INXS | |
|---|---|
 INXS performing in July 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Farriss Brothers (1977–1979) |
| Origin | Sydney,Australia |
| Genres | |
| Discography | INXS discography |
| Years active | 1977–2012 |
| Labels | |
| Spinoffs | |
| Past members | |
| Website | inxs |
INXS (aphonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian rock band, formed asthe Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney.[4][5] The founding members were bassistGarry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboardistAndrew Farriss, drummerJon Farriss, guitaristTim Farriss, lead singer and main lyricistMichael Hutchence, and guitarist and saxophonistKirk Pengilly.[6] For 20 years, INXS was fronted by Hutchence, whose stage presence made him the focal point of the band.[4][6] Initially known for theirnew wave/pop style, the band later developed a harderpub rock style that includedfunk and dance elements.[4]
In 1984, INXS had their first number-one hit in Australia with "Original Sin". The band achieved international success in the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s with the hit albumsListen Like Thieves,Kick, andX, and the singles "What You Need", "Need You Tonight" (the band's only US number-one single), "Devil Inside", "Never Tear Us Apart", "Suicide Blonde" and "New Sensation".[7][8][9][10]
After Hutchence's death on 22 November 1997, INXS made appearances with several guest singers, and toured and recorded withJon Stevens as lead singer, beginning in 2000.[5] In 2005, members of INXS participated inRock Star: INXS, a reality television series that culminated in the selection of CanadianJ.D. Fortune as their new lead singer.[11] Irish singer-songwriterCiaran 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 sixAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) awards, including three for "Best Group" in 1987, 1989 and 1992;[12] the band was inducted into theARIA Hall of Fame in 2001.[13][14] INXS has sold over 75 million albums worldwide, making them one of Australia's highest selling music acts of all time.[15][16]
The origins of the band began withAndrew Farriss convincing his fellowDavidson High School classmate,Michael Hutchence, to join his band, Doctor Dolphin.[17] The band contained two further classmates, Kent Kerny and Neil Sanders, as well asGarry Beers and Geoff Kennely, both from a nearby high school,Forest High School.[17] In 1977,Tim Farriss, Andrew's older brother, invited Andrew, Hutchence and Beers to join him and his schoolmateKirk 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[17] (named after their bass player's dog).[18] Together with younger brotherJon 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.[4][6][19] The band made their debut on 16 August 1977 atWhale Beach,[20] 40 km (25 mi) north of Sydney.[20]
The parents of the Farriss boys relocated toPerth, 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.[5][20] They briefly performed as The Vegetables, singing "We Are the Vegetables", before returning to Sydney ten months later,[20] where they recorded a set of demos.[17] At a chance meeting in the car park of the Royal Antler, a pub inNarrabeen on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, New South Wales, Tim was approached by Gary Morris who was the manager ofMidnight Oil.[17]
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.[17] The name INXS was inspired by English bandXTC and Australian jam makersIXL.[5][20] Pengilly later explained that Morris was interested in turning the group into aChristian band, which the band briefly considered before rejecting the idea.[17]
The band's first performance as INXS was on 1 September 1979 at the Ocean Beach Hotel inUmina[21] on theCentral Coast ofNew South Wales and by the end of 1979, after passing on the Christian band image, they hiredChris "CM" Murphy as their manager and continued taking on the Oz pub circuit.[5][18][20][22] 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 ofAC/DC.[4][5][17]
INXS released their first single, "Simple Simon"/"We Are the Vegetables", in Australia and France in May 1980.[4][18][23] The single had its debut TV performance onSimon Townsend's Wonder World.[20] Their self-titled debut album,INXS, was recorded at Trafalgar Studios inAnnandale, 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.[17][18] 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.[18] The album was released in October 1980. It featured "Just Keep Walking" which was their first Australian Top 40 single,[4][7] with the album peaking in the Top 30 of theKent Music Report for Australian albums.[4][6][7] The album eventually wentgold (selling over 35,000 units) but it took a number of years to do so.[17]
