J.D. Fortune Update

[Kelly]

He's also launched a new myspace page and put some of the tracks up from the album.

www.myspace.com/jdfortune448

I always avoid the internet drama that seems to follow JD....but damn that's some interesting timing. I wish I could see those ET Canada interviews in full without all the editing. Things would be a lot clearer.

[kes]

uhhh ohhh, did anyone else see JD mentioned on Perez Hilton this afternoon.

[Kelly]

Perez isn't hugely reputable. He pretty much just restated the facts from the ET Canada thing. I'm still not convinced. This was posted in the comments at PH, it could be fake but is interesting none the less.

I worked a show with the band back in 2006 in Newfoundland and at that time the band was talking about kicking him out!! His drug episodes had lead to many problems for the band while on tour, and they were just waiting for his contract to run out then. He was a nice guy when he was sober, not so great when he was high.

For the record, I love INXS. I love JD. I love his new music and I really hope he can make it big again and be happy. He's hardly the first musician to f**k up where drugs are concerned and he's not going to be the last.

(For anybody else who likes the new music on his myspace page, keep checking back! He's changing the songs that are up every few hours.
www.myspace.com/jdfortune448)

[aussiefan]

Hi guys,

Here is a copy of an article written in todays Australian Herald Sun (Feb 19th) newspaper about JD Fortune.

INXS, reality TV rockers who replaced their late frontman Michael Hutchence with reality show winner J D Fortune, have sacked their new lead singer.

Fortune has revealed he was given the boot from the group at Hong Kong airport.

He says he was given no indication that he was about to get his marching orders.

The singer, who was picked to front the group after winning reality TV show Rock Star: INXS, said he was broke and living in his car in his native Canada.

"I was in an airport at Hong Kong and literally got a handshake," Fortune told Canada's Entertainment Tonight.

"They said, 'Thank you very much'.

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

Fortune, whose real name is Jason Dean Bennison, said he indulged heavily in the rock 'n' roll lifestyle while with the band, including using drugs, particularly cocaine.

But he said he had been off drugs for two years.

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

The singer admitted he was homeless and broke.

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

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

Jon Stevens, Terence Trent Darby and Jimmy Barnes have fronted the band.

INXS has been taking a year-long break from performing.

Fortune co-wrote three songs, including the hit single, Pretty Vegas, on the band's 2005 album Switch.

He hopes to release a solo album, The Death of a Motivational Speaker.

A spokeswoman for the band said she could not comment on Fortune's claims.

Will be interesting to see what he does from now on!

Cheers, Helen. [img src="martycasey.org/emoticons/cheers.gif"][/IMG]

[Stiletto]

Another article from Celebedge via MSN Entertainment

I can't help but wonder how things would have turned out if they had selected Marty (thank GAWD they didn't!!)

Home Is Where The Car Is

by Ryan Porter

J.D. Fortune's been fired from INXS and has moved back into his car.


After touring the world with INXS, J.D. Fortune has finally returned to the place he calls home: his truck. He told Entertainment Tonight Canada's Roz Weston on Monday February 16 that he is living in what he calls "Chateau J.D. Fortune" again after the Aussie band kickstarted his heart right out of the band. "I don't know where I am going from sofa to sofa, from night to night," he told Entertainment Tonight Canada on Monday, February 16. "The only friend I have, aside from family, is this guitar." Who'd have thought things could get worse than playing Casino Niagara?

J.D. was living in his car when he began his road to temporary rock stardom, auditioning for the reality show Rock Star: INXS in 2005. He then toured the world, modellized Estella Warren, and perfected his coke habit, which he says, "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." That collapse came at the Hong Kong airport, where he says he was dismissed by his adoptive band with a handshake. "They said, 'Thank you very much'," he recalls. It was a dark day for hastily manufactured reality TV show bands.

Since then, he's been uncomfortable misleading INXS fans who believe he's still the band's lead. "Every time I sign my name it becomes in my heart worth less," he told ET. "I'm very confused because when you do something like that it should be a moment of pride." J.D. says he's now been sober for two years. He's promoting his solo album, Death of a Motivational Speaker, which he hopes will turn his luck around. And if not, maybe he can at least find someone who has a nice, soft, not overly stinky pile of laundry he can sleep in.

