INXS: The Life Story Behind the Rock Stars
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INXS was one of the biggest rock bands to come out of Australia, and their story is full of highs and lows, of great music and great sadness. They started as a pub band in Sydney, playing loud rock for small crowds, and they grew into a world-famous group that filled stadiums and sold millions of records. Their sound was a mix of rock, funk, and pop, with a rhythm that made people dance and a singer who could hold a whole arena in the palm of his hand. That singer was Michael Hutchence, and his voice and his presence were at the heart of everything INXS did.
The band was formed by three brothers, Tim, Jon, and Andrew Farriss, along with their school friends, and they worked together for years before they became famous. They were not an overnight success. They played hundreds of shows, they made albums that sold slowly at first, and they learned how to be a band by being on the road together. That long apprenticeship made them strong, and when the big success finally came, they were ready for it. They knew how to play live, they knew how to write songs, and they knew how to work as a team.
What makes INXS different from many other rock bands is the way they mixed styles. They were a rock band, but they also loved funk, soul, and dance music, and they brought all of those sounds into their songs. Their music had a groove that made people move, and it had a sexiness that came from Michael Hutchence’s voice and his way of performing. He was a frontman who could sing, dance, and connect with an audience, and he became one of the most famous rock stars of the 1980s.
Their story is also a sad one, because Michael Hutchence died in 1997 at the age of thirty-seven, and his death changed the band for ever. INXS tried to carry on without him, but it was never the same, and the band’s story after his death is a story of trying to find a way forward when the heart of the group is gone. This is the story of how INXS rose from Sydney pubs to world fame, and how they lived with the loss that followed.
School Friends and the Farriss Brothers in Sydney
INXS began in Sydney in the late 1970s, when brothers Tim, Jon, and Andrew Farriss started playing music with their school friends Garry Gary Beers, Kirk Pengilly, and Michael Hutchence. The Farriss brothers grew up in a musical family, and they had been playing together since they were young. Tim played guitar, Jon played drums, and Andrew played keyboards and wrote many of the band’s songs. They were a close family, and that closeness helped the band stay together through the hard years that followed.
Michael Hutchence was born in Sydney in 1960, and he grew up in Australia and in Hong Kong, where his father worked. He was a bright, charming young man with a love of music and poetry, and he had a natural gift for performing. When he joined the band, he brought a charisma that the other members did not have. He could sing, he could move on stage, and he could make an audience feel like he was singing just to them. That gift would make him one of the most loved frontmen in rock music.
The band first called themselves The Farriss Brothers, and they played in pubs and clubs around Sydney, learning their craft in front of small crowds. They played covers of other people’s songs at first, and then they began to write their own material. Playing in pubs is a hard school for a band, because the audience is close, the noise is loud, and the crowd will tell you quickly if they do not like what you are doing. INXS learned to play with energy, to keep the beat strong, and to make every show feel like a party.
In 1979, the band changed their name to INXS, which was pronounced in excess, and they began to take their career more seriously. The name was short, it was memorable, and it fitted the band’s bold, confident style. They signed a record deal, they released their first singles, and they began to tour Australia, building a following one show at a time. It was a slow start, but it was a solid one, and it gave them the foundation they would need for the success that was coming.
The First Albums and Learning to Tour
INXS released their first album, INXS, in 1980, and it was a modest success in Australia. The album showed a young band finding its sound, with a mix of rock and new wave influences, and it included songs that became favourites with their early fans. It did not make them world stars overnight, but it proved that they could write songs, record them well, and sell records. For a young band, that was an important step, and it gave them the confidence to keep going.
They followed it with albums like Underneath the Colours in 1981 and Shabooh Shoobah in 1982, and each album brought them a little more success. Shabooh Shoobah included the song The One Thing, which became a hit in America and helped the band get noticed overseas. The band toured constantly, playing in Australia, America, and Europe, and they learned how to be a touring band, how to handle long days on the road, and how to play for audiences who did not know them yet. Touring is hard work, but it is also the best way for a band to grow, and INXS grew fast on the road.
During these early years, the band also learned how to work together in the studio. Andrew Farriss wrote much of the music, and Michael Hutchence wrote many of the lyrics, and together they created songs that were catchy, rhythmic, and full of life. They worked with producers who helped them shape their sound, and they began to find the mix of rock, funk, and pop that would become their trademark. It was a process of trial and error, and not every song worked, but the band kept trying, and they kept learning.
