INXS
Biography
INXS hailed from the pubs of Australia, which is part of the reason they never comfortably fit in with new wave. Even when the band branched out into synth pop on its early recordings, they were underpinned by a hard, Stonesy beat and lead singer Michael Hutchence's Jagger-esque strut. Ultimately, these were the very things that made INXS into international superstars in the late '80s. By that time, the group had harnessed their hard rock, dance, and new wave influences into a sleek, stylish groove that made their 1987 album Kick into a multi-million-selling hit. While that sound was their key to stardom, it also proved to be their undoing; the group became boxed in by their Stonesy pop-funk in the early '90s, when their audience became entranced by harder-edged alternative rock. In spite of declining sales, INXS soldiered on, continuing to tour and record for a dedicated fan base into the late '90s until Hutchence's 1997 death brought the band to a close.
Appropriately for a band that featured three brothers, INXS had its roots in a family act, the Farriss Brothers. The group came together while Andrew Farriss (keyboard, guitar), the middle brother, was in high school with Michael Hutchence (vocals). The two formed a band with Gary Beers (bass). Simultaneously, Tim Farriss (guitar) was playing in various groups with his friend, Kirk Pengilly (guitar, saxophone). Eventually the two groups merged in 1977, with Jon Farriss joining as drummer. Two years later, when Jon graduated from high school, the band renamed itself INXS, moved from Perth to Sydney, and began to play the pub circuit. Within a year, the group landed an Australian record contract, releasing an eponymous debut on Deluxe in 1980.
INXS and Underneath the Colours (1981) became Australasian hits, leading the band to an American contract with Atco Records. In 1983, they released their U.S. debut, Shabooh Shoobah, and embarked on an extensive tour which, thanks to the hit single "Don't Change," made them minor new wave stars. For their next album, INXS recorded a few sessions with producer Nile Rodgers, which resulted in the sleek, funky "Original Sin," the first inclination that the band was making a move toward a fusion of Stonesy rock and dance music. "Original Sin" made 1984's The Swing a minor hit, yet the group didn't have a genuine mainstream breakthrough until 1985's Listen Like Thieves, which climbed to number 11 in the U.S. on the strength of the single "What You Need."
Listen Like Thieves laid the groundwork for Kick, the album that made INXS international superstars. Released late in 1987, Kick worked its way to multi-platinum status over the course of 1988, as four singles -- the number one "Need You Tonight," "Devil Inside," "New Sensation," and "Never Tear Us Apart" -- climbed into the U.S. Top Ten. In the wake of the album's success, Hutchence was hailed in some quarters as the heir to Jagger's throne, and the group was considered to rival U2 in terms of international popularity. However, such success went to the group's head. Hutchence released the "experimental" side project Max Q in early 1990, and the record tanked. X, INXS' follow-up to Kick, appeared in the fall of 1990 to mostly negative reviews. While the album generated several hits, including "Disappear" and "Bitter Tears," only its first single, "Suicide Blonde," reached the Top Ten in the U.S., and the sales of X were disappointing when compared to Kick.
X hurt INXS' momentum considerably. Although the group was still quite popular on its accompanying tour -- the 1991 live album Live Baby Live was recorded at Wembley Stadium -- the group could no longer be considered in the same league as U2 or R.E.M. Hutchence continued to live a jet-setting lifestyle, dating Kylie Minogue and various supermodels, which did not wear well in the wake of alternative rock's commercial breakthrough in 1992. By the time INXS released Welcome to Wherever You Are, the group's most adventurous record, they were out of date in 1992, and even a rash of reviews that compared the record favorably to U2's Achtung Baby couldn't make it a hit. Full Moon, Dirty Hearts followed in 1993, and it was generally ignored. Following its release, the group left Atlantic, releasing Greatest Hits as its last album for the label.
INXS signed with PolyGram in 1994, yet it took them three years to release a new album. During that time, Hutchence was involved in several tabloid scandals, most notably his love affair with British TV personality Paula Yates (which brought an end to her marriage to Bob Geldof), and he hinted that he was recording a solo album. That record didn't materialize, but INXS returned in the spring of 1997 with Elegantly Wasted. While the album was greeted with poor reviews, its hedonistic dance-rock was better suited to the late '90s than the early '90s, which made the record the group's biggest hit since X. On November 22 of that year, Hutchence was found dead in his Sydney hotel room, the victim of an apparent hanging; his long-in-the-works solo debut was posthumously issued in late 1999.
