Follow Kirk: I think I wrote the music to that one. Andrew: It almost had an Asian feel. But it also sounds like the band Television and some of those other bands like that around in the late 1970s. It has that late 1970s / early 1980s feel to it, that guitary thing. Jon: Yeah, we were listening to a lot of the band Japan before when we recorded this. Love Andy's synth lines in the verse, and the clav line in the chorus! Garry: That was the first song we recorded for the album and the last song we added. We had this thing with almost every album: the first song we started on usually didn't make the album. Barbarian Tim: I remember with Barbarian we wanted to put some aggression into the rhythm track. It was one of the first times we broke down the band to get a rhythm track with just Garry, Jon and me. So we were doing it and Richard kept saying, 'It hasn't got enough aggression', and I remember the three of us slapping each other's faces to get hyped up! Jon: Again, I think this was intended to sound heavy.
Follow has a cool pentatonic intro that carries right into the verses. Andrew's synth & Garry's bass lines in the verses add the bulk of the edginess this track exudes. Lyrically, the chorus almost seems to be poking fun at U2's I Will Follow. I can't quite make out what the song is about, but it probably has something to do with what seems like a partial theme to the album...disdain for conformism & banality. I dig this song. Up until this point, Barbarian was the heaviest track they had written. The amazing verse & chorus guitar riffs provide the necessary hooks and edginess that the rest of the instrumentation feeds off of, and climaxes with yet another perfectly written instrumental interlude. This track more than probably any other in INXS' catalogue showcases just how excellent of a drummer Jon is, especially the spectacular outro! Lyrically, I think it's about an struggling artist who can't seem to get ahead in the world. The 1992 re-recorded version shows INXS haven't lost their sense of rhythm or sharpness at all. In fact, it's been embellished. I love this song!
Yep, released on that very nice Stay Young compilation of the early years. As a bonus they threw in these tracks recorded in 1992: 1. Underneath The Colours 2. Barbarian 3. Just Keep Walking 4. In Vain 5. Stay Young Recorded during the Full Moon, Dirty Hearts album sessions at Capri Digital Studios, Capri, Italy, 24 November 1992. I don’t know what their purpose in recording this “best of the early days” set was in 1992, perhaps a tour warmup? But it’s a nice set of songs and it’s interesting to hear them rip through it. But back to this version of Barbarian: I like it. One of my faves off of this album. INXS really had an interesting sound they were developing. Really they kept developing it for quite a while didn’t they? Unlike, say, AC/DC you can’t really say two INXS albums ever sounded entirely alike - they didn’t pick a particular sound and stay with it. I find each album to be a different sound experience entirely.
Cheers mate. I appreciate any and all info. Hopefully over the next couple of albums we'll pick up a few more participants
I hope over the course of the thread that more folks realise what a fantastic rhythm section Inxs had. Jon and Garry are really excellent, and always manage to do something cool, without getting in the way of the songs. I have actually only noticed this myself recently, while revising and listening more closely to these albums. Excellent stuff
Absolutely. And Shabooh Shoobah presents even more examples, especially Jon's polyrhythms / syncopations, which are more refined and complex...
I really hope folks jump in for that album, because that is where the rocket starts to really take off in my opinion
Night of Rebellion and Follow are two of my favorites on this album but seems like they're not very well liked. I paid $50 for the 45 of Night of Rebellion. They only pressed like 500 of that one supposedly. Perhaps the rarest record behind Underneath the Colours and the Christmas fan club one. Love the bass on Night of Rebellion and Fair Weather Ahead, those were super cool live too. I hate the way the drums sound on those 1992 re-recordings. I never really liked them so much. There never was an explanation of why they did them that I read.
Funny you should say this because, as I've been following along, I was thinking the very same thing. Jon and Garry really did a tremendous job and carried INXS' backend through their entire career with some amazing rhythm. Right from the start until the end of their recording career, those guys were just locked in. I always got a kick out of watching them play...especially Garry because you could just see how much he was feeling it.
Now if I could just find a copy of Underneath the Colours.... These two are a couple relics in my personal stash...
Barbarian 4/5. One of the better tracks on the album, though the chorus could be better without the wacky keyboards and vocals. Love that later version. Wish those could be available for purchase.
