Like others here, I was kinda put off by this show. I found it bland, too American (they were an Australian band!). Would have been better to have done this via Australia, etc... have people travel to Sydney or whatever. As time went on I felt sorry for the band. They would never find a true replacement for Michael, yet they felt the need to carry on. Duel edge sword. JD was okay but unstable. It was long-waited car crash.
I recall reading that Jon Stevens' decision to leave INXS in 2003, was due to his wanting to write a new album, but Andrew wasn't interesting in doing so at this point. Fair enough. But it's also important to note, that Stevens didn't necessarily blend well with the fanbase either. Because when INXS toured with him between 2000-2003, concert demand from their lean years in the mid-'90s (an average of $80,000 per night), was essentially cut in half. So that might've had something to do with it too? But considering how commercially successful INXS became again, shortly after JD Fortune was selected as their new lead singer in 2005 (Switch sold more than EW & FM, DH in parts of the world and they were averaging more per night than with Hutchence, in Australia, Canada & parts of the US in 2006-2007), may negate the question if the tv show, Rockstar INXS, was a bad decision at all, let alone a management one? Especially since I remember reading that it was Kirk who came up with the idea. Whether or not it was creatively a bad decision is up for debate... Personally? Like I mentioned earlier, I was very indifferent towards INXS between 1998-2006. And it took me awhile to accept them continuing on after Michael had died. But we'll get more into that shortly...
Michael Hutchence Studio album by Michael Hutchence Released 14 December 1999 Recorded 1995–1997 Studio Real World Studios, Nomis Studios, London, and Andy Gill's home studio, London.[1][2] Genre Alternative rock electronic Length 52:43 Label V2 Producer Andy Gill Michael Hutchence Danny Saber Compiler Andy Gill Michael Hutchence is the only solo posthumous album by INXS frontman Michael Hutchence. It was released on 14 December 1999, just over two years after Hutchence's death. Hutchence began work on what would become his posthumous solo album in 1995 with Tim Simenon. He then phoned Gang of Four guitarist Andy Gill and asked him to play on the album. Ten minutes later he phoned back and asked Gill to co-write the album. Gill joined Hutchence at his house and home studio in Roquefort-les-Pins and over a five-month period continued to write and record in France and London. They were fans of Black Grape and decided to enlist Black Grape producer Danny Saber as co-producer with Gill of the album. After Hutchence's death in 1997, Gill asked U2 singer, and Hutchence's friend, Bono to record additional lyrics which were added to the track "Slide Away". This album was simply dedicated to "Tiger" in reference to Hutchence's daughter, Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily Hutchence. The last song that Hutchence worked on before his death was "Possibilities", which is track 2 on the album. In the singer's native Australia, the album entered and peaked at number three on the Australian Albums Chart on the week of 24 October 1999,[3] and spent a total of three weeks in the charts.[3] The album was quickly certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). In the UK, the album peaked at number 90 and lasted one week in the charts.[4] Michael Hutchence – vocals Kenny Aronoff – drums on "Possibilities", "Baby It's Alright", and "Breathe" Bono – vocals on "Slide Away" Harry Borden – photography Jason Clift – assistant engineer at Nomis Studios, London, UK Jonathan Cohen – cello on "Flesh and Blood" and "Slide Away" Kevin Cummins – photography Gail Ann Dorsey – backing vocals on "Flesh and Blood" and "Slide Away" Bernard Fowler – backing vocals on "Baby It's Alright" Joanna Gammie – viola on "Flesh and Blood" and "Slide Away" Andy Gill – guitar on "Let Me Show You", "Get on the Inside", "Fear", "All I'm saying", "A Straight Line", "Don't Save Me from Myself", "She Flirts for England", "Flesh and Blood", "Put the Pieces Back Together", and "Slide Away"; bass guitar on "Fear", "Flesh and Blood", and "Slide Away"; keyboards on "She Flirts for England", "Slide Away", "Flesh and Blood"; programming on "Let Me Show You", "Fear", "All I'm Saying", "A Straight Line", "Get on the Inside", "Don't Save Me from Myself", "She Flirts for England", "Flesh and Blood", "Put the Pieces Back Together", and "Slide Away"; production Denise Johnson – backing vocals on "Get on the Inside", "Fear", "A Straight Line", "Put the Pieces Back Together" Ged Lynch – drums on "Let Me Show You", "Fear", "A Straight Line", "Don't Save Me from Myself", "Put the Pieces Back Together" and percussion on "Get on the Inside" and "All I'm Saying" Steve Madaio – trumpet on "Get on the Inside" Steve Monty – drums on "Fear" Susan McGill – violin on "Flesh and Blood" and "Slide Away" Tony Morse – string arrangement