INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar,
Andrew FarrissAndrew Charles Farriss is a rock musician , best known as the keyboardist and main composer for the Australian band INXS.-Career:...
on guitar/keyboards,
Jon FarrissJon Farriss is the drummer for the Australian rock band INXS.-Biography:...
on drums,
Tim FarrissTimothy William Farriss is a member of the rock band :INXS.-Early life and the formation of INXS:...
on lead guitar and
Kirk PengillyKirk Pengilly is an Australian musician, best known as a member of the rock group :INXS.-Early career:...
on guitar/sax. For twenty years, they were fronted by
Michael HutchenceMichael Kelland John Hutchence was an Australian musician and actor. He was the founding lead singer-songwriter of rock band :INXS from 1977 to his death in 1997, a period of twenty years. Hutchence was a member of short-lived pop rock group Max Q and recorded solo material which was released...
on lead vocals, whose "sultry good looks" and magnetic stage presence made him the focal point of the band. Initially known for their
New WaveNew Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
/
skaSka |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
/pop style, they later developed a harder
pub rockPub rock is a style of Australian rock and roll popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and still influencing contemporary Australian music today....
style, including funk and dance elements.
In the early 1980s, INXS first charted in their native Australia with their debut
self-titled albumINXS is Australian rock group INXS's first album. It was released in Australia in 1980 and was not available internationally until 1984. INXS recorded the album in between doing, on average, two gigs at the local pubs around Sydney.-Track listing:...
, but later garnered moderate success elsewhere with
Shabooh ShoobahShabooh Shoobah is Australian rock group INXS's third album. It was the band's first album to be released worldwide.The song "Don't Change" has been covered by The Audreys, The Bravery, Everclear, Face to Face, Goo Goo Dolls, Grinspoon, Zero , and as a bonus track on American rock group A Fire...
and a single, "
The One Thing"The One Thing" is a song by Australian rock group INXS, released as the first single from their 1982 album Shabooh Shoobah.Shabooh Shoobah was released in the United States in February 1983 and peaked at number 46 on the Billboard 200 album chart. "The One Thing" brought INXS their first Top 40...
". Though
The SwingThe Swing is Australian rock band INXS's fourth studio album, released in 1984. The lead single "Original Sin" was recorded in New York City with Nile Rodgers and featured Daryl Hall on backing vocals...
brought more success from around the world, its single "
Original Sin"Original Sin" is a hit single by Australian rock group INXS released in 1984 on their fourth album The Swing. It was written by Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farriss, and produced by Nile Rodgers....
" was even greater commercially, becoming their first number-one single. They would later achieve international success with a series of hit recordings through later in the 1980s and the 1990s, including the albums
Listen Like Thieves,
Kick, and
XX is Australian rock band INXS's seventh studio album, released in 1990. It peaked at No. 1 in Australia, No. 5 in the United States, No. 2 in the United Kingdom, No. 5 in Switzerland and No. 10 in Sweden. The album contains four hit singles, "Suicide Blonde", "Disappear",...
; and the singles "
What You Need"What You Need" is a song recorded by the Australian band INXS. It is the leadoff track from their 1985 album, Listen Like Thieves. "What You Need" was the first single off the album in Australia and New Zealand, while it was in USA and Europe the second single after "This Time" and was the band's...
", "
Need You Tonight"Need You Tonight" is the fourth song on INXS's 1987 album Kick as well as the first single from the album released worldwide. It is the only INXS single to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100...
", "
Devil Inside"Devil Inside" is a song by Australian band INXS. The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence and is one of INXS's best known songs.It was released as a single in February 1988...
", "
New Sensation"New Sensation" is a song by the Australian rock group INXS. It was the third single from their 1987 album Kick. The music was written by Andrew Farriss and the lyrics by Michael Hutchence...
", and "
Suicide Blonde"Suicide Blonde" is the title of the first single from the INXS album X. It reached the top 10 on the US Hot 100 and Australia in 1990 and reached a peak of #11 in the UK.-Writing and recording:...
".
In the 1990s, the band brought a new audience following Hutchence's romance with pop singer
Kylie MinogueKylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
, and achieved greater acclaim in the UK. However, starting with
Welcome to Wherever You AreWelcome to Wherever You Are is the eighth album by the Australian rock music group INXS, released in 1992. With grunge music and alternative music breaking into the mainstream, INXS tried to establish a new direction for itself, à la U2 and Achtung Baby, incorporating sitars, a 60-piece orchestra,...
, in 1992, they achieved less success in the United States. A depressed Hutchence committed suicide by hanging in 1997 and INXS did not perform publicly for a year. The band made appearances with several guest singers including
Jimmy BarnesJames Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
,
Terence Trent D'ArbySananda Francesco Maitreya , better known by his former stage name Terence Trent D'Arby, is an American singer-songwriter who came to fame with his album Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby, released in July 1987, which included the singles "Wishing Well" and "Sign Your Name"...
, and
Jon StevensJon Stevens is a New Zealand-born singer of Maori descent, now an Australian citizen. Stevens is the brother of New Zealand Idol judge Frankie Stevens....
; Stevens formally joined the band for a tour and recording session in 2002. In 2005, members of INXS participated in a reality television series, broadcast worldwide, culminating in the selection of their new lead singer, Canadian J. D. Fortune, and the release of "
Pretty Vegas"Pretty Vegas" is the first single released from Switch, the eleventh studio album by the Australian rock band INXS and first with new lead singer J.D. Fortune, winner of the Rock Star: INXS competition. The single was released on 29 November 2005....
" and "Afterglow" as singles, and its album
SwitchSwitch is the eleventh studio album by the Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 29 November 2005. It is notable for being the first album with new lead singer J.D. Fortune since the 1997 death of Michael Hutchence.-Background:...
. In late 2010, they recorded and released
Original Sin, a tribute album, featuring guest artists such as Kavyen Temperley (of
Eskimo JoeEskimo Joe is an Australian alternative rock band formed by Stuart MacLeod on guitars, Joel Quartermain on drums and guitar and Kavyen Temperley on bass guitar and vocals, in East Fremantle, Western Australia in 1997....
) and
Ben HarperBenjamin Chase "Ben" Harper is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live performances and activism. Harper's fan base spans several continents...
. In September 2011 the band announced that Northern Irish singer-songwriter
Ciaran GribbinCiaran Gribbin is a Northern Irish rock singer and songwriter and the current lead singer of rock band INXS.In September 2011 INXS announced that Gribbin had replaced J.D...
had replaced Fortune as their lead vocalist ahead of a planned tour of South America, Australia & Europe later in the year.
INXS has won six
Australian Recording Industry AssociationThe Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) awards including three for 'Best Group' in 1987, 1989 and 1992, and was inducted into the ARIA
Hall of FameSince 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association has inducted artists into its ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone "ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame" event as only one or two acts could be inducted...
in 2001. To date INXS have sold more than 30 million records.
Early years
The origins of the band began with
Andrew FarrissAndrew Charles Farriss is a rock musician , best known as the keyboardist and main composer for the Australian band INXS.-Career:...
convincing his fellow
Davidson High SchoolDavidson High School, is a school located in Frenchs Forest, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on Mimosa Street. It is a co-educational high school operated by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training with students from years 7 to 12...
classmate,
Michael HutchenceMichael Kelland John Hutchence was an Australian musician and actor. He was the founding lead singer-songwriter of rock band :INXS from 1977 to his death in 1997, a period of twenty years. Hutchence was a member of short-lived pop rock group Max Q and recorded solo material which was released...
, to join his band,
Doctor Dolphin. The band contained two other classmates, Kent Kerny and Neil Sanders and a bass player, Garry Beers and Geoff Kennely, from a nearby high school, Forest High School. In 1977,
Tim FarrissTimothy William Farriss is a member of the rock band :INXS.-Early life and the formation of INXS:...
, Andrew's older brother, invited Andrew, Hutchence and Beers to join him and his schoolmate
Kirk PengillyKirk Pengilly is an Australian musician, best known as a member of the rock group :INXS.-Early career:...
. Tim and Pengilly had been playing together since 1971 as either an acoustic duo or as a four-piece band called Guinness (named after their bass player's dog). Together with younger brother
Jon FarrissJon Farriss is the drummer for the Australian rock band INXS.-Biography:...
they formed
the Farriss Brothers, who consisted of Garry Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar, Geoff Kennelly on Drums, Michael Hutchence on lead vocals and Kirk Pengilly on guitar and saxophone. The band made their debut on 16 August 1977 at
Whale BeachWhale Beach is a northern beachside suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Whale Beach is located 40 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Pittwater Council, in the Northern Beaches region.At the northern end just off the...
