Artist: INXS
Title: Never Tear Us Apart (The Untold Story of INXS)
Genre: Biopic
Release Date: March 2014
Production: Shine Australia for Channel 7 (Australia)
DVD Review
22nd November 1997... The world, and most of all, Australia, wakes up in a state of shock. Michael Hutchence, front man of the cult band INXS, was found dead in a hotel room in Sydney a couple of days before kicking off a 20 years celebration tour. To this date, the mystery is still big around the death of one of the most talented (and by far underrated) vocalist in the history of Rock’n’Roll. The five remaining members tried hard to carry on, with more or less success, but still big enough to tour intensively (mainly US, Germany, Australia) with various vocalists, the most famous being JD Fortune, winner of a reality show, with whom they recorded a more than decent album, ‘Switch’, in 2004. In 2011, the band seemed to have found at last a vocalist strong enough to take the lead without miming Hutch and the atmosphere on stage was positive, turn toward the future with new tracks performed. But a couple of months ago, a press release announced that INXS ceased to be a touring band... leaving a mystery around their status as the band didn't split and no other detailed were announced.
It's only recently that THE project was leaked: Chris Murphy, the historical manager of the band, and INXS were working on a biopic, destined to Australian TV, Channel 7, covering the history of the band. The project was accompanied by a remastered version of the ‘Live Baby Live’ album, recorded at the cult concert in Wembley Stadium, in July 1991 and a new Best Of, ‘Never Tear Us Apart’. A real challenge knowing that a biopic of a new wave band disappeared from mass medias 17 years ago was not the most bankable project. Surprisingly, not only it worked well... it created an INXS mania in Australia even more important than in the late 80's where the band was at their peak of their carrier. Judge by yourself: since the broadcast of the first episode, INXS placed seven albums in the main chart album Top 10, NTUA went N°1 in single, ‘Live Baby Live’ N°1 of DVDs (placing ‘Live in Loreley 97’ as well in the Top 10), as well as five albums in the Back catalogue charts. The media coverage in Australia was impressive and, view from abroad, it seemed the all country is driven by INXS since seven weeks! The band and manager are in interview everywhere, and to this date, the new Best Of compilation is still Number 1.
And many artists catch it: amongst others, Bruce Springsteen performed an atomic version of ‘Don't Change’ live in Sidney, LONDON GRAMMAR just released their version of ‘Devil Inside’ for the new season of ‘Games of Thrones’, and ARCADE FIRE covered the same hit when their tour hit Australia. The success is massive and Chris Murphy's plan is now to go worldwide with this project... and by looking at social networks, it's pretty clear the word is spreading around and fans seem to resurrect everywhere in France, UK, US, Germany... The torrent of the two episodes was downloaded like mad and it's fair to say it might just be a beginning. So? What's behind this movie?
To be honest, I'm not a big fan of biopic, and being a long-time fan of INXS, I was really concerned by the end result, even though Andrew Farris was the musical director of the project, Chris Murphy producing and the all band involved in consulting on various parts. To cut the story short... the result is simply amazing! Just after a couple of minutes you're into it. The casting is absolutely fantastic! From each members of the band to Chris Murphy, Paula Yates to Kylie Minogue (incredible look alike). The movie starts straight away by the Live in Wembley (July 1991). This concert is the pivot of the movie, as it was the turning point of the band career. At this stage, INXS was the greatest band in the world and at the peak of their career with the album ‘X’. From there, a flashback takes us back to 1978 and the ‘Farris Brothers’ early days in Perth. The Episode 1 focuses on 1978 to 1988 and the Episode 2 from 1988 to 1996 and the tragic loss of Michael.
On a musical point of view, it's a five stars movie. We got to hear, of course major hits, from the first singles (‘Simple Simon’, ‘We Are The Vegetables’) to big hits (‘Original Sin’, ‘The One Thing’, ‘New Sensation’ and so on) but also, lesser known tracks like the cover of ‘Born To Be Wild’, some album tracks like ‘In Vain’, ‘Black And White’ or ‘The Swing’. We got to learn about the making of ‘Need You Tonight’ (a peak moment of Episode 1), ‘The Gift’ and all the tension around it, ‘Original Sin’... All the aspects of the band's story are covered: the hilarious scene where the first manager find the name INXS, the meeting with Chris Murphy, the first years touring like mad in Australia (600 concerts over two years), the rising success, the long term business man of the clever manager, the “F—king musical genius” of Andrew Farris, the childhood years, XSes of Rock'n'Roll fame (Sex, Drugs & Rock n Roll)...
