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INXS (a phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band, formed as the Farriss Brothers in 1977 in
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
, New South Wales. The founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboardist Andrew Farriss, drummer Jon Farriss, guitarist
Tim Farriss Timothy William Farriss (born 16 August 1957) is an Australian musician, founding member and the lead guitarist of the rock band :INXS. Early life and the formation of INXS Farriss was born in Perth, Western Australia, to Dennis and Jill F ...
, lead singer and main lyricist
Michael Hutchence Michael Kelland John Hutchence (22 January 1960 – 22 November 1997) was an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Hutchence co-founded the rock band INXS, which sold over 75 million records worldwide and was inducted into th ...
, and guitarist and saxophonist Kirk Pengilly. For 20 years, INXS was fronted by Hutchence, whose magnetic stage presence made him the focal point of the band. Initially known for their new wave/
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...
style, the band later developed a harder
pub rock Pub rock is a rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particu ...
style that included
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
and
dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
elements. In 1984, INXS had their first number-one hit in Australia with "
Original Sin Original sin is the Christian doctrine that holds that humans, through the fact of birth, inherit a tainted nature in need of regeneration and a proclivity to sinful conduct. The biblical basis for the belief is generally found in Genesis 3 (t ...
". The band achieved international success in the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s with the hit albums ''
Listen Like Thieves ''Listen Like Thieves'' is the fifth studio album by Australian Rock music, rock band INXS. It was released on 14 October 1985. It spent two weeks at number one on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. Considered an internati ...
'', '' Kick'', and '' X'', and the singles " What You Need", "
Need You Tonight "Need You Tonight" is a song by the Australian rock band INXS, released as the first single from their 1987 album, ''Kick'', as well as the fourth song on the album. It is the only INXS single to reach No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It ...
" (the band's only US number-one single), " Devil Inside", " Never Tear Us Apart", "
Suicide Blonde "Suicide Blonde" is the lead single from Australian rock band INXS's seventh studio album, '' X'' (1990). It was released on 22 August 1990 in the United States and on 3 September 1990 in the United Kingdom. The song reached number two in Austra ...
" and "
New Sensation "New Sensation" is a song by Australian rock group INXS. It was the third single released from their 1987 album, ''Kick''. The music was composed by Andrew Farriss and the lyrics were written by Michael Hutchence. The song reached 3 on the US ...
". NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988. After Hutchence's death on 22 November 1997, INXS made appearances with several guest singers, and toured and recorded with Jon Stevens as lead singer, beginning in 2000. In 2005, members of INXS participated in '' Rock Star: INXS'', a reality television series that culminated in the selection of Canadian J.D. Fortune as their new lead singer. Irish singer-songwriter Ciaran Gribbin replaced Fortune as lead singer in 2011. During a concert on 11 November 2012, INXS stated that the performance would be their last, although they did not announce the band's permanent retirement. INXS has won six
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing th ...
(ARIA) awards, including three for "Best Group" in 1987, 1989 and 1992; the band was inducted into the
ARIA Hall of Fame In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...
in 2001. INXS has sold over 70 million albums worldwide, making them one of Australia's highest selling music acts of all time.


History


Early years

The origins of the band began with Andrew Farriss convincing his fellow Davidson High School classmate,
Michael Hutchence Michael Kelland John Hutchence (22 January 1960 – 22 November 1997) was an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Hutchence co-founded the rock band INXS, which sold over 75 million records worldwide and was inducted into th ...
, to join his band, Doctor Dolphin. The band contained two further classmates, Kent Kerny and Neil Sanders, as well as Garry Beers and Geoff Kennely, both from a nearby high school, Forest High School. In 1977,
Tim Farriss Timothy William Farriss (born 16 August 1957) is an Australian musician, founding member and the lead guitarist of the rock band :INXS. Early life and the formation of INXS Farriss was born in Perth, Western Australia, to Dennis and Jill F ...
, Andrew's older brother, invited Andrew, Hutchence and Beers to join him and his schoolmate Kirk Pengilly. Tim and Pengilly had been playing together since 1971 as either an acoustic duo, Kirk and Tim, or as a four-piece band called Guinness (named after their bass player's dog). Together with younger brother Jon Farriss 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, Michael Hutchence on lead vocals and Kirk Pengilly on guitar and saxophone. The band made their debut on 16 August 1977 at
Whale Beach Whale 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 in Australia, local government area of ...
, 40 km (25 mi) north of Sydney. The parents of the Farriss boys relocated to
Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
, Western Australia 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 Royal Antler, a pub in Narrabeen on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, New South Wales, Tim was approached by Gary Morris, the manager of
Midnight Oil Midnight Oil (known informally as "The Oils") are an Australian rock band composed of Peter Garrett (vocals, harmonica), Rob Hirst (drums), Jim Moginie (guitar, keyboard) and Martin Rotsey (guitar). The group was formed in Sydney in 1972 by ...
. 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
XTC XTC were an English rock band formed in Swindon in 1972. Fronted by songwriters Andy Partridge (guitars, vocals) and Colin Moulding (bass, vocals), the band gained popularity during the rise of punk and new wave in the 1970s, later playing in ...
and Australian jam makers IXL. Pengilly later explained that Morris was interested in turning the group into a Christian band, which the band briefly considered before rejecting the idea. The band's first performance as INXS was on 1 September 1979 at the Ocean Beach Hotel in Umina on the Central Coast of
New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...
and by the end of 1979, after passing on the Christian band image, they hired Chris "CM" Murphy as their manager and continued taking on the Oz pub circuit. Murphy was an adept business manager and negotiator and 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/DC AC/DC (stylised as ACϟDC) are an Australian Rock music, rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm Young, Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and Heavy metal ...
.


