INXS

Members

• Andrew Farriss (1977–2012)
• Garry Gary Beers (1977–2012)
• Jon Farriss (1977–2012)
• Kirk Pengilly (1977–2012)
• Michael Hutchence (1977–1997)
• Tim Farriss (1977–2012)
• Jon Stevens (2000–2003)
• J.D. Fortune (2005–2011)
• Ciaran Gribbin (2011–2012)

Studio Albums

1. 1980 INXS
2. 1981 Underneath the Colours
3. 1982 Shabooh Shoobah
4. 1984 The Swing
5. 1985 Listen Like Thieves
6. 1987 Kick
7. 1990 X
8. 1992 Welcome to Wherever You Are
9. 1993 Full Moon, Dirty Hearts
10. 1997 Elegantly Wasted
11. 2005 Switch
12. 2010 Original Sin
13. 2016 Back in Time
14. — Promo CD Single

Source: MusicBrainz

Deep Dive

Overview

INXS were an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1977 who spent 35 years as one of the country’s most commercially successful acts. The group built their reputation on a fusion of new wave foundations with funk, dance, and pub rock elements, creating a sound that became synonymous with Australian rock’s 1980s ascendancy. Their power lay not only in instrumental precision and compositional craft but in the magnetic stage presence of lead singer Michael Hutchence, whose charisma made him the focal point around which the entire band’s visual and sonic identity revolved.

Formation Story

INXS began in 1977 under the name the Farriss Brothers, a family enterprise centered on the instrumental foundation of three brothers: guitarist Tim Farriss, keyboardist and main composer Andrew Farriss, and drummer Jon Farriss. The lineup was completed by bassist Garry Gary Beers and guitarist and saxophonist Kirk Pengilly. Michael Hutchence joined as lead vocalist and primary lyricist, completing the classic six-piece formation that would define the band’s first two decades. Emerging from Sydney’s vibrant music scene, the band consolidated their lineup quickly and began building their reputation through live performance and early recordings.

Breakthrough Moment

INXS progressed steadily through the early 1980s with their first album, INXS, released in 1980, followed by Underneath the Colours in 1981 and Shabooh Shoobah in 1982, all of which established them as sophisticated practitioners of new wave and ska-pop. The band’s commercial and creative breakthrough arrived with their fourth studio album, Kick, released in 1987. This record transformed them from a respected regional act into an international phenomenon, driven by its funk-rock sophistication and radio-friendly production. The success of Kick represented the culmination of years of stylistic refinement and positioned INXS as major-league stadium rock performers worldwide.

Peak Era

The period from 1987 through the early 1990s marked INXS’s commercial and cultural zenith. Kick established the template that would dominate their output through subsequent albums X (1990) and Welcome to Wherever You Are (1992), both of which maintained high production values and the funk-rock fusion that had become their signature sound. These records confirmed INXS’s status as a top-tier international act, with Hutchence’s increasingly confident vocal delivery and the band’s tightened instrumental arrangements making them fixtures on MTV and arena stages. The period consolidated their standing as Australia’s most commercially successful rock band of the decade.

Musical Style

INXS’s sound evolved from early new wave and ska-pop influences toward a more sophisticated blend of funk, dance-rock, and pub rock sensibilities. The band’s instrumental character was defined by Andrew Farriss’s synth-driven compositions, Tim Farriss’s rhythmic guitar work, Kirk Pengilly’s saxophone and additional guitar layers, Jon Farriss’s propulsive drumming, and Garry Gary Beers’s tight bass foundation. Michael Hutchence’s vocals ranged from rhythmic talk-singing in their early work to increasingly soulful, expressive phrasing as the band matured. The production across their peak records emphasized crisp separation of instruments, synthesizer textures layered over organic rhythm sections, and a dance-floor sophistication that set them apart from contemporary hard rock trends. This combination of live musicianship and contemporary production techniques created a sound both sophisticated and commercially accessible.

Major Albums

Shabooh Shoobah (1982)

Their third album solidified INXS’s command of new wave dynamics and marked a step toward the harder, more funk-influenced direction they would later fully explore.

The Swing (1984)

Released as the band moved toward the funk-rock synthesis that would define them, this album showcased their growing confidence in blending dance and rock elements.

Kick (1987)

Their breakthrough international success, Kick represented the full flowering of their funk-rock fusion and remains their most commercially significant statement, establishing them as major arena performers.

X (1990)

Following the massive success of Kick, this album maintained their sophisticated production approach and funk-rock template while demonstrating the band’s ability to sustain chart relevance.

Welcome to Wherever You Are (1992)

This record continued INXS’s exploration of dance-rock fusion and maintained their commercial momentum into the 1990s.

Signature Songs

• “Need You Tonight” — A defining single from Kick that exemplifies the band’s fusion of funk rhythm, synth-pop production, and Hutchence’s confident vocal delivery.
• “Never Tear Us Apart” — A showcase for Hutchence’s expressive singing and the band’s ability to craft emotionally resonant ballads within their funk-rock framework.
• “Mystify” — Demonstrates the band’s sophisticated approach to composition and their mastery of atmosphere and production dynamics.
• “Kick” — The album’s title track that encapsulates the funk-rock energy that defined the band’s commercial peak.
• “By My Side” — Exemplifies the band’s dance-rock sensibility and their integration of rhythmic sophistication with accessible melody.

Influence on Rock

INXS occupied a distinctive position in 1980s rock as the most successful Australian rock act to achieve global stadium status while maintaining artistic credibility and instrumental sophistication. Their demonstration that funk and dance elements could be integrated into rock music without sacrificing musicianship influenced subsequent acts navigating similar sonic territory. The band’s emphasis on production values and synthesizer integration reflected broader 1980s trends but was executed with particular precision and groove-oriented sophistication. Their success helped establish Australia as a source of major international rock talent and demonstrated that rock music could achieve both commercial ubiquity and critical respect.

Legacy

INXS maintained their touring and recording presence through the 1990s and 2000s with albums including Full Moon, Dirty Hearts (1993) and Elegantly Wasted (1997), though none replicated the commercial dominance of their peak years. The band’s history was marked by tragedy following Michael Hutchence’s death in 1997, after which the group continued with replacement vocalists Jon Stevens (2000–2003) and later J.D. Fortune (2005–2011), extending their career into the 2010s with albums Switch (2005) and Original Sin (2010). The group officially disbanded in 2012 after 35 years of activity. INXS’s catalog has retained its place in streaming libraries and their records remain widely heard on classic rock and alternative radio, testament to the durability of their melodic and groove-based songwriting.

Fun Facts

• The band began performing under the name the Farriss Brothers before adopting INXS as their official name, reflecting the instrumental foundation provided by the three Farriss brothers.
• Andrew Farriss served as the band’s primary composer throughout their history, establishing himself as the principal architect of their evolving sound alongside the collaborative contributions of other band members.
• INXS recorded for multiple major labels including Mercury Records, Epic Records, Atlantic Records, and others across different territories, reflecting their status as a globally significant commercial act.
• The band’s longevity spanned from the punk era’s aftermath through the rise of grunge, hip-hop, and contemporary rock, demonstrating their ability to maintain relevance across significant shifts in popular music.