And most of all, the men behind the b(r)and: the pessimistic and constantly doubting Andrew Farris, the driving force of Tim Farris, the fragility of Jon Farris... and of course, the man: Michael Hutchence. All the hurting that every time left a scar on another from teenage years (divorce of his parents), to his first sentimental break up, to the commercial failure of his very personal project with Ollie Nelson, MAX Q, and his search for “Street Credibility” (“Come on Michael, You're not Nick Cave” told him Chris Murphy when Hutchence wanted to tour with MAX Q while everybody was waiting for the follow up of ‘Kick’), the tragic accident of 1992 when attacked by a cab driver in a fight in Amsterdam, his head violently hit the ground leaving a permanent trauma that would ruin Hutch forever: the total loss of smell and taste that would leave him depressed and subject to uncontrollable rages and anger. And of course, the meeting with Paula Yates that would see him thrown in the middle of her divorce with Sir Bob Geldof, hassled by paparazzi... the all thing leading him slowly to the tragic morning of November 22nd despite the birth of their little girl, Tiger Lilly (Chris Murphy and the band made sure she, by the way, will benefit a lot from the revenue of this project)
Overall, it's very well documented, very well edited (usage of real live footage while the actors actually performed in studio), a very good balance between music, business, excesses and sentimental affairs. You also laugh a lot: key moments being the support tour of ADAM ANT in the US, customs control in Argentina, cops intervention in a Paris hotel room where the band is having... let's call it straight, a real orgy, Andrew Farris inspiration for ‘Need You Tonight’ and many other scenes. It leaves us with the feeling of a gigantic (“elegant”) waste as INXS was without a doubt one of the most powerful band of the 80's/90's, balancing commercial successes and artistic credibility. Leaves us with a lot of question: what would have become INXS if Hutch was still alive? Would the band be as gigantic as U2 or DEPECHE MODE? Would they pursue their carrier their own way like SIMPLE MINDS, THE CURE or DURAN DURAN without focusing on charts position? What would they sound like after the big come back of ‘Elegantly Wasted’?
Let's hope at least, that this movie and the worldwide promotional campaign to come with give, at last, almost 20 years after his death, the legitimacy and credibility Michael Hutchence deserves, because amongst all things, he was just one of the best live performer ever with one of the greatest voice many tried to copy but none ever succeed to. I won't spoil anything... but the ‘Never Tear us Apart’ ending sequence is a smash! Let's hope it will soon be broadcasted in Europe and most of all, available on Blu-Ray with many Bonus material!
Tracklist
| Episode1 Kick Guns In The Sky (Wembley 91) Born To Be Wild In Vain Just Keep Walking We Are The Vegetables To Look At You Simple Simon Beautiful Girl The One Thing Black And White Original Sin The Swing Burn For You Listen Like Thieves What You Need Need You Tonight (Making Of) New Sensation Mystify Mediate Shine Like It Does Kick |
Episode2 Devil Inside (Wembley) By My Side Suicide Blonde Disappear New Sensation Devil Inside Faith In Each Others Taste It The Gift (Making Of) Kill The Pain (Demo) Heaven Sentimental Not Enough Time The Gift (Recording) Vicking Juice Bitter Tears Strangest Party (Studio/Live in Germany 96) Devil Inside (Live in Germany 96) Baby Don't Cry (Last Rehearsal) Don't Change (sung by Andrew Farris from the 2010 album “Original Sin”) |
Cast
Damon Herriman - Chris Murphy
Luke Arnold - Michael Hutchence
Hugh Sheridan - Garry Gary Beers
Andrew Ryan - Andrew Farriss
Alex Williams - Kirk Pengilly
Ido Drent - Jon Farriss
Nick Masters - Tim Farriss
Brendan Barnett - Bono
Georgina Haig - Paula Yates
Jane Harber - Michelle Bennett
Samantha Jade - Kylie Minogue
Mallory Jansen - Helena Christensen
Website
www.inxs.com
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 10
Movie: 10
Total: 10 / 10
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