, 40 km (25 mi) north of Sydney. Andrew Farriss remembers:
The parents of the Farriss boys relocated to
Perth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
in 1978, taking Jon to continue his schooling and, as soon as Hutchence and Andrew finished school, the rest of the band followed. They briefly performed as The Vegetables, singing "We Are the Vegetables", before returning to Sydney ten months later, where they recorded a set of demos. At a chance meeting in the car park of the Narabeen Antler, a pub in
North NarrabeenNorth Narrabeen is a suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Narrabeen is located 25 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Pittwater Council...
. Tim was approached by Gary Morris, the manager of
Midnight OilMidnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
.
The band began to regularly support Midnight Oil and other local bands. Morris advised that a member of the Oils crew had come up with a new name and suggested they change it to INXS. The name INXS was inspired by English band
XTCXTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
and Australian jam makers
IXLHenry Jones IXL is a company primarily known as a manufacturer of jams, conserves and sauces in Australia.-History:The company was first established by Henry Jones in Hobart in 1891 as H. Jones & Company. The company derived from Jones' employment with George Peacock's jam factory from 1874...
. Pengilly explained that Morris had some other ideas:
The band's first performance as INXS was on 1 September 1979 at the Oceanview Hotel in
ToukleyToukley is a town in the Central Coast region of the Australian state of New South Wales. It lies approximately 107 km north of Sydney via the F3 freeway. It is located between Tuggerah Lake, Budgewoi Lake, and the Pacific Ocean. The town is within the area of the Wyong Shire...
on the Central Coast of
New South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and by the end of 1979, after passing on the Christian band image, they hired Chris Murphy as their manager and continued taking on the Oz pub circuit.
Murphy was an adept business manager and negotiator. By early 1980 the band had signed a five-album record deal with a Sydney independent label, Deluxe Records, run by Michael Browning, a former manager of
AC/DCAC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
.
From "Simple Simon" to Shabooh Shoobah
INXS released their first single, "Simple Simon"/"We Are the Vegetables", in Australia and France in May 1980. The single had its debut TV performance on
Simon Townsend's Wonder WorldSimon Townsend's Wonder World! was a multi-award–winning Australian children's television show that aired on the Ten Network from 1979 until 1986...
. Their self-titled debut album,
INXSINXS is Australian rock group INXS's first album. It was released in Australia in 1980 and was not available internationally until 1984. INXS recorded the album in between doing, on average, two gigs at the local pubs around Sydney.-Track listing:...
, was recorded at Trafalgar Studios in
AnnandaleAnnandale is a suburb of Inner West Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Annandale is located within 3-5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt. Annandale's northern end lies on Rozelle Bay,...
, Sydney, it was co-produced by the band and Duncan McGuire (ex-
Ayers RockAyers Rock was a jazz fusion/progressive rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The group formed in 1973, and included many well-travelled rock performers; drummer Mark Kennedy had previously played in Spectrum, and played on sessions for King Harvest and Friends...
), with all songs attributed to the entire band, at the insistence of Murphy. Deluxe gave them a budget of $10,000 to record the album, so to keep within the budget they had to record from midnight to dawn, usually after doing one or more performances earlier that night. The album was released in October 1980. It featured "Just Keep Walking" which was their first Australian Top 40 single, with the album peaking in the Top 30 of the
Kent Music ReportThe Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
for Australian albums. The album eventually went
gold (selling over 35,000 units) but it took a number of years to do so.
These early records demonstrated their
New WaveNew Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
/
skaSka |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
/pop style, and were followed by near constant touring with almost 300 shows during 1981 as the band developed their status as a live act.
In 1981, they signed Gary Grant as their tour manager, who then became co-manager a year later. Between touring commitments, the band released their third single in May 1981, "
The Loved One"The Loved One" is a song by Australian R&B, rock band The Loved Ones and was released in May 1966 as the debut single ahead of their extended play, Blueberry Hill, which appeared in December. The song also featured on their debut Long Play album, Magic Box, in October 1967...
", which was a cover of a 1966 song by Australian group
The Loved OnesThe Loved Ones were an Australian rock band formed in 1965 in Melbourne following the British Invasion. The line-up of Gavin Anderson on drums, Ian Clyne on organ and piano, Gerry Humphrys on vocals and harmonica, Rob Lovett on guitar, and Kim Lynch on bass guitar recorded their early hits...
. The song was recorded at Studios 301 in Sydney, produced by
Richard ClaptonRichard Clapton is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist from Sydney, New South Wales. His solo top 20 hits on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart are "Girls on the Avenue" and "I Am an Island"...
, and peaked in the Top 20.
The success of the single led to Clapton and the band returning to Studio s 301 between July and August 1981 to create an album. In October 1981, their second album
Underneath the ColoursUnderneath the Colours is Australian rock group INXS' second album. It was released in Australia in 1981. It was with this album that Michael Hutchence's songwriting started to mature and the band started to find a unique sound. Included were political songs and their very first ballad...
was released and became a hit in Australia peaking at #15.
Soon after recording sessions had finished, band members started work on outside projects. Beers, Jon and Andrew Farriss played on Clapton's solo album,
The Great Escape. Hutchence recorded "Speed Kills", written by
Don WalkerDon Walker is an Australian musician and songwriter known for writing many of the hits for Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel. He played piano and keyboard with the band from 1973 to 1983, when they disbanded. He has since continued to record and tour, both solo and with Tex, Don and Charlie,...
of
Cold ChiselCold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It is one of the most acclaimed Australian rock bands of all time, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s and huge sales that continue to this day, although its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to...
for the soundtrack of the film
Freedom directed by
Scott HicksRobert Scott Hicks is a film director from Australia. He is best known as the screenwriter and director of Shine, the Oscar-winning biopic of pianist David Helfgott. Hicks's work has been nominated for an Academy Award as well as winning an Emmy Award.-Personal life:Hicks was born in Uganda, the...
. It was his first solo single and was released by
WEAWarner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
in early 1982. In January, INXS toured
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
as support act for
Cold ChiselCold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It is one of the most acclaimed Australian rock bands of all time, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s and huge sales that continue to this day, although its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to...
. Band manager, Murphy, became convinced their future no longer lay with Deluxe Records. RCA (who distributed Deluxe) had employed, music lover Rockin Rod Woods, who had been promoting Eric Clapton, Split Enz and some of the worlds biggest acts. Woods was crazy about the band and brought key music people along to their gigs. He encouraged RCA to sign them worldwide because Murphy had played him some demos of future songs. Deluxe had been unable to attract international interest, and decided to record a new song, "
The One Thing"The One Thing" is a song by Australian rock group INXS, released as the first single from their 1982 album Shabooh Shoobah.Shabooh Shoobah was released in the United States in February 1983 and peaked at number 46 on the Billboard 200 album chart. "The One Thing" brought INXS their first Top 40...
" at their own expense, with
Mark OpitzMark Opitz, started his career with ABC TV in Sydney in the 1970’s and has since gone on to work with many of the great Australian musicians that have graced both the Australian and international music charts for the past 25 years....
at Paradise Studios. The song turned out so well that Murphy hired Opitz to produce three more songs. Murphy approached
WEA AustraliaWarner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
with copies of the song, leading to INXS signing a recording deal in July 1982 with WEA for releases in Australia, South East Asia, Japan and New Zealand,
Atco RecordsATCO Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, currently operating through WMG's Rhino Entertainment.-Beginnings:Atco Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic's founders, Herb Abramson, who...
(a subsidiary of
Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
) for North America and
PolygramPolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
for Europe and the UK.
Murphy and the band weren't entirely convinced that Opitz could produce an entire album that would attract international interest, so prior to recording their third album Pengilly, Hutchence and Andrew Farriss visited the UK and USA, with a view to selecting a suitable producer, only to find that no one they wanted was available and that most people advised them that Opitz's work on their single was as good as they could wish for.
In mid-1982, they commenced recording at Rhinoceros Studios, with Opitz.
In October 1982,
Shabooh ShoobahShabooh Shoobah is Australian rock group INXS's third album. It was the band's first album to be released worldwide.The song "Don't Change" has been covered by The Audreys, The Bravery, Everclear, Face to Face, Goo Goo Dolls, Grinspoon, Zero , and as a bonus track on American rock group A Fire...
was released internationally on Atlantic/Atco Records, peaking at #52 on the US
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and #46 on the
Hot Pop AlbumsTop Pop Catalog Albums is a fifty-position weekly albums chart produced by Billboard magazine which ranks the best selling catalog titles, regardless of genre. Billboard defines a catalog title as one that is more than eighteen months old and that has fallen below position 100 on the Billboard 200...
chart. In Australia it peaked at #5 and remained in the albums charts for 94 weeks. The single "The One Thing" brought them their first Top 30 hit in United States peaking at #30 on 28 May 1983, it was a Top 20 hit in Canada, and peaked at #14 in Australia on 23 August 1982. "One Thing" was their first video to air on the fledgling MTV and siginficantly added to the ultimate success of the single. INXS undertook their first US performance in San Diego in March 1983, to a crowd of 24 patrons. Their first tour was as support for
Adam and the AntsAdam and the Ants were a British rock band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The original group, which existed from 1977 to 1980, became notable as a cult band marking the transition from the late-1970s punk rock era to the post-punk and New Wave era...