These early records demonstrated theirnew wave/ska/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.[4][5] In 1981, they signed Gary Grant as their tour manager, who then became co-manager a year later.[17] Between touring commitments, the band released their third single in May 1981, "The Loved One", which was a cover of a 1966 song by Australian groupThe Loved Ones. The song was recorded at Studios 301 inSydney;[17] it was produced byRichard Clapton[6] and peaked in the Top 20.[4][7][23]
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 albumUnderneath the Colours was released and became a hit in Australia peaking at No. 15.[7]
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 byDon Walker ofCold Chisel for the soundtrack of the filmFreedom directed byScott Hicks. It was his first solo single and was released byWEA in early 1982.[17] In January, INXS toured New Zealand as support act forCold 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, withMark Opitz at Paradise Studios.[17] The song turned out so well that Murphy hired Opitz to produce three more songs.[18] Murphy approachedWEA 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, New Zealand,Atco Records (a subsidiary ofAtlantic Records) for North America, andPolyGram for Europe including the UK.[4][5][6][17]
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 United Kingdom 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.[17]
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.[6] In October 1982,Shabooh Shoobah was released internationally on Atlantic/Atco Records, peaking at No. 52 on the USBillboard 200 and No. 46 on theHot Pop Albums chart.[10][24] In Australia it peaked at No. 5 and remained in the albums charts for 94 weeks.[7] The single "The One Thing" brought them their first Top 30 hit in United States peaking at No. 30 on 28 May 1983,[25] It was also a Top 20 hit in Canada,[9] and peaked at No. 14 in Australia on 23 August 1982.[7] "One Thing" was their first video to air on the fledgling MTV and significantly added to the ultimate success of the single.[18]
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13 February 1983, saw INXS play theStop The Drop nuclear disarmament concert to 14,000 at the Myer Music Bowl inMelbourne, alongsideMidnight Oil,Colin Hay,Redgum andGoanna. It was simulcast on Australian TV by Channel 10 and Radio 2MMM.
INXS undertook their first US performance inSan Diego in March 1983, to a crowd of 24 patrons.[17] Their first tour was as support forAdam and the Ants, then support forStray Cats,The Kinks,[4] andHall & Oates followed byThe Go-Go's.[17][18] INXS played alongside many of their contemporaries on New Wave Day in May 1983 at theUS Festival inDevore, San Bernardino, California.[26] During that time, their co-manager Gary Grant relocated permanently to New York City to ensure a continual presence in the northern hemisphere.[17] The band remained on the road in the US for most of the year, including support forMen at Work and by mid-1983 were headlining venues such asThe Ritz in New York.[17]
After a performance inToronto the band was approached by producerNile Rodgers; by September 1983, the band had recorded "Original Sin" (originally entitled "Brand New Day") at New York's Power Station Studios.[17] Three tracks fromShabooh Shoobah were featured in the soundtrack for the 1984 filmReckless.[27] The band then travelled to the UK to begin sessions on their fourth album withNick Launay atthe Manor Studios inOxford.[17]
The albumThe Swing, released in April 1984,[6] 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.[28] During 1984, the single reached no. 1 in Australia (for two weeks in January),[7]Argentina, and France; No. 6 in New Zealand; No. 11 in Canada; No. 23 in Switzerland;[29] No. 31 in theNetherlands; and No. 58 in the U.S.[9] 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 albumListen Like Thieves.[30]
During 1984, INXS toured non-stop, performing across Europe, the UK, the US and Australia. By December 1984,The Swing had gonedouble platinum, making it one of the five biggest domestic albums in the history of Australian music at the time.[17]
