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Great Fortune is INXS's new Hutchence
By
John Aizlewood
13 Oct 2006
When Michael Hutchence died in 1997, the remaining five members of INXS vowed to carry on. The problem, of course, was that Hutchence was the voice, spirit and sex of INXS.
Australian legend Jimmy Barnes and, of all people, Terence Trent D'Arby, were road-tested but found wanting. Then these desperate men hit on an idea: they would find Hutchence's successor via American reality television and a programme called RockStar: INXS.
The winner, somehow fittingly, was a Canadian Elvis Presley impersonator, JD Fortune, more than a decade younger than each of his new employers. Unsurprisingly, the album Switch couldn't be more of a dog if each copy came with a gratis bag of Bonio.
So, while Fortune was hired to keep band and brand rolling rather than make terrific records, things hardly augured well for his British debut. Indeed, the opening moments confirmed the worst: a curtain dropped to find the new kid in town sitting cross-legged on the drum riser, camply smoking a cigarette, stroking his comedy facial hair and wearing a jacket, shirt and tie. The former Jason Bennison might as well have unfurled a banner saying I AM NOT MICHAEL HUTCHENCE.
The audience would have been within their rights to unfurl one of their own reading AND YOU NEVER WILL BE.
The band promptly launched into Suicide Blonde, drowning out Fortune's weedy vocals. So far, so Gareth Gates.
And then, for the next 90 minutes, something remarkable happened. Fortune turned his own (and his band's) fortunes around. Somehow, and if I can scarcely believe it, the band must be in a state of almost catatonic shock, INXS have dropped lucky.
Fortune is the right man in the right place at the right time.
Naturally, he was a ball of enthusiasm, hurling himself around stage like a frisky meteorite and the formal attire was soon replaced by a fate-tempting vest saying "Mr Wrong". He grappled with guitarist Tim Farriss and, as if to show just how well everyone is getting on, he squeezed saxophonist Kirk Pengilly's scrotum during the encore. Such frolics were to be expected from a man who admitted he and his band were "shit-scared" to face a London audience and that "a year ago I was living on the street begging for food to feed my little dog".
More surprising was Fortune's voice which, it transpired was not weedy at all. It occasionally resembled Hutchence, most notably on Disappear and a rollicking Mystify, but Fortune mostly steered clear of copying, instead adding touches of his own; a plaintive air to New Sensation and a sense of evil on Devil Inside.
And there's the other thing: that indefinable star quality.
Ever feral, unspeakably handsome and blessed with more than a hint of throbbing devilry, Hutchence had it in spades. So does Fortune. He doesn't have Hutchence's priapism, but, that comedy facial hair notwithstanding, he does have a certain something, despite claiming that this was the last night of the tour: "we made sure of that, so it would be special". They're in Amsterdam tonight and back in Shepherd's Bush on 6 and 7 November.
Fortune's star quality came via likeable weirdness; his tendency to rap introductions; the fortune cookie cod-philosophy between songs ("Sometimes life goes one way. Sometimes life goes the other"); the constant fiddling with his earpiece ("I'm sweating my ears out") and his disturbing tendency to call us "man". He even distributed wine to the front rows.
The crowd adored him. At the end, his reception was tumultuously rapturous and rightly so. Stranger things have happened, but not many. I'm still flabbergasted.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (8)
I went to school with jason or J.D fortune and he is right where he always wanted to be, in the centre of attention. I wish him well on his ventures and hope that he makes the infamous INXS name what it should be...amazing!
- Susannah Davidson, oshawa Canada, 27/03/2009 02:51
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My God... This gig just blew me away!
A huge INXS fan since I heard them perform 'What You Need' on the 'Oz for Africa' leg of Live Aid in 1985, I have seen them many times in concert before Hutch departed us, so I was unsure if JD could pull it off as Hutch was possibly THE best front man of my generation.