, then support for
Stray Cats Stray Cats are an American Rockabilly band formed in 1980 by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer , upright bassist Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, New York. The group had numerous hit singles in the UK, Australia and the U.S...
,
The KinksThe Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
,
Hall & OatesHall & Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Both sing and play instruments. They specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul."...
followed by
The Go-Go'sThe Go-Go’s are an all-female American rock band formed in 1978. They made history as the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts....
. INXS played alongside many of their contemporaries on New Wave Day in May 1983, at the
US FestivalThe US Festivals were two early 1980s music and culture festivals sponsored by Steve Wozniak, formerly of Apple Computer. The first was held Labor Day weekend in September 1982 and the second was Memorial Day weekend in May 1983...
in Devore, California. It was during this time that Grant, their co-manager, relocated permanently to New York to ensure a continual presence in the northern hemisphere. The band remained on the road in the US for most of the year, including support for
Men at WorkMen at Work are an Australian rock band who achieved international success in the 1980s. They are the only Australian artists to have a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United States . They achieved the same distinction of a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United Kingdom...
and by mid-1983 were headlining venues such as
The Ritz-History:The Ritz was founded in 1980 by Jerry Brandt on 11th Street between Third and Fourth Avenues in the East Village neighborhood of New York City. Formerly a ballroom known as Webster Hall, The Ritz still retained some of its previous incarnation's Art Deco style. As a venue, it focused...
in New York.
From "Original Sin" to Listen Like Thieves
Following a performance in
TorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada, the band was approached by producer
Nile RodgersNile Gregory Rodgers is an American musician, producer, composer, arranger, and guitarist.-Biography:...
, and by September 1983, recorded "
Original Sin"Original Sin" is a hit single by Australian rock group INXS released in 1984 on their fourth album The Swing. It was written by Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farriss, and produced by Nile Rodgers....
", originally titled "Brand New Day", at New York's Power Station Studios.
Three tracks from
Shabooh Shoobah were featured in the soundtrack for the 1984 film
RecklessReckless is a 1984 love story shot in the Appalachian Mountains and Rust Belt of Steubenville, Ohio, Weirton, West Virginia and Mingo Junction, Ohio. Starring Daryl Hannah and Aidan Quinn. Directed by James Foley and written by Chris Columbus. Soundtrack by INXS, Romeo Void, Bob Seger and Thomas...
. The band then travelled to the UK to begin sessions on their fourth album with
Nick LaunayNick Launay is an English record producer and recording engineer. He is currently one of the most sought after producers in the world due to his current success with recent albums by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arcade Fire, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds...
at the Manor Studios in
OxfordThe city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
The album
The SwingThe Swing is Australian rock band INXS's fourth studio album, released in 1984. The lead single "Original Sin" was recorded in New York City with Nile Rodgers and featured Daryl Hall on backing vocals...
released in April 1984, received more significant attention from around the world, as "Original Sin" became their first #1 single and was a highly popular song worldwide with fans and reviewers. During 1984 it was #1 in Australia (for two weeks in January) as well as in
ArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and France, #6 in
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, #11 in Canada, #23 in
SwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, #31 in the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and #58 in the U.S. Yet "Original Sin" was largely ignored in the UK, where INXS was described in
New Musical Express as a "depressingly definitive example of excruciating, boring, incredibly unimaginative MTV rock", and INXS didn't have any Top 50 chart success until the 1985 album
Listen Like Thieves.
During 1984, INXS toured non-stop performing across Europe, the UK, the US and Australia and by December 1984,
The Swing, was
double platinum, making it, at the time, one of the five biggest domestic albums in the history of Australian music. In March 1985 the band re-entered Sydney's Rhinoceros Studios to record their next album, together with producer
Chris ThomasChris Thomas is an English record producer who has worked extensively with The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, Badfinger, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Pulp and The Pretenders. He has also produced breakthrough albums for The Sex Pistols and INXS.Thomas is quoted as saying -Early life:Thomas was...
(
Sex PistolsThe Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
,
Pink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
,
The PretendersThe Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
,
Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
).
As the band were finishing the recording sessions, Thomas told the band that the album was not good enough and still had no “killer” track:
Andrew produced a demo tape of a funk song he had been working on "Funk Song No. 13" and evolved it into "
What You Need"What You Need" is a song recorded by the Australian band INXS. It is the leadoff track from their 1985 album, Listen Like Thieves. "What You Need" was the first single off the album in Australia and New Zealand, while it was in USA and Europe the second single after "This Time" and was the band's...
".
Whilst the band was recording, WEA released
DekadanceDekadance is the title of two different collections of remixes by Australian rock group INXS: a 1983 12" EP released in the United States of songs from Shabooh Shoobah and a 1984 cassette released in Australia of songs from The Swing....
, a limited edition 12" Vinyl and
cassetteThe Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
only
EPAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
of INXS remixes from their albums
The Swing and
Shabooh Shoobah.
On 19 May 1985, INXS won seven awards at the 1984
Countdown Music and Video Awards ceremony. They performed "Burn for You", dressed in
AkubraAkubra is an Australian brand of bush hat, whose wide-brimmed styles are a distinctive part of Australian culture, especially in rural areas. The name is believed to be derived from an Aboriginal word for head covering....
s (hats) and
DrizabonesDriza-Bone, originating from the phrase "dry as a bone", is a trade name for the company making full-length waterproof riding coats and apparel. The company was established in 1898 and is currently Australian owned and manufactures its products in Australia...
(outdoor coats/oilskin jackets). They performed five songs for the July 1985
Oz for AfricaOz for Africa was an Australian concert held on 13 July 1985 at the Sydney Sports and Entertainment Centre. It was broadcast locally and internationally as part of the worldwide Live Aid performances to raise money for famine relief in Africa. The concert featured 17 bands performing some of their...
concert, in conjunction with the
Live AidLive Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
benefit. Two INXS songs, "
What You Need"What You Need" is a song recorded by the Australian band INXS. It is the leadoff track from their 1985 album, Listen Like Thieves. "What You Need" was the first single off the album in Australia and New Zealand, while it was in USA and Europe the second single after "This Time" and was the band's...
" and "Don't Change", were also in the BBC broadcast and are contained on
Live Aid'sLive Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
four DVD boxed set released in 2004.
INXS had started out as a
New WaveNew Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
act, gradually moved in a more straight-ahead rock-oriented direction through the first half of the 1980s.
Listen Like Thieves was released in October 1985, was approved of by critics, reaching #3 on the Australian charts and #11 on the US charts. With the release of
Listen Like Thieves, the band had developed a rock sound influenced by
Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
and
XTCXTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
, but remained true to the band's original roots in
Aussie pubsPub rock is a style of Australian rock and roll popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and still influencing contemporary Australian music today....
. It was also the first album to feature songs written by a combination of band members, with Andrew Farris and Hutchence becoming the primary songwriters in the years to follow. The first US single from the album, "This Time", stalled at #81 in late 1985, but the next single, "What You Need", released there in early 1986, became a top five
Billboard hit, bringing INXS their first break-out US success. The single was also a top 20 hit in Canada, reached #2 in Australia (September 1985) but only #51 on the UK charts.
The British press dismissed the album, with New Musical Express calling the band 'INX-cusable' and a reviewer declaring
Listen Like Thieves to be a 'complete and utter turkey'. In the United States however Rolling Stone Magazine wrote "INXS rocks with passion and seals the deal with a backbeat that'll blackmail your feet."
In August 1985, they toured ahead of the album's release, touring South America before returning to Melbourne to play for
Prince CharlesPrince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
and
Princess DianaDiana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
of Wales at a concert in Australia, it was filmed and later released on home video entitled
Living INXS, an edited version of the concert was played on MTV in the US in 1985 on their Saturday night concert series. In November, December, January, and February INXS toured North America, Europe, and New Zealand. The band then took a two month break, with Andrew Farriss writing and producing "You're Gonna Get Hurt" for Jenny Morris (who had previously been a backing vocalist with the band), and Hutchence featuring in
Richard LowensteinRichard Lowenstein is an Australian film director. He has written, produced and directed the feature films He Died With A Felafel In His Hand, Dogs In Space, Say a Little Prayer, Strikebound and Ghost Story, as well as numerous ground-breaking and award-winning music videos for bands such as INXS...