on "Possibilities" and "Baby It's Alright" Tim Palmer – mixing on "Flesh and Blood" and "Slide Away" Guy Pratt – bass guitar on "Let Me Show You", "Fear", "Don't Save Me from Myself", "Put the Pieces Back Together" Steven Price – acoustic guitar on "Flesh and Blood" and string arrangement on "Flesh and Blood" and "Slide Away" Herb Ritts – photography Danny Saber – bass guitar on "Let Me Show You", "Possibilities", "Get on the Inside", "A Straight Line", "Baby It's Alright", "Don't Save Me from Myself", "Put the Pieces Back Together", "Breathe"; guitar on "Let Me Show You", "Possibilities", "Get on the Inside", "Fear", "All I'm Saying", "A Straight Line", "Baby It's Alright", "Don't Save Me from Myself", "Put the Pieces Back Together", "Breathe"; keyboards on "Possibilities", "Get on the Inside", "All I'm Saying", "A Straight Line", "Baby It's Alright", "Breathe"; drums on "Breathe", programming on "Let Me Show You", "Possibilities", "Get on the Inside", "Fear", "All I'm Saying", "A Straight Line", "Baby It's Alright", "Don't Save Me from Myself", "Flesh and Blood", "Put the Pieces Back Together", "Breathe"; production Stevie Salas – guitar on "Baby It's Alright" Paul Stoney – assistant engineer at Nomis Studios, London, UK Joe Strummer – vocals on "Let Me Show You" Natalie Thompson – violin on "Flesh and Blood" and "Slide Away" David L. Woodruff – horn on "A Straight Line" John 'X' – backing vocals on "Get on the Inside", mixing on "Let Me Show You", "Possibilities", "Get on the Inside", "Fear", "All I'm Saying", "A Straight Line", "Baby It's Alright", "Don't Save Me from Myself", "She Flirts for England", "Put the Pieces Back Together" and "Breathe" 1. "Let Me Show You" Andy Gill & Michael Hutchence 3:38 2. "Possibilities" Michael Hutchence & Danny Saber 4:31 3. "Get on the Inside" Andy Gill, Michael Hutchence 4:48 4. "Fear" Andy Gill & Michael Hutchence 3:43 5. "All I'm Saying" Michael Hutchence & Tim Simenon 4:05 6. "A Straight Line" Michael Hutchence & Andy Gill 3:38 7. "Baby It's Alright" Michael Hutchence & Danny Saber 3:52 8. "Don't Save Me from Myself" Michael Hutchence & Andy Gill 3:21 9. "She Flirts for England" Michael Hutchence & Andy Gill 3:12 10. "Flesh and Blood" Michael Hutchence & Andy Gill 5:03 11. "Put the Pieces Back Together" Michael Hutchence & Andy Gill 4:38 12. "Breathe" Michael Hutchence & Danny Saber 3:52 13. "Slide Away" Michael Hutchence & Andy Gill 4:22 Total length: 52:43 Weekly charts Chart (1999) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[3] 3 UK Albums (OCC)[4] 90 US Billboard 200[8] 200 Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[9] 60 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To be honest I know little to nothing about this album. I saw the Mystify documentary and so I was made aware of it, and I may have heard a song or two on the documentary, but I don't recall really, because thyat wasn't my focus when I was watching the documentary. So all I can say is, this should be an interesting week or two ... for me at least. Please Share your thoughts and feelings about this album. Were you aware of it, when it was released? What did you think? What do you think now? One slight observation though .... in music history to the best of my knowledge, when an artist dies who has had a successful career, the industry generally rallies around and promotes every little thing as huge, the most important etc etc ... the hyperbole is immeasurable ... when Hutchence died, we got pretty much nothing, and it adds to this weird atmosphere that surrounds the post-Kick band ... it bewilders me ... Let Me Show You Andy Gill is an interesting addition to this album. I don't pretend to be fluent in Gang Of Four, but I did like the song Armalite Rifle, and I know they were a guitar driven kind of punk band, and straight away here we get some solid guitar... so that is interesting to me. This shattered town gets me down My ticket's booked then you were found I tore them up like you tore my heart I'm black and blue from love and art (Give it up, gimme) Who could take it? (Give it up, gimme) I guess I'll shake it, but No-one touches all you are Strip to show me all you are Let me show you how you make me feel (I've got my finger on the trigger) Well through the twilight how I've tried To get my thoughts deep in your mind In my sleep I've tasted you Intoxicated by your every move (Give it up, gimme) Who could take it? (Give it up, gimme) I guess I'll shake it, but No-one touches all you are Strip to show me all you are Let me show you how you make me feel (I've got my finger on the trigger Songwriters: Michael Hutchence / Andrew James Dalrymple Gill I like this as an opener. It has a driving powerful sound. The bass is pulsing along, and playing some nice stuff. The guitars drive this along nicely, and for the most part, so much as I can tell on youtube, this sounds pretty solid too. We have some nice use of space, even though it is a fairly dense mix. This track is a grinding pulsating groove, and I like it.