1980s


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 World ''Simon Townsend's Wonder World!'' was an Australian children's television show that aired on Network Ten from 1979 until 1987. It was created and hosted by journalist Simon Townsend. In 1993, the show was relaunched on the Nine network as ''Wo ...
''. Their self-titled debut album, ''
INXS INXS (a word play, phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian Rock music, rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. The band's founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboar ...
'', was recorded at Trafalgar Studios in Annandale, Sydney. It was co-produced by the band and Duncan McGuire (ex- Ayers Rock), 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 Report The 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 January 1999. The chart was re-branded the Australian Music Report (AMR) in July ...
for Australian albums. The album eventually went
gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
(selling over 35,000 units) but it took a number of years to do so. These early records demonstrated their new wave/
ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
/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: An Anglo-American Tragedy'' (1948) is a short satirical novel by British novelist Evelyn Waugh about the funeral business in Los Angeles, the British expatriate community in Hollywood, and the film industry. Conception ''The ...
", which was a cover of a 1966 song by Australian group The Loved Ones. The song was recorded at Studios 301 in Sydney, produced by
Richard Clapton Richard Clapton (born 18 May 1948) is an Australian singer-songwriter-guitarist and producer. His solo top 20 hits on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart are " Girls on the Avenue" (1975) and "I Am an Island" (1982). He reached the top&n ...
, and peaked in the Top 20. The success of the single led to Clapton and the band returning to Studios 301 between July and August 1981 to create an album. In October 1981, their second album '' Underneath the Colours'' was released and became a hit in Australia peaking at No. 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 Walker of Cold Chisel for the soundtrack of the film ''Freedom'' directed by
Scott Hicks Scott Hicks may refer to: * Scott Hicks (basketball) (born 1966), American former college basketball coach * Scott Hicks (director) Robert Scott Hicks (born 4 March 1953), known as Scott, is an Australian film director, producer and screenwrit ...
. It was his first solo single and was released by
WEA The Wea were a Miami-Illinois-speaking Native American tribe originally located in western Indiana. Historically, they were described as either being closely related to the Miami Tribe or a sub-tribe of Miami. Today, the descendants of the ...
in early 1982. In January, INXS toured
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
as support act for Cold Chisel. Murphy eventually 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 world's biggest acts. Woods was passionate 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. Deluxe had been unable to attract international interest so the band decided to record a new song, " The One Thing" at their own expense, with
Mark Opitz Mark Opitz (born 1952) is an Australian record producer and audio engineer. He started his career with Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in 1971. He has produced AC/DC, the Angels, Australian Crawl, Cold Chisel, Divinyls and INXS. H ...
at Paradise Studios. The song turned out so well that Murphy hired Opitz to produce three more songs. Murphy approached WEA Australia 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 Records (a subsidiary of
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
) for North America and
Polygram PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a ...
for Europe and the UK. Murphy and the band were not entirely convinced that Opitz could produce an entire album that would attract international interest, so before 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. To complete the band's contract with DeLuxe Records, INXS produced their first compilation album, INXSive, released in early 1982 for the Australian market only, featuring highlights from the band's first two studio albums, related B-sides, and two non-album singles. In mid-1982 they began recording at Rhinoceros Studios with Opitz. In October 1982, '' Shabooh Shoobah'' was released internationally on Atlantic/Atco Records, peaking at No. 52 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and No. 46 on the Hot Pop Albums chart. In Australia it peaked at No. 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 No. 30 on 28 May 1983, It was also a Top 20 hit in Canada, and peaked at No. 14 in Australia on 23 August 1982. "One Thing" was their first video to air on the fledgling MTV and significantly added to the ultimate success of the single. 13 February 1983, saw INXS play the
Stop The Drop Stop The Drop was an Australian benefit concert held at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne on 13 February 1983, in aid of the community organisation, People For Nuclear Disarmament (PND). Australian bands Midnight Oil, INXS, Goanna and R ...
nuclear disarmament concert to 14,000 at the Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne, alongside
Midnight Oil Midnight Oil (known informally as "The Oils") are an Australian rock band composed of Peter Garrett (vocals, harmonica), Rob Hirst (drums), Jim Moginie (guitar, keyboard) and Martin Rotsey (guitar). The group was formed in Sydney in 1972 by ...
, Colin Hay, Redgum and Goanna. It was simulcast on Australian TV by Channel 10 and Radio 2MMM. INXS undertook their first US performance in
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
in March 1983, to a crowd of 24 patrons. Their first tour was as support for Adam and the Ants, then support for Stray Cats, The Kinks, Hall & Oates followed by The Go-Go's. INXS played alongside many of their contemporaries on New Wave Day in May 1983, at the ''
US Festival The US Festival (''US'' pronounced like the pronoun, not as initials) was the name of two early 1980s music and culture festivals in southern California, held east of Los Angeles, near San Bernardino. Background Steve Wozniak, cofound ...
'' 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 Work and by mid-1983 were headlining venues such as The Ritz in New York.


From "Original Sin" to ''Listen Like Thieves''

