CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS 151: JD FORTUNE TO ROCK INXS DOWN UNDER

Interview by Patrick Staveley.

It’s not an easy job trying to replace a legendary frontman in an iconic rock band. But Canadian singer JD Fortune was tasked with just that 20 years ago, when he won Rock Star INXS, as he was chosen by the band to be the new lead singer eight years after the tragic death of Michael Hutchence.

Fortune embarked on a six-year spell with the band, beginning by working on the album Switch, which has gone on to become the group’s final record.

He also toured worldwide with the band, singing all the classics, deep cuts, and new songs released with his own voice such as Pretty Vegas and Afterglow.

20 years after enjoying what he would describe as a dream come true, Fortune is set to make his return to Australia for the first time in years, performing the INXS songs he used to sing with the band himself, but this time with his own band, and hopefully to new generations of INXS fans.

I spoke to Fortune to speak about his upcoming tour which comes to our shores later this year.

FMM: How did the process happen that got you onto Rock Star INXS? How did it all come about?

JD: I was living out of my car. I had my little dog. I heard an advertisement for Mark Burnett looking for a new lead singer with INXS, and I turned to my dog and I said, “I'm going to win that.” And it was serendipitous, man. It was really serendipitous. And then being able to just, you know, be in the band, or be around the band on the show was incredibly intimidating, because we were all there trying to be in the band. The very first day we were there, they brought us all into this room. You could hear the drums, and they were playing ‘What You Need.’ I think it's on one of the episodes, and it was the first time I'd ever heard INXS play live. And holy, I got a tingle up my spine, and everything was pointing to like, ‘I have to be in this band, like this is the greatest band ever,’ which I still believe. You know, INXS’ music will live on for a long time. I think they're a great band, and that's what I'm doing right now, is just trying to keep the legacy of the band and the music, and keep it going for new generations. Because I think this music, it's not music that points a finger at you. It's more of a music that invites you in to listen to it.

FMM: When I watched the show back in 2005, I thought you sounded a lot like Michael. Were you trying to sound like that? Or did it just naturally sound similar?

JD: I tried for months to try not to sound like (Michael). I tried to do everything. But I think maybe Michael and I share a natural resonance in our voice that kind of works with the frequencies that INXS is known for their sound. (When) I heard Michael's voice, it was the first time in a long time that you heard a singer that wasn't singing and screaming really high. You know, he had this nice, sweet (voice) and that's how my voice is. I don't want to scream. So the more I tried to sound like myself, I would get people saying, Wow, ’you remind me a lot of Michael when you sing’. And that was a huge compliment.

FMM: Apart from your talent, one of the things that got you over the line was your stage presence. How did you manage to develop this with so much confidence as an unknown at the time?

JD: I was trying to give it everything, man, on stage. I grew up with an incredible mother. She's been so supportive. And, you know, my dad left when I was really young. And I use singing as a tool to sort of bridge the gap between that world, and it always carried me. So the more I put into singing, the more I got out of it. And it helped me become social with people. It helped me find my own identity. And then when this opportunity came up to actually be in the band, a band that I had listened to for years, was a dream come true. It was lightning in a bottle, and it was probably the best thing that's ever happened to me so far in my life. As far as you know, other my sister's kids being born, I love my family, but I mean, as far as a personal achievement, being the frontman for INXS is up there.

FMM: With the album, Switch, obviously, 20 years on, I feel like it was a really fast process to get that one made, because it was released not too long after the show came out. What was the process like, getting that made and writing songs with Andrew and the band?

JD: Great question. Yeah, that was Guy Chambers who produced it. I won the show like end of September, and then October 4, I think Pretty Vegas came out as a single, and then weeks after that, we put the album out, and we did it all in just under four weeks. At one point, we had four studios going. So they'd be recording one song, I'd be doing vocals on another while Jon (Farriss) was doing drums in another studio, and that would just keep rotating. And it got through really fast, really, really fast. It was good

FMM: Have you got any idea what the setlist might be looking like for your shows in Australia?

JD: So I've got all the songs for this tour, but I'm thinking of doing a couple originals, and I might do some of the stuff from Switch. Afterglow is definitely going to be in the set. Devil's Party is going to be in the set. But then all the classic INXS stuff. If Australia wants me to come back next year, I'd be more than happy to do that too, because I love Australia. I consider it my second home, and it's been too long between drinks, mate. And you know, I'm really excited to get back.

FMM: Following the release of Switch you did a lot of touring with the band. What kind of toll did that take you on personally?

JD: I was learning as I went. So the irony is, it took me seven years to figure out how to do it all, because it's a lot. And I know that sounds like a weird thing, like it took seven years, but when you're doing a world tour, no two days are the same. The traveling, the gear gets put up, the stage gets put up, the band flies in, we play (and then onto the) next town, and so that took a couple years to get used to. Our first tour was 22 months or something, like, that was a long time, and we started to get burned out. I was giving it everything, dude, I was giving it everything. I wasn't concentrating on my health. I wasn't concentrating on mental health. I wasn't concentrating on spiritual health. Now I'm focused on only my health, and that's the big difference. But at the same time, it's still gonna be a party, it's still gonna be like mayhem, and you're gonna have a good time.

FMM: When you left the band. I know there's been different things said about that. But what’s the story from your view?

JD: I think it was a combination of a few things. That's definitely one of them, you know. And, you know, those guys are incredible writers. Every single band member is an incredible songwriter, and I found myself in a position where we put out an album called Original Sin, where they had Brandon Flowers from The Killers and Pat Monahan from Train, myself, and other artists like that and did remakes of their songs. I love that, but I thought we still (had) a lot of fuel in the tank. My sort of take on it was (that) we should be writing new stuff. And I guess, because I was the new guy that I didn't see the long picture that they had of like, let's do this, and then we'll get to that. So, you know, God bless them, for bringing me back in 2011 to tour with them. And I think that was the last time I was in Australia. You know, I love those guys. They're my brothers, they're my mates. We've shared the same stage. We've shed blood, we've shed tears. We've shed everything together to make that show work. And I feel super privileged to be able to bring that music back to Australia and to sing in a place where I find the people to be just amazing. And I can't wait.

JD Fortune Tour Dates:

8th October - The Triffid, Brisbane

9th October - Miami Marketta, Gold Coast

11th October - Selina’s, Coogee

12th October - The Factory Theatre, Marrickville

14th October - Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul

15th October - King St. Bandroom, Newcastle

17th October - Frankston Arts Centre, Frankston

18th October - Max Watts, Melbourne

20th October - The Palms at Crown, Melbourne

22nd October - The Gov, Adelaide

25th October - Rosemount Hotel, Perth