INXS: Hand picked by TSATF

Usually with the resurgence of a band or musician into the public's consciousness, music fans like myself often take the opportunity to reappraise their back catalog.So I guess it comes as no surprise to anyone that I've been spinning a few of my old INXS LPs again of late.

With INXS, I've always had a love/hate relationship with. I grew up with the band's music on radio and on dubbed cassettes during my formative years. I still have a soft spot for "Underneath The Colours", as well as the three big ones "The Swing", "Listen Like Thieves" and "Kick". By the time "X" was issued in 1990, I was over them. I never gave that album, nor the subsequent ones, any serious attention.

In the ensuing years, I've had occasion to spin them again. There are certainly some jewels among the rough, but then, as much as now, some of their work is just purely irredeemable. "Baby Don't Cry" is still the worst song they've ever recorded, and I've never liked "Suicide Blonde". I still don't.



There are still many key records in the history of INXS that have gone missing on reissues and on streaming Services such as Spotify. In the recent telemovie "INXS: Never Tear Us Apart", they make mention of their cracking first single "Simple Simon" as well as a side project by Michael and Melbourne based electro-wizz Ollie Olsen called "Max Q", who issued one very interesting and worthwhile self-titled record in 1990, which is well worth tracking down.

MAX Q - Way of the World


Max Q - Sometimes


The same with the soundtrack to "Dogs In Space", a film Michael starred in, and was directed by Richard Lowenstein. It features an excellent track by Michael called "Rooms for the Memory". None of these are available digitally at the moment, so let's hope for their speedy reissue.

Michael Hutchence - Rooms for the Memory


What you have here is a playlist, hand-picked by yours truly, of some of the hits and hidden gems from the INXS back catalog. Of particular note is the 1994 collaboration with Ray Charles called "Please (You Got That...)", which is one of the best things the band ever committed to tape.

INXS and Ray Charles live on Letterman 1993 (this is so COOL!!!!)


Kick back and chill with these tunes, and take a look at the YouTube clips as well, and do something that Channel 7 failed to do in its ratings blockbuster: celebrate the music.