🌱 The Seeds of a Band
Before the name INXS ever appeared on a marquee, the group was simply a collection of young friends bound together by a burning love for music. The three Farriss brothers – Tim, Andrew, and Jon – grew up in a household where creativity was encouraged, and soon found like-minded companions in Michael Hutchence, Garry Gary Beers, and Kirk Pengilly. At first, they performed under the name The Farriss Brothers, playing at small parties and modest pubs around Sydney.
The late 1970s in Australia were a time when punk, new wave, and disco were colliding, and the group knew they needed a distinct identity if they were to rise above the noise. Their performances were raw, full of energy, and hinted at something bigger than themselves.
🎶 The Birth of
By 1979, the group was ready for transformation. They wanted a name that captured both style and ambition. The idea came from a friend who suggested something that played off the British band XTC – short, sharp, and memorable. The result was INXS, pronounced “in excess,” symbolizing their drive to live and play music beyond limits.
The name change wasn’t just cosmetic. It marked a new era. With Michael Hutchence stepping into his role as the enigmatic frontman and Andrew Farriss establishing himself as the main songwriter, INXS began to carve out a sound that blended funk, new wave, and rock.
🏨 Oceanview Hotel, Toukley – September 1, 1979
The date was set: September 1, 1979. The venue: Oceanview Hotel, a small seaside pub in Toukley, New South Wales. This would be the first official performance under the name INXS.
The stage was modest, the crowd local, and the lights dim. Yet for the six young men, it was a night that carried the weight of destiny. They weren’t just another cover band anymore—they were INXS, with original songs, a new identity, and dreams stretching far beyond the pub walls.
Michael Hutchence, though still refining his stage presence, already exuded a magnetism that was impossible to ignore. He moved with a swagger that drew eyes, his deep voice cutting through the air with conviction. The Farriss brothers provided the backbone, while Garry Beers’ bass lines and Kirk Pengilly’s saxophone added texture that set them apart from any other local act.
🔥 The Energy of the First Night
The setlist was a mix of early originals and covers that paid tribute to their influences. The room wasn’t packed, but it vibrated with curiosity and raw excitement. By the end of the night, even the most skeptical patrons at the Oceanview Hotel knew they had witnessed something unusual.
Michael would later recall how he felt a surge of electricity running through him that night. It wasn’t about fame yet—it was about the sheer joy of connecting, of seeing people respond to music they had created. That communion between performer and audience became the lifeblood of INXS’s journey.
🌍 From Pubs to Stadiums
That first show lit a fire. From there, INXS began a relentless grind: touring across Australia, playing night after night, slowly building a reputation as one of the most energetic live acts in the country. Their relentless touring schedule toughened them, shaping their stamina and unity.
By the time they signed their first record deal in 1980, they had already developed a style that was distinct: a fusion of rock energy, funk grooves, and pop sensibility. Their early albums laid the foundation, but it was their live shows that kept people talking.
🚀 Breaking Beyond Australia
In the early 1980s, INXS began eyeing international horizons. With singles like “Don’t Change” and “The One Thing,” they broke into the American and European markets. But the seeds of that success were sown back in 1979, in that seaside pub where they dared to reinvent themselves.
The journey from the Oceanview Hotel to Madison Square Garden and Wembley Stadium may seem improbable, but to INXS, it was simply the logical outcome of ambition, discipline, and the unshakable chemistry among six young men.
🎤 Michael Hutchence – The Star is Born
It was during these early performances that Michael Hutchence’s charisma crystallized. What the world would later call “rock star aura” was already present. He became the face of INXS, the lens through which audiences connected with the band’s music. His poetic lyrics and magnetic performances transformed the band from just another promising rock group into a phenomenon.
The Oceanview Hotel show might not have made headlines, but it was the birth of a legend.
🏆 Legacy of That Night
Looking back, September 1, 1979 wasn’t just a date on the calendar—it was the spark of a global story. From that humble beginning, INXS went on to sell over 75 million records worldwide, score multiple chart-topping singles, and etch their name among the most iconic bands of the 1980s and 1990s.
Every time fans hear “Never Tear Us Apart” or “Need You Tonight,” they are connected, however distantly, to that first night in Toukley—the moment six young Australians decided they weren’t just playing for fun anymore. They were playing for the world.