By the mid-1980s, INXS was a well-known band in Australia, with a loyal following and a growing reputation overseas. They had released several albums, they had toured the world, and they had built a strong live show. They were ready for the next step, and that step would be an album that would make them one of the biggest bands in the world. They had done the hard work, and now they were about to reap the reward.
Listen Like Thieves and the Road to the Top
In 1985, INXS released the album Listen Like Thieves, and it became a major breakthrough for the band. The album included the song What You Need, which became a hit in America, and it showed a band that had found its sound. The songs were tighter, the grooves were stronger, and Michael Hutchence’s voice was more confident than ever. The album sold well in Australia and America, and it proved that INXS could compete with the biggest bands in the world.
The success of Listen Like Thieves was built on years of touring and recording, and it felt like a reward for all the hard work. The band had played hundreds of shows, they had made four albums, and now they were finally getting the recognition they deserved. They toured the album around the world, playing to larger crowds and in bigger venues, and their live show became known as one of the best in rock music. Michael Hutchence was a magnetic frontman, and the band behind him played with a tight, funky groove that made people dance.
The album also showed how well the band worked together. Andrew Farriss’s songwriting, Tim’s guitar, Jon’s drums, Garry’s bass, Kirk’s saxophone, and Michael’s voice all fitted together perfectly. Each member had a role, and each member played it well. That teamwork is a big part of why INXS sounded so good. They were not a singer with a backing band. They were a real band, with six members who had grown up together and who knew each other’s playing inside out.
Listen Like Thieves was the album that set up the band’s greatest success, and it is still loved by fans today. Its songs are full of energy, and they capture a band at the moment when everything was coming together. For INXS, it was a turning point, and it showed the world that they were not just an Australian band. They were a world band, ready to take on the biggest stages and the biggest audiences.
Kick and the Biggest Album of Their Lives
In 1987, INXS released Kick, and it became one of the biggest albums of the 1980s. The album included Need You Tonight, Devil Inside, New Sensation, and Never Tear Us Apart, four songs that became huge hits around the world. Need You Tonight was a number one hit in America, and it showed a new side of the band, with a funky, stripped-back sound that was both sexy and catchy. The album sold millions of copies, and it made INXS one of the biggest bands on the planet.
Kick was a perfect album for its time. It had rock songs, dance songs, and ballads, and each one was crafted with care. The production was polished, the songs were strong, and Michael Hutchence’s voice was at its best. He sang with confidence, with passion, and with a sense of fun that made the album feel alive. The band toured the album for years, playing in stadiums and arenas, and their live shows became legendary. They were at the top of their game, and they knew it.
The song Never Tear Us Apart became one of the band’s most loved ballads, with a beautiful melody and lyrics about love that lasts. It showed that INXS could do more than just dance songs. They could write a song that touched people deeply, and they could sing it with a sincerity that made it feel real. The song has been used in films and television, and it is still played at weddings and on the radio today. It is a sign of how good the band’s songwriting had become.
Kick remains the album that defines INXS for most people, and it is often named as one of the great albums of the 1980s. It sold in huge numbers, it won awards, and it made the band world stars. For the members of INXS, it was the peak of their career, a moment when everything they had worked for came together. They were young, they were famous, and they were making music that the whole world loved. It was a wonderful time, but it was also a time that would not last for ever.
Fame, Pressure, and the X Album Years
After Kick, INXS released the album X in 1990, which included the hit Suicide Blonde and other songs that kept the band at the top. X was another success, and it showed that the band could follow up a huge album with another strong record. They toured the world again, playing to massive crowds, and they continued to be one of the biggest rock bands in the world. But the pressure of fame was beginning to take its toll, especially on Michael Hutchence, who was finding it hard to live up to the image of a rock star.
Fame brings many good things, but it also brings pressure, long tours, and a lack of privacy. Michael Hutchence was a private person in many ways, and he found the attention difficult. He was also dealing with personal problems, including a head injury from a fight in Copenhagen in 1992, which left him with a loss of taste and smell and affected his mood. The injury changed him, and those who knew him said he was never quite the same afterwards. It was a turning point in his life, and it marked the start of a difficult period for the band.
The band released more albums in the 1990s, including Welcome to Wherever You Are and Full Moon, Dirty Hearts, but they did not reach the same heights as Kick. The music scene was changing, with grunge and other new styles taking over, and INXS found it harder to get their songs played on the radio. They were still a great live band, and they still had loyal fans, but the big hits were not coming as easily as they had before. It was a frustrating time for a band that had once been at the top.
