INXS: Access All Areas

Epi 81: Michael Hutchence, My Friend

Episode 81: Michael Hutchence, My Friend
 
 
 
Episode 81: Michael Hutchence, My Friend
 
In the week we remember and reminisce about the life of Michael Kelland Hutchence, it only seems appropriate that we hear from the man who arguably was closest to him from an artistic point of view, Andrew Farriss. We thank Andrew for his preparedness to be vulnerable and share intimate and revealing memories of the times he and Michael penned some of the most stunning melodies and hooks together. We cover lyrics, Michael’s cosmopolitan and cultural awareness borne out of a youth traversing many countries, and the legendary vocal duet with Jimmy Barnes on ‘Good Times’ for Australian Made. With praise for Mark Opitz production, Andrew was in awe of the gravelly vocal of Barnesy offset by the honey dripped delivery from Michael as they essentially compete in a “song-off”! The pride Andrew has in recounting Michael’s mastery is heart-warming and indicates the massive respect he has 24 years after he left us.
 
 
Interestingly, Andrew veers into a fascinating discussion about INXS’ travails in Argentina not long after the end of the Falklands War and takes immense pride in INXS being the first international band to tour there thus paving the way for others to follow. He delves deep on Beck, the technology debate modern music faces against traditional instrumentation, and the importance of INXS of mattering musically to Michael and the band. As we wrap up, we do get to the last few songs from Welcome to Wherever You Are to complete our album discussion. With Mark Opitz chipping in with valuable asides we no doubt felt a lot of love in the room for the legacy of what INXS created over 35 years and thank both Andrew and Mark for allowing us to delve deep.
 
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Check out our website for all the good stuff... https://www.inxsaccessallareas.com
...and for some cool stuff visit https://www.inxs.com
 Please sign the petition at  http://inductinxs.com to help get INXS nominated into the ROCK & ROLL HALL of FAME, where they belong. 
A new episode drops every Sunday INXS Access All Areas is available on Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, TuneIn, and Amazon Music. 

Epi 80: Thanksgiving 2021: INXS, An American Love Affair

 
Episode 80:Thanksgiving 2021: INXS, An American Love Affair
 
 
 
 
 
Thanksgiving 2021: INXS, An American Love Affair
 
Outside their humble Australian origins, the USA was the first country to embrace the new wave dance/rock sensibilities of INXS. 1983 was a seminal year for the band as they toiled long and hard from coast to coast, imparting their immense live playing abilities for all to see.
With MTV taking off and “The One Thing” gaining a Top 30 position on the famed Billboard Hot 100 charts, INXS were proving themselves to be more than a fad new-wave band. Blowing contemporaries off stage (hello Adam Ant), INXS set the tone as a blistering live act but with a versatility that would soon realize itself.
As the decade rounded out, INXS would go on to be the biggest band on the planet with multi-platinum album accreditation for The Swing, Listen Like Thieves, and the game-changing Kick. Awards followed, tours were sold out and acclaim from the critics/publications like Rolling Stone ensued.
Come the 1990’s, the band released more commercially triumphant albums such as the multi-million seller X, then Live Baby Live, and Welcome to Wherever You Are, albeit slightly less popular than their predecessor albums. With Rock Star: INXS giving the band a second jump into the USA consciousness, the band shared their biggest hit for 15 years in “Pretty Vegas” going Gold (500,000 copies).
As Bee and I reminisce with our dive deep episode from last Thanksgiving, INXS would truly like to thank all American fans who gave the band that early-career impetus to springboard them into the northern hemisphere consciousness.
 
So, sit back with a belly full of turkey, eggnog, pecan pie, cranberry sauce and Budweiser beer and relax to the dulcet tones of INXS: Access all Areas American style!!!
 
Love and Peace Haydn
 
To become a Patron/ subscriber check out our different levels and see which one suits you.
https://patron.podbean.com/INXSAccessAllAreas
 
Check out our website for all the good stuff... https://www.inxsaccessallareas.com
...and for some cool stuff visit https://www.inxs.com
 Please sign the petition at  http://inductinxs.com to help get INXS nominated into the ROCK & ROLL HALL of FAME, where they belong. 
A new episode drops every Sunday INXS Access All Areas is available on Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, TuneIn, and Amazon Music. 
 
