The surviving members of INXS this week announced they’ve replaced game-show winner J.D. Fortune with new lead singer Ciaran Gribbin — a Grammy-nominated Irish singer-songwriter who has worked with Madonna, Paul McCartney and Snow Patrol — and already have begun work on songs slated for the band’s next studio album.
The Gribbin-fronted INXS will make its live devut with a run of shows dubbed “INXS: Like You Have Never Seen Them Before” in South America, Australia and Europe this November and December; so far just six dates have been announced, but more are promised (see tour dates below).
Prior to the announcement, INXS already had debuted the first fruit of the new collaboration between Gribbin and the band’s chief songwriter, Andrew Farriss — a demo called “Tiny Summer” that was posted on the group’s website without revealing the identity of the singer.
Farriss told Billboard that Gribbin’s arrival into the band was “very organic. It wasn’t high-pressure or anything. I just enjoyed the guy’s company and really enjoyed his voice and listening to his songs, his music. Later on I realized the collaboration, artistically and especially songwriting, could be something that would be really, really good for (INXS). So far that’s been true.”
As for Gribbin’s reaction to the landing the gig, he wrote on Facebook: ”I grew up listening to and loving INXS and never dreamt that one day I would be writing songs with Andrew Farriss for future INXS records, and performing all those wonderful INXS hit songs that we all know and love… I will give it my everything, for It really is a dream come true.”
And Fortune, who replaced the late Michael Hutchence after winning the “Rock Star: INXS” reality series, both he and the band say his departure was mutual. On his website, Fortune writes, “I did not leave INXS and I was not fired. Prior to this summer’s amazing tour, INXS and I mutually agreed that my contracted services as their lead singer for the Original Sin tour would end in Atlanta, Ga., on August 14th. We had a great time and a great tour and are all very proud of those shows.”
INXS tour dates:
Nov. 3: Anfiteatra Municipal, Arequipa, Peru
Nov. 5: Personal Fest, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Dec. 3: World Sailing Championships, Perth, Australia
Dec. 8: Melkweg, Amsterdam, Holland
Dec. 11: Le Bataclan, Paris, France
Dec. 12: Vooruit, Gent, Belgium
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15 Comments
Please guys, stop calling yourselves INXS. There hasn’t been an INXS since 1997.
Don’t talk noncence of course there has been an INXS and there always will be yes it’s not the same without hutch but that’s life I’m afraid,just because someone passes away doesn’t mean that everyone has to stop being who they are , anyway hutch himself said after turning down a rolling stone cover( they wanted him only) it’s NOT ABOUT ME it’s about the music and the band so if he can say that why can’t everyone else just get on with it
Agreed. We all miss Michael, but that doesn’t mean we should forget about the other INXS-members. Andrew Farriss also wrote a lot of songs for INXS, but I don’t think that they should quit playing or producing music because they can’t play and preform them with their original leadsinger anymore… And at any concert, they’re always dedicating a song to Hutch, so I think they’re doing him honour. And they’re doing great… And everybody needs to stop seeing these new leadsingers as replacements, because they aren’t… Cairan says so himself, and I don’t think he’s trying to be… He’s just being him, and preforming those great songs! I’m only 21, and I never got to see INXS with Michael Hutchence, so I’m glad I can at least SEE them, although it’s without Michael… The music stays the same!
I thought Andrew was going to be the leading voice, I hope that this new guy continue for over 2 albums, “Tiny Summer” sounds great and we will always miss Hutch.
It should have been known to people that JD was a contract player again. After that bogus falling out they had ( they needed publicity again to be noticed) then all the talk of how great it was to be a band again….Bogus, stick a fork in it guys…. I have been a fan for a long time, I got used to JD over 6 years, and it was he in my mind who ressurected you guys…you needed a young guy to do it. Good Luck, I think you have officially lost legions of people in Canada, but by this point as your manager pointed out ” INXS is a 30 year old business” so I am sure what fans say don’t matter much anymore.
At their concert in Belgium yesterday, I actually had the total opposite feeling of you about the fan thing! It seemed that they cared a lot about their fans! And Ciaran really seems like a nice guy! We’ll never really know why INXS and JD Fortune separated ways, and we’ll never know how it was for them to perform with him, so I don’t think we’re to judge…
I’m SO SO DONE with INXS. They can’t make up their mind. JD Fortune was MORE than they deserved. He resurrected their career and carried them through six years of their indecision and stagnation. And worst of all, if fans who showed their support for him were deleted and banned on their website AND facebook. Did they expect support after seeing them mistreat someone so bad?? Stick a fork in yourselves, INXS. You are inhumane and irrelevant!
I just don’t understand why INXS has such a difficult time giving JD Fortune the credit he deserves for the 6 years he was with them. He sang on their first and only charting album in over 12 years, has co-written great songs for them and turned in countless excellent live performances including the amazing 2010 Olympics ceremony concert in Toronto. JD has brought in countless fans and energized old fans. He to was not trying to replace Michael but he did allow the band to capture a new life and new hits. I was an INXS fan when Michael was with us and became an INXS fan with JD. It bothers many of us INXS fans that the contribution of JD is being swept under the rug. I hope as a demonstration of Loyalty and Decency INXS helps JD get his solo work promoted and produced properly, perhaps some of them could turn in a guest appearance on his album. Ciaran may not be replacing Michael or JD, but INXS in essence has replaced JD Fortune with Ciarian.
I’ve heard the same thing from INXS before and was really looking forward to new music from them with JD Fortune. I’m disappointed but the great news is that means new music from JD FORTUNE! I’ve heard his solo work on his official site http://www.jdfortune448.com and can’t wait to meet up with friends and rock out to his songs! They are pretty awesome! My friends too ;-D
Oh I have to completely agree about JD Fortune’s performances! That man is Hot Sauce!!! Oh and he can sing too ;-)
Seriously, INXS. As a long time fan, I’m officially checking out. JD was perfect for you and you treat him like nothing more than a ‘sometimes’ girlfriend. He revived your career and he’s the epitomy of a perfect front-man. You led us along thinking that he was back in as permanent member, even saying that you were writing new music together. What happened to Tim being genuinely excited about JD’s vocals (jsut a few months ago)?? And if Tiny Summer is any indication of a new musical direction… well… I have nothing nice to say, so I won’t say it at all. Bye!
JD was a great contract singer, he filled a spot up front on stage and he did it well, I saw him with INXS 6 times and thought he did a great job. But the guy was all over the place otherwise and is too cocky and immature for his own good. He didn’t ‘click’ with the band and that is probably why they had such an unproductive time with him. The guy is a wannabe and will never make it big on his own – face it. Where’s his ‘Awesome’ solo stuff that we’ve been hearing about for soooo long, yeah the one that he can’t find anyone to market…huh?? If he was that good surely his talent would shine through…no??? I’m thinking INXS now have someone who’s more than a glorified session singer…perhaps for all the middle-aged, female Canadian fans who are so gutted about JD, the new guy can get some crap tattoos and carry a timmies on stage…
My apologies for that last comment deriding JD, I was just peeved that people are making such a big deal about him, like he was the ‘be all and end all’ of INXS or something, but like I said, he did a great job. I also don’t understand that if so many people are so annoyed with INXS why do they continue to troll articles and forums just to leave negative comments…I don’t get that; if you don’t like them anymore – fine, move on.
Totally agree with you!
JD himself volunteered that his cocaine use probably caused his problems. I cannot imagine that the INXS guys could bear to watch another singer destroy himself with drugs, and certainly not to take them down with him. JD should have a nice little pile of money saved, but he apparently snorted it all.