's second feature film
Dogs in SpaceDogs in Space is a 1986 Australian film set in the "little band scene" in Melbourne in 1978. It was directed by Richard Lowenstein and starred Michael Hutchence as Sam, the drug-addled frontman of the fictitious band from which the film takes its name....
. Lowenstein had previously made the video clip for "Dancing on the Jetty". Whilst a song from the movie, "Rooms for the Memory", written by
Ollie OlsenOllie Olsen 1958, Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian composer, synthesist and sound designer who has been producing and performing rock, electronic and experimental music for the past thirty years...
, with vocals by Hutchence charted, the movie was received well by critics but was not a commercial success.
In May 1986, the band returned to the United States and over the next six months performed 32 European shows, including support for
QueenQueen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
at their
Live at Wembley '86Live at Wembley '86 is a double compact disc live album by English rock band Queen.It was recorded live on Saturday July 12, 1986 during the Magic Tour at Wembley Stadium in London, England and released on May 26, 1992...
concert on 12 July, 42 US shows and 12 Australian shows. America's influential
MusicianMusician was a monthly magazine that covered news and information about American popular music. Initially called "Music America", it was founded in 1976 by Sam Holdsworth and Gordon Baird. The two friends borrowed $20,000 from relatives and started the publication in a barn in Colorado...
magazine calling them "the best live band in the world."
From "Good Times" to Kick
Whilst supposedly taking an eight month break before beginning work on a new album, their manager Murphy decided to stage a series of major outdoor concerts across Australia, featuring INXS,
Jimmy BarnesJames Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
,
ModelsModels were an alternative rock group formed in Melbourne, Australia, in August 1978 and went into hiatus in 1988. They are often incorrectly referred to as The Models. They re-formed in 2000, 2006 and 2008 to perform reunion concerts. "Out of Mind, Out of Sight", their only No. 1 hit,...
, The Divinyls,
Mental as AnythingMental As Anything are an Australian New Wave–rock music band formed at an art school in Sydney in 1976. Their most popular line-up was Martin Plaza on vocals and guitar; Reg Mombassa on lead guitar and vocals; his brother Peter "Yoga Dog" O'Doherty on bass guitar and vocals; Wayne "Bird"...
,
The TriffidsThe Triffids were a seminal Australian alternative rock and pop band formed in Perth, Western Australia, in May 1978 with charismatic, David McComb as singer-songwriter, guitarist, bass guitarist and keyboardist. They achieved negligible success in Australia, but greater success in the U.K...
and
I'm TalkingI'm Talking was a 1980s Australian funk-pop rock band, which featured vocalists Kate Ceberano and Zan Abeyratne. They formed in 1983 in Melbourne and provided top ten hit singles "Trust Me", "Do You Wanna Be?" and "Holy Word" and a top fifteen album, Bear Witness, before disbanding in...
. To promote the tour INXS recorded two songs with
Jimmy BarnesJames Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
of Cold Chisel:
The EasybeatsThe Easybeats were an Australian rock and roll band. They formed in Sydney in late 1964 and broke up at the end of 1969. They are regarded as the greatest Australian pop band of the 1960s, and were the first Australian rock and roll act to score an international pop hit with their 1966 single...
cover "Good Times" and "Laying Down the Law" which Barnes co-wrote with Beers, Andrew Farriss, Jon Farriss, Hutchence and Pengilly. "Good Times" was used as the theme song for the
Australian MadeAustralian Made was a festival concert series held during 1986–1987 in the six state capitals of Australia and featured local rock acts Mental as Anything, I'm Talking, The Triffids, The Saints, Divinyls, Models, Jimmy Barnes and INXS. The series started in Hobart on 26 December 1986 and...
series of concerts in the summer of 1986–1987. It peaked at #2 on the Australian charts, and months later was featured in the
Joel SchumacherJoel T. Schumacher is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.-Early life:Schumacher was born in New York City, the son of Marian and Francis Schumacher. His mother was a Swedish Jew, and his father was a Baptist from Knoxville, Tennessee, who died when Joel was four years old...
film
The Lost BoysThe Lost Boys is a 1987 American teen comedy horror film directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Corey Feldman, Dianne Wiest, Edward Herrmann, Alex Winter, Jamison Newlander, and Barnard Hughes....
and its
soundtrackThe Lost Boys is the soundtrack from the 1987 film The Lost Boys released by Atlantic Records.-Track listing:#"Good Times" by INXS and Jimmy Barnes – 3:49#"Lost in the Shadows " by Lou Gramm – 6:17...
, allowing it to peak at #47 in the US on 1 August 1987.
After the success of "What You Need" and
Listen Like Thieves, the band knew their new material would have to be even better, according to Pengilly, They recorded
Kick in Sydney and Paris, it was produced by Thomas again, but Atlantic Records was not happy with the result, as manager Chris Murphy remembers:
Despite Atlantic's protests,
Kick was released in October 1987 and provided the band with worldwide popularity, it peaked at #1 in Australia, #3 on the US
Billboard 200, #9 in UK, and #15 in Austria. It was an upbeat, confident album that yielded four Top 10 US singles, "
New Sensation"New Sensation" is a song by the Australian rock group INXS. It was the third single from their 1987 album Kick. The music was written by Andrew Farriss and the lyrics by Michael Hutchence...
", "
Never Tear Us Apart"Never Tear Us Apart" is a single released by Australian rock group INXS in August 1988. It was also included on the band's sixth studio album, Kick. The music was written by Andrew Farriss, who recorded a blues-style demo and gave it to Michael Hutchence...
", "
Devil Inside"Devil Inside" is a song by Australian band INXS. The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence and is one of INXS's best known songs.It was released as a single in February 1988...
" and #1 "
Need You Tonight"Need You Tonight" is the fourth song on INXS's 1987 album Kick as well as the first single from the album released worldwide. It is the only INXS single to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100...
". "Need You Tonight" peaked #2 on the UK charts, #3 in Australia, and #10 in France. They toured heavily behind the album throughout 1987 and 1988. The video for the 1987 INXS track "Mediate" (which played after the video for "Need You Tonight") replicated the format of Bob Dylan's video for "
Subterranean Homesick Blues"Subterranean Homesick Blues" is a song by Bob Dylan, originally released in 1965 as a single on Columbia Records, catalogue 43242. It appeared 19 days later as the lead track to the album Bringing It All Back Home. It was Dylan's first Top 40 hit, peaking at #39 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also...
", even in its use of apparently deliberate errors. In September 1988 the band swept the MTV Video Music Awards with the video for "Need You Tonight/Mediate" winning in 5 categories.
During 1989, Hutchence collaborated with
Ian 'Ollie' OlsenOllie Olsen 1958, Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian composer, synthesist and sound designer who has been producing and performing rock, electronic and experimental music for the past thirty years...
on a side project, Max Q, the two had previously worked together on Lowenstein's film
Dogs in Space. The rest of the band also took a break to work on side projects, but soon returned to the studio to record their follow-up album to
Kick.
1990 to 1997: from X to Elegantly Wasted
In October 1990, INXS released
XX is Australian rock band INXS's seventh studio album, released in 1990. It peaked at No. 1 in Australia, No. 5 in the United States, No. 2 in the United Kingdom, No. 5 in Switzerland and No. 10 in Sweden. The album contains four hit singles, "Suicide Blonde", "Disappear",...
which was produced by Thomas again and it peaked at #3 in Australia, #5 in the US, #2 in the UK, #5 in Switzerland and #10 in Sweden. It followed in the same vein as
Kick, and added
harmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
to some songs.
X scored hits with "
Suicide Blonde"Suicide Blonde" is the title of the first single from the INXS album X. It reached the top 10 on the US Hot 100 and Australia in 1990 and reached a peak of #11 in the UK.-Writing and recording:...
" and "
Disappear"Disappear" is a single by INXS, the second single taken from their album X. It peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's seventh and last top 10 single...
" (both Top 10 in the US), "Suicide Blonde" peaked at #2 in Australia, #11 in the UK and in Switzerland. Other singles from
X were "Bitter Tears" and "
By My Side"By My Side" is a single by Australian band INXS, the third UK single and fourth Australian single taken from their album X. The song is a piano, strings and acoustic guitar based ballad with a big chorus....
" but they had less chart success.
Hutchence's romance with Australian pop singer
Kylie MinogueKylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
brought the group a new audience of fans. INXS performed at Wembley Stadium on 13 July 1991, during their "Summer XS" tour stop in London to a sold out audience of 74,000 fans. This performance was recorded and filmed to become their live album
Live Baby LiveLive Baby Live is Australian rock band INXS's first live album. It was released in 1991 and features tracks recorded in Paris, New York, Chicago, London, Dublin, Glasgow, Rio de Janeiro, Montreal, Spain, Switzerland, Melbourne, Sydney, Philadelphia, and Las Vegas. The album has sold over one...
