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"Interesting article"
Posted by Loree on 09-20-05 at 09:18 AM
This article talks a little about the haunted mansion.


MALENE ARPE
TORONTO STAR

LOS ANGELES—Tonight is the night for Rock Star: INXS, the reality show's grand windup when we learn which of the three singers left standing will get the precious nomination as the Australian band's new vocalist.

For Marty, MiG and J.D., the ticking clock to the denouement began a whole new phase last Friday, when the survivors packed up and prepared to leave the mansion. Next stop was to be a hotel, for sequestering from each other and the world at large until the run-up to tonight's telecast.

Three months ago, they and 12 other contestants had moved into the mansion and began a long process of auditions and self-revelations in individual bids to persuade the existing members of INXS that they had the right stuff to front the band.

It's mid-afternoon on Friday and J.D. — the sole Canadian in the running after Suzie was let go — is giving me the grand tour of the mansion before everyone departs. He's so damned pretty it's hard to know whether to look at the INXS gold records and the elaborate draperies or at him.

"Charlie Chaplin, Fatty Arbuckle, they were all here," the native Nova Scotian says and makes a sweeping gesture around the grand hall. Then he pours a couple of beers from the tap. "It's Foster's this week, I think. They've served us Busch Light," he says and makes a face. "Just give me a couple of cases of Keith's and I'd be happy."

He would also like a Tim Hortons coffee ("like you wouldn't believe") and whooped when I gave him a Player's Light. This boy who wants to be at the mic for INXS is a bit homesick and, for a couple more hours, stuck in a haunted house.

The 16,000-square-foot mansion in L.A.'s Silver Lake district sits on two hectares of gorgeousness with a breathtaking view that includes the Hollywood sign far off in the distance. Completed in 1923 by oil heiress Daisy Canfield, who'd left her husband for movie star Antonio Moreno, it was a mover-and-shaker kinda joint until all was lost in the Depression and it became a school for girls, then an orphanage and finally a nunnery. In 1998 the estate was saved from the bulldozer by the current owner, the designer Dana Hollister, who spends the rental fee from Rock Star on the upkeep.

J.D. thinks he may have encountered a dead nun last night.

"Three consecutive nights I had the same dream, and then last night at 4 in the morning I was walking down the hallway and I heard this voice `Jaaason ...' Like right in my ear. I'm not kidding. I had to get out of the house and go outside for about 15 or 20 minutes.

"It could be some of the nuns or the old stars who used to party here. It definitely feels like they have a sense of humour. But maybe some of the nuns don't approve of what's been going on here for the past months."

MiG joins us in the "gold room" and says when the crew came in to doll up the house for Rock Star purposes, the doorknob to the room was ice cold and when they got it open, the room was, too. No mean feat in all this relentless sunshine.

Next we meet Marty, who says he has loved staying at the house, even if it is full of nooks and crannies and strange winding stairs. ("Let me hold your hand while we go down these," says J.D. and I feel a swoon coming on.)

"It's been the greatest summer of my life," Marty says. "This is like getting your own private resort with all the fixings. The best thing is, you're surrounded by creative arts for three months. We talk of music 24/7, we write songs, we play with the phenomenal house band. It's all music ... It will be weird to go out in the real world."

The mansion contestants have been kept away from cellphones, newspapers, television and Internet access, gilded-cage style. Says J.D.: "It's weird. It reminds me of being in the military a little bit. We're on a need-to-know basis here, and most of the time they don't think we need to know."

As a result, the trio has no real sense of what the outside world thinks of the show. For their blogs on the official website, they had to submit postings in longhand. Without all that outside reality, they've had time to think about Plan B, should someone else win tonight.

"The whole world has changed as far as the recording industry goes," MiG says. "You can't just walk into a record company office with a demo tape. But if you have a bit of a profile, maybe they'll listen to you. This has made a creative profile for all of us ... I will go back to London. It's where my wife is, it's where my band is, but I will stick around in L.A. for a bit, just to see what doors might open."

The show's production team has been set up in the old stable, watching the more-than 30 static cameras and the six moveable ones. A sign on the door warns that the site is off-limits to the rockers, and signs inside remind the crew that there's no seventh day pay without prior approval and to stay "the F out" of the monitor room unless you're a producer.

One of them, David Goffin, has been working on the show for 15 months. Now that it's coming down to the wire, he seems calm enough.

"I was just talking to Marty about how whoever wins, the press is going to have questions about their legitimacy. But what this show is, it's a really difficult audition, more difficult than any singer in any band has probably ever been through. So don't say, `These guys didn't pay their dues,' because they just did."