After a performance in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Canada, the band was approached by producer
Nile Rodgers Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. (born September 19, 1952) is an American musician, record producer and composer. The co-founder of Chic, Rodgers has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million ...
; by September 1983, the band had recorded "
Original Sin Original sin is the Christian doctrine that holds that humans, through the fact of birth, inherit a tainted nature in need of regeneration and a proclivity to sinful conduct. The biblical basis for the belief is generally found in Genesis 3 (t ...
" (originally entitled "Brand New Day") at New York's Power Station Studios. Three tracks from ''Shabooh Shoobah'' were featured in the soundtrack for the 1984 film ''
Reckless Reckless may refer to: Film and television Film * ''Reckless'' (1935 film), an American musical directed by Victor Fleming * ''Reckless'' (1951 film), a Spanish drama film directed by José Antonio Nieves Conde * '' The Reckless'', a 1965 Itali ...
''. The band then travelled to the UK to begin sessions on their fourth album with Nick Launay at the Manor Studios in
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
. The album '' The Swing'', released in April 1984, received significant attention from around the world, as "Original Sin" became the band's first No. 1 single in Australia and was popular worldwide with fans and reviewers. During 1984, the single reached no. 1 in Australia (for two weeks in January),
Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, and France; No. 6 in
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
; No. 11 in Canada; No. 23 in
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
; No. 31 in the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
; and No. 58 in the U.S. However, "Original Sin" was largely ignored in the U.K., and INXS would not have any Top 50 chart success in the United Kingdom until the 1985 album ''
Listen Like Thieves ''Listen Like Thieves'' is the fifth studio album by Australian Rock music, rock band INXS. It was released on 14 October 1985. It spent two weeks at number one on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. Considered an internati ...
''. During 1984, INXS toured non-stop, performing across Europe, the UK, the US and Australia. By December 1984, ''The Swing'' had gone double platinum, making it one of the five biggest domestic albums in the history of Australian music at the time. In March 1985, the band re-entered Sydney's Rhinoceros Studios to record the Listen Like Thieves album, together with producer Chris Thomas (
Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
,
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
,
The Pretenders Pretenders are an English–American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Fa ...
,
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
). As the band was finishing the recording sessions, Thomas stated that the album was not good enough and still had no "killer" track. Andrew produced a demo tape of a
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
song he had been working on called "Funk Song No. 13" and evolved it into " What You Need". Whilst the band was recording, WEA released ''
Dekadance ''Dekadance'' is the title of two different collections of remixes by Australian rock band INXS: a 1983 four-track 12" and cassette EP released in the United States of songs from ''Shabooh Shoobah''; and a 1985 seven-track cassette released ...
'', a limited edition 12" Vinyl and
cassette Cassette may refer to: Technology * Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback ** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in the ...
only EP of INXS remixes from their albums ''The Swing'' and ''Shabooh Shoobah''. On 19 May 1985, INXS won seven awards at the 1984 ''
Countdown A countdown is a sequence of backward counting to indicate the time remaining before an event is scheduled to occur. NASA commonly employs the terms "L-minus" and "T-minus" during the preparation for and anticipation of a rocket launch, and eve ...
'' Music and Video Awards ceremony. They performed " Burn for You", dressed in
Akubra Akubra is an Australian hat manufacturer. The company is associated with bush hats made of rabbit fur felt with wide brims that are worn in rural Australia. The term "Akubra" is sometimes used to refer to any hat of this kind, however the compa ...
s (hats) and Drizabones (outdoor coats/oilskin jackets). The band performed five songs for the July 1985
Oz for Africa Oz for Africa was an Australian concert held on 13 July 1985 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. It was organised by Bill Gordon who also organised the EAT Concert held at the Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne at the end of January 1985. That event was ...
concert, in conjunction with the
Live Aid Live Aid was a multi-venue benefit concert held on Saturday 13 July 1985, as well as a music-based fundraising initiative. The original event was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise further funds for relief of the 1983–1985 fami ...
benefit. Two INXS songs, " What You Need" and " Don't Change", were also in the BBC broadcast and are contained on Live Aid's four DVD boxed set released in 2004. ''
Listen Like Thieves ''Listen Like Thieves'' is the fifth studio album by Australian Rock music, rock band INXS. It was released on 14 October 1985. It spent two weeks at number one on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. Considered an internati ...
'' was released in October 1985 to critical approval, reaching No. 3 on the Australian charts and No. 11 on the US charts. With the release of ''Listen Like Thieves'', the band developed a rock sound influenced by
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
and
XTC XTC were an English rock band formed in Swindon in 1972. Fronted by songwriters Andy Partridge (guitars, vocals) and Colin Moulding (bass, vocals), the band gained popularity during the rise of punk and new wave in the 1970s, later playing in ...
while remaining true to the band's original roots in Aussie pubs. 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 U.S. single from the album, " This Time", stalled at No. 81 in late 1985, but the next single, "What You Need"—released there in early 1986—became a top five ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' hit, bringing INXS its first break-out US success. The single was also a top 20 hit in Canada and reached No. 2 in Australia (September 1985), but only reached No. 51 on the UK charts. The British press dismissed the album, with
New Musical Express ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
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 ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' wrote: "INXS rocks with passion and seals the deal with a backbeat that'll blackmail your feet." In August 1985, INXS toured ahead of the release of ''Listen Like Thieves'', touring South America before returning to Melbourne to play for
Prince Charles Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...
and
Princess Diana Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
of Wales at a concert. The concert was filmed and later released on a home video entitled ''Living INXS''; an edited version of the concert was played on MTV in the U.S. in 1985 on its 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 Lowenstein's second feature film '' Dogs in Space''. 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 Olsen Ollie Olsen is an Australian multi-instrumentalist, composer and sound designer. He has performed, recorded and produced rock, electronic and experimental music since the mid-1970s. His post punk groups included Whirlywirld (1978–80), Orches ...
, with vocals by Hutchence charted, the movie was received well by critics but was not a commercial success. Beginning in May 1986, the band performed 32 European shows (including support for
Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
at their
Live at Wembley '86 ''Live at Wembley '86'' is a double live album by the British rock band Queen. It was recorded live on Saturday 12 July 1986 during The Magic Tour at Wembley Stadium in London, England. The album was released on 26 May 1992, with a companion D ...
concert on 12 July), 42 U.S. shows, and 12 Australian shows. America's influential
Musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...
magazine called INXS "the best live band in the world."


From "Good Times" to ''Kick''

Whilst on 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 Barnes,
Models A model is an informative representation of an object, person or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin ''modulus'', a measure. Models c ...
, Divinyls, Mental as Anything,
The Triffids The Triffids were an Australian alternative rock and pop band, formed in Perth in Western Australia in May 1978 with David McComb as singer-songwriter, guitarist, bass guitarist and keyboardist.McFarlane (1999). Encyclopedia entry fo"The Triff ...
and I'm Talking. To promote the tour, INXS recorded two songs with Jimmy Barnes of Cold Chisel: The Easybeats cover "
Good Times ''Good Times'' is an American television sitcom that aired for six seasons on CBS, from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans and developed by executive producer Norman Lear, it was television's first African ...
" 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 Made Australian 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, INXS and even Jimmy Barnes. ...
series of concerts in the summer of 1986–1987. It peaked at No. 2 on the Australian charts, and months later was featured in the
Joel Schumacher Joel T. Schumacher (; August 29, 1939June 22, 2020) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Raised in New York City by his mother, Schumacher graduated from Parsons School of Design and originally became a fashion designer. H ...
film '' The Lost Boys'' and its
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
, allowing it to peak at No. 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 and wanted every song on the album to be good enough to be a single. They recorded '' Kick'' in Sydney and Paris, produced by Chris Thomas. According to the 2005 official autobiography, Atlantic Records was not happy with the result; the label offered the band $1 million to go back to Australia and record another album, but the band declined. Despite Atlantic's protests, ''Kick'' was released in October 1987 and provided the band with worldwide popularity. The album peaked at No. 1 in Australia, No. 3 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, No. 9 in UK, and No. 15 in Austria. It was an upbeat, confident album that yielded four Top 10 US singles: No. 1 single "
Need You Tonight "Need You Tonight" is a song by the Australian rock band INXS, released as the first single from their 1987 album, ''Kick'', as well as the fourth song on the album. It is the only INXS single to reach No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It ...
", " Devil Inside", "
New Sensation "New Sensation" is a song by Australian rock group INXS. It was the third single released from their 1987 album, ''Kick''. The music was composed by Andrew Farriss and the lyrics were written by Michael Hutchence. The song reached 3 on the US ...
", and " Never Tear Us Apart". "Need You Tonight" peaked No. 2 on the UK charts, No. 3 in Australia, and No. 10 in France. The band 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", 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. ''Kick'' was, by far, INXS's best-selling album of all time. During 1989, Hutchence collaborated with Ian "Ollie" Olsen on a side project,
Max Q The max q or maximum dynamic pressure condition is the point when an aerospace vehicle's atmospheric flight reaches the maximum difference between the fluid dynamics total pressure and the ambient static pressure. For an airplane, this occurs at ...
, 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''.