Despite these challenges, INXS kept working, kept touring, and kept making music. They were a band that had been together for many years, and they had a deep bond that kept them going. They believed in their music, and they believed in each other, and they were determined to keep playing. But the pressures were building, and the next chapter of their story would be the saddest one of all.
The Death of Michael Hutchence in 1997
On 22 November 1997, Michael Hutchence was found dead in a hotel room in Sydney, at the age of thirty-seven. His death was a shock to the band, to his family, and to fans around the world. He had been in Sydney to rehearse with INXS for a tour, and his death came at a time when he was dealing with personal and legal problems, including a custody battle over his daughter. The news spread quickly, and tributes poured in from musicians and fans who had loved his voice and his performances.
The band was devastated by his death. Michael had been their singer, their frontman, and their friend for twenty years, and losing him felt like losing a brother. The other members did not know what to do next. They took time off, they grieved, and they tried to come to terms with what had happened. Many people expected INXS to break up, and it would have been understandable if they had. How do you replace a singer like Michael Hutchence? The answer, for many fans, was that you cannot.
Michael’s death also raised questions about fame, pressure, and mental health, and it made many people think about the cost of being a rock star. He had lived a life that looked glamorous from the outside, but it was also a life with many pressures and difficulties. His death was a tragedy, and it is still felt by fans today, who remember him as a talented, charismatic singer who died too young. His voice, his songs, and his performances are his legacy, and they are still loved by people around the world.
The band held a funeral for Michael, and fans gathered to pay their respects. It was a sad and emotional time, and it marked the end of an era for INXS. The band that had started as school friends in Sydney had lost its heart, and nothing would ever be the same again. But the music they had made together would live on, and it would keep Michael’s memory alive for many years to come.
Trying to Carry On Without Their Singer
After Michael’s death, INXS took a long break, and then they tried to carry on with different singers. They worked with singers like Jon Stevens and J.D. Fortune, who won a television contest to become the band’s new singer, and they released new music and toured with these singers. The shows were well received by some fans, but many fans felt that it was not the same without Michael, and the band never regained the success they had enjoyed in the 1980s. It was a difficult position to be in, and the band knew it.
The decision to carry on was not easy, and it was criticised by some people who felt that the band should have stopped after Michael’s death. But the other members believed that the music was worth continuing, and they wanted to keep playing the songs they had written together. They had spent twenty years building a band, and they did not want to let it end in tragedy. They wanted to honour Michael by keeping the music alive, even if it could never be the same.
In 2012, INXS announced that they would stop touring, and they played their final shows in Australia. It was the end of a long and remarkable career, one that had taken them from Sydney pubs to the biggest stages in the world. The band’s legacy is secure, with hit songs, classic albums, and a live reputation that is still talked about today. They are remembered as one of Australia’s greatest rock bands, and their music continues to be played on the radio and in films.
Today, the members of INXS are remembered for the music they made with Michael Hutchence, and for the band they built together over many years. Their story is a story of friendship, of hard work, and of great music, but it is also a story of loss. Michael’s death is a sad ending, but it does not erase the joy and the energy of the music they made. INXS will always be remembered for Kick, for Need You Tonight, and for the voice of Michael Hutchence, a voice that still sounds as fresh today as it did in the 1980s.
The band’s live shows were also a big part of why people loved them, because INXS on stage was a different experience from INXS on a record. Michael Hutchence moved with a confidence that made the whole arena feel close, even when it held tens of thousands of people, and the band behind him played with a tight groove that never lost its energy. Fans who saw them live often say it was one of the best concerts they ever attended, and that memory stayed with them long after the show ended. A great live band creates a feeling that a record alone cannot create, and INXS created that feeling night after night.
Their songwriting partnership was also special, because Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence worked in different ways that fitted together perfectly. Andrew wrote music with strong melodies and rhythms, and Michael added lyrics that were poetic, romantic, and sometimes mysterious. Together they made songs that were both catchy and thoughtful, songs that you could dance to and songs that you could listen to closely. That partnership is a big reason why their best albums still sound fresh today, and why new listeners keep discovering them.
My Take:
When I think about INXS, the first thing I think about is Michael Hutchence. He was a frontman unlike any other, with a voice that was both sexy and soulful, and a presence that filled a whole stadium. I think he is one of the great rock singers of all time, and I think his death was a tragedy that robbed music of a rare talent. When I listen to his voice on Need You Tonight, I hear a singer who is confident, playful, and in control. That is a rare combination, and it is why people still love him today.
