Yesterday news spread that longstanding Australian act INXS has decided to call it day, with the band announcing their impending break-up during a gig at Perth Arena on Sunday November 11, 2012. Drummer Jon Farriss broke the news to fans as INXS opened up for Matchbox 20.
Now INXS have posted an official statement addressing the band’s retirement. The statement was issued by remaining band members Kirk Pengilly, Garry Beers and the Farriss brothers Jon, Andrew and Tim who explain that although the news may have shocked fans, INXS felt it was time to step away from touring.
INXS was founded in 1977 and went on to release 12 albums over 35 years. Their 1987 album Kick was publicly voted as the fifth greatest Australian album of all time in Triple J’s 2011 poll, Triple J’s Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time.
Read: INXS Official Break-Up Statement
“We understand that this must come as a blow to everybody, but all things must eventually come to
an end. We have been performing as a band for 35 years, it’s time to step away from the touring
arena”
“Our music will of course live on and we will always be a part of that.”
“We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all the friends and family that have supported us
throughout our extensive career. Our lives have been enriched by having you all as a part of the
journey.”
INXS forged their reputation as one of the world’s greatest live bands, relentlessly touring the US,
Europe, South America, and the Far East constantly throughout the 80’s and early 90’s, fuelled by the success of records such as Listen Like Thieves, Kick, X, and Welcome To Wherever You Are.
That hard earned and hard won live reputation took INXS to the very pinnacle of the live world touring
circuit with such memorable performances headlining iconic venues across the world… in the UK
[Wembley Stadium 80,000], the US [Texas Stadium 60,000] and Rio De Janeiro [Rock in Rio 120,000].
But with the high, came a bitter and cruel blow… the loss of their charismatic and irreplaceable front man Michael Hutchence in November 1997.
“It’s been 35 years for INXS as a live touring band and unbelievably it’s been 15 years ago since we
lost Michael” said Jon Farriss.
“We lived for each other in the trenches and we loved each other. It was the six of us against the
world and then suddenly and inexplicably we were but five. We were lost right at the moment we
were on top.”
The band struggled to deal with the enormity of it all and the easy solution was to just call it a day.
“We never took a soft option, it was the adversity, the challenge and the struggle that forged us into
the live working band we became. And this was as big as it could possibly get when it came to a
challenge” said Andrew Farriss, “and in the end we decided for a whole bunch of reasons to march
forward. To us there was no other option, families always move forward.”
The bands manager Chris Murphy said, “They believed unconditionally in each other and they also believed unconditionally in the music. People fade, sometimes way too early… that is life whether we like it or not. To live to 80 plus is a life well lived. To lose Michael so young was a tragedy for all of us. But with this band, their legacy, their music was just so damn good, it was always destined to live beyond all of us.”
The last 3 years has seen a resurgence of INXS with their songs being hammered on radio and a rise in audience numbers with the live show. The song Original Sin, with Rob Thomas on vocals, reached number 1 on the Billboard dance charts.
As Jon Farriss says, “INXS’ touring days could never last forever. We wanted it to end on a high. And it has.”
The band will be making no further comment at this time.
