INXS Switch Over

Still, he says, with the "training wheels" from Rock Star removed and the album Switch unleashed upon the planet, the band now faces the challenge of convincing its audience Fortune is not a gimmick, but the man to make INXS a proper band again. It's not going to be easy, considering the huge shadow cast by a natural-born rock star like Hutchence. "What we do is what we do and we had no choice in the matter when Michael departed. We're in a band and we play music," says Jon.

Switch is INXS' first album of new material since 1997's Elegantly Wasted and first without Hutchence, hence the title. Some people out there want not to understand the band, some are playing safe with their opinions.

Although most of the material was written before he joined the band, Fortune co-wrote three of the 11 tracks on Switch, including first single "Pretty Vegas." The album is a mix of '80s-inspired dance rock and tender ballads dedicated to late singer Michael Hutchence and his daughter, Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily. It's a combination of some really fun songs — 'cause we're about celebrating the good sides of life — with a couple of really very special songs lyrically, very poignant, Farriss said. I think we're gonna reclaim a lot of stuff that's ours, that combination of some wonderful rhythms, rock fills, a bit of Motown in there and just great melodies.

I own every other INXS album, why not this one? In the long term, you'll probably buy it anyway. As for those gags about JD being a former Elvis impersonator, remember that Hutchence contributed to the "Its Now Or Never" Elvis Tribute album in 1994. (He sang 'Baby Let's Play House'). Both had a love of Elvis (see 'cock rock').

Here are a couple of treats for you. I found a single that came under the radar back in 1993 from INXS, called 'Freedom Deep'. Wonder no more where Coldplay got their inspiration for 'Fix You'. Secondly, what would you do if the phone rang, someone down the line said to you "sing something.. go now". Then to find that a composition was made from your bumbling goofy tones? Thats what happened in 1997 with the track 'Sing Something'. Quite enjoyable :)

[INXS - Freedom Deep ogg/1.7Mb] 1993/Full Moon Dirty Hearts
[INXS - Sing Something ogg/1.8Mb] 1997/bonus track
*get em before Dec 12