I love the sound of INXS, because it is a sound that makes you want to move. Their songs have a groove, a rhythm that gets into your body and makes you dance. I think that groove comes from the Farriss brothers, who wrote songs with a strong beat and a funky feel. Many rock bands play loud and fast, but INXS played with a groove that was different. They were a rock band that could make you dance, and that is a special thing. I think that is why their music has lasted so well.
What I admire most is how long they worked before they became famous. They did not become stars overnight. They played in pubs, they made albums that sold slowly, and they toured for years before Kick made them world famous. That hard work is the foundation of their success, and it is a lesson for anyone who wants to make it in music. You have to put in the hours, you have to play the small shows, and you have to keep going when no one is watching. INXS did that, and they earned their success.
I also think about the friendship at the heart of the band. The Farriss brothers and their school friends had known each other for years before they became famous, and that friendship kept them together through the hard times. A band is like a family, and INXS was a family in the truest sense. They argued, they worked together, and they supported each other, and that bond is part of why their music sounds so good. You can hear the teamwork in their songs, and you can feel the trust between the players.
There is a sadness in their story that I cannot ignore, and it is the sadness of Michael’s death. He was only thirty-seven, and he had so much more to give. I think about what he could have done if he had lived longer, what songs he could have written, what shows he could have played. That loss is felt by fans all over the world, and it is a reminder that fame does not protect you from pain. Michael had fame, he had money, and he had talent, but he also had problems that fame could not solve. That is a hard truth, and I think about it whenever I listen to INXS.
I admire the album Kick, and I think it is one of the great albums of the 1980s. It has hit after hit, and each song is different from the last. Need You Tonight is funky and short, Devil Inside is dark and driving, New Sensation is joyful and upbeat, and Never Tear Us Apart is a beautiful ballad. That range is rare, and it shows how good the band’s songwriting had become. I think Kick is a perfect album, in the sense that it has no weak songs, and every song feels like it belongs. That is hard to do, and INXS did it.
When I listen to Never Tear Us Apart, I hear something special. It is a love song, but it is not a simple love song. It is about a love that lasts, about two people who are connected in a deep way. Michael sings it with a sincerity that makes you believe every word, and the music builds slowly, with strings and a gentle beat. I think it is one of the most beautiful songs INXS ever made, and it is a song that has touched many people. It is played at weddings, it is played on the radio, and it is remembered by fans as a classic.
I also think about the head injury Michael suffered in Copenhagen, because it changed him in ways that people did not understand at the time. He lost his sense of taste and smell, and his mood changed. I think that injury is an important part of his story, because it shows that a single moment can change a life. He was never quite the same after that night, and the people who loved him could see the change. I feel sad when I think about it, because it was an accident, and it had such a big effect on his life.
If I have a criticism, it is not about the band itself. It is about how the music business treats bands that have a huge success. After Kick, everyone expected INXS to make another Kick, and that is a lot of pressure. It is hard to make a second album as good as the first, and it is unfair to expect a band to do it again and again. INXS made good albums after Kick, but they were judged against Kick, and that is a hard standard to meet. I think they deserved more credit for their later work than they often got.
I think about the decision to carry on after Michael’s death, and I have mixed feelings about it. On one side, I understand why the band wanted to keep playing. They had spent twenty years together, and the music was a big part of their lives. On the other side, I understand why some fans felt it was not the same without Michael. He was irreplaceable, and no other singer could fill his place. I think the band did their best in a difficult situation, and I respect them for trying, even if the result was not the same as before.
For a young reader, I think the lesson of INXS is simple. Work hard, stay together, and make music that you believe in. INXS worked hard for years before they became famous, they stayed together as friends, and they made music that was true to who they were. That is a good example for anyone, musician or not, who wants to build something that lasts. Success does not come overnight. It comes from years of work, and INXS proved that.
I also learn from them that a band needs more than a good singer. It needs good songwriters, good players, and a team that works together. Andrew Farriss wrote the music, Michael wrote the lyrics, and the other members played their parts with skill and passion. That teamwork is why INXS sounded so good. A band is not just one person. It is a group, and when the group works well together, the music is better than any one person could make alone. I think that is a lesson for life as well as for music.
I keep thinking about the word groove, because INXS had a groove that was all their own. Their songs make you move, and they make you feel good. I think that groove is a gift, and it is why their music is still played today. A good groove does not get old. It just keeps working, year after year, and people keep dancing to it. I am glad that INXS made music with such a strong groove, because it brings joy to people, and joy is a valuable thing.