In March 1985, the band returned to Sydney's Rhinoceros Studios and recorded the Listen Like Thieves album along with producerChris Thomas (Sex Pistols,Pink Floyd,The Pretenders,Elton John).[17] 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 afunk song he had been working on called "Funk Song No. 13" and evolved it into "What You Need".[17]
While the band was recording, WEA releasedDekadance, a limited edition 12" Vinyl andcassette onlyEP of INXS remixes from their albumsThe Swing andShabooh Shoobah.[6]
On 19 May 1985, INXS won seven awards at the 1984Countdown Music and Video Awards ceremony.[4] They performed "Burn for You", dressed inAkubras (hats) andDrizabones (outdoor coats/oilskin jackets). The band performed five songs for the July 1985Oz for Africa concert, in conjunction with theLive Aid benefit.[31] Two INXS songs, "What You Need" and "Don't Change", were also in theBBC broadcast and are contained onLive Aid's four DVD boxed set released in 2004.[32]
Listen Like Thieves was released in October 1985[6] to critical approval,[33] reaching No. 3 on the Australian charts and No. 11 on the US charts. With the release ofListen Like Thieves, the band developed a rock sound influenced byLed Zeppelin andXTC while remaining true to the band's original roots inAussie 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.[18] 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 fiveBillboard hit,[9] 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),[7] but only reached No. 51 on the UK charts.[30] The British press dismissed the album, withNew Musical Express calling the band 'INX-cusable' and a reviewer declaringListen Like Thieves to be a 'complete and utter turkey'.[17] In the United States, however,Rolling Stone wrote, "INXS rocks with passion and seals the deal with a backbeat that'll blackmail your feet."[33]
In August 1985, INXS toured ahead of the release ofListen Like Thieves, touring South America before returning to Melbourne to play forPrince Charles andPrincess Diana of Wales at a concert. The concert was filmed and later released on a home video entitledLiving INXS;[34] an edited version of the concert was played on MTV in the U.S. in 1985 on its Saturday night concert series. INXS toured North America, Europe, and New Zealand from November 1985 to February 1986. Next the band took a two-month break, with Andrew Farriss writing and producing "You're Gonna Get Hurt" forJenny Morris (who had previously been a backing vocalist with the band),[35] and Hutchence featuring inRichard Lowenstein's second feature filmDogs in Space.[36] Lowenstein had previously made the video clip for "Dancing on the Jetty". While a song from the movie, "Rooms for the Memory", written byOllie Olsen, with vocals by Hutchence[37] 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 forQueen at theirLive at Wembley '86 concert on 12 July), 42 U.S. shows, and 12 Australian shows. America's influentialMusician magazine called INXS "the best live band in the world."[17]
While on an eight-month break before beginning work on a new album, Murphy, their manager, decided to stage a series of major outdoor concerts across Australia, featuring INXS,Jimmy Barnes,Models,Divinyls,Mental as Anything,The Triffids andI'm Talking.[20] To promote the tour, INXS recorded two songs withJimmy Barnes of Cold Chisel:The Easybeats cover "Good Times" and "Laying Down the Law" which Barnes co-wrote with Beers, Andrew Farriss, Jon Farriss, Hutchence and Pengilly.[38] "Good Times" was used as the theme song for theAustralian Made series of concerts in the summer of 1986–1987.[20] It peaked at No. 2 on the Australian charts,[7] and months later was featured in theJoel Schumacher filmThe Lost Boys and itssoundtrack,[39][40] allowing it to peak at No. 47 in the US on 1 August 1987.[9][25]After the success of "What You Need" andListen 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.[20] They recordedKick in Sydney and Paris, produced by Chris Thomas.[6] 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.[18]
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,[7] No. 3 on the USBillboard 200,[24] No. 9 in UK,[30] and No. 15 in Austria.[41] It was an upbeat, confident album that yielded four Top 10 US singles: No. 1 single "Need You Tonight", "Devil Inside", "New Sensation", and "Never Tear Us Apart".[9] "Need You Tonight" peaked No. 2 on the UK charts,[30] No. 3 in Australia,[7] and No. 10 in France.[42] 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.[43]Kick was, by far, INXS's best-selling album of all time.