 
 
 
 

Epi 79: Michael Hutchence ‘Always in our Hearts” November 22

 It’s that time of year again where November 22nd hits our calendars.
Originally synonymous with the date that JFK was assassinated in Dallas in 1963. It’s now synonymous with the INXS and wider music industry as the day we lost Michael Hutchence.
As mentioned by Andrew Farriss in our recent deep dive interview, let’s try and use this day, not just in solemnity but also as an acknowledgment of the massive contribution Michael made as a singer, a songwriter, a band member, a brother, and as a son.
So into today's episode, we bring together for the first time Michael’s peers such as Bono/U2, Michael Stipe from REM, and Simon LeBon from Duran Duran to share their admiration for Michael. But more importantly, our INXS patrons and the podcast listening community to share just what Michael meant to them.
Sometimes melancholy, sometimes heartbreaking but on many occasions, truly uplifting and inspiring are the anecdotes and memories shared by our INXS alumni.
Michael Kelland Hutchence: we love you, we miss you but most importantly you did matter and you are in our hearts forever!
Love and peace Haydn & Bee
 
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Epi 78: Andrew and Mark talk “Welcome Part 3!”

With an early drop, part 3 of our Andrew and Mark deep dive won’t let you down. With a detailed exploration of side 2, we get further valuable insights into the production and musical excellence of Welcome to Wherever you Are’s quieter and more experimental moments.
As always, the conversation veers into interesting anecdotes such as touring, other artists influenced by INXS’ legacy, and the enduring relationship between Mark’s definitive production techniques and the mastery of song-craft on show between Andrew and Michael.
As we approach the 30th year since this defining and benchmark album was released, we at Access all Areas are most grateful for the time, honesty, articulation, and recounting of events by Andrew and Mark during these 3 episodes. They are now locked in a time capsule for years to come.
Love and Peace ✌️
Haydn
P.S Part 4 is still yet to come. 
 
To become a Patron/ subscriber check out our different levels and see which one suits you. 
https://patron.podbean.com/INXSAccessAllAreas
 
Check out our website for all the good stuff... https://www.inxsaccessallareas.com/episodes
Please sign the petition at  http://inductinxs.com to help get INXS nominated into the ROCK & ROLL HALL of FAME, where they belong. 
The new episode drops on Sunday, 31 October. INXS Access All Areas is available on Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, TuneIn, and Amazon Music. 
 
 
 
 

Epi 77: Welcome Album Review Part 2 with Andrew and Mark

Episode 77: Welcome Album Review Part 2 with Andrew Farriss and Mark Opitz
Bee and are privileged again to have access to the musical genius of Andrew Farriss and Mark Opitz. With Welcome to Wherever You Are in 1992 being the main discussion point again, we’re excited in part 2 to get into the tracks on side A. 
 
With part one having more joyous story tangents than Back to the Future 2, both Andrew and Mark dive deep into the musical excellence of Questions, Heaven Sent, Communication, Taste it, Not Enough Time, and All Around. 
 
You’ll get to immerse yourself in the true history of how this seminal album was recorded with this episode chock full of insights, anecdotes, and recording technique discussions. Additionally, we hear how Andrew and Michael united more than ever on the lyrical content of the songs. Plus, there are rumors that a “standing ovation” allegedly occurs in the middle of the podcast. 
 
So do yourself a favour and block out all the white noise and “forget about the problems in your life” and enjoy Part 2 with Andrew and Mark.
Love and Peace 
Haydn
To become a Patron/ subscriber check out our different levels and see which one suits you. 
https://patron.podbean.com/INXSAccessAllAreas
 
Check out our website for all the good stuff... https://www.inxsaccessallareas.com/episodes
Please sign the petition at  http://inductinxs.com to help get INXS nominated into the ROCK & ROLL HALL of FAME, where they belong. 
The new episode drops on Sunday, 31 October. INXS Access All Areas is available on Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, TuneIn, and Amazon Music. 

Epi 76: Welcome To The Podcast, Andrew Farriss and Mark Opitz

Episode 76: Welcome To The Podcast, Andrew Farriss, and Mark Opitz
 
This memorable episode by songwriting royalty Andrew Farriss. The “Brian Wilson” of INXS, Andrew simply carved out an iconic catalogue of melodies, tunes, and hooks that have stood the test for over 40 years.
 
