INXS Sign Deal With Universal For Back Catalogue, Films, Biopic And Musical

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PopWrapped Admin

Published

October 31, 2013

Sarah Goddard

Content Editor

The sun may have set on INXS’ touring days, but that doesn’t mean the Australian rock group’s popularity has dwindled. If anything, they are still in just as much demand as they were at the height of their career.

Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) chairman, Zach Horowitz, has officially announced that they have signed a global publishing deal with the band for the core of their music catalogue. What this means is that while “UMPG has previously published the band’s early material through a prior arrangement; the new agreement brings essentially all of INXS’s music to UMPG”. This new deal will bring all of their music under one publishing roof for the first time.

Founding member and keyboard/guitarist, Andrew Farris said “INXS are thrilled to be under one roof with such a dynamic team as Universal, the world and INXS’ songs and music just got closer and much bigger all at the same time”.

“INXS has become a music brand that breaks media and entertainment barriers on all fronts,” said Chris M Murphy, INXS Creative Director and Global Strategist. “We’re over the moon that we’ll be working with him and the outstanding UMPG team to write the next chapter in the band’s illustrious history. The new TV mini-series about the band’s untold story, which will debut in the first quarter of 2014, is just the beginning. Films, the ‘ultimate’ documentary, and a musical are all on the way.”

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INXS formed in August of 1977 in Perth, Western Australia under the original name of The Farriss Brothers, due to the fact that the three founding members were brothers Tim, Jon and Andrew Farriss. On September 1 of the same year the Farriss Brothers, along with new members Garry Gary Beers (bass guitar), Kirk Pengilly (guitar and saxophone) and Michael Hutchence on vocals, performed for the first time as INXS when they toured with Australian super-group Midnight Oil.

The peak of their career came during the late 1980’s and early 90’s and they were often referred to as “one of the biggest bands on the planet”. In 1997 however, all that meant nothing when their lead singer of 20 years, Michael Hutchence was found dead in a hotel room in Sydney at the age of 37.

The remaining members would continue on without him, enlisting the help of numerous vocalists over the years, but sadly, never reached the same level of popularity as they once held.

Over the span of their career, INXS have had 36 Australian hits with 13 making the Top 10, 23 in the UK, and 18 in the US with 7 reaching the Top 10. 13 Australian Top 10 albums and 6 consecutive top ten albums in both the UK and US and have sold close to 40 million albums worldwide.

Check out the music video for their highest selling single “Never Tear Us Apart” below.