Let Me Show You: 3/5. I do not know this album to be honest. Good song but it really doesn't differ from INXS does it?
Not much to me... the guitar may be a bit more fierce, but essentially this could have been an Inxs song
Let Me Show You I don't really hear this as an INXS song. It's very aggressive and has no discerning "hook" to it. Apparently Hutchence met Joe Strummer having a cigarette outside the studio while recording and asked if he would contribute backing vocals. It sets the mood for what is a very dark album. I recall getting it at Christmas '99 and it has remained on steady rotation throughout the years. Like Mark mentions it is very strange that it barely garnished a review or mention in the UK upon release. You would think it would have been very easy to market and publicise it.
I eagerly anticipated this album & bought the CD on import from a local record store (now defunct) in late 1999. It wasn't officially released on this continent until February 2000. And since it wasn't completely finished by the time MH died, it's partially unfair to make absolute judgements and fully criticize it. However, despite that, admittedly, a good chunk of this album is half-baked. However, it does contain a handful of great songs... I love how Let Me Show You's intro quickly gets us into the verses. The bass lines and dual rhythm guitar parts greatly compliment the darker vibe and production of the song. And even though the verses are the weakest link and could've been developed better, the choruses and instrumental interlude are amazing and rock out like a track like this should. A solid opener.
Possibilities I love the way this starts. We get thee swells of strings and a somewhat jazz-ish/mellow funkish bass ... it almost sounds like it should be an upright bass ... It works as a really atmospheric start to me, and it instantly gets my attention. It's so strange How my life's changed I know nothing About the people that I touched Heard a story It sounded easy If you don't care Then you're lying through your teeth I was shook up Intoxicated Drank the juices Of the possibilities I'm so alive If you told me Nothing's perfect Hearts are broken Nothing's free I could show you Why it's worth it That's the way that it's meant to be It's too strange How your life's changed You know nothing About the people that you've touched Someone told me Life is easy Hearts were bleeding and breaking They were lying through their teeth If you told me Nothing's perfect Hearts are broken Nothing's free I will show you Why it's worth it And that's the way that it's meant to be If you told me Nothing's perfect Hearts are broken Nothing's free I could show you Why it's worth it That's the way that it's meant to be Heard a story It sounded easy Got a new skin and I'm lying through my teeth I was shook up Intoxicated I drank the juices of the possibilities Of the possibilities Lyrically we start off almost autobiographical. Certainly Michael's life changed in so many ways. Young Aussie kid, to international star, to rejected star, to very damaged via the accident/incident. We rarely know about the people's lives we have touched, and whether we like it or not, we are doing it all the time. Certainly he went through a phase of intoxication, as many, perhaps even most of us do, and it is generally part of the life search we generally go through... We get the general observation that everybody's lives fall short of perfect, and there is pain and disappointment, but it is all worth it in the end ..... and it is always an interesting ride, even if given the choice we may wish it manifested in a different way. There are several lines that I don't really get contextually, but that's fine, it is a song lyric, and I enjoy the way it is presented. This is followed by an external observation of the same series of things and how they come about in someone else's life.... This essentially paints the picture that we are all going through a battle with the same sort of ingredients, the same sort of consequences .... I just like the way this is presented. Musically it really grabs me. It is a moody and quite beautiful arrangement. The slow thoughtful groove, fits with the reflective thoughtful lyrics, and I just think this works really well. I also think that it is an excellent use of strings, rather than just a song with some strings in it. Very much enjoyed this track this morning.
Possibilities: 5/5. Now, we are talking. Something out of the box from from the band. I will have to listen to this album today (streaming). Gentle pulse of the bass is good. Good point about the strings.
