Rock Star: INXS (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Rock Star: INXS is the first season of the reality television show Rock Star where 15 contestants competed to become the lead vocalist for the Australian rock band INXS.

INXS enjoyed great popularity through the 1980s and early 1990s, but in 1997, frontman Michael Hutchence died. The band attempted to continue with alternate singers, but remained largely dormant until this show. The winner of the series, J.D. Fortune, was announced on Tuesday, September 20, 2005 and became the band's new lead singer. Following the series, on November 29, 2005, the band released the studio album Switch with J.D. Fortune on lead vocals.

Background

Contestants were housed in the Paramour Mansion, and squared off in a singing contest featuring well-known rock songs. Each week, viewers voted for their favorite contestant. The three contestants with the least number of votes performed an INXS song the following night. The members of the band then decided which contestant would be sent home, with lead guitarist Tim Farriss invoking the show's catchphrase "you're just not right for our band, INXS" to the departing contestant.

The show originally appeared three nights a week on CBS. The format consisted of a half-hour behind-the-scenes episode on Monday, a one-hour performance episode on Tuesday and a half-hour elimination episode on Wednesday. However, on August 3, 2005, CBS announced the behind-the-scenes episode would move to Sunday nights on VH1 effective August 7, 2005 due to low ratings in the United States. As the show continued, the ratings improved. This prompted the expansion of the Wednesday results show to one hour for the duration of its run. The winner, J.D. Fortune, was announced on Tuesday, September 20, 2005.

Runner-up Marty Casey and his Chicago-based band Lovehammers were invited to open for INXS on their 2006 tour.

The show was executive produced by Survivor's Mark Burnett and was hosted by Brooke Burke and former Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro. Other producers were David Goffin (American Idol), Lisa Hennessy (Eco-Challenge) and INXS managers David Edwards and Michael Murchison were executive producers. Conrad Riggs was co-executive producer. The show was edited by A.J. Dickerson and Scott C. Wilson.

Five musicians made up the house band that backed the 15 contestants during the show. The house band was made up of Paul Mirkovich, Jim McGorman, Nate Morton, Sasha Krivstov, and Rafael Moreira.

Finals

Three contestants reached the finale: Mig Ayesa, Marty Casey, and J. D. Fortune. Fortune was considered by many the underdog of the three as he established a renegade image during the competition. In the finale, Ayesa, Casey, and Fortune each selected a song that was performed previously on the show. Ayesa chose Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", Casey chose Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here", and Fortune chose The Rolling Stones', "You Can't Always Get What You Want". Based on these performances, INXS eliminated Ayesa.

With the competition down to Casey and Fortune, each performed an INXS song with, for the first time on the show, all five members of INXS. Casey performed "Don't Change" and Fortune performed "What You Need." INXS announced Fortune was the winner.

Original songs

During the competition, Casey and Fortune performed two original songs that became fan favorites. Both songs would receive multiple encores during the competition. Casey's original song was called "Trees" and was described by host Dave Navarro as a song that he could imagine being heard on the radio "today". In fact, the song received some radioplay as a result of its exposure on the show.

At one point in the competition, the remaining eight contestants were challenged to write lyrics to melody written by Andrew Farriss. They were divided into two teams of four. When Fortune did not see eye to eye with his team (which included Casey), he decided to venture out on his own and write his own lyrics. At first, Fortune's move was considered to have jeopardized his chances of winning the competition (since it was perceived he couldn't work in a team), but it was this move that resulted in his creation of the lyrics of "Pretty Vegas." This song became a favorite of both fans and INXS and played a major role in Fortune winning the competition. It also became the first single from their new album Switch.

Top 15 finalists

The following is a list of songs performed by each finalist during the competition. The number represents the week in which the song was performed. Except for the second week, each week one finalist was asked to perform an encore performance of the song they performed the night before, noted as an "Encore Performance".

Each week the three finalists who had the lowest total audience votes were asked to perform an INXS song of the band's choice, noted as a "Bottom 3 Performance". This was the case for every week except for the first and last ones. After everyone performed one non-INXS song in the first and last episodes, the band chose one contestant to be eliminated out of the entire group. There was no voting for the bottom three.

In the seventh week two contestants were given the chance to perform original songs (Mig & Deanna.)

For the ninth week performance episode each contestant performed an original song as well as a non-INXS song. In the elimination episode that week all the remaining contestants plus Dave Navarro performed as an ensemble with INXS on their new track Us, as the opening act for that week's encore.

For the tenth week performance two songs were chosen by INXS to be performed by each of the remaining contestants.

The ages given below were the ages of the contestants during the recording of the show.

J.D. Fortune - 32 years old, born September 1, 1973 in Mississauga, Ontario, but raised in Salt Springs, Nova Scotia (Winner, selected to be the lead singer of INXS, 9/20/2005) Formerly lived in his car.