During 1989, Hutchence collaborated withIan "Ollie" Olsen on a side project,Max Q,[4] the two had previously worked together on Lowenstein's filmDogs 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 toKick.
In October 1990, INXS releasedX which was produced by Chris Thomas. The album peaked at No. 3 in Australia,[8] No. 5 in the US,[24] No. 2 in the UK,[30] No. 5 in Switzerland and No. 10 in Sweden.[10][44] It followed in the same vein asKick, and added harmonica to some songs.X scored hits with "Suicide Blonde" and "Disappear" (both Top 10 in the US).[9] "Suicide Blonde" peaked at No. 2 in Australia, No. 11 in the UK[30] and in Switzerland.[45] Other singles fromX were "Bitter Tears" and "By My Side", which had less chart success.[4]
INXS performed atWembley Stadium on 13 July 1991, during their "Summer XS" tour stop in London to a sold-out audience of 74,000 fans.[4] This performance was recorded and filmed to becomeLive Baby Live, a live album that was released in November 1991 and peaked in the Top 30 in the Australia and UK album charts.[8][30] The album had less success on TheBillboard 200.[24] 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 [INXS's] place in pop history".[46]
On 28 March 1992, INXS performed at the controversial Concert for Life atCentennial Park in Sydney (a fundraiser for theVictor Chang Cardiac Research Centre), and other performers includedCrowded House,Yothu Yindi,Jenny Morris,Diesel,Ratcat, andDef FX. Due to inclement weather, the expected attendance of 100,000 never came through, and the event only raised $500,000.[47]
Welcome to Wherever You Are, produced by Mark Opitz and released in August 1992,[6] was an experimental album using sitars and a 60-piece orchestra while adding a more "raw" sound. It received good critical reviews reaching No. 1 in the UK[30] and in Sweden;[48] No. 2 in Australia and Switzerland,[48] and No. 3 in Norway,[48] but had less chart success in the US (peaking at No. 16).[24] Singles from the album included "Taste It" and "Baby Don't Cry", which were Top 20 successes in UK but had less success in US and Australian markets.[8][9][30]
Full Moon, Dirty Hearts, produced by Opitz, was released in November 1993 and peaked at No. 3 on the UK charts,[30] No. 4 in Australia,[8] No. 8 in Sweden,[49] No. 9 in Switzerland,[49] No. 14 in Norway;[49] it did not reach the Top 50 in the US.[24] The title track featuredThe Pretenders'Chrissie Hynde, and another track--"Please (You Got That)"—featuredRay Charles. The band made a full video album for the record using unknown Australian students to direct with help fromRichard 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.[4]
In 1997, the group released a comeback album titledElegantly Wasted, which garnered mixed reviews. It fared respectably in Australia (No. 14),[8][50] Canada (No. 14),[24] France (No. 30),[50] UK (No. 16)[30] (where INXS had more success in the 1990s than in the 1980s), Belgium (No. 7),[50] Switzerland (No. 13),[50] but only No. 41 in US.[24]
On 22 November 1997, Michael Hutchence was found dead in his SydneyRitz-Carlton hotel room.[51] On 6 February 1998, New South WalesState Coroner Derrick Hand presented his report, which ruled that Hutchence's death was a suicide while depressed and under the influence of drugs and alcohol.[51][52][53] Despite the official coroner's report, there was continued speculation that Hutchence's death was accidental.[54][55]
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.[5] On 14 November 1998, they played at theMushroom 25 Concert withJimmy Barnes fronting for two songs: "The Loved One" and "Good Times".[5][21] On 12 June 1999, they headlined the opening ofStadium Australia in Sydney, with US singer-songwriterTerence Trent D'Arby andRussell Hitchcock as guest vocalists, they performed "New Sensation", "Kick", "Never Tear Us Apart" and "What You Need".[5][21]
In December 2000, INXS performed a concert with singersSuze DeMarchi andJon Stevens sharing the spotlight. DeMarchi was reportedly offered the role of permanent singer in the band.[56] The former lead singer of Australian bandNoiseworks, Jon Stevens began singing with INXS on a regular basis.[5] INXS played as one of the headline acts at the Sydney2000 Olympics and then toured through South America and Europe.[21] Stevens was officially named a member of INXS in 2002, and the band started recording new material in November.[5] He left the band in October 2003 to pursue a solo career,[5] and only recorded a contractual obligation song called "I Get Up".
