INXS - The Album thread

The Live In Aspen EP is yet another example of how exceptional a live band INXS were with MH - every single track is better live than the studio versions.

The night Michael died, I was watching tv and right before the 11 o'clock news came on, they had a preview of what was to come in a few minutes. And as soon as they said, "Major rock star dies at the age of 37", while simultaneously showing a clip of the EW music video, I flipped! I was in immediate denial and thought it must be BS. A few minutes later, once the news started, they confirmed it. And then my friend who I went to the show with a few months earlier, instantly called me up and we talked about it for quite a long time. And then he came over the next day, and we discussed it more. Michael's death was such a truly shocking event, that almost every news report or article I read or kept from local media and online, is burned into my memory. And while I don't really want to get into why MH committed suicide, because I think everyone here basically understands how emotionally messed up he was, considering what was going on in his life at the time, the thing that absolutely pisses me off about most of the media coverage, was how Hutchence and INXS were treated after his death. Because INXS were and still are, a family. They weren't just a band. They weren't just a corporation or a brand name. Especially considering 4 of the 6 members are very talented multi-instrumentalists. But yet, especially in the UK, they acted like Hutchence was the band, while completely ignoring INXS' extensive history, complexities & dynamics. Or that he was just some sort of foot note or inconsequential person. And it was also shocking to me that INXS' back catalogue sales didn't significantly increase during this period, which is the usual situation when a key member of a multi-million album selling band dies. There seemed to be this mysterious backlash against them during this era for whatever reason? This is also partly why I believe INXS is the most under-rated band in music history...

I'm glad INXS continued after Michael died. And I look forward to reviewing additional and related music from INXS, as well as Michael's solo album...

 

Nice post....

The band seem to have suffered some kind of cold shoulder from the industry.
I'm not sure if they pissed the wrong person/people off sometime/somewhere, but they just seemed to be shut down.
They still shifted a million units of each album in the US, to the best of my knowledge, but they had no support and little real promotion, or so it seemed...

The difference in the way the media handled Hutchence' death and just about everyone else, is astonishing ....

Although we have a little bit to go, before we dive into Inxs, the next generation, it really struck me that although the band had a bit of a break, I don't really feel they got over their mourning before trying to hit it again..... and it seems somewhat that they never really quite got over it....
because like you say, they weren't just a bunch of musicians, they were mates and they managed to fight their way from obscurity to the top of the world (so to speak) ....

The indecision while Stevens was there, that led to him leaving, and then the tv show, which may have gotten them a good singer, but ended up being a really bad publicity situation, making the band seem like some kind of reality show cast offs.... it is all pretty tragic really.

I'm looking forward to hearing the album, and it is likely very good, but it won't quite be the same for me, even if its excellent.

Anyway, I may be waffling again, limoncello (Viking Juice) and triple sec orange floating in the bloodstream

 

Thanks.

And partly because of how Michael's death was handled by most of the media, it's definitely also one of the many reasons why so many people don't trust the media any longer.

I still can't figure out why or how the backlash happened, or even if that's what it was? The only reason I can come up with is, despite the relatively lackluster promotional efforts, the industry probably expected INXS to be more commercially successful than they actually were at this point. The contract they signed with Universal in 1994, which was $40 million for 6 new albums, implied they were going to start selling X or LLT #s, if not Kick #s again. Regardless of the dismal sales of FM, DH & EW, most of their catalogue had sold from relatively to amazingly well. And like I stated earlier, as a concert draw, demand didn't keep dropping off, since they had enough radio hits/staples to fill a show and sustain a bare minimum level, at least with MH. By 1997, INXS had sold 30 million albums. Today, that total is over 50 million albums.

Not to jump ahead too much...but it actually took me a long time to finally accept INXS were continuing after Michael died (probably by mid-2006)...

 

With the our discussion about Micheal, I had pull out his solo album for a spin tonight. It's been a really long time since I've listened to it.

Speaking of solo albums, Andrew recently released his self titled debut. Just got it over the weekend and it's rather good. Here's a behind scenes video for Run Baby Run:

 

A good friend of mine is the Morning Guy and PD of CJ Country Radio in Batavia, NY and interviewed Andrew this week in support of the album. Glad to see he's still cracking away after over 40 years in the biz

 

It seems like everyone has said their piece, if not please feel free to do so....