Goffin is considering taking the show on the road, having the house band tour with all or some of the candidate singers. He asks me if there's an 8,000- or 9,000-seat venue in Toronto that would be suitable.

Turns out Canadian viewers weren't the only ones sad to see Suzie eliminated.

"Suzie was one of the hardest to see go," Marty says, "because she was such a phenomenal female presence ... It's hard to act like a rock star when there are no women in the house. She's such a big personality that 75 per cent of the fun left the house when she left."

As the crew starts crating up to move out, Marty tries to put into words what tonight will mean.

"Everything I've learned about music in the past 15 years will have to be delivered through one song. If you want an epic moment in the history of my life, this is the pinnacle. This performance will influence the rest of my life. So it's pretty heavy."

J.D. has his clothes folded on his bed, ready for the transfer to the hotel. He's taking a last look around the mansion that's been an odd kinda home for the past 12 weeks. And what does the guy from New Glasgow think about the possibility of winning?

"I will be going to Australia if I win, but I will be taking the Canadian flag with me."

Table of contents
Messages in this discussion
"RE: Interesting article"
Posted by LaLaLisa on 09-20-05 at 09:29 AM
Great article! Thanks for posting the whole thing.
"RE: Interesting article"
Posted by CattyChat on 09-20-05 at 09:33 AM
Cool article, Loree. You're the queen of the tidbits. J.D. is just so damn cute.


"RE: Interesting article"
Posted by weltek on 09-20-05 at 09:40 AM
Sigh. More reasons to love J.D. I wonder if he likes poutine.

"RE: Interesting article"
Posted by LaLaLisa on 09-20-05 at 09:45 AM
what's poutine?
"RE: Interesting article"
Posted by weltek on 09-20-05 at 11:11 AM
The Canadian peeps over on the Off-Topic board keep telling us it's the best stuff in the world. Apparently it's a french fry & gravy concoction. Sounds gross to me, but those crazy Canucks just can't get enough.

"you forgot the cheese curds"
Posted by byoffer on 09-20-05 at 04:15 PM
Poutine is fries, with cheese curds and then gravy. The cheese curds melt and the concoction is pretty messy but pretty good. Here's a recipe link:
http://www.thumper.net/tlkmag/archive/fun/poutine/


Happy artery-clogging!

"RE: Interesting article"
Posted by Loree on 09-20-05 at 09:46 AM
On ET Canada they caught up with Mark Burnett at an Emmy party. They asked him if JD could win RockStar. MB had a big smile on his face and he said "You know the more a rock star misbehaves. The more money he makes. It's called RockStar."

Now I don't know what that means except that MB thinks JD will make lots of money. But then his son is a big fan of JD's.

"RE: Interesting article"
Posted by LaLaLisa on 09-20-05 at 10:10 AM
Here's another take on the $$ thing. I've deleted all the MiG references because he's discounted. (How can anyone think he will win when he was almost booted over Suzie?)

REX THROWS DOWN HIS FINALE PICK


First, I’ll ask you a question… What makes the world go around?

Money. EM. OH. EN. EE. WHY.

Yep. I said it. It had to be said. We could talk about all the glory of seeing a frontman managing the legendary INXS band once again. No doubt, that will be great! But, at the end of the day you must consider the dollar and cents behind the phenomena that has become Rock Star: INXS.

Any time you see Mark Burnett and CBS get together, there’s got to be two critical ingredients to the their reality formula. First, as Lisa Hennessy noted in her interview… You’ve got to have a quality product. Second, you have got to create a significant return-on-investment to warrant your efforts.
Are you with me? Now comes the part where I relate this to the final three.


The question then really is no longer who is the best fit for INXS…
The question actually becomes “How can Burnett, INXS & Co. make the most money off this deal?”

Gotta admit. This is a damn tough one. I mean I could talk about this all night. So let’s look at at the tale-of-the-tape. But, look at it with a perception on future dollars to INXS Enterprises. Don't forget, there is some method to my madness!!!

Songwriting Skills (cd sales, merchandise)
JD Pretty Vegas
Marty Trees
Winner Split… Both solid original work.

Lady Skills (concert tickets, merchandise)
JD I’m the Sexy One
Marty I’m the Haunted Misunderstood One
Winner JD… I have yet to hear anyone say, “I want to ##### Marty!”. Even my sister wants to do JD.

