Hello, did I say something about writing about my recent trip to San Francisco sometime this weekend? Well, I had every intention to, but other important stuff just keeps popping up ...
So, I've been listening to a lot of 80's pop music lately for a project that I've been working on (long story). Among the bands that I've been getting reacquainted with: INXS. I liked INXS a lot back in the 80's, and even into the 90's. And I wish like hell that Michael Hutchence hadn't died, because I think they still had some good stuff ahead of them (and also, it was a tragedy that he died). But I haven't listened to them with that new lead singer.
Anyhow, what I've discovered is that the music of INXS has stood the test of time. I borrowed "The Best of INXS" from the local library, and was really just struck by the number of great songs they had, when their whole career is condensed like that. There's "What You Need," and "The One Thing," also "Suicide Blonde" and "This Time" and "Don't Change" and several others. And to cap it all off, "Not Enough Time," which is just tremendous. See, it starts off kind of slow and hypnotic, with just a low beat and Hutchence singing, but then you add bit by bit these backing vocals and some piano and castanets and whatnot, and before you know it ... wow! And the lyrics: "Attempting to make sense/of my aching heart/If I could just be everything/And everyone to you." Great! I love it!
People, I made a mistake here a month or two ago. Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World," while an awesome song, is not the greatest rock 'n' roll song of all time. "Not Enough Time" by INXS is the greatest rock 'n' roll song of all time. Even if it doesn't have "rock" in the title ...
2 comments:
You are speaking the exact story I have...I fell in love with INXS from College Radio back in 1985, and purchased Listen Like Thieves. I never owned another INXS album. Just enjoyed listening to friends tapes and albums.
Someone gave me the greatest hits about 6 months ago. I haven't listened to them regularly since about 1986, when my turntable stopped working. Wow...they do stand the test of time. I have almost all of their cds. A must have...Welcome to Wherever you Are, and the last album from 1997, Elegantly Wasted.
I do own the latest album Switch, with the new singer, J D Fortune. It is really good. Every song is good.
A true test of a good INXS song is if I can run to it, and I can run to all the songs on the latest CD Switch.
You are not alone in thinking INXS is great, everyone that hears me play my INXS music asks who it is, I tell them, and they respond...no way, why they never heard it before. Well, they have now.
Who are you, molly harrell, and how did your parents raise you so well? Do you ever think they're going to make the INXS movie with Johnny Depp as Michael Hutchence? Do you remember the first time you ever heard "The One Thing" on MTV, like I do?
Oh, and FYI: there's this grape-eatin' dude out there who's probably gonna write some comment about all this pretty soon. Don't be surprised if he mocks INXS, and me, and maybe even you! But just ignore him - he's harmless ...
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