(a video version was also released under the same title), which was released in November 1991 and peaked in the Top 30 in both Australia and UK album charts, but had less success on The
Billboard 200.
On 28 March 1992 INXS performed at the controversial 'Concert for Life' at
Centennial ParkCentennial Park could be:In Argentina:*Parque Centenario, a public park in Buenos AiresIn Australia:*Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia, a large cemetery, approximately 40 hectares in size...
in Sydney (a fund raiser for the
Victor ChangVictor Peter Chang, AC , was a Chinese Australian cardiac surgeon and a pioneer of modern heart transplantation. Born in Shanghai to Australian-born Chinese parents, he grew up in Hong Kong before moving to Australia...
Cardiac Research Centre), together with
Crowded HouseCrowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is the primary songwriter and creative director of the band, having led it through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand , Australia and the United States...
,
Yothu YindiYothu Yindi are an Australian band with Aboriginal and balanda members formed in 1986. Aboriginal members come from Yolngu homelands near Yirrkala on the Gove Peninsula in Northern Territory's Arnhem Land...
, Jenny Morris,
DieselJohnny Diesel is an Australian musician, who has released material as leader of Johnny Diesel & the Injectors, under his birth name, or by the epithet Diesel...
,
RatcatRatcat were an Australian indie rock band of the late 1980s and early 1990s fronted by vocalist Simon Day. Their combination of indie pop songwriting and energetic punk-style guitar won them fans from both the indie and skate-punk communities.-Waterfront:...
and
Def FXDef FX was an Australian industrial-dance-rock group, formed in Sydney. The core of the group was keyboardist and vocalist Sean Lowry and vocalist Fiona Horne ....
. Due to inclement weather the expected attendance of 100,000 never came through and the event only raising $500,000.
Welcome to Wherever You AreWelcome to Wherever You Are is the eighth album by the Australian rock music group INXS, released in 1992. With grunge music and alternative music breaking into the mainstream, INXS tried to establish a new direction for itself, à la U2 and Achtung Baby, incorporating sitars, a 60-piece orchestra,...
, produced by Mark Opitz and released in August 1992, was an experimental album using sitars and a 60-piece orchestra while adding a much more "raw" sound to their music. It received good critical reviews and went #1 in the UK and in Sweden; #2 in Australia and Switzerland, and #3 in Norway, but had less chart success in the US peaking at #16. Singles from the album included, "
Taste It"Taste It" is the fourth single from the 1992 album Welcome to Wherever You Are, by Australian rock band INXS. The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence....
" and "Baby Don't Cry" which were Top 20 successes in UK but had less success in US or Australian markets.
Full Moon, Dirty HeartsFollowing the positive response to the sold-out UK Get Out Of The House Tour in 1993, Full Moon Dirty Hearts received mixed reviews on its release. At the time, the band had been hyping up their new-found raw and "grungy" sound. The album's release marked a steep downturn in terms of sales, with...
, produced by Opitz again, was released in November 1993 and peaked at #3 on the UK charts, #4 in Australia, #8 in Sweden, #9 in Switzerland, #14 in Norway, but did not reach the Top 50 in the US. The title track featured
The PretendersThe Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
'
Chrissie HyndeChristine Ellen "Chrissie" Hynde is an US musician best known as the leader of the rock/new wave band the Pretenders. She is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.-Early life and career:Hynde is the daughter of a part-time...
and another track, "Please (You Got That)", featured
Ray CharlesRay Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
. The band made a full video album for the record using unknown Australian students to direct with help by
Richard LowensteinRichard Lowenstein is an Australian film director. He has written, produced and directed the feature films He Died With A Felafel In His Hand, Dogs In Space, Say a Little Prayer, Strikebound and Ghost Story, as well as numerous ground-breaking and award-winning music videos for bands such as INXS...
.
Full Moon, Dirty Hearts received mixed reviews and was the last record under INXS' contract with Atlantic in the States. The band took time off to rest and be with their families, while Hutchence remained in the public eye through modelling and film acting.
In 1997, the group released a comeback album titled
Elegantly Wasted-Variations:*"Shine" does not appear on the US/Canadian edition and is not to be confused with "Shine Like It Does".*The Japanese regular edition and Australian limited edition release of the album features the bonus track "Let It Ride".-Singles:...
, which garnered mixed reviews. It fared respectably in Australia (#14), Canada (#14), France (#30), UK (#16) (where INXS had more success in the 1990s than in the 1980s), Belgium (#7), Switzerland (#13), but only #41 in US.
On 22 November 1997, Hutchence was found dead in his Sydney
Ritz-CarltonThe Ritz-Carlton is a brand of luxury hotels and resorts with 75 properties located in major cities and resorts in 24 countries worldwide...
hotel room. On 6 February 1998, after an
autopsyAn autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
and coronial inquest, New South Wales
State CoronerThe name of "Coroners Court" is the generic name given to proceedings in which a Coroner holds an inquest or an inquiry in New South Wales. Coroners have jurisdiction over the remains of a person and the power to make findings in respect of the cause of death of a person...
, Derrick Hand, presented his report which ruled that Hutchence's death was a suicide while depressed and under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Despite the official coroner's report, fans and relatives want to believe that his death was accidental.
1997 to 2003: transitional years
After Hutchence's death, INXS did not perform publicly for almost a year and then only made a few one-off performances with different guest singers until 2000. On 28 November 1998, they played at the
Mushroom 25 ConcertMushroom 25 Live is a live album, video and DVD by various Australian musicians and was recorded at the Mushroom 25 Concert held on Saturday 14 November 1998, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground...
with
Jimmy BarnesJames Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
fronting for two songs: "The Loved One" and "Good Times". On 12 June 1999, they headlined the opening of Stadium Australia in Sydney, with US singer-songwriter Terence Trent D'Arby as guest vocalist, they performed "New Sensation", "Kick", "Never Tear Us Apart" and "What You Need".
Former lead singer of Australian band
NoiseworksNoiseworks is an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1986 with bass guitarist Steve Balbi, guitarist Stuart Fraser, drummer Kevin Nicol, keyboardist Justin Stanley and lead vocalist Jon Stevens...
,
Jon StevensJon Stevens is a New Zealand-born singer of Maori descent, now an Australian citizen. Stevens is the brother of New Zealand Idol judge Frankie Stevens....
began singing with INXS in May 2000. They played as one of the headline acts at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and then toured through South America and Europe. Stevens was officially named a member of INXS in 2002 and they started recording new material in November. Stevens left in October 2003 to pursue a solo career, only recording a contractual obligation song called "
I Get Up"I Get Up" was a single that was released in 2003 by Australian band INXS. The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Jon Stevens. It was the first new material by INXS since their former frontman Michael Hutchence died by suicide on 22 November 1997. The lead singer on "I Get Up" is former...
." This was not officially released as a charting single due to it being part of the game
EA Sports Rugby 2004. All sales of this single were not tallied in comparison to the ARIA charts of the time. The song was used in the Rugby Union World Cup 2003 and the
EA Sports Rugby 2004 video game.
2004 to 2005: Rock Star: INXS
INXS returned to the news in 2004, when it was announced that a new reality television program titled
Rock Star: INXSRock 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....
would feature a contest to find a new lead vocalist for the band. The show, which had its debut on the
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
network 11 July 2005, (on Global in Canada,
VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
in the UK and
FOX8Fox8 is an Australian cable and satellite channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television's subscription platforms...
in Australia), featured 15 contestants vying for the position of lead singer. The show was executive produced by Survivors
Mark BurnettMark Burnett is a British television producer and executive producer, based in the United States. He currently is the executive producer of five network television series with seven hours of network programming. Works with which Burnett is associated have won multiple awards and recognition...
and hosted by
Brooke BurkeBrooke Burke Charvet , better known by her maiden name, Brooke Burke, is an actress, dancer, model and television personality...
and former
Jane's AddictionJane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...
and
Red Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
guitarist
Dave NavarroDavid Michael "Dave" Navarro is an American guitarist who plays in the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction and cover band Camp Freddy. He has also played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Panic Channel, and many others.- Early life :...
.
On 20 September 2005, J. D. Fortune (born Jason Dean Bennison, but uses his mother's maiden name) of
Salt Springs, Nova ScotiaSalt Springs is a small Canadian rural community located in the central-western part of Pictou County, Nova Scotia.-Geography:The community shares a valley with the upper reaches of the West River , with the surrounding mountains being the eastern extension of the Cobequid Hills...
