Meet INXS’ newest recruit

The switch is now official. The release of the album, also titled Switch, names Canadian J.D. Fortune as part of the Australian band INXS alongside guitarist Andrew Farriss, guitarist Tim Farriss, drummer Jon Farriss, bassist Garry Beers and guitarist, sax player and vocalist Kirk Pengilly. All of you music lovers out there doubtless recall the Rock Star INXS reality show that aired on Star World some months ago. You also doubtless remember Fortune. He bested a number of rockers including Filipino West End star MiG Ayesa in a hotly-contested talent search to become the new soloist of INXS.

The famous rock group from the ’80s lost its charismatic soloist Michael Hutchence to suicide in 1997. Hutchence was an excellent vocalist who was also a sexy and mesmerizing performer. He had a devil-may-care attitude fans found very attractive. I can still recall him singing What You Need with that very distinctive voice. So while there was never any question that INXS still has the chops to make hits and sell-out concerts, the fact remained that they needed a Hutchence on stage. So the search was launched to find the new guy and Fortune won.

Now, I will not call J.D. a replacement for Hutchence. Those are mighty big shoes to fill. It would be most unfair to J.D. and to the memory of Hutchence. Instead, I prefer to think of Fortune as the recruit who will give INXS a new set of vocals, one more songwriter with new ideas and somebody who will help steer the band to new directions. Hopefully, along with these will come the adulation of a new generation of fans.

I do not see any problem in this area. These new followers were introduced to INXS via the TV show and were with the band every step of the arduous search. They know J.D. and they were already in wait for this album from the day when he was proclaimed winner. Now that Switch is finally here, they will be happy to find out that INXS can dish up a hot set of tunes. Of course, this is just like they have always done during these past 30 years.

The songs, Devil’s Party, Pretty Vegas, Afterglow, Hot Girls, Perfect Strangers, Remember Who’s Your Man, Hungry, Never Let You Go, Like It or Not, Us and God’s Top Ten are typically INXS. So there should also be no problem with the fans from the early days. Despite Fortune’s presence, the cuts still echo the big hits like Devil Inside, Original Sin and Need You Tonight.

Judging from the well-produced album, INXS is in excellent shape and ready for its first tour with Fortune. The only thing that bugs me is that Fortune sounds so much like Hutchence here. I do not know if that is good or bad. The sound of Hutchence was INXS and that is what we have in Switch. Fans will appreciate that. But then that makes Fortune just another copycat who will mire INXS deeper inside the memories of its salad days in the ’80s. Something like that might just affect the future.

Auit at UP Diliman

For more new directions, you might want to check out this one. UP Conemus, in collaboration with the Auit Vocal Chamber Ensemble conducted by Katz Tranco is proud to present Auit, a concert of contemporary choral music. This will be held at 6 p.m. tomorrow, March 9 at Abelardo Hall of the UP College of Music in Diliman, Quezon City.

Based at the University of the Philippines, the UP Conemus is an organization of young composers that fosters the creation and dissemination to the public of 21st century art music. So you can bet the evening’s repertoire will not only be new works but will also be daring, innovative and provide an idea of what the future of choral composing will be like in this country.

The concert features original choral compositions of student-composers Kriselda Dionisio, Nelson Polvoriza, Teresa Barrozo, Nick Quejada, Kim Felix, Louise Ybañez, JoAnn Basirgo, Riva Ferrer, Onald Dolor, Felix Macahis, Dr. Jonas Baes and Guillaume de Machaut.

Tickets are priced at P30 for students with ID, P50 for UP faculty and staff and P100 for guests. For inquiries, you may contact numbers 0921-3413769 and 0917-8501774.