The news of the sacking of the JD Fortune by INXS may not be simple as it seems. According to what Undercover is hearing, JD was only on a contract with the band for one album and one tour.
Fortune joined INXS after winning the reality TV show Rock Star: INXS.Undercover has learned according to the terms of the contract, the prize entailed recording one album and then touring the album with the band.
Fortune’s fortune changed at the end of the tour. He claims the band sacked him at Hong Kong airport.
But according to our information, under the terms of the prize, his contract had expired when the tour ended meaning JD was out of INXS at the end of the tour anyway unless a new contract was renegotiated.
Technically, JD Fortune could not have been sacked by INXS as both sides fulfilled the terms of the agreement.
That is not to say that Fortune’s expectations wasn’t for a future with the band.
After the last tour, the singer started work on a solo album. The result is ‘The Death of a Motivation Speaker’ which Fortune is shopping for distribution right now.
In a statement this week, former manager Chris Murphy resurfaced as “INXS Creative Director and Global Business Strategist”.
The statement read, “Ever since Petrol Records signed INXS last December, the band has always stated to me that Fortune’s services could potentially be contracted again when INXS next tour. In fact he was next on my list to call regarding a very big recording project I am putting together for INXS at present. I guess I have no reason to call him now!”
Reading between the lines, the statement was actually an announcement that Murphy, who himself was removed from the management of the band in the mid-90s and replaced by Martha Troop, was back working with INXS.
The press release made the bold statement that, “Andrew Farriss, Jon Farriss, Tim Farriss, Kirk Pengilly and Garry Beers are all in lock down preparing for what is rumoured to be the most exciting recording project since KICK”.
‘Kick’ was INXS’ biggest album worldwide. It sold more than 10 million units in the USA alone and spawned the hits ‘Need You Tonight’, ‘Devil Inside’, ‘New Sensation’ and ‘Never Tear Us Apart’.
An announcement that the band is going to kick ‘Kick’ is indeed a bold statement.
Undercover did request additional information about the wording on the Chris Murphy press release this week but it was not forthcoming.
