Jon Farriss is the youngest member of INXS and the youngest of the three Farriss brothers. Growing up in the Farriss household Jon and his two brothers were encouraged to learn and play an instrument. Jon began learning the drums when he was just four years old. "Dad has always been a musical person, we always lived with music," he says.
Jonathon James Farriss was born on August 10th, 1961 in Perth, Western Australia. At the age of 16, Jon was playing in a cover band called Top Cat, which had regular gigs around town, playing mostly weddings and family reunions that paid around $200 per week. It wasn't until a jam session one night, organized by his brother Tim who was searching for a drummer for his newly formed band, that the realization hit that they had a great drummer right under the same roof. Jon soon found himself a part of The Farriss Brothers. When the Farriss family moved across the continent to Perth with Jon still in school, the entire band followed in order to stay together until Jon could graduate and play drums full time.
These days, Jon is still seen as one of the best drummers in the world and has lived with that title for the last decade. It's now a long way and a long time from Jon's first drum kit. "I used to think of myself as one of those 'drum children'. I had toy drums when I was about 3," he says. He remembers entering kindergarten and spotting a child's marching drum, he just started banging away. He now has a long list of credits behind him as a result of working with other artists, including Jenny Morris, Richard Clapton, Absent Friends and Wendy Matthews. Perhaps Jon's most memorable achievement was producing Richard Clapton's Glory Road album in 1987. Jon admits to few specific, drumming influences. "Except perhaps Ringo, I always thought he was the most underrated drummer."
Jon is an essential part of INXS and their sound. His b-sides contributions are diverse, including You Never Used To Cry from Shabooh Shoobah, I'm Over You from Listen Like Thieves, and Everybody Wants You Tonight from X. Apart from being the rhythmic backbone with Garry Gary Beers and his brother Andrew, he has also contributed to many album cuts which have gone on to be hits for the band, including Old World New World, Disappear, Faith In Each Other, Back on Line, and The Gift.
Jon Farriss is definitely a thinking drummer, with definite opinions, not just about equipment but also the sound and the recording processes. And he loves to dabble in conceptual design, being the force behind the stage set for the Elegantly Wasted world tour.
Jon has moved back to his stately Woollahra home in Sydney, which is undergoing extensive renovation both inside and out, and includes a state-of-art recording studio. He visits Thailand and Bali often when not working and along with Tim and Garry Gary, loves a good game of golf. Jon shares an appreciation for eastern cultures and philosophies while holding a keen interest in UFO's, healing arts and the mystic. Jon is a traveling citizen of the world, spreading his good will and vibes globally.