In light of that here is some additional information via wiki

1997–2003: Transitional years

After Hutchence's death, INXS did not perform publicly for almost a year, and then only made a few one-off performances with different guest singers until 2000.[5] On 14 November 1998, they played at the Mushroom 25 Concert with Jimmy Barnes fronting for two songs: "The Loved One" and "Good Times".[5][22] On 12 June 1999, they headlined the opening of Stadium Australia in Sydney, with US singer-songwriter Terence Trent D'Arby and Russell Hitchcock as guest vocalists, they performed "New Sensation", "Kick", "Never Tear Us Apart" and "What You Need".[5][22]

In December 2000, INXS performed a concert with singers Suze DeMarchi and Jon Stevens sharing the spotlight. The former lead singer of Australian band Noiseworks, Jon Stevens began singing with INXS on regular basis.[5] INXS played as one of the headline acts at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and then toured through South America and Europe.[22] Stevens was officially named a member of INXS in 2002, and the band started recording new material in November.[5] Stevens left the band in October 2003 to pursue a solo career,[5] and only recorded a contractual obligation song called "I Get Up."

June 2001 - Shine Like It Does Anthology

Shine Like It Does: The Anthology (1979–1997)

Compilation album by
INXS
Released 5 June 2001
Recorded 1979–1997
Genre Rock
Length Disc 1: 75:59
Disc 2: 78:49
Label Rhino/Atlantic Records
Producer Various

Shine Like It Does: The Anthology (1979–1997) is a greatest hits compilation released by Australian rock band INXS on 5 June 2001. It features most of their singles, some remixes, and rare tracks heard for the first time on CD. To date, the album has sold 35,000 copies in the US.

Disc One

1. "Simple Simon" – 2:34
2. "We Are the Vegetables" – 1:55
3. "Just Keep Walking" – 2:43
4. "The Loved One" – 3:38
5. "Stay Young" – 3:27
6. "The One Thing" – 3:24
7. "Don't Change" – 4:25
8. "To Look at You" (Single Edit) – 3:43
9. "Here Comes II" – 3:52
10. "Black and White" (Extended Version) – 4:57
11. "Original Sin" (featuring Daryl Hall) – 3:46
12. "I Send a Message" – 3:25
13. "Burn for You" (Single Remix) – 3:40
14. "Dancing on the Jetty" – 4:34
15. "This Time" – 3:08
16. "What You Need" – 3:35
17. "Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)" – 3:35
18. "Listen Like Thieves" – 3:48
19. "Shine Like It Does" – 3:05
20. "Different World" (7" mix) – 4:19
21. "Good Times" (with Jimmy Barnes) – 3:52

Disc Two

1. "Need You Tonight" (Single edit) – 3:04
2. "Devil Inside" (Australian single edit) – 3:58
3. "New Sensation" – 3:41
4. "Never Tear Us Apart" – 3:06
5. "Mystify" – 3:18
6. "Kick" – 3:15
7. "Suicide Blonde" (7" mix) – 3:53
8. "Disappear" – 4:09
9. "Bitter Tears" – 3:54
10. "The Stairs" (live) – 5:04
11. "Heaven Sent" – 3:22
12. "Not Enough Time" (Barcelona LP fade) – 4:21
13. "Taste It" – 3:26
14. "Beautiful Girl" (Mendelsohn mix) – 3:11
15. "The Gift" – 4:05
16. "Please (You Got That ...)" (with Ray Charles) – 3:03
17. "The Strangest Party (These Are the Times)" – 3:56
18. "Elegantly Wasted" (radio edit) – 3:54
19. "Let It Ride" – 3:45
20. "Don't Lose Your Head" – 4:03
21. "Searching" (Leadstation radio edit) – 4:20

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This is a pretty solid compilation, and covers a lot of ground in the band's career. It seems strange to me that in the US it has only sold about 35,000 copies.
We have covered all these songs I believe, but if there is something I am missing please step in and let us know.
I really like that they close out side two with Searching, it seems very apt.

 

During this time, I thought the singers they brought in never fit. Obviously, they were lost for future activity when reality sunk in.

I bought that compilation just out of dedication. With the songs stacked on-top of each other, it's inspiring, isn't it? Again, with the low sales...don't get it really. They are not alone though. Many of their peers went through this same problem and still do. I am not positively sure, but what band from their generation actually sells like they used to? It must be a fraction of the 80s and early 90s.