1990–1997: From ''X'' to ''Elegantly Wasted''

In October 1990, INXS released '' X'', which was produced by Chris Thomas. The album peaked at No. 3 in Australia, No. 5 in the US, No. 2 in the UK, No. 5 in Switzerland and No. 10 in Sweden. It followed in the same vein as ''Kick'', and added
harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica inclu ...
to some songs. ''X'' scored hits with "
Suicide Blonde "Suicide Blonde" is the lead single from Australian rock band INXS's seventh studio album, '' X'' (1990). It was released on 22 August 1990 in the United States and on 3 September 1990 in the United Kingdom. The song reached number two in Austra ...
" and " Disappear" (both Top 10 in the US). "Suicide Blonde" peaked at No. 2 in Australia, No. 11 in the UK and in Switzerland. Other singles from ''X'' were "
Bitter Tears ''Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian'' is a 1964 concept album, the twentieth album released by singer Johnny Cash on Columbia Records. It is one of several Americana records by Cash. This one focuses on the history of Native Ameri ...
" and " By My Side", which had less chart success. INXS performed at
Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 200 ...
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 ''
Live Baby Live ''Live Baby Live'' is the first live album by Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 11 November 1991 and features tracks recorded during their Summer XS Tour in Paris, New York, Chicago, London, Dublin, Glasgow, Rio de Janeiro, Montreal ...
'', a live album that was released in November 1991 and peaked in the Top 30 in the Australia and UK album charts. The album had less success on The ''Billboard'' 200. A video version of the album was also released under the same title. This concert was the band's most well-attended show of all time; according to a 2017 article by Paul Donoughue of ABC.net.au, it "solidified NXS'splace in pop history". On 28 March 1992, INXS performed at the controversial Concert for Life at Centennial Park in Sydney (a fundraiser for the
Victor Chang Victor Peter Chang, AC (born Chang Yam Him; 21 November 19364 July 1991), was a Chinese-born Australian cardiac surgeon and a pioneer of modern heart transplantation in Australia. His sudden murder in 1991 stunned Australia, and is considered ...
Cardiac Research Centre), and other performers included
Crowded House Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in 1985. Its founding members were New Zealander Neil Finn (vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter) and Australians Paul Hester (drums) and Nick Seymour (bass). Later ban ...
, Yothu Yindi, Jenny Morris,
Diesel Diesel may refer to: * Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression * Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines * Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
,
Ratcat Ratcat are an Australian indie rock band from Sydney who formed in 1985. The band is fronted by mainstay vocalist and guitarist, Simon Day. Their combination of indie pop song writing and energetic punk-style guitar rock won them fans from bo ...
and
Def FX Def FX was an Australian band created by Sean Lowry (keyboards) in 1990 and included Fiona Horne on lead vocals, Blake Gardiner on guitar and Martyn Basha on bass - the band had no drummer. They released four albums, ''Light Speed Collision'' (D ...
. Due to inclement weather, the expected attendance of 100,000 never came through, and the event only raised $500,000. ''
Welcome to Wherever You Are ''Welcome to Wherever You Are'' is the eighth studio album by Australian rock band INXS, which was released on 3 August 1992. With grunge and alternative music breaking into the mainstream, INXS tried to establish a new direction for itself ...
'', produced by Mark Opitz and released in August 1992, was an experimental album using sitars and a 60-piece orchestra while adding a more "raw" sound. It received good critical reviews and went No. 1 in the UK and in Sweden; No. 2 in Australia and Switzerland, and No. 3 in Norway, but had less chart success in the US (peaking at No. 16). Singles from the album included "
Taste It "Taste It" is a song by Australian rock band INXS, released as the fourth single from their eighth album, ''Welcome to Wherever You Are'' (1992), in November 1992. The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence. It peaked at 36 ...
" and " Baby Don't Cry", which were Top 20 successes in UK but had less success in US and Australian markets. ''
Full Moon, Dirty Hearts ''Full Moon, Dirty Hearts'' is the ninth studio album by Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 1 November 1993, through East West Records in Australia and in the United Kingdom by Phonogram's Mercury Records label. It was followed by the ...
'', produced by Opitz, was released in November 1993 and peaked at No. 3 on the UK charts, No. 4 in Australia, No. 8 in Sweden, No. 9 in Switzerland, No. 14 in Norway; it did not reach the Top 50 in the US. The title track featured
The Pretenders Pretenders are an English–American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Fa ...
'
Chrissie Hynde Christine Ellen Hynde (born September 7, 1951) is an American musician. She is a founding member and the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band the Pretenders, and one of the band's two remaining original members alon ...
, and another track--"Please (You Got That)"—featured
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
. The band made a full video album for the record using unknown Australian students to direct with help from Richard Lowenstein. ''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 ''Elegantly Wasted'' is the tenth studio album by Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 15 April 1997, and is the final album recorded with lead singer Michael Hutchence before his death in November that same year. The band had spent A ...
'', which garnered mixed reviews. It fared respectably in Australia (No. 14), Canada (No. 14), France (No. 30), UK (No. 16) (where INXS had more success in the 1990s than in the 1980s), Belgium (No. 7), Switzerland (No. 13), but only No. 41 in US. On 22 November 1997, Michael Hutchence was found dead in his Sydney Ritz-Carlton hotel room. On 6 February 1998, New South Wales State Coroner Derrick Hand presented his report, which ruled that Hutchence's death was a
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
while depressed and under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Despite the official coroner's report, there was continued speculation that Hutchence's death was accidental.


