As we approach the 10th year since the death of the "Last Real Rock Star" i have been putting together some words about him and one of the most amazing bands ever. This is just an intro to a series of threads i will do over the next two weeks on Inxs, as we get to that day November 22, 1997.

I want to start this intro off to say that this a rememberance of everything he and Inxs did, its not a place to trash them for going on. To put it simply, if you read the book "Story to Story" its the most honest book about the band, it was done in 2005 and is a true account from band members, family, friends and Michaels long time Girlfriend Michelle Bennet who didnt speak to anyone till this book. So before anyone says anything bad about INXS and the surviving members for carrying on, i suggest you read the book, and the HELL they have gone through without their friend and as they said BROTHER.

To put it simply in this intro, INXS was always a band ahead of everyone. When they were in Australia starting up in the late 70's everyone in pubs was playing ROCK and banging their heads, INXS was playing funky/new wave.dance music. From 1979-1983 Inxs was making Music Videos for every single and every song they did, light years before MTV even was a factor. When INXS came to America they brought Video directors with them that had new art-techniques that blew everyone away. At a time in the 80's when many were going "synth" Inxs was against the grain, playing Funk long before the Chili Peppers and No Doubt were even on the map making it cool. To put it simply INXS were innovators, and they were led by a true ROCK STAR. Inxs has always been a tight unit, which is easy when 3 of the band are brothers (tim,andrew,jon Farriss), and the unique thing is that you cant pin INXS down to anything or any type of music. As the 80's ended and everyone went ANTI-80's and hated anything from that era, INXS were caught in that backlash, and yet bands like U2 close friends of INXS, were deemed still cool and hip. Maybe it was because things like ZOOROPA and POP from U2 had their Origins in Inxs's Masterpieces "Welcome to Wherever You are" and "Full Moon Dirty Hearts" two albums forgotten in America despite being fan favorites.

So that is just a KICK off to this rememberance thread, in which i will break down albums tracks and memories of the Band and Michael and the future.

(also lets remember this is not about debating Michaels death, im sure we all have theories on how it happend, why, but no one REALLY knows that total truth except Michael)


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[Edited 11/8/07 9:37am]

@ this topic.
Depeche Mode survived to the 80s, Don't you think that INXS made some mistakes with their "image" with Kick?
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Thank you, i will get more into things about the band and little stories that i have heard about them from the book, which is a great read over and over. A very Truthful tale from his band and other loved ones. I think after everyone reads them and hears stories from the band you realize how deeply this hurts them to this day, for many reasons.

jn2 said:

I feel that KICK was just a record that hit a nerve and tapped into the pulse of the US and the world at the time. The 80's were a time for BIG albums, i mean we know the list of albums, and KICK really fell into that, not that it was their best but it was their "Moment". As far as image, its tough when you have someone like Michael as the lead man, there are pros and cons, hes good looking so it gets the visual time, but because he's good looking people in America questioned what they were and were they even talented. I feel when the 90's rolled and grunge, and this whole ANTI looks ANTI 80's came about their were many victims caught in that, INXS were one of them though they continued to do their best work, they were automatically lumped into this has-been category.

lastdecember said:

i think anyone who questioned their talent wasn't really listening....

anyway, welcome to wherever you are is, in my opinion, one of the finest pop albums ever, from one of the finest pop bands ever. i kind of lost track after that, but i still spin my inxs vinyls fairly regularly...maybe i'll check out full moon, dirty hearts. i remember seeing them on the david letterman show with ray charles and really liking the song that they played....

I was listening to Everything, Freedom Deep, Concrete and Slide Away this very night!

peedub said:

Well i'll be doing 3 seperate posts on INXS in the next few days or so splitting up their work from 1977-1985 1986-1991 1992-present, but just a little background on the Full Moon album. The band were in a very confused state at this point, Michael was growing more depressed from an accident he had that damged his brain, the other members were all having issues coping with him, Michael took the lackluster sales of the "Welcome" record personally, and felt that instead of touring they needed a change. Michael brought the band Nirvana's "Nevermind" and played it for them over and over, the other members were like "ok its good, but what the fuck has that got to do with us", Michael wanted them to go this route, but the others protested saying that "Inxs are leaders not followers, and anyone copying this sound is doomed". So Full Moon was a very turbalent album, it was done VERY quick, in a secluded area where no one was around, the weather was always bad and they all fought day and night, violently sometimes. On top of this they were on their last record for the label so they knew no matter what they did, they werent going to get a push from the label. This album is still a favorite, you can hear a band searching and really reaching for so many different things, Ray Charles and Chrissie Hynde make appearances on the record also.

I find it interesting that the three big events in Michaels life happened on the 22nd. His birthday in January, his daughters birth in July and his death in November.

But anyway I didn't know that he or INXS were appreciated in the US. He's a god in Australia but I didnt think they made such an impact in america.

Was 'Burn for you' a hit in the US? Or was it before they hit it big there? That is the ultimate INXS song, absolutely amazing classic.

hellomoto said:

No Burn for You wasnt even a single here, i agree that is in my Top 10 of theirs, that song is AMAZING to this day. Off of that record the only things that charted were "The One Thing" reached Number 30 and "Dont Change" (another classic) reached number 80. I think INXS are well under-appreciated in that era of Great Bands, they always take the back seat to U2, despite U2 getting alot of its later influence from Inxs, especially late 80's early 90's. ZooRopa,Acthung Baby and POP might just as well have been INXS albums.