These years would be viewed as the years no one in the USA really knew them, Despite cracking the Hot 100 a few times, it wouldnt be until their 5th record that Inxs would have a Top 10 single (nowadays you would be dropped with that). Inxs has something unique, a label for the most part and a "camp" that believed in them and knew that Inxs was a good live band and had something different. They werent a Rock band, they were a Dance/Funk band that could play anything from Rock to Pop to Punk and Soul and Dance music. It wouldnt be until 1983 that INXS would even have an album released here in the states. Their early Albums (inxs,Underneath the colours) were only issued overseas at the time of release and did moderately well. But INXS power was the live stage, during the early days INXS played an average of 250 shows a year! Just try and name a band that can even do that now, or even half of that every year. Inxs played everywhere from pubs to being the opening act for everyone from Adam Ant to Queen. When 1983 rolled around and MTV was the big thing in America, INXS had already made about 20 videos, they thought thats what you did anyway. But one night INXS manager Chris Murphy caught a film clip and sought out the director, they found him (richard lowenstein) and the marriage began. The first clip he did for them "Burn for You" is still a classic, though never shown in america, it appeard on a compilation video later on.The USA breakthrough came with "the One thing" their first hit america hitting number 30, followed by "dont change" hitting number 80. Inxs were laying the ground work, always taking a risk and constantly touring, they didnt need HYPE to be created they made their own HYPE by playing everyday and releasing albums at a rate of at least 1 a year. In 1984 came "the swing" record, though it didnt spawn a Top 40 hit in america it was widely regarded as their best work yet, with singles "Original Sin" "I send a Message" and "Burn For You", INXS were gaining strength in America, they were everywhere on Tour and the break came in 1985 with the Album "Listen Like Thieves" despite the first single "this time" just barely reaching number 80, the Label kept pressing and released "what you need" which pushed them into the Top 5, the label didnt stop there releasing two more singles "Kiss the DIrt" and the tile track, though both didnt make the Top 40, Inxs were set up for their biggest success yet, which ironically almost never happend. I will cover that in Part 2, which will be an account from 1986-1991.

Interesting read as usual
INXS, is one of those bands that I consider classics, but have not yet gotten in to but I do like the singles of theres that I have heard

thekidsgirl said:

Yeah they are worth getting into trust me on that. They were a very strong album band which is not known, since people mostly only remember KICK and the singles around that time. But their albums are very strong, especially later in their career with Michael, the problem was that INXS was often viewed as an 80's band and when the 90's rolled in and Grunge and Gangsta Rap took over, andything with a positive air to it, got kicked out. Though INXS did survive and do amazing work in the 90's they were never treated to the same airplay and favortism that a band like u2 were, and the funny thing was that U2 owed alot to INXS, things that u2 did like Achtung Baby and ZooRopa and POP all had the elements of what INXS was doing on albums like "Full Moon Dirty Hearts" and "welcome to whereever you are" their records in 1992 and 1993.

Paula took Michaels sexy away

xadnama said:

But she never took the great music away. Their last album was excellent.