It's not something I'd expect from INXS - sounds a bit like early Depeche Mode or Simple Minds or perhaps Low/Heroes era Bowie
I'm firmly in the camp that believes they never bettered 'Listen Like Thieves'. 'The Swing' was also a finely crafted selection of songs. Great b-sides from that era too.
I assume I paid two or three dollars for my copy, but I can't remember. I used to buy INXS' singles as they were released, as a matter of course. I still have that one. I assume not many people bought it because it was just another track off the album at the time, and most of those interested would already have the album.
What Would You Do? I've come a long way by car The road went narrow The bridges too far Screaming at 90 Whisper at 10 Feel the towns make you spend Another city phone rings Letting tears come through Mixed among feelings Fed on your body Fed on your mind Words that always remind Closed eyes and no more breathing A trick I had played To scare the living She laughs at my game Questions if I'm sane And all we can do is grin Look see the story What would you do All the facts before me What would you do Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Andrew Charles Farriss / Garry William Beers / Jon Farriss / Jonathan James Farriss / Kirk Pengilly / Michael Hutchence / Michael Kelland Hutchence / Timothy William Farriss What Would You Do? lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group This track has a slightly raw sound, and the dynamics work very well. The guitar has a harsh sound, but I think it works in context with the song. When the vocal comes in we have a keyboard arpeggio and another excellent bass line from Beers, that sits nicely with the drums. The move into the chorus works well, and also has a nice change of feel. Then we roll around to the intro and verse again. I think the backing vocal inserts work well, and are well thought out. The instrumental break is fairly sparse, but again I think it works well for the song. The crescendo effect at the end of it works well also.
What Would You Do? Kirk: [Humming] I don't know. Jon: Love the groove and feel inside...running bass and hypnotic beat, hypnotic keyboards. Garry: Sounds like a shattering ka-boom of a song, that one.
What Would You Do? is one of the best songs on UTC and one of the top 5 best songs from this era. Almost every part of it contains a hook, even the instrumental interlude & the awkward string bends (that are nearly buried in the mix) in the chorus! Here, they've taken virtually all the elements that made the self-titled album & UTC work and fused them together perfectly. Rhythmically, it just pops! They're now starting to recognize their strengths. Lyrically, I think it's about dealing with a relationship ending and the process of moving on.
Really jealous of that Christmas record, wish the band would re-release it in some form. It's on the official YouTube channel but the quality is lacking. Is that just the way it sounds?
Just To Learn Again So we come to the last track on Underneath The Colours. We have a somewhat laid back, mellow type track. It has a very kind of new wave feel about it. The synth melody is very good, but I have to contextualise in my head the sound Andrew is using, because it sounds terribly dated to me now, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the song. Again I would draw attention to Beers and Jon Farriss. The bass, and the velcro tightness of the rhythm section is a real joy in the track. Back in time where fear can't climb Warm and safe with a nursery rhyme They will put your feet in very hot water With your senses in a cloud you Make them rich and very proud All those years of learning Just to learn again No talk of love or jungle law The tender heart we will ignore And once again and once too often The mislead aims of twisted teachers Turns your life and face and features I've come to see your honesty Of ideal plans and security Softly the voices are speaking to me Your fault, son, that you've been done Now your lessons have just begun Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Andrew Charles Farriss / Garry William Beers / Michael Hutchence / Michael Kelland Hutchence Just to Learn Again lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group I really like the lyrics here. I think they seem pretty straight forward to me. The idea of having learned a lot about life, but once serious interaction with the world can twist and turn us in other directions, and it seems like the message is merely saying this journey of learning will continue all the way through life ... I don't know, these are quite observations, as I have never really paid p[articularly close attention to Inxs's lyrics. I really like the real piano in here, as I think it works texturally and adds nicely toi the overall sound and feel of the song. The guitar is understated, but as generally seems to be the case, the guys always seem to know exactly what to play and when. In some ways it seems an add way to finish off the album, but I think it is like a sigh after the struggle, in some ways, and it actually works for me. I think the sax in this track is really nice too, and the legato delivery really sets off the instrumental section. We get a nice extended fade out the disappears into the drums, and I think that it is effective.