INXS returned to the news in 2004 when it was announced that a new reality television program titledRock Star: INXS would feature a contest to find a new lead vocalist for the band.[11] The show, which debuted on theCBS network on 11 July 2005, featured 15 contestants vying for the position of lead singer. The show was executive produced bySurvivor'sMark Burnett and hosted byBrooke Burke andJane's Addiction and formerRed Hot Chili Peppers guitaristDave Navarro.
On 20 September 2005,J.D. Fortune won the eleven-week competition, which culminated in his singingthe Rolling Stones's "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and INXS' "What You Need" in the finale to become the new lead singer of INXS.[11]
With Fortune as lead singer, INXS released the single "Pretty Vegas" on 4 October 2005. The single reached No. 5 on theiTunes Store ranking of daily most downloaded songs on its first day. It peaked at No. 9 in Australia[8] and No. 37 on theBillboard Hot 100,[9] 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 viaEpic Records. The band's new line-up started a world tour in support ofSwitch in January 2006.[57] In September 2006, INXS and Epic Records parted ways.[58] The band then performed at the2006 NRL Grand Final.
INXS toured Australia and New Zealand in March 2007, withSimple Minds and support bandArrested Development.[59] After the cancellation of a 31 August 2007 show inCleveland, Ohio, INXS placed a statement on their website saying "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."[60]
The band signed with Petrol Electric Records in December 2008, reuniting them with former manager Chris Murphy.[61] On 16 February 2009,J.D. Fortune toldEntertainment Tonight Canada that INXS had let him go from the band with a shake of the hand at an airport in Hong Kong.[62] On 23 February 2009, Chris Murphy, INXS creative director and global business strategist and former manager, in an interview withThe 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.[63] In an interview withSun 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.[64]
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.[65] 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.[66] 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; they added that a vocalist for the upcoming world tour had yet to be announced.[67] 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.[68]
On 22 April 2010, INXS announced that Fortune would again front the band for a performance on 10 July 2010 atTownsville, Queensland and also on 16 July 2010 inBroome, Western Australia.[69] 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 albumOriginal Sin. On 25 September 2010, the band performed before the2010 AFL Grand Final. 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."[70]
The band recorded an album in memory of Michael Hutchence titledOriginal Sin. Released in November 2010, the album featured well-known singers from Australia and around the world, includingBen Harper,Patrick Monahan, andRob Thomas.[71][72][73][74]
In March 2011, INXS confirmed they would return to the UK and headlining with support from New Zealand bandShihad for an outdoor event called Southern Sounds on Clapham Common, London on Saturday 11 June.[75] The event was an all-Australian, New Zealand and South African celebration lineup, with INXS fronted byJ.D. Fortune. INXS toured extensively throughout 2011 with singer J.D. Fortune to support the albumOriginal Sin.