 

Regarding finances I watched a documentary where Michaels dad said there was so much money invested in property and other stuff but he didn’t know where it was , and his money had kind of disappeared. Not sure if they had any luck tracking it down for his kid(s)

 

I also remember reading that Michael's estate was worth a shockingly low figure; will try to dig it up and share if it's not too depressing.

As far as an industry conspiracy against them, they still had labels willing to offer big contracts, make videos, release multiple singles, remixes, etc. They had simply fallen out of fashion and no amount of label spending or flexing was going to turn the tide.

 

“Featuring Daryl Hall” - said no one ever after listening to Original Sin. LOL.

 

I hadn't noticed that lol
Is it the original?
I don't particularly recall it ever being a big deal.

 

yeah, he’s in the original mix, somewhere in the background, but I’ve never really noticed him or anything. The word “featuring” is doing a lot of stretching there.

 

Mid 80s-early 90s they were a pretty big band weren’t they . I enjoyed “X “ just as much, if not more than “Kick” , but sales were surprisingly well down for that album compared to “Kick”.

 

Yeah, I've heard about Michael's estate situation. Not sure about the rest of the band though, particularly the members that weren't Andrew. I assume Andrew's 50% of the songwriting for the vast majority of their hits that still get airplay & movie/TV placements is fairly substantial still. But it might be rough for the other guys without any touring revenue.

 

I’ve just read into it a bit more. Very dodgy goings on regarding Michaels estate. He lived the life of a rock star, yes, but there should have still been a nice amount to go round, especially for the love of his life, his daughter. The thing with musicians , and successful musicians especially, is that it’s very common for them to have money problems. They earn millions, then later on in life they are in financial ruin. You’d think they would look after their money a bit more, but I suppose it can be quite expensive being a rock star. Plenty of bad management deals too.

 

They were after Mike Patton at one point weren’t they. He laughed down the phone at them apparently. Great vocalist but he’s not one for going over old ground and I’m not sure he’d have suited their music. They kind of fell off the face of the earth, but it brings me back to the statement that I made before, and that was that Micheal simply was irreplaceable.

 

I'm a musician, and I get it. I don't have the brain for money management at all...like, I'm pretty conservative with my spending and I've survived this long, but like, financial stuff just doesn't interest me at all. It's just like "can I pay my bills this month and maybe do a couple of fun things? Okay." I've forced myself to move on past that mindset somewhat, but still, all of it just bores the crap out of me, so it's not hard to understand musicians who get screwed financially even though they should have plenty of assets. Factor in the state Michael was in the last few years of his life, and who knows. Lots of people can pick up on rock star dysfunction and swoop in like vultures, and the artist doesn't find out till years later. (Hell, I think it happened to Billy Joel more than once)

 

Never heard that rumor but I can't even begin to imagine that. (and I love Faith No More) TTB was the only one that I think might've worked from a commercial standpoint, and unfortunately it just wasn't to be.

 

Getting a new singer is tough enough when you're still young and hungry (AC/DC, Van Halen). INXS had already lived out their natural lifespan with Michael, so replacing him and squeaking out a minor hit with "Pretty Vegas" was actually quite impressive. They just don't have the ongoing popularity of, say, Queen, where they could keep touring arenas with a new singer and make serious money.

 

It definitely happened. There’s a clip on YouTube where he’s being interviewed by an Australian radio station, and they are on about it. I was going to put it up, but Mike made a sick joke about Michaels death, so it’s not appropriate to post it on here.

 

You are right. By the time of his death they were already washed up in terms of their popularity.

 

incredible compilation. Almost perfect. So much so that for years this was the only album I had by the band in my collection. But this thread changed that and I’ve eased back in. I’ve recently purchased two old favorites I had on cassette (Kick and Listen Like Thieves) and Live at Wembley as well.

 

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There was a dude on Facebook who was calling himself "The Crow", who was, according to him, writing a book on the shady deals that ultimately killed Michael. After time he wrote he was getting death threats and disappeared. These kinds of problems also affected the reputation of INXS too.

 

That's bizarre. I never heard about that

 

Don't want to spin this lovely thread out of control, but it seemed he had some credible info. He knew Michael's history. It's all a grey area and adds to mystery.