting made for years, and is now tied to two Britain filmmakers, one of whom was a close friend of the late rocker.
Directing honours of the project were given to Nick Egan, after producer Clark Westerman saw last season’s “Rock Star,” which saw INXS looking for a new frontman. He was worried that Hutchence’s memory would be destroyed because of this.
“I said, ‘Somebody else is going to do it, and they are not going to do it as well as you would because you knew him so well,’” Westerman says.
Hutchence died in a slew of controversy after allegedly hanging himself in a hotel room in 1997. Westerman says the rocker’s death will not be the focus of the movie.
The project is currently titled “Slide Away” and has the permissions of Hutchence’s trust and his brother, but reportedly not his father.
Affordable concert tickets may soon become a thing of the past if a new move by INXS is any indication. The newly-reformed band will auction off all tickets for an upcoming California show, reports Reuters.
However, go-to ticket site Ticketmaster will play no role in the auction (though they often hold auctions for premium tickets to popular concerts). Instead, secondary ticketing website StubHub.com will conduct the sale.
“We’ve done things on a smaller scale with auctions, a lot of times with a charity component or other types of VIP packages, but usually only with a small percentage of the venue,” said StubHub founder and CEO Jeff Fluhr. “This time we’re doing the whole show on auction.”
The show being auctioned off is a June 14 performance at the Lobero Theater, an intimate, 650-seat venue in Santa Barbara, CA. All tickets will have an opening price of $1 US, with fans determining the final sale price in the open auctions. That means only fans able to pay top dollar will land seats near the front, while budgeted attendees can expect to sit in the back.
The auction will be held in several rounds up until the day of the show. Tickets are available in two classes ? regular admission and VIP admission, the latter of which includes a meet-and-greet with INXS and an autographed copy of their CD, “Switch.”
Big names are being tossed around as the possibility of a biopic about former INXS frontman Michael Hutchence comes closer to fruition. First up is Johnny Depp, who is reportedly being considered for the lead role in the film.
Hutchence was lead singer of Australian rock band INXS before he committed suicide in 1997. According to news reports, Hutchence’s family was opposed to the making of the movie, but the singer’s brother Rhett is now putting the film together with British filmmaker and former INXS promo video director Nick Egan.
U.K. press report that Sienna Miller, Eric Bana, Naomi Watts, and Rachel Griffiths are also some of the stars being considered for major roles in the movie.
In Toronto to announce their upcoming Canadian tour, INXS took some time to speak with andPOP.
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Watch the interview to hear from INXS frontman J.D. Fortune and lead guitarist Tim Farriss.
What has been J.D.’s biggest adjustment? How are they making sure that J.D.’s increasing popularity doesn’t take away from the legacy of INXS? Check out the interview to find out.
The members of INXS announced last week that they will be touring Canada in the spring.
The Australia-based band has been packing mid-sized venues across North America during the past few weeks.
They will visit 12 cities in Canada, this time performing in mostly arenas, beginning May 7 in Moncton, N.B.
The band had been on hiatus since the death of singer Michael Hutchence in 1997.
Last year, the surviving members held a televised search (Rockstar INXS) to find a new lead singer. The show’s winner, Canadian J.D. Fortune, now fronts the band.
Dates:
May 7: Moncton, N.B., Moncton Coliseum
May 8: Halifax, Metro Centre
May 11: Montreal, Bell Centre
May 12: Ottawa, Scotiabank Place
May 14: Toronto, Air Canada Centre
May 15: Kitchener, Ont., Memorial Auditorium
May 16: London, Ont., John Labatt Centre
May 26: Winnipeg, MTS Centre
May 27: Saskatoon, Credit Union Centre
May 29: Calgary, Pengrowth Saddledome
May 30: Edmonton, Rexall Centre
June 1: Vancouver, GM Place.
From now on, INXS will always have a bit of Canadian flavour, as J.D. Fortune has been named the band’s new frontman.
The decision was revealed during the finale to Rock Star INXS earlier this week.
Once homeless, Fortune says the experience is mind-blowing.
“It’s an understatement to say this is a dream come true,” Fortune said to Billboard. “Growing up, INXS albums like ‘Shabooh Shaboobah,’ ‘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.”
INXS went without a singer since the death of their former frontman, Michael Hutchence, in 1997.
The surviving band members, brothers Tim and Andrew Farriss (keyboard/guitar), guitarist Kirk Pengilly, bassist Gary Beers and drummer Jon Farris began the search for a new vocalist alongside television producer Mark Burnett from Survivor.
Actually, it’s funny how Burnett was involved when you consider some of the closing statements made by the band.
“Tonight we become a complete band again,” said guitarist Tim Farriss, concluding their long journey to survival.