1997–2003: 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 14 November 1998, they played at the Mushroom 25 Concert with Jimmy Barnes 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 Sananda Francesco Maitreya (born Terence Trent Howard; March 15, 1962), who started his career with the stage name Terence Trent D'Arby, is an American singer and songwriter who came to fame with his debut studio album, ''Introducing the Hardlin ...
and Russell Hitchcock as guest vocalists, they performed "New Sensation", "Kick", "Never Tear Us Apart" and "What You Need". In December 2000, INXS performed a concert with singers Suze DeMarchi and Jon Stevens sharing the spotlight. The former lead singer of Australian band Noiseworks, Jon Stevens began singing with INXS on regular basis. INXS played as one of the headline acts at the Sydney
2000 Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from 1 ...
and then toured through South America and Europe. Stevens was officially named a member of INXS in 2002, and the band started recording new material in November. Stevens left the band in October 2003 to pursue a solo career, and only recorded a contractual obligation song called "
I Get Up "I Get Up" was a song by Australian rock band INXS, released as a non-album single on 10 November 2003. The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Jon Stevens. It was the first new material from INXS since their former frontman, Michael Hutch ...
."


2004–2005: ''Rock Star: INXS''

INXS returned to the news in 2004 when it was announced that a new reality television program titled '' Rock Star: INXS'' would feature a contest to find a new lead vocalist for the band. The show, which debuted on the CBS network on 11 July 2005, featured 15 contestants vying for the position of lead singer. The show was executive produced by ''
Survivor Survivor(s) may refer to: Actual survivors * *Last survivors of historical events Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * Survivors, characters in the 1997 ''KKnD'' video-game series * ''The Survivors'', or the ''New Survivors Found ...
s Mark Burnett and hosted by Brooke Burke and
Jane's Addiction Jane's Addiction is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1985. The band consists of vocalist Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery. Jane's Addiction was one of the first bands from t ...
and former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist
Dave Navarro David Michael Navarro (born June 7, 1967) is an American guitarist. He is best known as a member of the rock band Jane's Addiction, with whom he has recorded four studio albums. Between 1993 and 1998, Navarro was the guitarist of the Red Hot Ch ...
. On 20 September 2005, J.D. Fortune won the eleven-week competition, which culminated in his singing
the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
's "
You Can't Always Get What You Want "You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones on their 1969 album ''Let It Bleed''. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it was named as the 100th greatest song of all time by ''Rolling Stone'' ...
" and INXS' "What You Need" in the finale to become the new lead singer of INXS.


2005–2011: J.D. Fortune era

With Fortune as lead singer, INXS released the single "Pretty Vegas" on 4 October 2005. The single reached No. 5 on the
iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...
ranking of daily most downloaded songs on its first day. It peaked at No. 9 in Australia and No. 37 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and became a huge radio airplay hit in Fortune's native Canada. On 29 November 2005, ''Switch''—the band's first album with Fortune as lead singer—was released in the United States via
Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
. The band's new line-up started a world tour in support of ''Switch'' in January 2006. In September 2006, INXS and Epic Records parted ways. The band then performed at the
2006 NRL Grand Final The 2006 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding match of the NRL's 2006 Telstra Premiership season. It was played between the first-placed Melbourne Storm and the third-placed Brisbane Broncos clubs on the night of Sunday, 1 ...
. INXS toured Australia and New Zealand in March 2007, with
Simple Minds Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977. They have released a string of hit singles, becoming best known internationally for "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the '' Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United St ...
and support band Arrested Development. After the cancellation of a 31 August 2007 show in
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, 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. On 16 February 2009, J.D. Fortune told
Entertainment Tonight Canada ''ET Canada'' (previously referred to as ''Entertainment Tonight Canada'') is a Canadian entertainment news television series, using the same format as the American entertainment newsmagazine ''Entertainment Tonight''. ''ET Canada'' is a broadcas ...
that INXS had let him go from the band with a shake of the hand at an airport in Hong Kong. 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 stated J.D. was next on his list to call regarding a major recording contract he was negotiating for the band. 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 would be embarking on a 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 that it would be a one-off performance; the band added that a vocalist for the subsequent world tour had 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 ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, and then again on 16 July 2010 in Broome, WA, Australia During a radio interview with Kirk Pengilly and J.D. Fortune in July 2010 just before the Broome concert, Pengilly confirmed that Fortune had returned as the band's permanent singer. In August 2010, Petrol Records issued Australian radio stations with a one-track promo "Never Tear Us Apart" featuring Ben Harper on vocals, a preview from the upcoming INXS Michael Hutchence tribute album ''
Original Sin Original sin is the Christian doctrine that holds that humans, through the fact of birth, inherit a tainted nature in need of regeneration and a proclivity to sinful conduct. The biblical basis for the belief is generally found in Genesis 3 (t ...
''. On 25 September 2010, the band performed before the
2010 AFL Grand Final The 2010 AFL Grand Final was a series of two Australian rules football matches between the Collingwood Football Club and the St Kilda Football Club. They are considered the 114th and 115th grand finals of the Australian Football League (formerly ...
. On 19 October 2010, it was announced in the Courier Mail that INXS, fronted by J.D. Fortune, would 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 Original sin is the Christian doctrine that holds that humans, through the fact of birth, inherit a tainted nature in need of regeneration and a proclivity to sinful conduct. The biblical basis for the belief is generally found in Genesis 3 (t ...
''. Released in November 2010, the album featured well-known singers from Australia and around the world, including Ben Harper,
Patrick Monahan Patrick Monahan (born February 28, 1969) is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and sole constant member of the band Train. He has collaborated with multiple artists and recorded a solo album, '' Las ...
, and Rob Thomas. In March 2011, INXS confirmed they would return to the United Kingdom and headlining with support from New Zealand band
Shihad Shihad are a rock band formed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1988. The band consists of founders Tom Larkin (drums, backing vocals, samplers), Phil Knight (lead guitar, synthesiser, backing vocals) and Jon Toogood (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), ...
for an outdoor event called Southern Sounds on Clapham Common, London on Saturday 11 June. The event was an all-Australian, New Zealand and South African celebration lineup, with INXS fronted by J.D. Fortune. INXS toured extensively throughout 2011 with singer J.D. Fortune to support the album ''Original Sin''.