Reference guide 1980 -1992 1992 Documentary 1993 Get Out Of The House EP Nov 1993 Full Moon Dirty Hearts Days Of Rust The Gift - video - ext. - bonus beat Make Your Peace Time - video - live I'm Only Looking - remix - video -Morales Please... - edit - club - dub - downtown - instr. - Letterman Full Moon, Dirty Hearts Freedom Deep - video -extended - live Kill The Pain - video Cut Your Roses Down - Sure Is Pure mix The Messenger Viking Juice - Butcher Mix Born To Be Wild alt tracklisting Promo tour clips MTV Asia interview Live in 1993 Oct 1994 The Greatest Hits The Strangest Party - live - remix Deliver Me - demo Sing Something (bside) Nov 1994 The Great Video Experience Keep The Peace 1995 Original Sin remixes Michael Soundtrack songs 95/96 Under My Thumb Baby Lets Play House The Passenger Spill the Wine Red Hill The Heads - The King Is Gone Apr 1997 Elegantly Wasted Show Me Elegantly Wasted - radio edit - Shagsonic - dub - Gforce - Aspen Everything - video - May 97 - Aspen - Jaxx club - Jaxx dub Don't Lose Your Head - Leadstation - Radio Edit - Tonight Show Searching - Arias - Leadstation main - Leadstation Radio - Reece - Campbell - Leadstation Funk I'm Just A Man - live Girl On Fire - mix We Are Thrown Together Shake The Tree She Is Rising Building Bridges Shine Let It Ride Never Tear Us Apart acoustic Need You Tonight Aspen Live 1997 Live In Aspen Tour Rehearsals Michael June 1999 Inxs with TTD Dec 1999 Michael Hutchence (the album) Let Me Show You Possibilities June 2001 Shine Like It Does Anthology Precious Heart - vs Tall Paul I'm So0 Crazy - vs Par-T-One June 2002 The Best Of Inxs Salvation Jane Tight - mix - mix 2 Oct 2002 Stay Young 1979-1982 Telefone Silent Night Breakaway Reckless Ways Pretzel Logic Feeling Good Miss Shapiro/You Really Got Me On A Bus Underneath the Colours ( Chicken Mix) The Farriss Brothers - Live at the Alley Cat Wine Bar 1979 Lucky Key Ring Jet Airliner/ Slipped My Disco Oct 2002 Definitive Dec 2002 The Years 79-97 cd and dvd Apr 2004 The Remixes Sept 2004 Original Sin The Collection Jul 2005 The TV Show
I have been slowly reading through this from the beginning, but I believe this may be the first time I am commenting. My plan had been to wait until the end and give a brief synopsis of my thoughts on each album, but in this case though, I thought I would chime in to simply say that I don’t find it lazy for the following reasons: It doesn’t really sound to me like he is saying the phrase “all around” repetitively, it sounds like the chorus is a one long sentence comprised of “allaroundallaroundallaroundallaround”. To me that longer phrase takes on a nice swirling hypnotic quality, as though what he is describing in the verses is actually swirling all around me, the listener. I don’t see it as lazy, there’s clearly too much thought put into the music and the words to have been lazy in the chorus. I think it is exactly what they intended and very effective in delivering the message. Obviously, liking a song is totally subjective, so I’m not arguing with those that find this one-word chorus, or any one-word chorus, lazy. That said, if the rest of a song has the elements to keep it interesting exciting and moving forward, I find that often a one-word chorus can be very effective.
1999 posthumous solo album Tim Simonen (of Bomb The Bass), Andy Gill (of Gang Of Four), Danny Saber, and guest shots from dozen of others including Bono. Somehow I’ve just never gotten “into” this album even though an algorithm of my musical tastes would say I should like this. I have had trouble with this album because it has always felt a bit “sterile” compared to an INXS album. The band albums always have such an organic feel thanks to the interplay between all the guys playing off of each other’s parts, but the Max Q album and this solo album suffer from a soundscape that sounds like it was crafted on a computer mixer. Claustrophobic, closed off. I want to give this at least a few serious relistens and see if anything clicks for me this time, as it’s been a while since I tried. Let Me Show You Growling guitar with a bit of a wah wah effect. Nice sound. It feels a bit sterile though. Is it the drum programming? Possibilities Lanquid track with orchestration and an almost James Bond theme type of feel to it. Maybe that’s just me. I really like the mood of this one. It ends low-key as the music runs out and Hutchence reciting the last line a capella.
