INXS and their long term manager Martha Troup have parted company, following an intense seven year business partnership, and a friendship that lasted even longer.
Following the controversial death of INXS singer, Michael Hutchence, the unhappy split follows a sad and emotional 16 months for the band and their manager.
Troup is still dealing with the upcoming solo recording affairs of Hutchence, but the band's career has come to a screeching halt. There are unnecessary hold-ups to Hutchence's solo posthumous recording, mainly due to incompetence from the executor of the singer's will, and prolongued money squabbles. It is perhaps ironic, however, that the career of the dead is yet to begin, whilst the group career of those still alive has come to a morbid standstill.
There is the opinion that some INXS members have had difficulty in coming to terms with Hutchence's death, anger and denial being two powerful post - death emotions still at play.
It has been an arduous period for the band and Troup, the former based in Australia, the latter in New York. I am told by a mutual friend of both parties that INXS did not wish to continue paying Troup on a monthly retainer basis, due in part, to the geographical distance, and due in part to their lack of group activity - as distinct from separate musical activity.
INXS are currently finding it difficult to re-group and find direction since the loss of their charismatic singer. Now that Troup has gone, I have no doubt they will find it even more difficult.
This is sad, because I still believe INXS could be a modern force with which to be reckoned, if they took their collective heads out of the sand, hired a brave, young female singer with attitude, continued their white boy funk where they left off, and moved forward.