Honorary patron and Australia’s greatest Producer Mark Opitz joins us too as we unpack each song from “Welcome to Wherever You Are”. Deep insights, anecdotes, and thoughts are fully explained as Andrew graciously diverts discussion into numerous INXS tangents and experiences that simply were spellbinding!
 
As always Mark pieced together some fantastic insights into the entire recording experience and why he rates the album the greatest accomplishment and period of his 50-year career.
With over 4 hours of content to enjoy, sit back and set your Podcast alerts to INXS: Access all Areas as we dive deep with these musical giants over the next 3 weeks.
 
To become a Patron/ subscriber check out our different levels and see which one suits you. 
https://patron.podbean.com/INXSAccessAllAreas
 
Check out our website for all the good stuff... https://www.inxsaccessallareas.com/episodes
Please sign the petition at  http://inductinxs.com to help get INXS nominated into the ROCK & ROLL HALL of FAME, where they belong. 
The new episode drops on Sunday, 31 October. INXS Access All Areas is available on Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, TuneIn, and Amazon Music. 
 

Epi 75: Welcome to Wherever You Are, Album Review

Episode 75: Welcome to Wherever You Are
 
With our podcast retrospective journeying into 1992, we are ecstatic to finally dive deep into the musical masterpiece that was “Welcome to Wherever You Are”, an album that reunited the band with legendary Australian Producer exactly 10 years after the seminal record Shabooh Shoobah. 
 
Under-appreciated, under-promoted, and misunderstood at the time, Welcome to Wherever You have represented a massive musical leap for the band post the international juggernauts of Kick and X album releases. With no limits, restraint, or mitigation in the studio, the band experimented with sitars, tablas, 60 piece orchestras, and state-of-the-art engineering techniques. 
 
The results are a listening experience that rewards the patient listener with a kaleidoscopic of sonic sounds and flourishes. Grammy-nominated and critically acclaimed, the Welcome Album nearly 30 years is a true musical masterpiece that deserves a second chance to hit the airwaves. 
 
That aside, sit back and reminisce, rediscover, or for some discover the Achtung Baby of Oz that is Welcome to Wherever You Are! 
 
Love and Peace ✌️
Haydn
To become a Patron/ subscriber check out our different levels and see which one suits you. 
https://patron.podbean.com/INXSAccessAllAreas
 
Check out our website for all the good stuff... https://www.inxsaccessallareas.com/episodes
Please sign the petition at  http://inductinxs.com to help get INXS nominated into the ROCK & ROLL HALL of FAME, where they belong. 
The new episode drops on Sunday, 31 October. INXS Access All Areas is available on Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, TuneIn, and Amazon Music. 

Epi 74: FAN CAMPAIGN: “Let’s get another number #1 INXS song”!

This episode may just be the most important one we have recorded since the inception of INXS: Access All Areas in May 2020. With a perpetual passion to see the band get rightfully inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, we are also are only 12 months away from two significant milestones.
The 30th anniversary of the “critically acclaimed” “Welcome to Wherever You Are” and
The 25th anniversary of the incomparable Michael Hutchence sad passing.
As such, we are proud to launch a unique fan-led initiative whereby we are championing the “re-emergence” of the severely underrated song “Not Enough Time” from the aforementioned album.
A song that simply soars after its humble and understated opening, to a cacophony of musical, vocal and instrumental bliss. A crescendo in the spirit of Hey Jude and Stairway to Heaven, all under the gaze and sultry lyrics of Michael at his poetic peak!
 
So we deep dive into “the song” that shall be a catalyst for their induction, a true highlight of their back catalogue but most importantly a true homage piece to what simply was and always shall be: “the great Michael Hutchence”!
 
Love and peace,
Haydn & Bee
 
To become a Patron/ subscriber check out our different levels and see which one suits you. 
https://patron.podbean.com/INXSAccessAllAreas
 
Check out our website for all the good stuff... https://www.inxsaccessallareas.com/episodes
Please sign the petition at  http://inductinxs.com to help get INXS nominated into the ROCK & ROLL HALL of FAME, where they belong.