Stage Presence (band attractiveness, concert tickets, merchandise)
JD The Crouch Position with Slutty Emphasis on the Mic
Marty The Scarecrow and early 80’s Breakdance-like moves
Winner Split… Both can get a crowd going.

Front-man Attitude (new fans)
JD Get the ‘#####’ out of my way
Marty Let’s meet half way.
Winner Marty… There’s no I in team.

Appearance Fits The Band (cd sales, ticket sales, merchandise)
JD I Love You Guys
Marty I Want to Modernize You Like Me
Winner JD… INXS will not change their genre.

With all of that said…
I believe old ReXie has deciphered the question of the day!
MARTY IS NOT ROIT FOR THEIR BAND INXS.
I'm sure Marty will get over it. That guy has star power written all over him. Plus, he'll have 'Trees' in the Billboard Top 10 in just a few months when he issues his first CD with the LoveHammers.
As for JD, his story and strategy throughout the show has been brilliant! First, I’m the good guy re-arranging “California Dreaming”. Then, I’m the bad guy messing with everyone’s song selections. Then, I’m more of the bad guy sleeping through rehearsal time. Still, more of the bad guy telling Suzie, “You’re not my friend”.
Then, Darth JD returned to the Force. Was it all a Jedi mind trick? Or, does this cat have momentum working for him. While Marty has been stable, JD has been a roller coaster. When was the last time you appreciated a rock star, or any popular figure, for being stable?
History gives us the greats… Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison… Janis. I could go on but I’d get sad if I went any further.
Great musicians. No, great rock stars are often plagued by roller coaster lifestyles. Maybe it leads to the stuff that legends are made of…
Hopefully, that will not happen for Mr. Fortune when he learns that he is roit for INXS.
I’m sure Tim, Andrew, Kirk, Garry, Jon and JD will all make wonderful music… I mean money… together!

http://www.rockstar gohome.com/rockstar/rsgh_news_050919b.php

"Another Article"
Posted by Loree on 09-20-05 at 10:08 AM
Globe and Mail


Tuesday, September 20, 2005 Page R1

E-mail Catherine Dawson March Read Bio Latest Columns
J.D. Fortune will be channelling his devil inside tonight. The Pictou County, N.S.-native, who was panhandling and living out of his car in Toronto earlier this year, must out-sing two other performers to become INXS's new front man on the finale of Rock Star: INXS (10 p.m., CBS, CH).

"I really feel in my heart that I'm going to win," said Fortune, calling from Los Angeles where he's been up since 4 a.m. doing radio interviews. Tonight's performance will be one of his best because now he's "just feeling the music."

"This is the time when all the nerves are gone, and you don't see the cameras any more. I'm just really there to sing for INXS and show them that I'm the right guy for the job."

The series has been a summer-long interview to replace former lead singer Michael Hutchence, who hanged himself in a hotel room in 1997. Now, after 11 weeks of rock 'n' roll of a quality not seen on reality TV before, 15 musicians have been reduced to three: Fortune, Marty Casey of Chicago and MiG Ayesa of Sydney, Australia. Fortune is the last of four Canadians left. Toronto's Suzie McNeil and Tara Sloane, as well as Deanna Johnston, originally from Kingston, Ont., have been cut. All this Cancon has made the series a hit in Canada.

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What sets Rock Star apart from Canadian Idol is talent: These musicians don't just sing in the shower, they've been grinding out gigs in bars for years. They look a little rough around the edges and party hard, too -- never has a TV singing contest seen so much booze, swearing or smoking.

Each week, they perform a mix of classic rock tunes and greatest hits from INXS's back catalogue. Last week, the band held one-on-one interviews with the top three (as well as Suzie McNeil, who was dropped later in the episode). Tonight, the band (Garry Beers, Kirk Pengilly and brothers Andrew, Tim and Jon Farriss) and gadabout host, Red Hot Chili Pepper guitarist Dave Navarro, choose the winner, who will sing on INXS's new album that's being released later this year.

McNeil thought she had a lock on winning the job right up until she heard the show's stilted catchphrase, "You are not right for our band, INXS."

"They didn't want to replace Michael," she said on the phone from Los Angeles about why she initially thought she had a good chance. "A woman is totally opposite and there's no comparison." But as the viewers voted and sounded off on the show's website throughout the summer, "it seemed obvious that the public wanted a man."

A few days after being cut, McNeil said that sentiment makes sense: "When you are a fan, the nostalgia of seeing Michael in their new lead singer adds to the charm of . For INXS, it definitely doesn't, but for a fan, it does."

