INXS

Tim, Andy and Jon Farriss formed The Farriss Brothers with school friends Michael Hutchence, Kirk Pengilly and Garry Beers in Australia in 1977. A year later they renamed themselves INXS. The band moved to Perth, Western Australia to develop their own distinctive rock sound, which incorporated both black dance music and white soul influences. INXS began its recording career in 1980 with a single, Simple Simon on the independent Deluxe label. Their debut album also appeared in 1980, containing their Aussie hit Just Keep Walking.

Over the next three years, half a dozen singles reached the lower Top 40 in Australia, but the second album, Underneath The Colours sold well, and the next Shabooh Shoobah reached the Top 5. It was with the Original Sin single of early 1985 and its accompanying album, The Swing, that the band finally hit the top of the charts in Australia. The album and single generated interest in the band from the USA, Europe and South America, and the follow-up album, Listen Like Thieves, consolidated their worldwide success, except in the UK where critics savaged the band, but it would not be long before sales finally took off there as well.

In 1986, Hutchence made his acting debut in the movie Dogs In Space. One song from the film, Rooms For The Memory, earned him a solo Australian Top 10 single. The band toured the USA and Europe constantly, and MTV aired their videos. 

As a result, Kick achieved over 1 million sales on advance orders in the USA alone and the band finally gained a number 1 US hit with Need You Tonight in January 1988. The band's success could be attributed to many factors, including an unchanged line-up from the beginning, the sultry good looks of vocalist Hutchence, the unstinting touring schedules, diverse songwriters in the band and consistently fresh production with a new producer for each album.

After Kick and before the release of X, all the members of INXS had a 12-month break and became involved with other projects - Hutchence with Max Q, Andrew Farriss in production work with Jenny Morris, and Garry Beers joining a loose collection of friends for a tour and recording as Absent Friends. 

Hutchence's much publicized, fleeting romance with Kylie Minogue brought the band's name to the attention of a whole new generation of potential fans. INXS' 1993 set, Full Moon, Dirty Hearts, included a duet with Chrissie Hynde (of The Pretenders) on Kill The Pain, and the single The Gift. The video of the latter was banned by MTV, formerly INXS' greatest ally, due to its use of Holocaust and Gulf War footage.

Hutchence embarked on a highly publicized relationship with Paula Yates, being cited in her divorce from Bob Geldof. Over the next few years, until his untimely death in 1997, Hutchence and Geldof were at loggerheads over the custody of the latter's children with Yates. 

Hutchence was found hanged in his hotel room in Sydney, Australia, on 22 November 1997. Yates died almost three years later, completing the tragic cycle. The remaining members of INXS resumed live work in 2000, recruiting Jon Stevens (ex-Noiseworks) as their new lead singer.