INXS (Rock Group)

When I was about 13, during a family holiday gathering, my uncle Jim played an album by an Australian group I had never heard of: INXS (pronounced “in excess”). From that day on, I started noticing their videos on MTV, and was soon collecting their records myself. INXS was active from 1977 to 2017 and, to date, they have sold over 50 million records worldwide, making them one of Australia's best-selling musical acts of all time. I was surprised to read that, although they had many number one hits in their native Australia and other countries, they never reached number one in the United States, although most of their hits reached at least top-ten status. They did receive many awards and nominations in the US, including several Grammys, along with similar recognition in other countries.

The band was formed in Sydney in 1977, by several upper-middle-class teenagers. Some of the members were still in high school, and a couple were only slightly older. All had previous experience in other bands. It was originally called The Farriss Brothers, because three of the founding members were brothers Andrew, Tim, and Jon Farriss. Other members were Michael Hutchence, Gary Beers and Kirk Pengilly. They began touring around Australia, usually as an opening act with better-known bands. By 1979 the band was becoming well-known, and someone suggested they should change their name. They made their debut as INXS that year in performance at a coastal hotel. They also hired experienced business manager and negotiator Chris Murphy, who by early 1980 got them a five-album contract deal with an independent Australian record label, Deluxe Records. Several early singles and two albums on Deluxe got attention in Australia, but not internationally, so in 1982 Murphy signed a new deal with better-known labels Atco/Atlantic for North America, PolyGram for Europe, and WEA for Australia and Asia. INXS then recorded an album called Shabooh Shoobah which reached number 52 on the U.S. Billboard 200, and number 5 in Australia. A single from that album, “The One Thing,” was their first US Top 30 hit, supported by a video on MTV. They then spent most of 1983 on tour in the US, which helped get them even more international attention, and their fame increased continually after that. Those wanting to learn more about the early years of INXS can read INXS: Story to Story, The Official Autobiography, coauthored by Anthony Bozza. 

On September 18, 1997, my sister and I saw INXS in concert at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby, PA. I was going to wait in line for a tee-shirt souvenir, but my sister convinced me that we could get one at the next INXS concert. Unfortunately, on November 22, we learned of lead singer Michael Hutchence's death, which ended the tour. Hutchence was found dead in his Sydney hotel room. Although initial reports called it an accident, the coroner's official report said that he had committed suicide due to depression. His life had been the most interesting of INXS. Unlike the others, who had spent their entire lives in Australia, Hutchence had spent many of his early years in Hong Kong and only returned to Sydney in 1972. During his INXS years he was constantly in the media for various reasons, including his lifestyle and drug use; appearances in, and providing songs for, feature films; and his romantic involvements with beautiful models and film stars. London tabloids called him “the wild man of rock.” In 2019, I attended a book-talk at the New Hope (PA) Winery by Michael's sister Tina Hutchence, who told many interesting stories about their early years growing up.

Hutchence had been the group's lead singer and primary songwriter for twenty years, and his dynamic stage presence made him the focus of rock fans' attention, so his death was both a personal and professional loss for the other members. After a brief period of mourning, the group decided that INXS would continue. A number of others would substitute for Hutchence's lead singer role. In 2008 and 2011, I saw INXS in concert at the House of Blues in Atlantic City. By that time the band had replaced Hutchence with J.D. Fortune, who was also the lead singer on their album Switch. Although INXS is now gone, I've seen in concert a tribute band called Kick: The INXS Experience, which does a pretty good job of recreating their music.

For those unfamiliar with INXS's music, the Mercer County Library System has several of their CDs, including a greatest hits album The Best of INXS. Included here is a link to a music video of INXS singing “The One Thing,” the hit that sparked their careers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJyKTNdPL5s

Jon Parker, Hickory Corner Branch