2011–2019: Later activities

The band released a demo of a song, called "Tiny Summer" 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 Gribbin would be the band's frontman for their forthcoming tour of Australia, South America and Europe in November and December 2011. On 6 October 2012, INXS were the headline act at the annual charity ball organised by the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondent's Club. During a concert on 11 November 2012 at the newly opened
Perth Arena Perth Arena (known commercially as ) is an entertainment and sporting arena in the city centre of Perth, Western Australia, used mostly for basketball matches. It is located on Wellington Street near the site of the former Perth Entertainmen ...
, while supporting
Matchbox Twenty Matchbox Twenty (also known as Matchbox 20 and MB20) is an American rock band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995. The group currently consists of Rob Thomas (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Brian Yale (bass guitar), Paul Doucette (drums, r ...
, INXS announced that they would no longer be touring. Kirk Pengilly stated that it was appropriate to finish where they had started 35 years earlier. Jon Farriss admitted that he was "getting teary" before the band performed their biggest hit, "Need You Tonight". In 2014, INXS released a tell-all history of the band on an Australian television interview special, ''The Story Behind INXS''. During the interview, Jon Farriss made the statement, "Never say never" regarding the possibility that the band could record and perform more music in the future. In 2013, Australian TV network
Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...
announced that it would produce a miniseries focusing on the band's behind-the-scenes stories called '' INXS: Never Tear Us Apart''. Band member Tim Farriss was a pre-production consultant on the show. The miniseries commenced production at the end of June 2013 and premiered on 9 February 2014; the finale aired the following Sunday night (16 February 2014). The miniseries rated very highly for both nights and created a renewed interest in the band, which translated to a resurgence in sales of their music that brought them once again to the number one position on the Australian popular music charts.
Luke Arnold Luke Arnold is an Australian actor and author, best known for playing John Silver in the Starz drama series '' Black Sails''. Early life Arnold was born in Adelaide, South Australia and went to primary school there until his family moved to S ...
was cast as Michael Hutchence, Alex Williams as Kirk Pengilly, Nicholas Masters as Tim Farriss,
Hugh Sheridan Hugh Sheridan (born 30 June 1985) is an Australian actor, singer, television presenter who is known for their role as Ben Rafter in the television series ''Packed to the Rafters''. Sheridan is a four-time Logie Award winner, in the Logie Award ...
as bass guitarist Gary Beers,
Ido Drent Ido Drent (born 27 January 1987) is a South African-born actor working and living in Auckland, New Zealand. He is best known to television audiences as Daniel Potts in the long-running soap opera ''Shortland Street''. Early life Drent was born ...
as Jon Farriss and Andy Ryan as Andrew Farriss. In addition, Damon Herriman played band manager CM Murphy and Samantha Jade played
Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
. Given the popularity of this TV miniseries, there was talk of a Broadway musical and a feature film about INXS in the future. In 2019, a documentary film was released about
Michael Hutchence Michael Kelland John Hutchence (22 January 1960 – 22 November 1997) was an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Hutchence co-founded the rock band INXS, which sold over 75 million records worldwide and was inducted into th ...
titled '' Mystify''. A
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
was also released featuring INXS tracks.


Band members

Former members *
Tim Farriss Timothy William Farriss (born 16 August 1957) is an Australian musician, founding member and the lead guitarist of the rock band :INXS. Early life and the formation of INXS Farriss was born in Perth, Western Australia, to Dennis and Jill F ...
– lead guitar, keyboards, bass, backing vocals * Kirk Pengilly – rhythm and lead guitar, saxophone, backing and occasional lead vocals * Garry Gary Beers – bass, backing vocals * Andrew Farriss – keyboards, piano, rhythm guitar, harmonica, percussion, backing and occasional lead vocals * Jon Farriss – drums, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals *
Michael Hutchence Michael Kelland John Hutchence (22 January 1960 – 22 November 1997) was an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Hutchence co-founded the rock band INXS, which sold over 75 million records worldwide and was inducted into th ...
– lead vocals * Jon Stevens – lead vocals *
JD Fortune Jason Dean Bennison (born September 1, 1973), better known by his stage name J.D. Fortune, is a Canadian singer and songwriter best known for his six-year tenure as the frontman of the Australian rock band INXS. He received worldwide recognition ...
– lead vocals * Ciaran Gribbin – lead vocals, rhythm guitar Touring members * Jenny Morris – backing vocals * Jimmy Barnes – lead vocals *
Terence Trent D'Arby Sananda Francesco Maitreya (born Terence Trent Howard; March 15, 1962), who started his career with the stage name Terence Trent D'Arby, is an American singer and songwriter who came to fame with his debut studio album, ''Introducing the Hardlin ...
– lead vocals * Russell Hitchcock – lead vocals * Suze DeMarchi – lead vocals


Timeline


Discography

* ''
INXS INXS (a word play, phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian Rock music, rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. The band's founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboar ...
'' (1980) * '' Underneath the Colours'' (1981) * '' Shabooh Shoobah'' (1982) * '' The Swing'' (1984) * ''
Listen Like Thieves ''Listen Like Thieves'' is the fifth studio album by Australian Rock music, rock band INXS. It was released on 14 October 1985. It spent two weeks at number one on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. Considered an internati ...
'' (1985) * '' Kick'' (1987) * '' X'' (1990) * ''
Welcome to Wherever You Are ''Welcome to Wherever You Are'' is the eighth studio album by Australian rock band INXS, which was released on 3 August 1992. With grunge and alternative music breaking into the mainstream, INXS tried to establish a new direction for itself ...
'' (1992) * ''
Full Moon, Dirty Hearts ''Full Moon, Dirty Hearts'' is the ninth studio album by Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 1 November 1993, through East West Records in Australia and in the United Kingdom by Phonogram's Mercury Records label. It was followed by the ...
'' (1993) * ''
Elegantly Wasted ''Elegantly Wasted'' is the tenth studio album by Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 15 April 1997, and is the final album recorded with lead singer Michael Hutchence before his death in November that same year. The band had spent A ...
'' (1997) * '' Switch'' (2005) * ''
Original Sin Original sin is the Christian doctrine that holds that humans, through the fact of birth, inherit a tainted nature in need of regeneration and a proclivity to sinful conduct. The biblical basis for the belief is generally found in Genesis 3 (t ...
'' (2010)


Legacy

INXS has been cited as an influence by several acts, such as The 1975,
Maroon 5 Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. It currently consists of lead vocalist Adam Levine, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jesse Carmichael, lead guitarist James Valentine (musician), James Valentine, drummer Matt ...
and Savage Garden.


