The Aussie rockers roar into T.O's Massey Hall on Nov.20. In this interview INXS guitarist Tim Farriss talks about the band's climb and the members' thoughts on success.
Lisa Robinson: What is it like working with your brothers?
Tim Farriss: It's fine I don't want to make it sound like some stomach-wrenching Brady Bunch or something, but it's excellent, not a problem. We've been together so long now, the fact that there are brothers in the band tends to rub off on the other guys - and the fact that thay aren't brothers rubs off on us. We're all the same except at Christmastime. We have that off, but three of us inevitably see each other because we're family.
Q : Jon and Michael get a lot of teen idol attention. Does it bother them?
A : Jon gets it more in America, and he doesn't particularly like it because he's a serious musician. Michael thinks it's funny. I can't see how you could be offended by it. I remember when Tears for Fears came to Australia and a lot of people went to the airport to meet them. The group screamed at their fans to shut up and get the hell out of there. It was awful. They don't have to release good-looking photos of themselves if they don't want to, nor go on tour. They can stay at home.
Q : How far in advance do you schedule your lives?
A : Well, we have the next two years figured out almost down to the week. In many ways it's comforting. It's a little frightening to have it worked out, but we've always wanted to do what we're doing and have an intensely positive outlook.
Q : When you began in the late 1970's did you have a long-term plan?
A : We thought that to be a long-term band you had to have a long-term plan. The one thing in our career that we've regretted most was our first single (What You Need) reaching No. 1 in France. We never wanted to be that kind of a band. When the first single goes to No. 1 somewhere it puts the band in an awkward situation because the listening public tends to look at the band as a name with nothing behind it. We didn't want to be looked at as a hallow No. 1 band. We like to work for our successso that we feel it is owed to us - that, after we've had the No. 1, we're still going to be around. Longevity is the name of the gamewith us. I think all the touring we've done in the U.S. has contributed to the success of What You Need.
Q : Didn't the video for that song help as well?
A : We've heard that, and I always find that a frustrating comment because videos take second seat to live performances as far as INXS is concerned. but we must grit our teeth and accept the fact the video helped.
Q : The Tom Jones-type eating scene in The One Thing video also helped to make the North American audience aware of the band didn't it?
A : Yes. That came out suring our first tour of America (1985-86) and became a hit with a lot of people one of whom was producer Nile Rodgers (David Bowie, Madonna,Duran Duran), so we got to work with him. He loved the song and the video. Let's put it this way:We had never toured America before but when we were in some small town, I got recognized from the video. And I thought, 'Wow, this America place is really happening. We're only been there a week and I've been recognized walking down the street in a small town.' Back then, we expected to arrive here and work a long time before our faces became known.
Q : Is INXS pacing the Australian music scene?
A : Things have been amazing for us back home. But the exciting thing is, we're beginning to see a direct parellel between what happens to us in Australia and what's happening here.
Q : Can you live a normal life in Australia? Can you walk the streets?
A : We don't goto the midday matinee at the movies or to most concerts. We did see Julian Lennon and when the show was over and the lights came up, the crowd went nuts. We had to be herded backstage. Julian and his band stood there wide-eyed. We had to leave with them in their cars with kids screaming for Michael. It was funny. It formed the basis of a good friendship.
Q : You were big stars in Australia from the start, weren't you?
A : Sort of, but we left Australia before we were as big as we could have been. Most Australian bands continue their success there, and then, when they can't go any further, realize thay had better go overseas and make it. Then the public thinks they'll come back with American accents, so they hate them. Or they take the attitude. If America doesn't like you we don't either. We didn't want to get into that situation, so we left when we had our biggest selling album there. We've managed to continue our success in Australia and in other places, probably because we still live there and yet tour the world.
Q : Michael is in the movie Dogs in Space. What kind of film is it?
A : It's about a houseful of people in the late 1970's and shows the kind of lifestyle people had in Melbourne, Australia, suring the postpunk period. It talks about the music of the time and young poeple's problems. It's also a bit of a love story.
Q : Are you concerned that it will disrupt the band if Michael becomes a big film star?
A : No. No, one is really worried about that. We work moth things out; we always have. The whole reason we've been able to maintain ecastly the same lineup for the last nine years is the fact that we have the ability to poenly discuess things and reach a solution with minumun pain. We want to make a great albums next. We want to make an even better album than the last one.