March 1999
March 28,
1999:
UK's Daily
Mail recently featured an in-depth article on Michael's ex-lover Helena
Christensen. In a tearful interview, she discusses why she feels he didn't
knowingly commit suicide. "I can only think what happened was one of those
things where you suffer emotionally and everything crashes in on you.
You become so enraged, you want to inflict pain on yourself, the way some
people cut themselves. With Michael I think it was like, 'Oh God I'm so
sick and tired of this, I want the physical pain to be greater than what
I feel inside.' And then fate meant it became more than that. The pain
was stopped forever."
She also
tells how Michael was the first person close to her that she'd lost apart
from her great-grand parents. Not able to come to terms with his death,
she says she couldn't even cry at first and could only feel "Goddamit,
why?" According to Christensen, he still had so much in him and knows
he wouldn't have wanted to leave his child. She also mentioned that she
dreams about him once in a while: "At first he was sad but now he's really
cheeky and flirtatious saying things like 'You haven't changed a bit have
you.'" Five days before his death she says they had one of the best conversations
they'd had since they broke up. He seemed happy and content. She also
still speaks with Michael's dad and his wife, and their families have
become really good friends. (thanks to alaina henderson)
Musicians
and fans alike gathered at Sound Republic in London last week for the
celebrity "Hits Under The Hammer" auction held to benefit Norwood Ravenswood
and Nordoff Robins Music Therapy. A Fender Jaguar electric guitar owned
by Andrew Farriss and his handwritten lyrics to Baby Don't Cry
sold for over $3200, beating the pre-auction estimates. For more information
on the auction, please visit Interactive Collector.
March
27, 1999:
Happy 40th
Birthday to Andrew Farriss!
March
26, 1999:
INXS
TO ANNOUNCE FUTURE PLANS
Media Release, March 29, 1999
Details
will be announced in the coming months of exciting new projects involving
INXS.
In the wake
of these upcoming plans, INXS have redefined their relationship with New
York based manager and long-time friend Martha Troup, and as such, Martha
will cease working as the bands manager for the immediate future. INXS
and Martha remain good friends and may join forces again in the future.
The members
of INXS have been working hard on these new projects, and during the past
few months have been finalizing relevant details. The band remain in close
contact and are totally committed to the new projects, which will be released
within the next twelve months. A full announcement will be made in the
near future - no further information is available at this time.
March
24, 1999:
As previously
reported, a stunning canvas-size photograph of Michael Hutchence has been
added to the permanent collection of Australia's National Portrait Gallery.
Click
here to view Harry Borden's "sensitive and evocative" photograph.
(thanks to bruno andrighetto)
On a related
note, there is a photograph of Michael at the Akron Art Museum in Akron,
OH. A Cleveland photographer, Janet Macoska, has photographs of several
rockstars including Michael at the museum. (thanks
to mary ann dembowski)
Two new
albums contain acknowledgements to INXS members. Remixer Paul Oakenfold
thanks Michael on his current record Tranceport. Oakenfold was
responsible for the wonderful Milk Mix of "Suicide Blonde" back in 1990.
In addition, Australia's Silverchair thanks Garry and Jodie Beers on their
current CD Neon Ballroom. The teenage trio recorded the album at
Garry's studio last year with producer Nick Launay (The Swing).
(thanks to robert tefft, deirdre jennette, and kimberly
blessing)
March
17, 1999:
Happy St.
Patrick's Day!
Volunteers
are being sought to assist with the candidacy of Kelland Hutchence in
his quest for a seat in the New South Wales Upper House. Anyone sympathetic
to Kell's crusade on Suicide Prevention and Hard Drugs is encouraged to
help either by voting or assisting with leaflet distribution at the polling
booths. Please contact Ian at dipa@wr.com.au
for more details.
Paula Yates
and Tiger Lily were recently spotted at a Paris fashion show. According
to the Sunday Telegraph, Yates was in her usual, mischievous mood
and showed off her daughter - dressed in Baby Dinnigan lace dress and
knicker, black patent leather shoes and wearing a pair of her late father's
sunglasses. Reporter Melissa Hoyer overheard the following snippet of
conversation: "Tiger is accepting an award on behalf of her father [Michael
Hutchence] at the Cannes Film Festival next month... Her 'date' is Johnny
Depp, so with her wearing a beaded Dinnigan dress and Johnny Depp on her
arm, she can't go wrong!" (thanks to donna b)
March
11, 1999:
Kelland
Hutchence, the father of INXS singer Michael Hutchence who committed suicide
in 1997, is to stand for the New South Wales Upper House. Mr Hutchence
has joined the Speranza public health ticket - formed to provide an alternative
view on drugs, suicide and community health issues. A strong supporter
of capital punishment, Mr Hutchence issued a statement saying he would
like to help families avoid the same emotional devastation he endured
after the loss of his son. (thanks to karen lobb)
March
8, 1999:
Michael
Hutchence, Nick Cave, and Kylie Minoque have taken their place alongside
Australia's leading politicians, civic leaders and sporting greats in
the country's new National Portrait Gallery. Prime Minister John Howard
officially opened the new gallery on March 4, which has commissioned artists
to paint pictures of hundreds of famous faces from down under. The portrait
of Hutchence has already been completed, but artists are busy putting
the final touches to portraits of Cave and Minogue. A gallery spokeswoman
says, "It's been in the planning stages for a long time but it's only
fitting that Australia now has a gallery to honour those who have contributed
to their country." (thanks to nick doko)
March
6, 1999:
ZDF, a German
TV station, will broadcast a "Pop-Galerie" special on INXS tomorrow from
02.30-03.25 CET. (thanks to thomas keidel)
VH-1 (UK
and Ireland) are repeating their INXS Uncut program on March 24th at 22.30
as part of their best of VH-1 live weekend. (thanks to
julia macdonald)
March
3, 1999:
Rhett's
new baby girl has been officially named Sophia Rose Hutchence. (thanks
to maria)
INXS' US
sales continue to be nothing short of dismal. Elegantly Wasted's
cumulative sales-to-date now stands at 170,467 copies sold. 63 units were
sold this week, with the top markets being Los Angeles (13), San Francisco
(8), and Chicago (4). Full Moon Dirty Hearts is selling even worse,
with only 10 units sold this past week, bringing the sales-to-date to
149,555 copies sold. (thanks to jackie fuhrmann)
March
1, 1999:
Over 170
original lyric sheets by various musicians are being auctioned on March
22 at the Sound Republic in London's Leicester Square. The auction is
being held to raise money for Norwood Ravenswood and Nordoff Robins Music
Therapy, two charitable organizations in England. INXS' Andrew Farriss
has donated Baby Don't Cry to the auction. The lyrics are in black
ink on two pages, and have been signed by Andrew. Also included in the
lot is a Fender Jaguar electric guitar, serial number L65291, sunburst
finish with tortoiseshell pickguard, as used by Farriss, in flight case.
The pre-auction estimate for this lot is £1200-£1800. To submit an absentee
bid in this auction, please print
and fill out this form and follow its directions to send it to Sound
Republic. For more information on the auction, please visit Interactive Collector.
Several
music polls are currently being conducted on the internet to determine
the century's greatest musical achievements. INXS is severely under-represented
(big surprise), so it's up to us fans to ensure the band receives the
attention and recognition it deserves. Please visit
Music Of The Millenium and Muze
and vote for INXS! Both sites enter participants in drawings for free
music.
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