Recognition, awards, and nominations

According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), INXS has sold over 30 million units in the United States alone, making them the third-highest selling Australian music act in the United States behind
AC/DC AC/DC (stylised as ACϟDC) are an Australian Rock music, rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm Young, Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and Heavy metal ...
and The Bee Gees. INXS has sold an estimated 70  million records worldwide. INXS has been nominated for numerous music awards, including ARIA Awards,
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
s, and
MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
.


APRA Music Awards

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, "
Need You Tonight "Need You Tonight" is a song by the Australian rock band INXS, released as the first single from their 1987 album, ''Kick'', as well as the fourth song on the album. It is the only INXS single to reach No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It ...
" , , , - , rowspan=2,
1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...
, " Devil Inside" , , rowspan=2, , - , "
New Sensation "New Sensation" is a song by Australian rock group INXS. It was the third single released from their 1987 album, ''Kick''. The music was composed by Andrew Farriss and the lyrics were written by Michael Hutchence. The song reached 3 on the US ...
" , , - ,
1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...
, "
Suicide Blonde "Suicide Blonde" is the lead single from Australian rock band INXS's seventh studio album, '' X'' (1990). It was released on 22 August 1990 in the United States and on 3 September 1990 in the United Kingdom. The song reached number two in Austra ...
" , rowspan=2, Most Performed Australian Work Overseas , , , - ,
1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
, " Disappear" , , , - ,
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
, " Precious Heart" (with
Tall Paul "Tall Paul" is a song recorded by Annette Funicello and written by the Sherman Brothers, along with Bob Roberts. Background It marked the first time that a female singer reached a top ten slot with a rock and roll single. It also spotlighted An ...
)
, Most Performed Dance Work , ,


ARIA Awards

INXS has won seven Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards. The band was inducted into the
ARIA Hall of Fame In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...
in 2001 alongside The Saints. 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. , - , rowspan="3", 1987 , , , "
Listen Like Thieves ''Listen Like Thieves'' is the fifth studio album by Australian Rock music, rock band INXS. It was released on 14 October 1985. It spent two weeks at number one on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. Considered an internati ...
" , , Best Group , , , - , rowspan="2", "Good Times" (INXS & Jimmy Barnes) , , Single of the Year , , , - , Highest Selling Single , , , - , 1988 , , INXS , , Best Group , , , - , rowspan="4", 1989 , , , INXS , ,
Outstanding Achievement Award "Outstanding" is a song originally performed by the Gap Band and written by member Raymond Calhoun. The song originally appeared on the group's platinum-selling 1982 album ''Gap Band IV''. It is one of their signature songs and biggest hits, rea ...
, , , - , rowspan="3", " Never Tear Us Apart" , , Best Video , , , - , Best Group , , , - , Single of the Year, , , - , rowspan="2", 1991 , , rowspan="2", '' X'' , ,
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...
, , , - , Best Group , , , - , 1992 , , , ''
Live Baby Live ''Live Baby Live'' is the first live album by Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 11 November 1991 and features tracks recorded during their Summer XS Tour in Paris, New York, Chicago, London, Dublin, Glasgow, Rio de Janeiro, Montreal ...
'' , , Best Group , , , - , rowspan="2", 1993 , , , " Baby Don't Cry", " Heaven Sent", "
Taste It "Taste It" is a song by Australian rock band INXS, released as the fourth single from their eighth album, ''Welcome to Wherever You Are'' (1992), in November 1992. The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence. It peaked at 36 ...
" , , Engineer of the Year , , , - , ''
Welcome to Wherever You Are ''Welcome to Wherever You Are'' is the eighth studio album by Australian rock band INXS, which was released on 3 August 1992. With grunge and alternative music breaking into the mainstream, INXS tried to establish a new direction for itself ...
'' , , Best Group , , , - , rowspan="3", 1994 , , , " The Gift" , , Best Video , , , - , "The Gift" , , Highest Selling Single , , , - , , ''
Full Moon, Dirty Hearts ''Full Moon, Dirty Hearts'' is the ninth studio album by Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 1 November 1993, through East West Records in Australia and in the United Kingdom by Phonogram's Mercury Records label. It was followed by the ...
'' , , Best Group , , , - , 2001 , , INXS , ,
Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
, , , - , 2004 , , ''I'm Only Looking'' , , Best Music DVD , , , -


ASCAP Pop Music Awards

!Ref. , - , 1987 , " What You Need" , rowspan=6, Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan=4, 1989 , " Devil Inside" , , rowspan=4, , - , "
New Sensation "New Sensation" is a song by Australian rock group INXS. It was the third single released from their 1987 album, ''Kick''. The music was composed by Andrew Farriss and the lyrics were written by Michael Hutchence. The song reached 3 on the US ...
" , , - , " Never Tear Us Apart" , , - , "
Need You Tonight "Need You Tonight" is a song by the Australian rock band INXS, released as the first single from their 1987 album, ''Kick'', as well as the fourth song on the album. It is the only INXS single to reach No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It ...
" , , - , 1991 , " Disappear" , ,