[blueeyz]

Assuming all this is true...that's really too bad! But, since there are plans for a solo album, this might be a blessing in disguise (maybe?). No matter who won Rockstar INXS, it's hard to say how long the winner would have remained in the band. And like Kelly said, "He's hardly the first musician to f**k up where drugs are concerned and he's not going to be the last." I wish J.D. and INXS well...whether together or apart!

[dawn]

Wow! thanks for the updates people - I hadn't heard any of this!

[aussiefan]

Article in todays (Feb 20th) Australian Herald Sun newspaper which is a follow up to the article on February 19th.

INXS may well break up after departure of JD Fortune


JD FORTUNE'S departure may well be the final straw for INXS, who are considering their future after 22 years and 11 albums.

Following news the band have dumped their latest lead singer, JD Fortune, a major announcement about their future will made in the next few weeks.

Band members Jon Farriss, Tim Farriss, Kirk Pengilly, Andrew Farriss and Garry Beers have already extended a 12-month break by two months.

"The members are scattered all around the globe at the moment," longtime band spokeswoman Chrissy Camp said yesterday.

"But I have tracked one of them down, and he's told me they will be putting out a statement about their future in the next couple of weeks."

She would not comment if that meant the band would seek a new singer -- who would be the fourth since the November 1997 death of Michael Hutchence -- or break up.

The band kept secret -- not even Camp knew -- last year's dumping of the Canadian singer who joined in 2005 after winning the Rock Star: INXS US reality series.

But Fortune broke the news on Canadian television this week, saying he was left broke and living in a ute after spending his earnings on an unreleased solo album.

He also said he abused cocaine while on a two-year tour with INXS, although he had given it up.

He was also a heavy gambler while on tour.

Despite his tell-all, Fortune, bizarrely, is still listed as the singer on INXS's website.

Cheers, Helen. [img src="martycasey.org/emoticons/cheers.gif"][/IMG]

[rockbeast]

Thanks for posting that Helen. Since Bret Michaels cannot seem to find his "rock of love" still, I would not be one bit surprised if there is not a RS: INXS II

[BBE]

All things considered, I wish that INXS had picked Suzie or MiG instead of J.D, if they weren't going to pick Marty. I think the story would have unfolded much differently.

[bostongirl]

INXS was not looking for a singer they were looking for a replica and they found it. I feel bad for anyone who becomes addicted to poisons of any kind. I wish JD well. INXS never did seem like they wanted to move forward with their music, so it will not surprise me if they retire.

[vstreamer]

So JD came out with this story months after he was supposedly dumped? It seems like it would have been prudent to keep it to himself and not burn his bridges, but I guess with a coke habit he doesn't havegreat control of what he's saying.
I think INXS need him, and hopefully they will reconcile and do new music together.

[Stiletto]

Feb 20, 2009 23:32:37 GMT -5 bostongirl said:

INXS was not looking for a singer they were looking for a replica and they found it. I feel bad for anyone who becomes addicted to poisons of any kind. I wish JD well. INXS never did seem like they wanted to move forward with their music, so it will not surprise me if they retire.

I would have to agree with that statement Liz.

If they wanted to move forward I'm almost certain they would have chosen someone else (not mentioning names.....lol).

[dawn]

Feb 20, 2009 23:32:37 GMT -5 bostongirl said:

INXS was not looking for a singer they were looking for a replica and they found it. I feel bad for anyone who becomes addicted to poisons of any kind. I wish JD well. INXS never did seem like they wanted to move forward with their music, so it will not surprise me if they retire.

Spot on

Saying that though - I'm looking forward to hearing what JD does next - I always found his arrangements interesting & he seemed to have a natural talent for writing. It would be a shame to waste that.

My lodger found this news tucked away on a news site last Friday in the UK - so the news has finally reached us - it's just not being reported widely. Good job I have this place!