Post by Ceeje on Sept 4, 2006 14:10:11 GMT -5
“JD, you are right for our band.” With those words screams erupted around the world – some of joy, some of grief, many in astonishment. In the entire tableau – complete with lights, music, shrieks and tears-- only one person seemed calm. Standing to the side and applauding his friend’s achievement was runner-up Marty Casey.
Through the summer of 2005, Rock Star: INXS grew from distasteful idea to compelling television. The participants—from Australian band INXS to 90s guitar hero Dave Navarro and from the impressive House Band to the 15 performers vying to be INXS’ lead singer – were all worth watching, especially 32-year old Casey.
Over the course of the competition, Casey had shown a startling and mesmerizing ability to deliver a song, any song. His intensity, unusual stage moves, and trademark stare into the camera captured millions of fans, leading him to become the series’ most popular contestant and the only one assured by public vote of a place in the finale.
And what of those performances? Even a year later fans can’t agree on which was the best. Critics, viewers and Rock Star: Supernova host Dave Navarro are still talking about Casey’s stalker-scary interpretation of Hit Me Baby One More Time. But his sets also included other triumphs: an infectious Take Me Out, the encore-earning Lithium, an emotional Wish You Were Here, the hypnotic I Alone, the debut of Trees, and a lauded acoustic version of Mr. Brightside. His riveting performance of Radiohead’s Creep sealed his place in the finale.
Of course, by the time Casey was performing Creep, his fans had already began to use the Internet to find out all they could about their idol. Soon enough they discovered what thousands in Chicago already knew: Lovehammers. Casey’s tightly knit band, including brothers Bobby and Dino Kourelis and guitarist Billy Sawichik, hosted Marty Parties to support their bandmate and began to field an unending number of questions from press and fans alike about their frontman. Not coincidentally, Lovehammers’ independently released CDs began to move up the charts on MSN and iTunes and to sell out wherever it was available.
The dilemma for Lovehammers and their Hammerhead fans alike was this: should Casey win or was Casey too good for INXS? It wasn’t a matter of Casey being suitable to INXS music. He answered that doubt when he sang Don’t Change, a performance Tim Farris called, “very, very powerful.” So fans were torn – wanting Casey to win, yet hoping he wouldn’t so that he could return to the Lovehammers.
The finale episode itself began with the final three, Mig Ayesa, JD Fortune, and Marty Casey having to choose any song from the season’s repertoire to perform. Casey opted to reprise Wish You Were Here. Although many fans hoped to hear Casey sing a track he hadn’t yet done, Casey reasoned that the Pink Floyd song had given him a new voice. After his performance, the studio audience agreed, giving him a standing ovation, with many affecting the “we’re not worthy” bow.
INXS sent Ayesa packing first, then told Casey and Fortune that they would each have to perform an INXS song with them. Once again fans were startled when Casey was given Don’t Change – they only INXS song he had performed previously on the show. After he and Fortune sang, it was just a matter of waiting. Casey has described the moment as being one of the few completely out of his hands. To his left was Lovehammers drummer Bobby Kourelis, who was hoping for a second place finish. To his right, INXS, pondering his fate.
In the end, viewers witnessed a genuine moment of happiness when Tim Farris said to Casey, “You’ve impressed us from the get go. We’d like to sit down and talk to you about possibly opening for us on our world tour.” Casey’s reaction – a joyful jump, a beaming grin and a salute to Kourelis – told his fans all they needed to know about where his heart was. Like ours, it was with Lovehammers, now complete with a management team, a major label record deal, an opening slot on an anticipated tour, and legions of loyal fans.
~chk
Images from MartyCasey.org. Click the picture to see more from the finale.