, Canada won the eleven-week competition, which culminated in his singing
the Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
's "
You Can't Always Get What You Want"You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song by The Rolling Stones released on their 1969 album Let It Bleed. Written primarily by Mick Jagger with assistance from Keith Richards, it was named as the 100th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone in its 2004 list of "500 Greatest Songs of All...
" and INXS' "What You Need" in the finale of the show to become the new lead singer of INXS. With Fortune they recorded their 2005 album,
SwitchSwitch is the eleventh studio album by the Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 29 November 2005. It is notable for being the first album with new lead singer J.D. Fortune since the 1997 death of Michael Hutchence.-Background:...
produced by Guy ChambersGuy Chambers is an English songwriter and record producer, perhaps best known for his long partnership with Robbie Williams.- Biography :...
and went on a world tour in 2006. Runner-up Marty CaseyMartin Xavier "Marty" Casey is an American rock musician who is the lead singer, primary songwriter and second guitarist of the band Lovehammers....
was the opening act during the first leg of the tour, along with his band, The LovehammersLovehammers is a Chicago-based, Alternative rock band. Their sound is best described as a combination of Pop-punk, and Grunge influences.Since 1997, Lovehammers have independently released five full-length albums and EPs and one major label LP. For their self-titled major label debut , they were...
.
During the Rock Star: INXS competition, the contestants were challenged to write the lyrics and melody to music written by
Andrew FarrissAndrew Charles Farriss is a rock musician , best known as the keyboardist and main composer for the Australian band INXS.-Career:...
. Originally this challenge was divided up into two teams. When Fortune did not see eye-to-eye with his team (that included Casey), he decided to venture out on his own and write his own lyrics. At first Fortune's move seemed to have doomed his chances to win the competition (because it was perceived he couldn't work in a team), but it was this move that resulted in his creation of the lyrics to "
Pretty Vegas"Pretty Vegas" is the first single released from Switch, the eleventh studio album by the Australian rock band INXS and first with new lead singer J.D. Fortune, winner of the Rock Star: INXS competition. The single was released on 29 November 2005....
". This song became a favourite of both fans and INXS and played a major role in Fortune being able to win the competition. "Pretty Vegas" was released 4 October 2005 and reached #5 on the
iTunes StoreThe iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
ranking of daily most downloaded songs on its first day. It peaked at #9 in Australia, #37 on the Billboard
Hot 100, and became a huge radio airplay hit (going platinum and reaching number one) in Fortune's native Canada.
2005 to 2010: Reworked line up (J. D. Fortune era)
On 29 November 2005, the band's first album with Fortune as lead singer, entitled Switch
, was released in the United States via Epic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
. The new line-up started touring in support of Switch
in January 2006. Fortune revealed he was working on material for the next INXS album after Switch, but it would turn out that Fortune's songs would later appear on his solo album.
In September 2006, INXS and Epic Records parted ways. The band then performed at the 2006 NRL Grand Final.
INXS toured Australia and New Zealand in March 2007, with
Simple MindsSimple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
and support band
Arrested DevelopmentArrested Development is an American alternative hip hop group, founded by Speech and Headliner as a positive, Afrocentric alternative to the gangsta rap popular in the early 1990s.-History:...
. After the cancellation of a 31 August 2007 show in
Cleveland, OhioCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, INXS placed a statement on their website stating "Due to ongoing medical issues with Garry Beers' hand, the band's doctor has urged the band to not play more than three shows in a row or risk permanent damage to Garry's hand."
The band signed with Petrol Electric Records in December 2008, reuniting them with former manager Chris Murphy. The band were preparing to enter the studio in March 2009 to record a new project without a singer.
On 16 February 2009, J. D. Fortune revealed in an interview with
Entertainment Tonight CanadaEntertainment Tonight Canada is a daily entertainment newsmagazine show that airs primetime on Global Television in Canada. Encore presentations can also be found on the Slice and TVtropolis channels, both of which are part of the Shaw Media network...
that INXS let him go from the band with a shake of the hand at an airport in Hong Kong. Fortune admits to becoming addicted to cocaine during his stint with the band.
On 23 February 2009, Chris Murphy, INXS creative director and global business strategist and former manager, in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, said J.D. was not sacked and, in fact, "the band made it known to him that they had not ruled out seeing a return by Fortune." He also states JD was next on his list to call regarding a major recording contract he was negotiating for the band. In an interview with Confidential on 1 March 2009, Murphy stated "The whole thing has been bizarre – he was basically a contractor and his contract had ended." Speaking with Billboard, Murphy stated that he would rather part ways with the band than work with Fortune. "If the band said to me tomorrow, 'We'd still like you to make that call and talk to him about working on a project,' I'd have to say 'Sorry, I have to go.' However, it has been announced that JD Fortune will be touring with INXS as frontman in February 2011.
In an interview with Sun Media published on 6 March 2009, J. D. Fortune clarified his claim that he had been fired at an airport. After returning to Canada from Hong Kong, Fortune believed there were still two more legs of the INXS 2007 tour to complete. When the rest of the tour was cancelled and the band did not return his calls for 10 months, he believed he was out of the band.
On 30 November 2009, Andrew Farriss, Jon Farriss, and Kirk Pengilly performed an acoustic version of "Don't Change" with the Qantas Choir at the Pride of Australia Awards.
On 8 December 2009, INXS announced they will be embarking on a large scale world tour, commencing with a performance in Vancouver for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
The band announced on 11 February 2010 that J. D. Fortune would be vocalist for the performance at the 2010 Winter Olympics, but it will be a one-off performance with Fortune, and a vocalist for the subsequent world tour has yet to be announced.
The band performed at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics on 24 February 2010 with guest singers J. D. Fortune and Argentine singer Deborah de Corral.
On 22 April 2010, INXS announced that Fortune would again front the band for a performance on 10 July 2010 at Townsville, QLD, Australia, and then again on 16 July 2010 in Broome, WA, Australia
During a radio interview with Kirk Pengilly and JD Fortune in July 2010 just before the Broome concert, Pengilly confirmed that Fortune has returned as the band's permanent singer.
In August 2010, Petrol Records issued Australian radio stations with a 1 track promo "Never Tear Us Apart" featuring Ben Harper on vocals, a preview from the upcoming INXS Michael Hutchence tribute album Original Sin
.
On 25 September 2010, the band performed prior to the 2010 AFL Grand FinalThe 2010 AFL Grand Final is either of two Australian rules football contests between the Collingwood Football Club and the St Kilda Football Club. Together they are considered the 114th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, and were staged to determine the...
.
On 19 October 2010, it was announced in the Courier Mail that "INXS, fronted by JD Fortune, will tour as part of the A Day on the Green winery concerts in February."
The band recorded an album in memory of Michael Hutchence titled Original Sin, released in November 2010. The album featured well-known singers from Australia and around the world.
Brandon FlowersBrandon Richard Flowers is an American musician, best known as the frontman of the Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers. He has also released a solo album titled Flamingo.-Early life:...
of the band The Killers revealed that he recorded the song "
Beautiful Girl"Beautiful Girl" was the fifth, internationally released single from the 1992 album Welcome to Wherever You Are, by Australian rock band INXS. The song was written by Andrew Farriss who was inspired to write this by the birth of his baby daughter...
" with the band, although the track ultimately did not appear on the album due to conflicts with the release of Flowers' solo album.
Rob ThomasRobert Kelly "Rob" Thomas is an American rock recording artist and songwriter. He is the primary songwriter and lead singer of the band Matchbox Twenty. Thomas also records and performs as a solo artist...
from the band
Matchbox TwentyMatchbox Twenty is an American rock band, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1995...
recorded the song "Never Tear Us Apart" and "
Original Sin"Original Sin" is a hit single by Australian rock group INXS released in 1984 on their fourth album The Swing. It was written by Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farriss, and produced by Nile Rodgers....
" with the band, although only "Original Sin" with DJ Yaleidys appeared on the final album. Australian singer-songwriter
Vanessa AmorosiVanessa Amorosi is an Australian singer-songwriter and recording artist. Her combined album and single sales have reached over 2 million worldwide.-Early life:...
has also been reported to have recorded a version of "
Devil Inside"Devil Inside" is a song by Australian band INXS. The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence and is one of INXS's best known songs.It was released as a single in February 1988...
", although that recording did not appear on the final album.
Ben HarperBenjamin Chase "Ben" Harper is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live performances and activism. Harper's fan base spans several continents...
recorded a version of "
Devil Inside"Devil Inside" is a song by Australian band INXS. The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence and is one of INXS's best known songs.It was released as a single in February 1988...
" along with
Nikka CostaDomenica "Nikka" Costa is an American singer whose music combines elements of funk, soul, and blues. She also had a career as a child singer starting in the early 1980s. She is the daughter of notable music producer Don Costa and is married to Australian producer/songwriter Justin Stanley.- Early...