1. American Woman (The Guess Who)

1. California Dreamin' (The Mamas & the Papas) - Encore Performance

2. Hand in My Pocket (Alanis Morissette)

3. We Are the Champions (Queen)

4. The Letter (Joe Cocker)

5. Crazy (Seal)

6. As Tears Go By (song) (The Rolling Stones)

7. Cold as Ice (Foreigner)

8. Suspicious Minds (Elvis Presley)

Bottom 3 Performance This Time (INXS)

9. Come as You Are (Nirvana)

9. Pretty Vegas (J. D. Fortune) - Encore Performance

9. Us (INXS) - Ensemble of remaining contestants with INXS

Bottom 3 Performance Mystify (INXS)

10. Pretty Vegas (J. D. Fortune) - Encore Performance

10. Money (Pink Floyd)

Bottom 3 Performance By My Side (INXS)

11. You Can't Always Get What You Want (The Rolling Stones)

11. What You Need (INXS)

11. Easy Easy (INXS)

Marty Casey - 32 years old, from Chicago, Illinois (Eliminated last, 9/20/2005) Worked as a real estate appraiser.

1. You Really Got Me (The Kinks)

1. Take Me Out (Franz Ferdinand)

2. What I Like About You (The Romantics)

3. Lithium (Nirvana) - Encore Performance

4. With Arms Wide Open (Creed)

5. Mr. Brightside (The Killers)

6. Baby One More Time (Britney Spears)

7. I Alone (Live)

Bottom 3 Performance Don't Change (INXS)

8. Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd) - Encore Performance

9. Everlong (Foo Fighters)

9. Trees (Marty Casey)

9. Us (INXS) - Ensemble of remaining contestants with INXS

10. Trees (Marty Casey) - Encore Performance

10. Creep (Radiohead)

11. Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd)

11. Don't Change (INXS)

MiG Ayesa - 35 years old, from London, England (born in the Philippines, and raised in Sydney, Australia) (Eliminated thirteenth, 9/20/2005) Best known for his role as Galileo Figaro in the musical We Will Rock You: a Tribute to the Music of Queen.

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)

1. All Day and All of the Night (The Kinks)

2. Walk This Way (Aerosmith)

3. Lola (The Kinks)

4. We Will Rock You (Queen)

5. All Right Now (Free)

6. Baby, I Love Your Way (Peter Frampton) - Encore Performance

7. Do or Die (Mig Ayesa)

8. Live and Let Die (Paul McCartney)

9. Hard to Handle (Otis Redding)

9. Home in Me (Mig Ayesa)

9. Us (INXS) - Ensemble of remaining contestants with INXS

10. Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones)

10. Kiss from a Rose (Seal)

Bottom 3 Performance What You Need (INXS)

11. Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)

Suzie McNeil - 29 years old, from Toronto, Ontario (Originally from Mississauga, Ontario) (Eliminated twelfth, 9/14/2005)

1. Remedy (The Black Crowes)

1. Call Me (Blondie)

Bottom 3 Performance Never Tear Us Apart (INXS)

2. Roxanne (The Police)

3. Superstition (Stevie Wonder)

4. Get Back (The Beatles)

5. Losing My Religion (R.E.M.)

Bottom 3 Performance Bitter Tears (INXS)

6. Bring it on Home to Me (Sam Cooke) - Bottom 3 Performance By My Side (INXS)

7. Start Me Up (The Rolling Stones) - Encore Performance

8. Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) - Encore Performance

9. I Can't Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt)

9. Soul Life (Suzie McNeil)

9. Us (INXS) - Ensemble of remaining contestants with INXS

Bottom 3 Performance Never Tear Us Apart (INXS)

10. Interstate Love Song (Stone Temple Pilots)

10. What's Up (4 Non Blondes)

Bottom 3 Performance Suicide Blonde (INXS)

Jordis Unga - 23 years old, from St. Paul, Minnesota (Eliminated eleventh, 9/7/2005) The show's youngest contestant.

1. Baba O'Riley (The Who)

1. Heart Shaped Box (Nirvana)

2. The Reason (Hoobastank)

3. Gimme Some Lovin' (The Spencer Davis Group)

4. The Man Who Sold the World (David Bowie) - Encore Performance

5. Layla (Derek and the Dominoes)

6. Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Bob Dylan)

7. Dream On (Aerosmith)

8. Imagine (John Lennon)

Bottom 3 Performance Listen Like Thieves (INXS)

9. We Are the Champions (Queen)

9. Try Not (Jordis Unga)

9. Us (INXS) - Ensemble of remaining contestants with INXS

Bottom 3 Performance Need You Tonight (INXS)

Ty Taylor - 36 years old, from Las Vegas, Nevada (originally from Montclair, New Jersey) (Eliminated tenth, 8/31/2005)

1. Cult of Personality (Living Colour)

1. Heartbreaker (Pat Benatar)

2. Somebody Told Me (The Killers)

3. Everybody Hurts (R.E.M.)

4. Everlong (Foo Fighters)

Bottom 3 Performance Kick (INXS)

5. No Woman No Cry (Bob Marley) - Encore Performance

6. Maggie May (Rod Stewart)

7. Proud Mary (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

Bottom 3 Performance What You Need (INXS)

8. You Can't Always Get What You Want (The Rolling Stones)

Bottom 3 Performance The One Thing (INXS)

Deanna Johnston - 36 years old, from Reseda, California (Originally from Kingston, Ontario) (Eliminated ninth, 8/24/2005) The show's oldest contestant.