All Around Welcome aboard! It took me a minute to figure out which song you were commenting on, as “All Around” was a couple months ago. However, you have touched on why the repetition of the title also never struck me as lazy as well. “One long sentence” indeed - that’s a good way to put it.
Let Me Show You - the main guitar riff to this song reminds me of the Stones’ riff for “Satisfaction”, but only for the first half before the 2nd half finishes differently. Anyone else hearing this?
Possibilities is possibly the most provocative & poignant song MH ever co-wrote. Michael's lyrical recital & vocal delivery are heart-wrenchingly introspective. Musically, the orchestral strings exude an incredible amount of emotional content - far greater than most other songs with slower tempos like this one. I know Hutchence was a big Massive Attack fan and even knew some of them. There is that influence here but it still has Michael's fingerprints all over it. What an amazingly good song!
I didn't hear that, but I also wasn't thinking in those terms, so I'll give it a run again, when I get a chance
Get On the Inside We open with a pretty cool digital sounding melody and rhythm, that leads us into a slow to moderate groove. I'm never gonna make you suffer If you want my better side I'm gonna give you all my sugar When it comes to taking the ride I will never let your words be washed away There are oceans to be named by you Inside, we lay in the shadows Outside, they push the skin parade All the streets have turned from red to blue It's probably gonna stay that way Don't let me go and stop you If you're looking for a better view Gonna take a ride (Take a ride) From here to heaven (Let me ride) Gonna take a ride (Take a ride) Get on the inside (Get on the inside) Are we gonna kill the things that mean the most As a junkie is a jailer too We're gonna recognize the faces If we're searching for the life we blew All the streets have turned from red to blue It's probably gonna stay that way Don't let me go and stop you If you're looking for a better view Gonna take a ride (Take a ride) From here to heaven (Let me ride) Gonna take a ride (Take a ride) Get on the inside (Get on the inside) All you people, talking so lonely Making plans that your daddy wanted Setting it up for the biggest falling How you gonna learn, learn to fake it? Having trouble with the dirty make-up Never gonna learn what you're running from Acting like the world just owes you Looking for love in all the wrong places Gonna take a ride (Get on the inside, get on the inside) (Get on the inside, get it on the inside) Gonna take a ride from here to heaven (Get on the inside) Gonna take a ride, get on the inside (Get it on the inside) Oh, oh (Sweating it on the sweet tiny spot) Oh yeah, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh (Let me ride) Sweating it on the sweet tiny spot Let me ride Sweating it on the sweet tiny spot Get it on the inside Songwriters: Michael Hutchence / Andrew Gill / William Earl Collins / George Clinton / Bernard Worrell Get on the Inside lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Music Sales Corporation I like this lyric. We have the idea, from what I can see, of getting underneath the outside things, the appearance, the facade, and getting deep into the nitty gritty of who someone is. There are a lot of really nice lines that stand out also, but the overall direction of the song seems to look at these things, in a world ever more obsessed with the colour of the walls, rather than what they are made of. This again is a very good song from my perspective. I think the rhythm works really well, and yea, it has a very nineties kind of smooth hip hop kind of feel, but I think it works well in this context. I think the arrangement works well. We have a little bit of everything, and for me it works.
Get On The Inside: 3.5/5. Just heard it. Is it a song I will return to for repeated listens? I'm not too sure. Nothing to knock the song, but X factor is missing.
Get On The Inside What is the deal with the George Clinton & Bernie Worrell songwriting credits on this one? Is there a P-Funk sample in here? Cool track, nice rhythm. I really do miss what INXS would have brought to this as a band. But this is a good song.
I didn’t watch the show…it’s a stain on their legacy, such a dumb publicity stunt. But…of course they were going to end up with the guy who sounded the most like Michael? I know there was a female contestant who got pretty far (far enough to land a guest spot on the subsequent album), and as fascinating as that might’ve been…there was no way they weren’t taking the safest option.
Possibilities A downbeat, sombre tune with hints of trip hop. The production is sleek and as previously mentioned employs excellent use of strings. The subject matter is very dark. Of course the timing of the recording make it especially poignant and even difficult to listen to. He sounds like a defeated man. Get On The Inside Not a favourite but by no means a bad track. The lyrics are extremely abstract but he delivers some nice turns of phrase "Are we gonna kill the things that mean the most As a junkie is a jailer too". I think he was still evolving as a lyricist and due to his murky lifestyle had discovered a whole new style of writing. Out went the overt pop sensibilities to be replaced by introspective musings on familial issues, regret and depression.
