On the anniversary of Michael Hutchence's tragic death, the remaining members of INXS have completed preliminary work on an album of unreleased material.
KATHY McCABE reports
INXS will return to the recording studio early next year to put the finishing touches to their first release since the death of frontman Michael Hutchence a year ago today.
Close friends of the band - Kirk Pengilly, Garry Gary Beers, Andrew, Jon and Tim Farriss - and a select group of Mercury Records executives who have heard the tracks at Sydney's 301 Studios, have said they are
fantastic and a fitting legacy from Hutchence and the band.
Most of the songs are tracks which did not make it onto their last two albums, Elegantly Wasted and Full Moon, Dirty Hearts. "The sessions were very casual; the guys are doing everything at their own pace," a spokesman said.
Whether the album is ever released is still to be decided by band members.
"There is still a lot of emotion involved and they are split as to whether the album will do Michael justice," a friend said. The quality of the unreleased songs is superlative as INXS spent thousands of dollars tinkering in studios when recording their last two albums.
"Michael's vocals were great," a spokesman said. "It wasn't that strange not having him there because it was rare you would have all members of the band in the studio at the same time, anyway." Although they have been invited to a private memorial service to commemorate Hutchence's death this morning, it is not known if any of
the band members will attend.
They are not expected to appear at the public memorial at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium and at Memorial Gardens at 5pm. "It has been left as a personal decision for each band member as to whether he goes or not," the spokesman said.
"They have made a pact that they won't be talking to anyone about it." Michael's father, Kell Hutchence, said the monument he has commissioned to be built on the park ground for the anniversary will be unveiled at the service.
The large pale sandstone tribute with a small bench in front of it is about 100m from the main chapel where Hutchence was cremated. "I would prefer to keep what it is as a surprise until it is unveiled," he said. "But I think it is a beautiful tribute to my darling son."
Speculation about the future of INXS was fuelled by their public performance last week at the Mushroom Records 25th anniversary concert at the MCG.
Rumours abounded backstage that the band had cold feet about appearing at the concert and did not confirm their performance until the last minute.
INXS played The Loved One and Good Times with Jimmy Barnes and Diesel fronting before an all star finale including the Minogue sisters and Billy Thorpe.
"My impression was they felt an enormous satisfaction getting back on stage," said rock historian Glenn A. Baker. "I looked at Tim's face and with every strike of the strings his smile got broader.
"It has obviously been a very difficult year for them but it was great to see this wonderful, tight and unified band doing what they do best."
Richard Wilkins, whose own band supported INXS back in their early career and has remained a close friend, said a future album release would allow the band members to finally move on.
"I get the feeling they want to write the last chapter and close the book," he said. "They have always done things with a lot of class an style and this will be no different."
While they obviously relished their moment back on stage in front of 72,000-strong crowd, that appearance could be their last. A tribute concert mooted to be held in London early next year and starring band friends such as Bono and Tom Jones will not go ahead.