1. Piece of My Heart (Janis Joplin)

1. Should I Stay or Should I Go (The Clash)

2. The One I Love (R.E.M.)

3. Give a Little Bit (Supertramp)

4. I'm the Only One (Melissa Etheridge)

5. Long Train Running (The Doobie Brothers)

6. I Can't Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt)

Bottom 3 Performance Never Tear Us Apart (INXS)

7. My Truth (Deanna Johnston)

Bottom 3 Performance Elegantly Wasted (INXS)

Jessica Robinson - 26 years old, from Chicago, Illinois (Eliminated eighth, 8/17/2005)

1. Celebrity Skin (Hole)

1. I Want You to Want Me (Cheap Trick)

2. Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix)

Bottom 3 Performance Don't Change (INXS)

3. Because the Night (Patti Smith)

Bottom 3 Performance Elegantly Wasted (INXS)

4. Blister in the Sun (Violent Femmes)

5. Come as You Are (Nirvana)

Bottom 3 Performance Disappear (INXS)

6. Torn (Natalie Imbruglia)

Bottom 3 Performance Mystify (INXS)

Brandon Calhoon - 32 years old, from Beaverton, Michigan (Eliminated seventh, 8/10/2005)

1. Rock and Roll All Nite (KISS)

1. Hard to Handle (Otis Redding)

2. Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd)

3. Tempted (Squeeze)

4. If You Could Only See (Tonic)

Bottom 3 Performance Devil Inside (INXS)

5. It's All Over Now (The Rolling Stones)

Bottom 3 Performance Don't Lose Your Head (INXS)

Tara Slone - 31 years old, from Toronto, Ontario (born in Montreal, Quebec and raised in Nova Scotia) (Eliminated sixth, 8/3/2005)

1. Middle of the Road (The Pretenders)

1. Take It Easy (Eagles)

Bottom 3 Performance New Sensation (INXS)

2. Paranoid (Black Sabbath) - Bottom 3 Performance Mystify (INXS)

3. Suffragette City (David Bowie)

4. Message in a Bottle (The Police)

Bottom 3 Performance Beautiful Girl (INXS)

Heather Luttrell - 28 years old, from Atlanta, Georgia (Eliminated fifth, with Daphna Dove, 7/27/2005)

1. Burning Down the House (Talking Heads)

1. Somebody to Love (Jefferson Airplane)

2. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (The Rolling Stones)

3. If It Makes You Happy (Sheryl Crow)

Bottom 3 Performance By My Side (INXS)

Daphna Dove - 30 years old, from Los Angeles, California (born in Germany, and raised in New York City, New York) (Eliminated fourth, with Heather Luttrell, 7/27/2005)

1. One Way or Another (Blondie)

1. People Are Strange (The Doors)

2. I Hate Myself for Loving You (Joan Jett)

3. Rock the Casbah (The Clash)

Bottom 3 Performance What You Need (INXS)

Neal Carlson - 30 years old, from Queens, New York (Eliminated third, 7/20/2005)

1. Brown Sugar (The Rolling Stones)

1. Fortunate Son (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

2. Summer of '69 (Bryan Adams)

Bottom 3 Performance Suicide Blonde (INXS)

Wil Seabrook - 29 years old, from Pasadena, California (Originally from Morganton, North Carolina) (Eliminated second, 7/13/2005)

1. Heroes (David Bowie)

1. Right Here Right Now (Jesus Jones) - Bottom 3 Performance Need You Tonight (INXS)

Dana Robbins - 31 years old, from Studio City, California (Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada) (Eliminated first)

1. Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Bob Dylan)

Elimination chart

Place	Contestant	Result
Week:		1		2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		10		11
1	J.D. Fortune	Btm 3	Encore							Btm 3	B3	En	B3	En	WIN
2	Marty Casey				Encore				Btm 3	Encore			Encore		2nd
3	Mig Ayesa							Encore					Btm 3		3rd
4	Suzie McNeil	Btm 3	Btm 3				Btm 3	Btm 3	Encore	Encore	Btm 3		Elim
5	Jordis Unga					Encore				Btm 3	Elim
6	Ty Taylor					Btm 3	Encore		Btm 3	Elim
7	Deanna Johnston							Btm 3	Elim
8	Jessica Robinson			Btm 3	Btm 3		Btm 3	Elim
9	Brandon Calhoun					Btm 3	Elim
10	Tara Slone		Btm 3	Btm 3		Elim
11-12	Heather Luttrell				Elim
11-12	Daphna Dove				Elim
13	Neal Carlson			Elim
14	Wil Seabrook		Elim
15	Dana Robbins	Elim

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