INXS: 1977-2012

Yesterday, INXS announced that the band are calling it quits after 35 years together.

I have a soft spot for the group (I own all their records, so that must mean something).  Like snapshots in time, I have lots of memories I can associate with INXS records.  When I moved to France in 1992, my soundtrack of choice during taxi and takeoff was the band's newly released Welcome To Wherever You Are, forgoing any grunge group of the day, for something I felt was more...erm...European (I know where they're from, stop yelling at your computer screen).  Sadly, I can still remember who I was with (my friend Sarah) and where I was (one of the many bars at Carleton University) when I found out their original lead singer, Michael Hutchence, was found dead in 1997.  Sure, by that point in time, INXS were no longer the band of choice, their career in decline (sales wise).  While Hutchence's death wasn't the cataclysmic cultural event that Kurt Cobain's suicide was three years earlier, it certainly was shocking nonetheless.

I was, as were a lot of INXS fans, angry that the band would attempt to find a new lead singer via a "reality" television show.  I didn't watch Rockstar: INXS.  I flat out refused, but I did casually follow the developments that lead to J.D. Fortune (a Canadian!) being chosen.  I even went to see them live on the subsequent tour in support of Switch.

I could go on, as the more I think about it, INXS had a larger musical effect on my life than I might have originally anticipated.  So, in honour of their calling it a day, here are some of my favourite INXS tracks.  Enjoy, complete with some very...interesting videos.

"Don't Change"



"Elegantly Wasted"



"Pretty Vegas"



"Never Tear Us Apart"



"Devil Inside"



Thanks for reading!