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The band released a demo of a song, called "Tiny Summer" in streaming format on their official website in September 2011; they also announced that J.D. Fortune had again left the band and Northern Irish singer-songwriterCiaran Gribbin was the band's frontman for their forthcoming tour of Australia, South America, and Europe in November and December 2011.[76] On 6 October 2012, INXS were the headline act at the annual charity ball organised by the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondent's Club.[77]
During a concert on 11 November 2012 at the newly openedPerth Arena, while supportingMatchbox Twenty, 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.[78] 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.[79]
In 2013, Australian TV networkSeven Network announced that it would produce a miniseries focusing on the band's behind-the-scenes stories calledINXS: 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.[80]Luke Arnold was cast as Michael Hutchence,Alex Williams as Kirk Pengilly, Nicholas Masters as Tim Farriss,Hugh Sheridan as bass guitarist Gary Beers,Ido Drent as Jon Farriss and Andy Ryan as Andrew Farriss. In addition,Damon Herriman played band managerCM Murphy andSamantha Jade playedKylie Minogue.[81] Given the popularity of this TV miniseries, there was talk of a Broadway musical and a feature film about INXS in the future.[82]
In 2019, a documentary film was released aboutMichael Hutchence titledMystify. Asoundtrack was also released featuring INXS tracks.[83]
Founding members
Other members
| Touring members
|
INXS has been cited as an influence by several acts, such asthe 1975,[84]Maroon 5[85] andSavage Garden.[86]
According to theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA), INXS has sold over 15 million units in the United States alone, making them the third-highest selling Australian music act in the United States behindAC/DC and The Bee Gees.[87] INXS has sold over 50 million records worldwide.[16][15]
INXS has been nominated for numerous music awards, includingARIA Awards,[12]Grammy Awards,[88] andMTV Video Music Awards.[89][better source needed]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | "What You Need" | Gold Award | Won | [90] |
| 1989 | "Need You Tonight" | Won | [91] | |
| 1990 | "Devil Inside" | Won | [92] | |
| "New Sensation" | Won | |||
| 1991 | "Suicide Blonde" | Most Performed Australian Work Overseas | Won | [92] |
| 1992 | "Disappear" | Won | [93] | |
| 2002 | "Precious Heart"(withTall Paul) | Most Performed Dance Work | Nominated | [94] |
INXS has won sevenAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards.[12] The band was inducted into theARIA Hall of Fame in 2001 alongsideThe Saints.[13][95] The induction recognised their achievement of a "significant body of recorded work" and that they "had a cultural impact within Australia".[95] INXS has won six other ARIA Awards, including three for 'Best Group' in 1987, 1989 and 1992.[12]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | "Listen Like Thieves" | Best Group | Won |
| "Good Times" (INXS &Jimmy Barnes) | Single of the Year | Nominated | |
| Highest Selling Single | Nominated | ||
| 1988 | INXS | Best Group | Nominated |
| 1989 | INXS | Outstanding Achievement Award | awarded |
| "Never Tear Us Apart" | Best Video[nb 1] | Won | |
| Best Group | Won | ||
| Single of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 1991 | X | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| Best Group | Nominated | ||
| 1992 | Live Baby Live | Best Group | Won |
| 1993 | "Baby Don't Cry", "Heaven Sent", "Taste It"[nb 2] | Engineer of the Year | Nominated |
| Welcome to Wherever You Are | Best Group | Nominated | |
| 1994 | "The Gift"[nb 3] | Best Video | Won |
| "The Gift" | Highest Selling Single | Nominated | |
| Full Moon, Dirty Hearts | Best Group | Nominated | |
| 2001 | INXS | Hall of Fame | inducted |
| 2004 | I'm Only Looking | Best Music DVD | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | "What You Need" | Most Performed Songs | Won | [99] |
| 1989 | "Devil Inside" | Won | [100] | |
| "New Sensation" | Won | |||
| "Never Tear Us Apart" | Won | |||
| "Need You Tonight" | Won | |||
| 1991 | "Disappear" | Won | [101] |