''Countdown'' Awards

''
Countdown A countdown is a sequence of backward counting to indicate the time remaining before an event is scheduled to occur. NASA commonly employs the terms "L-minus" and "T-minus" during the preparation for and anticipation of a rocket launch, and eve ...
'' was an Australian pop music TV series on national broadcaster ABC-TV from 1974 to 1987, it presented music awards from 1979 to 1987, initially in conjunction with magazine ''
TV Week ''TV Week'' is a weekly Australian magazine that provides television program listings information and highlights, as well as television-related news. Content ranges from previews for upcoming storylines of popular television programs, particu ...
'' 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. They won further award in the final awards in 1986, from five nominations. , - , 1980 , , , INXS , , Johnny O'Keefe New Talent , , , - , rowspan="3" , 1982 , , , '' Shabooh Shoobah'' , , Best Australian Album , , , - , , "One Thing" , , Best Australian Single , , , - , , INXS , , Most Popular Group , , , - , rowspan="9" , 1984 , , , " Burn for You" , , Best Group Performance in a Video , , , - , , '' The Swing'' , , Best Album , , , - , , INXS , , Most Popular Australian Group , , , - , , Andrew Farriss,
Michael Hutchence Michael Kelland John Hutchence (22 January 1960 – 22 November 1997) was an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Hutchence co-founded the rock band INXS, which sold over 75 million records worldwide and was inducted into th ...
, , Best Songwriter , , , - , , "Burn for You" , , Best Promotional Video , , , - , "Burn for You" , , Best Single , , , - , " I Send a Message" , , Best Single , , , - , INXS , , Most Outstanding Achievement , , , - , , Michael Hutchence , , Most Popular Male , , , - , rowspan="3" , 1985 , , " What You Need" , , Best Video , , , - , INXS , , Most Popular Australian Group , , , - , INXS , , Most Outstanding Achievement , , , - , rowspan="5" , 1986 , , "Kiss the Dirt" , , Best Group Performance in a Video , , , - , "
Good Times ''Good Times'' is an American television sitcom that aired for six seasons on CBS, from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans and developed by executive producer Norman Lear, it was television's first African ...
" (with Jimmy Barnes, , Best Group Performance in a Video, , , - , "Kiss the Dirt", , Best Video, , , - , "
Listen Like Thieves ''Listen Like Thieves'' is the fifth studio album by Australian Rock music, rock band INXS. It was released on 14 October 1985. It spent two weeks at number one on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. Considered an internati ...
", , Best Video, , , - , INXS , , Most Popular Australian Group , ,


Grammy Awards

INXS received three
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
nominations. , - , 1988 , , '' Kick'' , , Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal , , , - , 1990 , , "
Suicide Blonde "Suicide Blonde" is the lead single from Australian rock band INXS's seventh studio album, '' X'' (1990). It was released on 22 August 1990 in the United States and on 3 September 1990 in the United Kingdom. The song reached number two in Austra ...
" , , Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal , , , - , 1994 , , " Beautiful Girl" , , Best Short Form Music Video , ,


International Rock Awards

The
International Rock Awards The International Rock Awards was a United States music award ceremony meant to honor the top musicians in the rock music genre. The awards were broadcast on ABC for three years from 1989 to 1991. The award show is interpreted to have been an attem ...
(1989–91) was a music award ceremony broadcast on
ABC Television ABC Television most commonly refers to: *ABC Television Network of the American Broadcasting Company, United States, or *ABC Television (Australian TV network), a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia ABC Television or ABC ...
, to honor the top musicians in the genre of
rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...
. , - , 1989 , Themselves , Artist of the Year ,


Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. INXS won two awards in that time. (wins only) , - , 1986 , INXS , Rock Group of the Year , , - , 1988 , INXS , Rock Group of the Year , , -


MTV Video Music Awards

INXS won five
MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
for their 1988 video "
Need You Tonight "Need You Tonight" is a song by the Australian rock band INXS, released as the first single from their 1987 album, ''Kick'', as well as the fourth song on the album. It is the only INXS single to reach No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It ...
/
Mediate Mediate may refer to: * "Mediate" (song), by INXS * Domenic Mediate (born 1982), professional soccer player *Rocco Mediate (born 1962), professional golfer *A common misspelling of the website Mediaite Mediaite is a news website focusing on pol ...
". , - , , 1986 , , , " What You Need" , , Best Group Video , , , - , rowspan="9", 1988 , , rowspan="8", "Need You Tonight/Mediate" , , Viewer's Choice , , , - , Video of the Year , , , - , Best Group Video , , , - , Best Concept Video , , , - , Breakthrough Video , , , - , Best Special Effects in a Video , , , - , Best Art Direction in a Video , , , - , Best Editing in a Video , , , - , " Devil Inside" , , Best Editing in a Video , , , - , 1989 , , "
New Sensation "New Sensation" is a song by Australian rock group INXS. It was the third single released from their 1987 album, ''Kick''. The music was composed by Andrew Farriss and the lyrics were written by Michael Hutchence. The song reached 3 on the US ...
" , , Best Art Direction in a Video , ,


Pollstar Concert Industry Awards

The Pollstar Concert Industry Awards is an annual award ceremony to honor artists and professionals in the concert industry. , - , rowspan="2" , 1986 , Themselves , Next Major Arena Headliner , , - , rowspan="2" , ''Tour'' , Small Hall/Club of the Year , , - , 1989 , Most Creative Stage Production ,


Brit Awards

, - , 1989 , , INXS , , Best International Group, , , - , rowspan="2", 1991 , , , INXS , , Best International Group, , , - , , Michael Hutchence , , Best International Male, , , - , 1992 , , INXS , , Best International Group, ,


Juno Awards

, - , 1989 , INXS , International Entertainer of the Year ,


World Music Awards

, - , 1993 , INXS , World's Best Selling Australian Artist ,


Žebřík Music Awards

!Ref. , - , rowspan=3, 1997 ,
Michael Hutchence Michael Kelland John Hutchence (22 January 1960 – 22 November 1997) was an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Hutchence co-founded the rock band INXS, which sold over 75 million records worldwide and was inducted into th ...
, Best International Personality , , rowspan=3, , - , "
Elegantly Wasted ''Elegantly Wasted'' is the tenth studio album by Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 15 April 1997, and is the final album recorded with lead singer Michael Hutchence before his death in November that same year. The band had spent A ...
" , Best International Video , , - , The Death of Michael Hutchence , Best International Průser ,


Notes


References


External links

* * * INXS discographyat ''Billboard''
INXS discography
at MusicBrainz *
INXS – the Band
at h2g2 * {{Authority control ARIA Award winners Brit Award winners Dance-rock musical groups Funk rock musical groups Australian new wave musical groups Australian rock music groups ARIA Hall of Fame inductees Atlantic Records artists Atco Records artists Epic Records artists Polydor Records artists Mercury Records artists East West Records artists Warner Music Group artists Musical groups established in 1977 Musical groups from Sydney Musical groups disestablished in 2012 1977 establishments in Australia 2012 disestablishments in Australia Pub rock musical groups Australian alternative rock groups Sibling musical groups