INXS

INXS are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1977, originally as the Farriss Brothers before adopting their better-known name in 1979. The classic lineup paired the three Farriss brothers — Andrew, Tim and Jon — with charismatic frontman Michael Hutchence, guitarist and saxophonist Kirk Pengilly, and bassist Garry Gary Beers. Through the 1980s the band built a sound that fused rock guitars with funk grooves, dance rhythms and pop hooks, setting them apart from many of their new-wave and hard-rock contemporaries.

Their international breakthrough came with albums like «Shabooh Shoobah», «The Swing» and especially «Kick» (1987), which produced global hits such as «Need You Tonight», «New Sensation», «Devil Inside» and «Never Tear Us Apart». Hutchence's magnetic stage presence and the band's slick fusion of styles made INXS one of the biggest rock acts of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The band's momentum was overshadowed by Hutchence's death in 1997, though the surviving members continued to perform and record with various vocalists in later years. INXS remain remembered as one of Australia's most successful musical exports and a defining act of 1980s rock-pop crossover.