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J.D.: Sometime in my past I have let my insecurities get the better of me. The end result - not good. People have lost respect for me over things that I thought were beyond my control.
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J.D.: When I was younger, I told my mother I wanted to be famous. She said good luck. At that moment, I knew Lady Luck's gonna shine something on me.
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J.D.: I've been in and out of 9-to-5 jobs and I've realized that my worst performance onstage is better than my best day in an office.
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J.D.: (about INXS songs) I know them because I love them.
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J.D.: Family is very important to me. If I was asked to chose between an INXS gig and a family funeral, it's gonna be tough but either way, family first.
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J.D.: (On performing for the first time as INXS) That was the best moment in my life. The energy was f*cking awesome, man.
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JD: As far as filling the legacy that is Michael Hutchence, I'm ready for a lot of backlash. You need to cut your own stone, though, because no one is replacing him.
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JD: I've shopped demos and been in other bands for over 15 years. I was literally destitute when this audition came along; this is a dream come true. Michael Hutchence, Andrew Farriss and INXS were some of the main reasons I became a singer-songwriter. To have this come full circle is profoundly beautiful for my life.
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JD: It's an understatement to say that this is a dream come true. Growing up, INXS albums like Shabooh Shoobah, Listen Like Thieves and Kick were a huge musical influence on me. I'd listen to their songs and wonder what it would be like to be in this band. That they've chosen me to be their new lead singer is just mind-blowing.
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JD: If this was [to join] any other band, if this was competing for 10 bajillion dollars on an island somewhere, there's no way I would do it. That reality TV show was the hardest experience of my life because I had to really confront myself, but if they asked me, I'd do it a thousand times over to show them how badly I want to be a member of INXS. And I just followed my heart, and a true heart never needs to make an excuse for what it does, 'cause it's true.
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JD: (On being part of the show) I've had doubts throughout the whole thing. My personal life and who I am as a person was flashed across a TV screen for 21/2 months, so there are no flies on me. Everybody knows who I am, and what I'm like, and what I stand for.
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J.D.: When I was younger my life was an ironic one man show. I was lost but could always find a way to convince people (especially those I loved) that I was happy. I always seemed to fall into 'the wrong crowd.
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J.D.: If anyone calls you a dreamer remind them that the building they work in came from a dreamer, the car they're driving came from a dreamer. The computer they love, the cell phone they use, movies and music they escape in – all came from dreamers.
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Tattooed on his arm: Sometimes we are just being humans, but we're always human beings.