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Mai 1999

May 30, 1999:

Kell Hutchence has entered a Sydney Hospital for routine surgery this evening. He will be in the hospital for at least four days recovering. Greetings can be sent to Kell c/o dipa@wr.com.au.

KROQ 106.7 in Los Angeles has just released the results of their poll of the "Top 106.7 KROQ Bands." INXS placed at a very respectable #42 in the survey -- thanks to all who voted for them! The top 3 bands were Depeche Mode, the Beastie Boys, and the Offspring. Full results are available at the KROQ site.

May 28, 1999:

INXS held an official press conference yesterday to announce the selection of Terence Trent d'Arby as their lead singer for the one-off gig at Stadium Australia on June 12. The band will perform three songs with d'Arby and will be the final act to appear at the event, which is expected to draw nearly 100,000 people. "Terence is a fantastic singer, a versatile and soulful singer who loves the same kind of music as we do," the band said in a prepared statement. "We are really looking forward to playing with him on the night." Speaking about Michael Hutchence, Tim Farriss said, "Obviously, we miss him incredibly and the thought of anyone replacing him is an impossible one. But we don't want the last 20 years to fall by the wayside. It's about us continuing to play music because we love it... This is an INXS show and Terence is merely lending us his vocal chords... Though a tragedy this is an opportunity to work with a lot of different singers." Farriss added that several singers, including Bono, had approached the band to sing at the gig, but that INXS had settled on D'Arby because of the singer's R&B/soul delivery reminiscent of Michael's vocal stylings. Kirk Pengilly added, "It's for one night only, at this stage." d'Arby is scheduled to arrive in Australia next week to begin rehearsals with the band. INXS also took the opportunity to discuss other ongoing projects. "We've been in the studio, yes," Tim Farriss said. "It's in us; we're musicians." The band is rumored to be working on a new greatest hits compilation for release this winter that will contain several new songs. Also mentioned were the forthcoming book and film that the band are working on to chronicle their 20-year history. And finally, "With regard to the future, if and when a situation arises where we feel we want to play, we will. We are a band and the desire to play is still there."

May 26, 1999:

Terence Trent d'Arby will act as INXS' lead singer in a one-off gig on June 12 at the grand opening of Stadium Australia in Sydney. The official announcement will take place tomorrow at a press conference in Australia. d'Arby rocketed to stardom with 1987's Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent d'Arby, which featured the international hits Wishing Well, If You Let Me Stay, and Sign Your Name. His next two albums, 1989's Neither Fish Nor Flesh and 1993's Symphony or Damn, each had a minor hit with To Love Someone Softly Is To Love Someone Softly and She Kissed Me, respectively. His most recent album was 1995's Vibrator. Rumors had been swirling for months about d'Arby replacing Michael Hutchence permanently as lead singer, to which he released the following statement in March: "No one can ever take Michael Hutchence's place. I had and retain a vast reservoir of fondness for this sweet soul. Although I am flattered by the rumours of my taking his place in INXS, they have no substance beyond that. Should they continue onwards I wish them the very best of musical magic and success." It is not clear at this time whether the relationship between the band and the charismatic singer will continue following the show. d'Arby has been working recently on material for a new album tentatively titled The Solar Return of Terence Trent d'Arby: Confessions of a Powernoise Schizophonic. (thanks to xpressway management)

May 25, 1999:

InMusic&Media reports that long-time Warner executive Steve Hands has lost his fight against cancer. Hands, who turned 50 on April 30, was the recipient of two benefit shows this year, in Sydney and Melbourne, where members of INXS, Goanna, and Rose Tattoo, among others, played to raise money for his medical bills. He will be remembered for his irrepressible humour and his refusal to take himself seriously. (thanks to kerry bergh)

May 18, 1999:

Bruce Fairbairn, producer of INXS' 1997 CD Elegantly Wasted died in his sleep Monday at his Vancouver home of undetermined causes, it was confirmed today in a statement from the Bruce Allen Talent agency. Fairbairn was just 49. When Fairbairn failed to arrive at an afternoon recording session at his Armoury Studios, studio manager Sheryl Preston drove to his home and discovered his body on the bedroom floor. The prolific producer had gained international prominence by helming well-known albums by such artists as Aerosmith, Van Halen, AC/DC, Loverboy, Bon Jovi ("Slippery When Wet"), KISS ("Psycho Circus"), and the Cranberries. He was currently in the midst of mixing a new album by '70s prog-rockers Yes. Details of a memorial service will be released as soon as arrangements have been made. In lieu of flowers, donations in Fairbairn's memory may be made to the Vancouver YMCA or a charity of your choice. An Excess of INXS reprinted an interview with Fairbairn about the recording process for Elegantly Wasted in April 1997.

