INXS

Rip It Up, Issue 54, 1 January 1982, Page 4

INXS

In January, when we last spoke to INXS, they had just completed a tour of Australia's east coast, and were riding high on the success of their self-titled debut album. Next on the agenda was an appearance at Sweetwaters. Needless to say, they never quite made it. Still it's been a busy year for the lads from Sydney's North Shore. Lead singer Michael Hutchence is on the phone, talking about what the band's been up to this year: "Well, at the moment we're in the middle of touring Australia. We call it our Barbarian Tour. It's named after a track on our new album, Underneath The Colours. This is the first major tour we've done since recording it." Are you still coming to New Zealand? "Yes, we'll round up the tour in January with the NZ dates. We are touring New Zealand with Cold Chisel prior to Sweetwaters." Where to from there? "Hopefully well get over to play Los Angeles, New York and London sometime in March or April. We've been negotiating on the international front, and we've just released a single and the new

album in Britain

Are you pleased with Underneath The Colours? "Very much so. The first album was a cheapie, but with this one, we had time to spend. We did the basics at EMl's 301 studio, and then finished it off at Paradise. We had Richard Clapton producing, and he was a great help." Do you see it as markedly different from the previous outing? "Yeah, on this album we looked at things from a straight studio perspective, as opposed to the live feel of the first one. The production was played down quite a bit though, so the songs are still quite raw, in a strange sort of way." Are they all new songs? "Yes, they were all written over the last six months. We had a lot to choose from. We might do a live EP, or even an album in -the new year, and use some of the ones that got left off the album." By all accounts, INXS are dynamic live. Catch 'em on tour with Cold Chisel or on Friday night at Sweetwaters. Mark Phillips