Countdown was an Australian pop music TV series on national broadcasterABC-TV from 1974 to 1987, it presented music awards from 1979 to 1987, initially in conjunction with magazineTV Week but then independently.[102] TheCountdown Music and Video Awards were succeeded by theARIA Awards.[102] INXS won seven awards at the 1984 awards ceremony,[4] which was broadcast on 25 May 1985.[103] On 20 April 1986 they won three furtherCountdown awards for 1985.[104] They won further award in the final awards in 1986, from five nominations.[105]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | INXS | Johnny O'Keefe New Talent[106] | Nominated |
| 1982 | Shabooh Shoobah | Best Australian Album | Nominated |
| "One Thing" | Best Australian Single | Nominated | |
| INXS | Most Popular Group | Nominated | |
| 1984 | "Burn for You" | Best Group Performance in a Video[103] | Won |
| The Swing | Best Album[103] | Won | |
| INXS | Most Popular Australian Group[103] | Won | |
| Andrew Farriss,Michael Hutchence | Best Songwriter[103] | Won | |
| "Burn for You"[nb 4] | Best Promotional Video[103] | Won | |
| "Burn for You" | Best Single | Nominated | |
| "I Send a Message" | Best Single | Nominated | |
| INXS | Most Outstanding Achievement[103] | Won | |
| Michael Hutchence | Most Popular Male[103] | Won | |
| 1985 | "What You Need"[nb 5] | Best Video[104] | Won |
| INXS | Most Popular Australian Group[104] | Won | |
| INXS | Most Outstanding Achievement[104] | Won | |
| 1986 | "Kiss the Dirt" | Best Group Performance in a Video[105] | Won |
| "Good Times" (withJimmy Barnes) | Best Group Performance in a Video[105] | Nominated | |
| "Kiss the Dirt" | Best Video[105] | Nominated | |
| "Listen Like Thieves" | Best Video[105] | Nominated | |
| INXS | Most Popular Australian Group[105] | Nominated |
INXS received threeGrammy Award nominations.[88]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Kick | Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Nominated |
| 1990 | "Suicide Blonde" | Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Nominated |
| 1994 | "Beautiful Girl" | Best Short Form Music Video | Nominated |
TheInternational Rock Awards (1989–91) was a music award ceremony broadcast onABC Television, to honour the top musicians in the genre of rock music.[107]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Themselves | Artist of the Year | Nominated |
The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as theMo 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.[108]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result (wins only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | INXS | Rock Group of the Year | Won |
| 1988 | INXS | Rock Group of the Year | Won |
INXS won fiveMTV Video Music Awards for their 1988 video "Need You Tonight/Mediate".[89]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "What You Need" | Best Group Video | Nominated[109] |
| 1988 | "Need You Tonight/Mediate" | Viewer's Choice | Won[109] |
| Video of the Year | Won[109] | ||
| Best Group Video | Won[109] | ||
| Best Concept Video | Nominated[109] | ||
| Breakthrough Video | Won[109] | ||
| Best Special Effects in a Video | Nominated[citation needed] | ||
| Best Art Direction in a Video | Nominated[citation needed] | ||
| Best Editing in a Video | Won[citation needed] | ||
| "Devil Inside" | Best Editing in a Video | Nominated[citation needed] | |
| 1989 | "New Sensation" | Best Art Direction in a Video | Nominated[citation needed] |
ThePollstar Concert Industry Awards is an annual award ceremony to honour artists and professionals in the concert industry.[110]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Themselves | Next Major Arena Headliner | Nominated |
| Tour | Small Hall/Club of the Year | Nominated | |
| 1989 | Most Creative Stage Production | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | INXS | Best International Group[111] | Nominated |
| 1991 | INXS | Best International Group[112] | Won |
| Michael Hutchence | Best International Male[113] | Won | |
| 1992 | INXS | Best International Group[111] | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | INXS | International Entertainer of the Year | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | INXS | World's Best Selling Australian Artist | Won |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Michael Hutchence | Best International Personality | Nominated | [114] |
| "Elegantly Wasted" | Best International Video | Nominated | ||
| The Death of Michael Hutchence | Best International Průser | Nominated |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) INXS' own web site announcing end of touring
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