I needn't have worried... He is without a doubt the best replacement there could have ever been. JD's vocal key is the same as Michaels and therefore he sings the old songs close enough to satisfy us long-standing fans, but puts his own flavour and edge to it.
And the band... WOW... phenominal, truley amazing musicians and as good as ever.
Welcome back guys, long live INXS !!!
- John Mason, Walsall, 15/10/2006 21:40
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I have just been reading the comments left by those people who went along to the INXS gig at Shepherd's Bush Empire last week. I went myself and totally agree with all that has been written. INXS absolutely rocked that night and JD was superb. The band really look together and their sound was awsome. I'm a big music fan and am into many of today's contemporary bands, but I can honestly say that INXS can never be beaten as a live act. Well done guys - looking forward to seeing you again next month!
- Paul Richards, Rochford, England, 15/10/2006 20:04
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Me and plenty of others got our old tour t-shirst out of retirement for last night's gig. The anticipation as a 5 minute countdown clock appeared on the black cloth covering the stage was touchable. It was the longest 5 minutes I have ever witnessed!! As the crowd roared down from 10 to 1 the cloth dropped and INXS opened to Suicide Blonde.
JD was great - it must be so hard to try to perform where someone else did for almost 20 years. He seemed to grow with confidence as the show progressed and although he slipped up on a few lyrics it was a great evening. I must confess to shedding a tear when he introduced Never Tear Us Apart and found it really hard to sing along.
I think that the band were genuinely surprised and touched at how many of us knew the tracks from the new album Switch. They clearly have a very loyal fanbase.
I just hope that the response that they had last night from Shepherd's Bush means that they will come back soon and continue to perform live in London.
Welcome back boys - you have been sorely missed.
- Nikky, London, 13/10/2006 16:25
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Can't believe it but your 2nd comment came from a fan living in Letchworth! My old home town but not for 41 yrs when I moved to TO. Way to go INXS can't wait for the Hamilton Concert, my 4th this year!
- Sue, Canada, 13/10/2006 15:19
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I am still coming down from last night's phenomenal gig. No JD is not Michael Hutchence - but he's JD Fortune and based on his performance last night, that is just fine. The band proved without a shadow of a doubt that they do not, nor ever did, begin and end with Michael Hutchence - Michael was an incredible frontman, one of the best that ever lived, but he was also one sixth of an incredible band, and that band blew the roof of Shepherds Bush last night. Your reviewer got it right with the description of the crowd - the atmosphere was out this world - thrilled I was a part of it, and I'll be first in line come November!
- Claire, London, 13/10/2006 14:54
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As a lifelong INXS fan, I was never quite sure whether I was going to enjoy this concert or not. While I fully support the Tim, Kirk, Jon, Andrew and Gary's desire to continue as a band, I was never sold on JD, preferring runner up Marty Casey (check out his outstanding album as part of "Marty Casey & The Lovehammers"). I must admit though, that this was a great concert with the most enthusiastic crowd I have witnessed for a long time. JD certainly stood up to the challenge of trying to fill Michael's immense shoes (though no one would ever be able to fully do that). My only complaint, and quite a large one at that, was the band's failure to acknowledge or pay tribute to Hutchence's immense contribution to INXS. I understand that the band want to move on, but it would have been a nice touch to dedicate a song to Michael, or at the very least project his image during a song like "Never Tear Us Apart".
As a Hutchence and INXS fan, this omission soured what was on the whole a very emotional and enjoyable occasion for me.
- Finch, London, 13/10/2006 14:02
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Absolutely fantastic gig! Myself and my friends had waited a long time for this one. As the review says, he can't be Michael Hutchence, but he got to grips with it quicky. Even the throwing in of old tracks like The One Thing and Original Sin kept the crowd going. There are a few I would personally like to have heard, but you can have everything on the first UK gig. May have to go see next month's show as well!
- Andy Mc, Letchworth, Herts, UK, 13/10/2006 12:57
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