, and Harper also performed "Never Tear Us Apart".
Gabriella CilmiGabriella Lucia Cilmi is an Australian singer-songwriter. In 2008, Cilmi was awarded six ARIA awards including Single of the Year and Best Female Artist....
,
TrickyTricky is an English musician and actor. As a producer and a musician, he is noted for a dark, rich and layered sound and a whispering sprechgesang lyrical style. Culturally, Tricky encourages an intertwining of societies, particularly in his musical fusion of rock and hip hop, high art and pop...
, and
Eskimo JoeEskimo Joe is an Australian alternative rock band formed by Stuart MacLeod on guitars, Joel Quartermain on drums and guitar and Kavyen Temperley on bass guitar and vocals, in East Fremantle, Western Australia in 1997....
's Kavyen Temperley have recorded tracks for the project. Deborah de Corral performed New Sensation on the album.
Patrick MonahanPatrick Monahan is the lead singer and songwriter for the Grammy award winning band Train. He also has recorded a solo album, and has collaborated with multiple artists.-Life and career:...
of
TrainTrain is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....
recorded "
Beautiful Girl"Beautiful Girl" was the fifth, internationally released single from the 1992 album Welcome to Wherever You Are, by Australian rock band INXS. The song was written by Andrew Farriss who was inspired to write this by the birth of his baby daughter...
". On again-off again lead singer J.D. Fortune performs lead vocals for the 1991 track
The Stairs"The Stairs" is the fifth single by INXS taken from their album X. It was only ever released in The Netherlands to coincide with the release of the Live Baby Live album and as such is an extremely rare and valuable collectors item...
.The album is being produced by
James AshJames Ash , is an English-born Australian musician, songwriter and record producer. He is the co-founder and keyboardist of Australian electro-rock group, the Rogue Traders...
of
Rogue TradersRogue Traders are an Australian electronic pop rock band fronted by Melinda "Mindi" Jackson with James Ash on keyboards, Tim Henwood on guitars and Peter Marin on drums. The group's original members met in London in 1989. Before forming Rogue Traders, Ash and Davis worked together on many...
.
2011 to present
In March 2011 INXS confirmed they will be returning to the UK for a major outdoor event on Clapham Common, London on Saturday 11 June called Southern Sounds.
Currently, the band are recording a demo of a future song, called "Tiny Summer". This was released in streaming format on their official website in September 2011, along with news that J.D Fortune had left the band again and that Northern Irish singer-songwriter
Ciaran GribbinCiaran Gribbin is a Northern Irish rock singer and songwriter and the current lead singer of rock band INXS.In September 2011 INXS announced that Gribbin had replaced J.D...
would be the band's new frontman for their forthcoming tour of Australia, South America and Europe in November & December 2011.
Influence and recognition
Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, INXS was a major force in
Australian popular musicThe music of Australia is the music produced in the area of, on the subject of, or by the people of modern Australia, including its preceding Indigenous and colonial societies. Indigenous Australian music is a part of the unique heritage of a 40–60,000 year history which produced the iconic...
, leading the way into worldwide popularity for several Australian bands. The band worked closely with several other Australian artists, such as
ModelsModels were an alternative rock group formed in Melbourne, Australia, in August 1978 and went into hiatus in 1988. They are often incorrectly referred to as The Models. They re-formed in 2000, 2006 and 2008 to perform reunion concerts. "Out of Mind, Out of Sight", their only No. 1 hit,...
and ex-patriate New Zealander Jenny Morris, helping to establish their careers. By the mid-nineties, however, their popularity had waned, especially in the US, where their Greatest Hits compilation failed to reach the Top 100. At the 1996
BRIT AwardsThe Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
, Michael Hutchence presented
OasisOasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
with an award, after which their lead guitarist
Noel GallagherNoel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, formerly the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and principal songwriter of the English rock band Oasis. He is currently fronting his solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.Raised in Burnage, Manchester with his...
remarked "Has-beens shouldn't be presenting awards to gonna-bes"
INXS was inducted into the
Australian Recording Industry AssociationThe Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA)
Hall of FameSince 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association has inducted artists into its ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone "ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame" event as only one or two acts could be inducted...
on 30 October 2001. INXS has won six other ARIA Awards including three for 'Best Group' in 1987, 1989 and 1992. The band has also received three Grammy nominations over their 30-year career. In 2007, The Farriss Brothers were inducted into the
West Australian Music Industry AwardsThe Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...
Hall of Fame. According to the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
, INXS have sold 15 million units in the United States alone, making them the third-highest selling Australian music act in the United States, behind AC/DC and The Bee Gees.
Discography
For a complete discography, see
INXS discographyThe discography of INXS, an Australian rock band, consists of 12 studio albums, 58 singles, 7 compilation albums, 2 live albums and 2 extended plays.-Studio albums:-Live albums:-Compilations:-Soundtracks:...
.
INXSINXS is Australian rock group INXS's first album. It was released in Australia in 1980 and was not available internationally until 1984. INXS recorded the album in between doing, on average, two gigs at the local pubs around Sydney.-Track listing:...
(1980)
Underneath the ColoursUnderneath the Colours is Australian rock group INXS' second album. It was released in Australia in 1981. It was with this album that Michael Hutchence's songwriting started to mature and the band started to find a unique sound. Included were political songs and their very first ballad...
(1981)
Shabooh ShoobahShabooh Shoobah is Australian rock group INXS's third album. It was the band's first album to be released worldwide.The song "Don't Change" has been covered by The Audreys, The Bravery, Everclear, Face to Face, Goo Goo Dolls, Grinspoon, Zero , and as a bonus track on American rock group A Fire...
(1982)
The SwingThe Swing is Australian rock band INXS's fourth studio album, released in 1984. The lead single "Original Sin" was recorded in New York City with Nile Rodgers and featured Daryl Hall on backing vocals...
(1984)
Listen Like Thieves (1985)
Kick
(1987)
XX is Australian rock band INXS's seventh studio album, released in 1990. It peaked at No. 1 in Australia, No. 5 in the United States, No. 2 in the United Kingdom, No. 5 in Switzerland and No. 10 in Sweden. The album contains four hit singles, "Suicide Blonde", "Disappear",...
(1990)
Welcome to Wherever You AreWelcome to Wherever You Are is the eighth album by the Australian rock music group INXS, released in 1992. With grunge music and alternative music breaking into the mainstream, INXS tried to establish a new direction for itself, à la U2 and Achtung Baby, incorporating sitars, a 60-piece orchestra,...
(1992)
Full Moon, Dirty HeartsFollowing the positive response to the sold-out UK Get Out Of The House Tour in 1993, Full Moon Dirty Hearts received mixed reviews on its release. At the time, the band had been hyping up their new-found raw and "grungy" sound. The album's release marked a steep downturn in terms of sales, with...
(1993)
Elegantly Wasted-Variations:*"Shine" does not appear on the US/Canadian edition and is not to be confused with "Shine Like It Does".*The Japanese regular edition and Australian limited edition release of the album features the bonus track "Let It Ride".-Singles:...
(1997)
SwitchSwitch is the eleventh studio album by the Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 29 November 2005. It is notable for being the first album with new lead singer J.D. Fortune since the 1997 death of Michael Hutchence.-Background:...
(2005)
Original Sin (2010)
Members
Current
- Garry Gary Beers – bass guitar, double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
(1977–present)
- Andrew Farriss
Andrew Charles Farriss is a rock musician , best known as the keyboardist and main composer for the Australian band INXS.-Career:...
– keyboards, guitar (1977–present)
- Jon Farriss
Jon Farriss is the drummer for the Australian rock band INXS.-Biography:...
– drums, keyboards (1977–present)
- Tim Farriss
Timothy William Farriss is a member of the rock band :INXS.-Early life and the formation of INXS:...
– lead guitar (1977–present)
- Kirk Pengilly
Kirk Pengilly is an Australian musician, best known as a member of the rock group :INXS.-Early career:...
– guitar, saxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, backing vocals (1977–present)
- Ciaran Gribbin
Ciaran Gribbin is a Northern Irish rock singer and songwriter and the current lead singer of rock band INXS.In September 2011 INXS announced that Gribbin had replaced J.D...
– lead vocals (2011-present)
Former
- Michael Hutchence
Michael Kelland John Hutchence was an Australian musician and actor. He was the founding lead singer-songwriter of rock band :INXS from 1977 to his death in 1997, a period of twenty years. Hutchence was a member of short-lived pop rock group Max Q and recorded solo material which was released...
– lead vocals (1977–1997)
- Jon Stevens
Jon Stevens is a New Zealand-born singer of Maori descent, now an Australian citizen. Stevens is the brother of New Zealand Idol judge Frankie Stevens....