So what now? "No matter what, I am putting out an album," she said, adding that she hopes to record it with Rock Star's house band: "They really love me and we really get each other." McNeil flies home tomorrow and there's a welcome-home Suzie party planned for the weekend.

Whether he wins or not, Fortune misses Canada and said he'll be flying back to see family in Mississauga and his mother in Nova Scotia.

Tonight, all the Rock Star rejects will appear on the finale and then head over to the wrap party at the House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard. "It's going to be a wild night," McNeil said with a laugh.

"RE: Interesting article"
Posted by Tahj on 09-20-05 at 11:40 AM
Wouldn't it be ironic if the rockers that INXS rejected (mainly Suzie, Jordis, Ty and the other two who will soon be rejected) actually turn out to have more successful careers than whoever gets picked by INXS?


Moves courtesy of Syren

"Radio interview"
Posted by Loree on 09-20-05 at 01:03 PM
All 3 did an interview on the radio this morning. Someone at idolforums has transcribed it. You can read it here:

http://idolforums.com/index.php?showtopic=373295

"RE: Radio interview"
Posted by weltek on 09-20-05 at 01:20 PM
All three sound like such great people. I think they all have pretty big hearts. INXS is lucky to have such a great final three.

"RE: Radio interview"
Posted by CattyChat on 09-20-05 at 02:02 PM
Another great post, Loree. You know, on other forums where I have read other's people's face-to-face encounters with J.D. all go on about what a great guy he is -- gracious, sweet, big heart, sexy (of course) & on and on and on.

I feel sorry for him for 1 things -- 1. That he is really misunderstood by some people and 2. That in that interview he mentioned Marty & MiG as his closest friends in the competition & he even posted the same in his blog a few weeks back and Marty & MiG are two of contestants who make snarky comments about J.D. the most (MiG, especially). I just can't stand backstabbers who are nice to one's face & behind their back, rip them to shreds. It ain't right. Just sayin'.


"RE: Radio interview"
Posted by LaLaLisa on 09-20-05 at 02:39 PM
" I just can't stand backstabbers who are nice to one's face & behind their back, rip them to shreds. It ain't right."

TOTALLY AGREE.

And why do people think that is okay??????? Why have so many people turned a blind eye to that? Why is it valued to be two-faced? Like somehow it's a virtue to lie to someone's face and pretend to be nice?

"JD at the Emmys"
Posted by Loree on 09-20-05 at 01:31 PM
I didn't find photos. But I did find a short interview with JD. It's obvious he is drinking but it's still sweet.

http://tvguide.com/default

Just click on MORE and then hit Interview with JD.

"RE: JD at the Emmys"
Posted by LaLaLisa on 09-20-05 at 01:35 PM
OMG that is fabulous!!!!

yes, drunk but sweet

and the interviewer is a dweeb

"RE: JD at the Emmys"
Posted by Loree on 09-20-05 at 02:01 PM
I wanted the camera to move to the right. I didn't care about the stupid interviewer. I wanted more JD. And a close-up.
"RE: JD at the Emmys"
Posted by weltek on 09-20-05 at 03:38 PM
Wow-he is a dweeb. You'd think they'd have somebody hipper to interview peeps.

"RE: JD at the Emmys"
Posted by CattyChat on 09-20-05 at 01:53 PM
Ditto LaLa.

Anything Fortune!!
"An encounter with the boys"
Posted by Loree on 09-20-05 at 03:24 PM
On EOnline the producer of LOST Damon Lindelof said he ran into the 3 rockers at an Emmy party. Here is what he said:

How were the Rock Star boys?
Very sweet, actually. My real-life BFF Party Girl Lara Morgenson and I ran into them at the end of the night coming out of the TV Guide party, and Marty asked if we wanted to come back to the Rock Star house to party! Too funny. They're all exactly what you see on the show: Marty and Mig are so sweet and approachable, and JD is such a character. He's pretty much like Julian McMahon's character on Nip/Tuck--he's that bad boy whom you shouldn't like but still find damn hard to resist!

"Small Emmy party photos"
Posted by Loree on 09-20-05 at 04:05 PM
http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=GLS====138234&c4nvi=3&str=50115&styp=clbi&nbc1=1
"RE: Small Emmy party photos"
Posted by weltek on 09-20-05 at 04:10 PM
yay! Not a fan of Marty's look, but JD & Mig both look pretty hot.

"RE: Small Emmy party photos"
Posted by CattyChat on 09-20-05 at 04:23 PM
J.D. looks smokin (of course). Nothing like a hot guy in a hot suit with a pink shirt. Wish I was there . . .