INXS Gets What They Need

Well, INXS finished its foray into reality TV on Tuesday, with the Australian band picking JD Fortune as its new lead singer. Those at JP World Headquarters were pulling for Marty Casey, but in the end, we had to admit that he was probably not right for their band, INXS.

I had originally written the show off and was disappointed that INXS was going the cheesy reality show route to find a singer. But I was pleasantly surprised at how fun it was and how good most of the performers were. Third-place finisher MiG was my early favorite, but he seemed to fade down the stretch just as JD, an ex Elvis impersonator, and Marty gained speed. JD originally seemed a jerk but calmed down late and had arguably the best finals performance. And "Pretty Vegas" is a catchy song - as is Marty's "Trees."

MiG - who was the target of Internet conspiracy theories that he was a ringer picked by the band and the show's producer - aired some sour grapes to Australia's Daily Telegraph, saying INXS was just looking for a "bad boy." He added, "Everything that JD did that was a bit unfair or a bit risque or a bit 'dude, that's really out of line', INXS said, 'That's fantastic'."

Marty was a bit more diplomatic, saying his "heart sank" when the band picked JD. But the possibility of his band opening for INXS "kind of feels like its the right thing to happen to me."

The show's ratings were mixed. The Telegraph says the finale was the most-watched show on Australian pay-TV, with almost 500,000 viewers. The finale garnered the series' highest ratings, with some 7.9 million viewers, for what the Hollywood Reporter called a "disappointing three month run." The finale was outdrawn by NBC's "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" season premiere but edged out ABC's "Wife Swap."

Meanwhile, another JP music fave, Shirley Manson and Garbage was dissing INXS for going the reality show route (while denying rumors of her band's breakup). She told E! Online: "It isn't INXS without Michael Hutchence," Manson opined. "I feel like in life you have to be prepared to let go of something in order for new growth to occur in your life. And I think it is unhealthy to be constantly coming back to recreate the past. You should forge forward instead of being sentimental about things that have gone by."

INXS promises a new album and tour to follow soon. And reality show kingpin Mark Burnett predicts a second season of Rockstar with a band to be named later.

MiG Too Good for INXS [The Daily Telegraph]
Chicagoan Makes Most of INXS Close Call [Chicago Sun-Times]
NBC Wins Tuesday [Hollywood Reporter]
Manson: Garbage Split Rubbish [E! Online via Yahoo! News]