Though Terence Trent D'Arby took the frontman role for an abbreviated set at the opening of Sydney's Stadium Australia in 1999, Jon Stephens filled the spot for occasional gigs that took place through the end of 2003. The singer left to pursue a solo career. INXS was quiet throughout the following year, but in 2005 they teamed with reality-show maverick Mark Burnett for Rock Star: INXS, an elaborate, globally-televised audition that resulted in J.D. Fortune -- a former Elvis impersonator from Canada -- becoming the band's new lead singer. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Selected Discography
THE SWING is still one of my all-time favorite albums. Check it out, especially "I Send A Message"
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Reminescient of the 'Doors" genre for me.Seemed very serious about his work.He will be missed.
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there is no way to put into words INXS for me.....rock on, my brother!!!!
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Loved "welcome to wherever you are"...INXS were great....don ' t like the "new" INXS...Micha e l Hutchence was amazing....s a d that he will be remembered more for the way he died than the way he lived.
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inxs was a great band i heard he shot himself i didnt know he hung him self oh well some great bands thrive some die ...inxs still around ...
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So Sad ! I miss the 80's. The crap they pass off as music now is nothing compared to the music back then.
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wow-what meds are you on wabbit-you'r e not being a bad boy and stealing the computer from the locked down facility you're in, are you ?
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Everything was going well for INXS. They got away from their early roots and started to make crappy stuff towards the end. Hard boozing and doping led to the collapse of the band. Shortly there after, things got boring for the lead singer and he decided to wrap a "tie" around his neck (very tightly) while he choked the old chicken. My only question is this, "Did he get one off in time or did he croak with a sac full of stuff?
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When I first heard the sax in What You Need back in 1985, that was the end for me! LOL
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INXS is the GREATEST band in the world!!!! No one can ever come close to Michael's vocals and sexual moves!!!
Hey Leon, Better watch what you are saying. That comment wasn't very nice or called for!!! |
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Yeah, I saw 'em live for the Kick tour - amazing show. Their best song ever: Don't Change. Awesome 80's video - you can watch it on YouTube.
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Great sound. It's like being on E with out the side affects. Now, lets all wrap something around our necks (carefully!! ) and spank it???!!??
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Woooh this is a black girl, I remember these guys when I was a teenager specifically the lead singer to this song "Need You Tonight" Sexy Mess, this joint is bangin
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I agree with Massimo...MH really was like an updated, 80's version of Jim Morrison. The same charismatic sexiness. I found this man hot before I even knew what horny meant. There aren't too many of them that strut across the stage, and they always seem to burn out too early. RIP
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INX is a very awsome mixex of rock nrol with some great beats for dancing Michael will be missed awsome tunes
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i remember the video on MTV back in 1982....feel in love with Michael Hutchence
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INXS was my first concert when I was 10. I saw them again a few years later. It was the day Kurt Cobain was found dead and Michael dedicated a song to him. I love, love, love the early stuff. The last album I got into was X, everything after that didn't stick with me. Michael also did MaxQ and he was in a movie called Dogs in Space and he played Percy Shelley in Frankenstein Unbound.
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INXS was one of the best bands of the 80's. Their concerts were kick-a**, with guitarists skateboardin g across the stage while playing "Devil Inside". Great memories!! MH has a solo album that is worth checking out as well. And JD's not too shabby a singer either. The "Switch" tour concert was pretty good too!
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ATL MOM - shabooh on you!.......n o t good form to talk about black spandex and then create private profile..... . . w h a t ' s your access code?
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I like there Older stuff from the 80's. He was sexy in a way that can't be explained. i guess He kinda reminded me of Jim Morrison. 80's version.
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I have always loved INXS. Shabooh Shoobah is a classic CD. I really miss Micheal Hutchens and those black spandex pants
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I will never get enough of Michael Hutchence!!! ! I listen to "HIM" every day. INXS was and is my all time favorite band, no one can compare. I'm so very sad that I was never able to catch them on tour and am still crying about that!
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They did tours on several continents. I saw them here in Atlanta, and it was a good show. Right now, JD's working on a solo album, then the band is supposed to get back in the studio to put together a new album. JD will never be as good as MH in my opinion, but I'm looking forward to the new album nonetheless.
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WHAT IS THE BAND DOING THESE DAYS DO THEY TOUR WITH JD HAVENT HEARD FROM THEM
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