Paula Yates is dating Lord of the Dance star Michael Flatley, it was reported yesterday. The couple became involved after meeting at a showbiz party, Sunday People said. But friends said neither Yates nor Flatley felt ready to plunge into a big commitment. Yates, 38, is still devastated by the suicide of her lover, INXS singer Michael Hutchence. She and Flatley "have been dating for a while", a friend said. "They are just enjoying each other's company and seeing what develops." (thanks to matthew marsland)

Most of the final details of Michael Hutchence's will have apparently finally come to light. According to the New York Post, Yates, who left her husband Bob Geldof for Hutchence, gets "only" about $1.5 million from the $16 million estate. On the bright side, Michael did leave almost half his fortune to their daughter Tiger Lily, now 3. Estranged mother Patricia Glassop and the rest of the grown-up Hutchence family wouldn't seem to have much to complain about, though. After bequests of about $750,000 each to Green Peace and Amnesty International, Michael left the rest - some $6 million - to them. (thanks to deirdre jennette)

May 16, 1999:

KROQ Los Angeles, arguably the most influential radio station in the United States, is currently conducting a poll for the top 106.7 KROQ bands. Please vote for INXS! The URL is http://www.kroq.com/contests/memorialday/index.html.

Tiger Lily's godmother Belinda Brewin was a surprise guest at the fashion show of Sydney designer Collette Dinnigan's last Tuesday night. "I have just slipped into the country for a few days over Tiger's money," she explained. Brewin is helping Tiger to fight for an unspecified lump sum of money plus interest from the estate of her late father Michael Hutchence. Brewin's visit came as news to Tiger's grandfather Kelland Hutchence. "Wouldn't you think she'd have the decency to call," he thundered. "It's all really quite distasteful." Kel is apparently upset because he has heard no news at all of the only child of his late son Michael Hutchence. (thanks to ellie lever)

May 7, 1999:

INXS have confirmed rumors that they will play at the official opening of Stadium Australia (the site of the 2000 Olympic Games) in Sydney on June 12, playing prior to a football match between FIFA All Stars and the Socceroos. It is understood the band are considering a female vocalist for the one-off gig. Former Baby Animals lead singer Suze DeMarchi and long-time INXS collaborator Jenny Morris are among the contenders to perform two songs when the band headlines the entertainment extravaganza. Other names being floated include former Souther Sons singer Jack Jones and Noiseworks vocalist Jon Stevens. Other acts scheduled to perform at the concert include Phantom of the Opera star Rob Guest and the recently re-formed Men At Work. Jimmy Barnes, who recorded "Good Times" with INXS and sang with them at the Mushroom Records 25th Anniversary concert, will not repeat the performance for the opening. A crowd of between 80,000 to 110,000 including Prime Minister John Howard is expected. (thanks to kimberly turner, kerry bergh, angus ted, and david edwards)

Rolling Stone has revealed that the forthcoming solo Hutchence disc is entitled simply Michael Hutchence and will be released in August 1999. "It's quite different [sound-wise]," says Michael Hutchence executive producer Steve Abbott. "INXS was a great democracy to a certain extent, and this is exactly how he wanted a record to be if he made a record." Abbott says Hutchence completed all the vocals for the album, which is co-produced by collaborators Danny Saber and Andy Gill. The magazine also revealed some more information about some of the songs included on the album. One song is titled "Slide Away" and includes the line "I wish I could slide away and be reborn again." However, Abbott is quick to defend Hutchence's state of mind. "You have no hint that this could be a guy that's anything but reflecting on the past and looking to the future," he says. Another Michael Hutchence song, "Neo-Junkie Philanderer," deals with the press perception of Hutchence, while "She Floats For England" was inspired by the singer's girlfriend, Paula Yates. Check out An Excess of INXS's comprehensive guide to the new record for more information.

May 4, 1999:

As the millenium approaches, it's time for the definitive poll of the "Top INXS Songs of All-Time." This is a completely fan-based exercise, so your input is absolutely necessary! Please email a list of your top 10 INXS songs to topten@inxsweb.com as soon as possible. The polls will close in June unless we're under 200 entries, in which case the polling will continue.

INXS added perennial #1 "Kiss The Dirt (Falling Down The Mountain)" to 1997 set lists as a direct result of a past poll on the INXS Email List, which will also be participating in this definitive polling.

Some quick rules: only ten songs can be submitted, and they must be in numeric order with #1 being your favorite INXS song of all-time. Remixes and live versions are not allowed, and "Need You Tonight/Mediate" is not a choice (they are two separate songs!) B-sides, album tracks, and soundtrack cuts are all fair game. Good luck choosing your favorites!



 
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