– lead vocals (2000–2003)
- J. D. Fortune – lead vocals (2005-2011)
Touring
- Jimmy Barnes
James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
– guest vocals (1998)
- Terence Trent D'Arby
Sananda Francesco Maitreya , better known by his former stage name Terence Trent D'Arby, is an American singer-songwriter who came to fame with his album Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby, released in July 1987, which included the singles "Wishing Well" and "Sign Your Name"...
– guest vocals (1999)
Awards and nominations
INXS has won and been nominated for numerous music awards. These include ARIA Awards,
GrammysA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
,
MTV AwardsAn MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
.
ARIA Awards
INXS has won seven Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards. The band was inducted into the
ARIA Hall of FameSince 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association has inducted artists into its ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone "ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame" event as only one or two acts could be inducted...
in 2001 alongside
The SaintsThe Saints are an Australian rock band, which formed in Brisbane in 1974 as punk rockers. Founders were Chris Bailey , Ivor Hay , and Ed Kuepper . Alongside mainstay Bailey, the group has had numerous line-ups...
. This induction recognised their achievement of a "significant body of recorded work" and that they "had a cultural impact within Australia". INXS has won six other ARIA Awards including three for 'Best Group' in 1987, 1989 and 1992.
|-
|| 1987 ||| INXS || Best Group ||
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1989 |||INXS || Outstanding Achievement ||
|-
| | "
Never Tear Us Apart"Never Tear Us Apart" is a single released by Australian rock group INXS in August 1988. It was also included on the band's sixth studio album, Kick. The music was written by Andrew Farriss, who recorded a blues-style demo and gave it to Michael Hutchence...
" || Best Video ||
|-
| | INXS || Best Group ||
|-
| 1992 |||
Live Baby LiveLive Baby Live is Australian rock band INXS's first live album. It was released in 1991 and features tracks recorded in Paris, New York, Chicago, London, Dublin, Glasgow, Rio de Janeiro, Montreal, Spain, Switzerland, Melbourne, Sydney, Philadelphia, and Las Vegas. The album has sold over one...
|| Best Group ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1993 ||| "Baby Don't Cry", "Heaven Sent"Heaven Sent" is the first single by INXS taken from their eighth studio album Welcome to Wherever You Are. It was released only in Europe, Japan and Australia. The song was written by Andrew Farriss who explained on the liner notes of the 1992 remaster: ”Originally I wrote the song as a 3/4...
", "Taste It"Taste It" is the fourth single from the 1992 album Welcome to Wherever You Are, by Australian rock band INXS. The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence....
" || Engineer of the Year ||
|-
| Welcome to Wherever You AreWelcome to Wherever You Are is the eighth album by the Australian rock music group INXS, released in 1992. With grunge music and alternative music breaking into the mainstream, INXS tried to establish a new direction for itself, à la U2 and Achtung Baby, incorporating sitars, a 60-piece orchestra,...
|| Best Group ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1994 ||| "The Gift"The Gift" is the first single from the 1993 album Full Moon, Dirty Hearts, by Australian rock band INXS. The song was written by Jon Farriss and Michael Hutchence....
" || Best Video ||
|-
| | Full Moon, Dirty HeartsFollowing the positive response to the sold-out UK Get Out Of The House Tour in 1993, Full Moon Dirty Hearts received mixed reviews on its release. At the time, the band had been hyping up their new-found raw and "grungy" sound. The album's release marked a steep downturn in terms of sales, with...
|| Best Group ||
|-
| 2001 || INXS || Hall of FameSince 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association has inducted artists into its ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone "ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame" event as only one or two acts could be inducted...
||
|-
| 2004 || I'm Only Looking
|| Best Music DVD ||
Countdown
Awards
Countdown
was an Australian pop music TV series on national broadcaster ABC-TVABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
from 1974–1987, it presented music awards from 1979–1987, initially in conjunction with magazine TV WeekTV Week is a weekly television magazine in Australia, first published as a Melbourne-only publication in December 1957 , and bearing a strong affiliation to television station GTV.The publication is still publishing weekly...
but then independently. The Countdown
Music and Video Awards were succeeded by the ARIA Awards. INXS won seven awards at the 1984 awards ceremony, which was broadcast on 25 May 1985. On 20 April 1986 they won three further Countdown
awards for 1985.
|-
| 1980 ||| INXS || Johnny O'KeefeJohn Michael O'Keefe, known as Johnny O'Keefe was an Australian rock and roll singer whose career began in the 1950s. Some of his hits include "Wild One" , "Shout!" and "She's My Baby"...
New Talent ||
|-
|rowspan="7" | 1984 ||| "Burn for You" || Best Group Performance in a Video ||
|-
| | The SwingThe Swing is Australian rock band INXS's fourth studio album, released in 1984. The lead single "Original Sin" was recorded in New York City with Nile Rodgers and featured Daryl Hall on backing vocals...
|| Best Album ||
|-
| | INXS || Most Popular Australian Group ||
|-
| |
Andrew FarrissAndrew Charles Farriss is a rock musician , best known as the keyboardist and main composer for the Australian band INXS.-Career:...
,
Michael HutchenceMichael Kelland John Hutchence was an Australian musician and actor. He was the founding lead singer-songwriter of rock band :INXS from 1977 to his death in 1997, a period of twenty years. Hutchence was a member of short-lived pop rock group Max Q and recorded solo material which was released...
|| Best Songwriter ||
|-
| | "Burn for You" || Best Promotional Video ||
|-
| INXS || Most Outstanding Achievement ||
|-
| | Michael Hutchence || Most Popular Male ||
|-
|rowspan="3" | 1985 ||"
What You Need"What You Need" is a song recorded by the Australian band INXS. It is the leadoff track from their 1985 album, Listen Like Thieves. "What You Need" was the first single off the album in Australia and New Zealand, while it was in USA and Europe the second single after "This Time" and was the band's...
" || Best Video ||
|-
| INXS || Most Popular Australian Group ||
|-
| INXS || Most Outstanding Achievement ||
Grammy Awards
INXS received two nominations for 'Rock Vocal Group' at the
GrammysA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
.
|-
| 1988 || Kick || Rock Vocal Group ||
|-
| 1990 || "
Suicide Blonde"Suicide Blonde" is the title of the first single from the INXS album X. It reached the top 10 on the US Hot 100 and Australia in 1990 and reached a peak of #11 in the UK.-Writing and recording:...
" || Rock Vocal Group ||
MTV Video Music Awards
INXS won five
MTV Video Music AwardsAn MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
for their 1988 song "
Need You Tonight"Need You Tonight" is the fourth song on INXS's 1987 album Kick as well as the first single from the album released worldwide. It is the only INXS single to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100...
".
|-
|| 1986 ||| "
What You Need"What You Need" is a song recorded by the Australian band INXS. It is the leadoff track from their 1985 album, Listen Like Thieves. "What You Need" was the first single off the album in Australia and New Zealand, while it was in USA and Europe the second single after "This Time" and was the band's...
" || Best Group Video ||
|-
|rowspan="9"| 1988 |||"Need You Tonight" || Viewer's Choice ||
|-
| | "Need You Tonight" || Video of the Year ||
|-
| | "Need You Tonight" || Best Special Effects ||
|-
| | "Need You Tonight" || Best Group Video ||
|-
| | "Need You Tonight" || Best Concept Video ||
|-
| | "Need You Tonight" || Best Art Direction ||
|-
| | "Need You Tonight" || Best Editing ||
|-
| | "Need You Tonight" || Best Breakthrough Video ||
|-
| | "
Devil Inside"Devil Inside" is a song by Australian band INXS. The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence and is one of INXS's best known songs.It was released as a single in February 1988...
" || Best Editing ||
|-
| 1989 || "
New Sensation"New Sensation" is a song by the Australian rock group INXS. It was the third single from their 1987 album Kick. The music was written by Andrew Farriss and the lyrics by Michael Hutchence...
" || Best Art Direction ||
Brit Awards
|-
| 1989 || INXS || Best International Group||
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1991 ||| INXS || Best International Group||
|-
| | Michael Hutchence || Best International Male||
|-
| 1992 || INXS || Best International Group||
External links
- INXS at the Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- INXS discography at Billboard
- INXS discography at MusicBrainz
MusicBrainz is a project that aims to create an open content music database. Similar to the freedb project, it was founded in response to the restrictions placed on the CDDB...
- INXS – the Band at h2g2
h2g2 is a British-based collaborative online encyclopedia project engaged in the construction of, in its own words, "an unconventional guide to life, the universe, and everything", in the spirit of the fictional publication The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy from the science fiction comedy series...