Latest Release
- 29 NOV 2024
- 1 Song
- Kick ((Remastered)) · 1987
- Kick ((Remastered)) · 1987
- The Very Best · 1987
- X ((Remastered)) · 1990
- Kick ((Remastered)) · 1987
- Welcome To Wherever You Are ((Remastered)) · 1992
- Kick ((Remastered)) · 1987
- X ((Remastered)) · 1990
- X ((Remastered)) · 1990
- Listen Like Thieves ((Remastered)) · 1985
Essential Albums
- INXS’s fourth album is, in many ways, the bridge between the post-punk and New Romantic leanings of earlier records and the stadium-filling funk rock of future efforts such as 1987’s Kick. And who better to guide them on that transition than Chic bandleader and funk-guitarist extraordinaire Nile Rodgers, who produced the album’s opening track and first single, “Original Sin”. The song owes more to Rodgers than its precise stabs of funk guitar and Jon Farriss’ rock-solid backbeat—it was Rodgers who suggested vocalist Michael Hutchence inject an interracial slant into the chorus, changing the lyrics from “Dream on white boy, dream on white girl” to “Dream on white boy, dream on black girl”. The remainder of the album was produced in England by Nick Launay, who used his experience with acts such as Midnight Oil, Gang of Four and The Birthday Party to bring a hard, bass-driven edge to songs like “Melting in the Sun”, while singles “I Send a Message”, “Dancing on the Jetty” and “Burn For You” are the work of a band fine-tuning their commercial edge.
- 2023
- 2023
- 2023
Artist Playlists
- These ‘80s Aussie icons were masters of deviant dance pop.
- A sensational mix of rock, punk, blues and soul.
- Slick pop hooks and a whole lot of rock 'n' roll swagger.
- New Wave, synth-pop, and rock grandeur underpin the funk rock.
Compilations
Appears On
More To Hear
- Jenn speaks with Kirk Pengilly about what makes Kick tick.
- Tribute to Australia, plus talk of Ryan Adams.
About INXS
INXS were one of the most versatile rock bands of the ’80s and ’90s. The Australian group shapeshifted between sinewy New Wave (“Original Sin”), dramatic piano ballads (“Never Tear Us Apart”) and stomping funk rock (“Suicide Blonde”), and they boasted one of the era’s most commanding frontmen: vocalist/lyricist Michael Hutchence, who possessed a soulful voice and magnetic charisma and sex appeal. INXS formed in 1977 around the nucleus of Hutchence, the three Farriss brothers (keyboardist Andrew, drummer Jon and guitarist Tim), guitarist/saxophonist Kirk Pengilly and bassist Garry Beers. The band made waves with their worldwide debut, 1982’s Shabooh Shoobah, which contained the sparkling “The One Thing”, and the 1985 single “What You Need”. INXS rode this momentum to the 1987 blockbuster Kick, which spawned several hits, including the No. 2 single “Need You Tonight”. Although the band never reached those commercial heights again, tracks such as 1993’s delicate “Beautiful Girl” showed off a tender side of a continually evolving group. Tragically, Hutchence died in 1997, but INXS carried on with new singers. Most notably, they chose new vocalist J. D. Fortune from the music reality show Rock Star: INXS and had a hit in 2005 with the bluesy, gritty “Pretty Vegas”. Although INXS stopped touring in the early 2010s, they have remained popular: the 1975 count them as an influence—frontman Matt Healy channelling Hutchence’s lithe presence—while a 2019 documentary on Hutchence’s life, Mystify, and an accompanying soundtrack have showcased the band’s greatness to a new generation.
- ORIGIN
- Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- FORMED
- 16 August 1977
- GENRE
- Rock