FORMED: 1977, Sydney, Australia
When Andrew Farriss first
crossed Michael Hutchence,
they were both high school
students. They met when
Andrew broke up a fight
that Michael was involved
in. The two became instant
friends, and found that
they shared a very strong
interest in one thing -
music. By the end of their
high school days, circa
1977, they formed a band
called "The Farriss
Brothers" which was
composed of Andrew, his
two brothers Tim and Jon,
Kirk Pengilly, Garry Gary
Beers, and Michael. Within
a couple of years, the sextet
refined their sound and
changed their name to INXS
(pronouned IN EXCESS.) Little
did the Perth, Australia-based
band realize the magnitude
of success that awaited
them in the years to come.
Their first single, "Simple
Simon" was heavily
influenced by the declining
punk scene and also found
roots in ska and pop. With
their initial single finished,
the band began touring the
Australian continent, and
slowly began to establish
a fan base in the pub touring
scene. It is this initial
dedication of INXS to touring
that helped to establish
their credentials and begin
to create a solid fan base
of support. It is estimated
that they were playing nearly
360 shows a year in the
sweaty pubs of Australia
during their early years.
It sure payed off....
In 1980, the band released
their first album, the self-titled
"INXS" on Deluxe
Records. The album featured
their first major hit in
Australia, "Just Keep
Walking," and was quickly
followed in 1981 by their
second LP, "Underneath
the Colours." These
two albums, in conjunction
with continual touring,
helped refine their sound
and style, and paved their
way for the hugely successful
"Shabooh Shoobah"
album.
This legendary record,
released in 1983, became
the first INXS album released
worldwide, and its impact
was very strong. The album's
major hit, "The One
Thing" was a worldwide
smash hit, and with the
help of a worldwide tour,
INXS began the road to world
domination. The album is
also important in that it
is the first album to feature
the trademark INXS style
of dance rock. "The
One Thing" was followed
by a string of hits, including
"Black and White"
and "Don't Change,"
which is still many fans'
favorite INXS song of all
time.
1984 saw the band release
"The Swing." The
Swing continued to push
INXS toward the top of rockdom,
with such classic singles
as "Original Sin,"
"Burn For You,"
and "Melting in the
Sun." Original Sin,
the lead single from the
album, established what
the band had always tried
to do with the help of Nile
Rodgers - namely, allow
rock music to still be danceable.
The controversial single
dealing with interracial
relationships was banned
in several countries, including
the United States. "Burn
For You" began the
creative relationship between
INXS and filmmaker Richard
Lowenstein. Lowenstein created
the video for the song,
and has since served as
video director for most
subsequent INXS singles.
The album, "The Swing,"
did phenomenally well around
the world, and became one
of the five biggest selling
albums in Australian music
history.
Though INXS had become
well-known around the world,
it was not until 1985' "Listen
Like Thieves" that
they became house-hold names.
The album was the first
to go platinum (1 million
units sold) in the US, and
featured their first US
Top 10 single, "What
You Need." Behind their
growing popularity were
two things - their unique
style of rock rhythms and
their continual touring
of the world. The album
features such singles as
"This Time," "What
You Need," "Listen
Like Thieves," and
"Kiss the Dirt (Falling
Down the Mountain)."
In the interim between
"Listen Like Thieves"
and their next record, the
band continued to branch
out and diversify. Michael
Hutchence entered the world
of acting with his memorable
performance in Lowenstein's
"Dogs in Space,"
featuring the Australian
hit song, "Rooms for
the Memory." The band
also contributed songs to
various soundtracks, including
"American Anthem,"
"Crocodile Dundee,"
"Pretty in Pink,"
and most notably, "The
Lost Boys."
1987 saw INXS explode into
one of the most famous bands
in the world... ever. "Kick"
not only sold 4 million
copies in the US, but 10
million worldwide, and still
stands today as one of the
most famous albums of all
time. "Need You Tonight,"
the lead single, hit #1
in the US and many other
countries, and went on to
win 5 awards at the MTV
Video Music Awards show
in 1988. The string of hits
on the album is near legendary:
"Devil Inside,"
"New Sensation,"
"Never Tear Us Apart,"
and "Guns in the Sky."
The album featured killer
hooks and rhythms, great
melodies, well-written lyrics,
and more. With two successful
stadium tours INXS had finally
scaled the world.
The price of success, though,
was very high on the band,
and they took a two year
break to recuperate from
the INXS hysteria that had
flooded the world. In the
words of Hutchence, "Another
Kick would finish the band."
In the ensuing break, every
member went his separate
way to work on solo projects.
The most notable side-project
was Hutchence's teaming
with Australian punk rocker,
Ollie Olson, on the Max
Q album. The album is a
testament to creativity
and innovation, and was
a success on the alternative
music scene.
In 1990, INXS returned
with "X," named
to commemorate ten years
in recording. The album
went platinum, and featured
the hit singles "Suicide
Blonde," "Disappear,"
"Bitter Tears,"
and "By My Side."
Their subsequent world tour,
which sold out stadiums
and arenas around the world,
culminated in the Summer
XS show at Wembley Stadium
in July of 1991, where they
performed before 80,000
people. Their 1991 album,
"Live Baby Live,"
was released to showcase
their live style and celebrate
their Wembley show.
"Welcome to Wherever
You Are," the 1992
offering from INXS, has
become an instant classic
for all those who have followed
INXS over the years. Their
most innovative work to
date, the album showcases
a re-energized and new INXS.
Teeming with creativity
and catchy hooks, songs
like "Not Enough Time,"
"Heaven Sent,"
"Taste It," "Beautiful
Girl," and "Communication"
demonstrate the ability
of the band to persevere
and change to suit the times.
"Communication"
features a dizzying area
of computer generated sounds
and samples, and for "Baby
Don't Cry" and "Men
and Women," they employ
a full 60 piece orchestra
to back them up. Though
the album fell just short
of the platinum mark, it
remains many fans' favorite.
Following a brief world
"pub" tour designed
to honor longtime fans with
small performances in intimate
clubs, INXS emerged with
"Full Moon, Dirty Hearts."
Recorded in early '93, the
album was originally intended
to serve as a companion
for "Welcome...,"
though the styles of both
are quite disparate. "Full
Moon, Dirty Hearts"
features INXS returning
to their roots, and creating
songs that are quick, stripped
down, and raw. The band
also performs two duets
on the album: "Please
(You've Got That...)"
with the legendary Ray Charles;
and "Full Moon, Dirty
Hearts," with Chrissy
Hyndes of the Pretenders.
The lead single, the rocking
guitar anthem "The
Gift," was accompanied
by a video release of every
single song on the new album,
created by the protegees
of director Richard Lowenstein.
Following the "Full
Moon, Dirty Hearts"
album, which was clearly
not a commercial or critical
success, INXS switched record
labels from Atlantic to
Polygram and began work
on a best of compilation
disc. "INXS The Greatest
Hits," features two
new songs, including "The
Strangest Party," a
throwback to their extremely
popular and successful hook-filled
songs of the late 1980's.
The album, released in late
1994, is a dizzying trip
of perfection, showcasing
the strength and influence
INXS has wielded over the
music industry for over
a decade. From their earliest
major hit "The One
Thing," to their current
smash hit, "The Strangest
Party," the greatest
hits collection proves to
all that INXS has a continued
relevance to rock music,
and that they are sure to
continue reaching new heights
for many years to come.