When I think about their future, I know that the band has stopped touring, and that is sad, but I also know that their music will live on. Their songs are still played on the radio, they are still used in films, and they are still loved by fans. That is a legacy that will last for a long time. I think Michael Hutchence would be proud of that legacy, and I think the other members of the band should be proud of it too. They made music that mattered, and that music will not be forgotten.
I will end my thoughts on INXS with a simple feeling. I feel sad that Michael died so young, but I also feel grateful for the music he left behind. The world is full of singers who die young, and it is full of music that is never heard again. Michael’s music is still heard, and it is still loved, and that is a tribute to his talent. I am grateful for Kick, for Need You Tonight, for Never Tear Us Apart, and for all the other songs INXS made. They are a gift, and I will keep listening to them.
One more thought stays with me. I think about the school friends in Sydney, playing in pubs, dreaming of making it big. They could not have known that they would one day be one of the biggest bands in the world. They just played, because they loved to play. I think that love is the real secret of their story. When you love what you do, you keep doing it, even when it is hard, even when the road is long, even when the success takes years to come. INXS loved to play, and they kept playing. That is why their story still matters, and why I think people will keep listening to them for a long time to come.
I also think about the fans, because INXS had fans who loved them deeply and who still love them today. They wear the T-shirts, they sing the songs, and they go to tribute shows, year after year. I think a band is only as good as its fans, and INXS had some of the best fans in the world. They have kept the band’s music alive, and they have kept Michael’s memory alive. I respect those fans, and I think they deserve to be part of the story too.
Another thing I notice is how the band’s music crosses generations. Young people today are discovering INXS for the first time, through films, through streaming, and through their parents’ record collections. They hear Need You Tonight and they love it, even though it was made before they were born. That is a sign of timeless music. A good song does not belong to one decade. It belongs to everyone, and INXS made songs that belong to everyone.
I think about the simple joy of dancing to INXS, and I think that joy is something the band gives to people every time their songs are played. There is a moment when the beat starts, the crowd moves, and everyone feels the same thing at the same time. That shared feeling is rare, and it is why people love music. INXS creates that feeling better than almost any band I know, and I think that is a gift worth celebrating.
I think about the band’s Australian roots, because INXS was proudly Australian even when they were famous around the world. They did not try to sound American or British. They sounded like themselves, with an Australian energy and an Australian sense of fun. That pride in where they came from is part of why Australians love them so much, and it is part of why the rest of the world found them interesting. They brought something different to world rock, and that difference was their home.
I also think about how hard it is to be the singer in a band, because the singer carries so much of the attention and so much of the pressure. Michael Hutchence carried that pressure for twenty years, and he did it with grace and with talent. I think we should remember him not just for how he died, but for how he lived and how he sang. He lived with passion, he sang with passion, and he gave the world some wonderful music. That is how I want to remember him.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was INXS formed?
INXS was formed in Sydney, Australia, in the late 1970s by the Farriss brothers Tim, Jon, and Andrew, along with school friends Garry Gary Beers, Kirk Pengilly, and Michael Hutchence. They first played as The Farriss Brothers before changing their name to INXS in 1979.
What is INXS’s most famous album?
INXS’s most famous album is Kick, released in 1987. It includes Need You Tonight, Devil Inside, New Sensation, and Never Tear Us Apart, sold millions of copies around the world, and made the band one of the biggest rock groups of the 1980s.
Who was the lead singer of INXS?
The lead singer of INXS was Michael Hutchence, born in Sydney in 1960. He was known for his powerful, soulful voice and his charismatic stage presence, and he fronted the band from its early pub days until his death in 1997.
How did Michael Hutchence die?
Michael Hutchence died in Sydney on 22 November 1997 at the age of thirty-seven, in a hotel room where he was found dead. His death was a shock to the band and to fans around the world, and it marked the end of the band’s classic era.
What is INXS’s biggest hit song?
Need You Tonight, from the album Kick, was a number one hit in America and is often named as INXS’s biggest song. Other famous songs include Devil Inside, New Sensation, Never Tear Us Apart, and What You Need.
Did INXS continue after Michael Hutchence died?
Yes, INXS tried to continue with different singers, including Jon Stevens and J.D. Fortune, who won a television contest to join the band. They released new music and toured, but they never regained their 1980s success, and they stopped touring in 2012.
