Going out on his own! INXS co-founder Andrew Farriss releases his first solo album… and it has a VERY different sound than fans are used to
He’s the co-founder and main composer of one of Australia’s greatest rock bands, INXS.
But after 43 years with the group, Andrew Farriss has a new vision for himself – and he’s finally going ahead with it.
Speaking to the Herald Sun on Saturday, the 61-year-old revealed he was releasing his very first solo album.
New venture! INXS co-founder and composer Andrew Farriss (pictured), 61, has revealed he will be going out on his own and releasing his very first solo album
The project will be a lot different to the style of INXS, with more of an ‘Americana flavour’.
He wrote the demo for the album’s first single, Come Midnight, during the mid-1980s, and had originally planned to sell it to another artist.
However, he decided to take the leap and keep it for himself when he was encouraged by sound engineers at a studio in Nashville.
‘These guys were just telling me to put it out so that was when I started thinking maybe there is hope for me at the end of the tunnel here,’ he told the publication.
‘They didn’t care about preconceptions of what band I was in or whatever. They’re just saying we like this stuff. And in country music, it’s not totally pop-driven, there’s still some grittiness to it.’
‘It’s taken a while, to be honest, to get used to my own voice and being comfortable as a lead person,’ Andrew told Sky News in a separate interview
In a separate interview with Sky News, Andrew said he was ‘thrilled’ and ‘humbled’ about the venture.
‘It’s taken a while, to be honest, to get used to my own voice and being comfortable as a lead person,’ he said.
Andrew’s debut album comes as he continues to mourn the death of INXS manager Chris ‘C.M.’ Murphy, 66, who died after a short battle with cancer in January.
Tragedy: Andrew’s debut album comes as he continues to mourn the death of INXS manager Chris ‘C.M.’ Murphy (pictured), 66, who died after a short battle with cancer in January
History: INXS in 1988 at the height of their fame, after releasing the album Kick which went platinum six times in the U.S. and spawned four Top Ten U.S. singles. From top left: Michael Hutchence, Andrew Farriss, Tim Farriss, Garry Gary Beers, Kirk Pengilly and Jon Farriss
‘It is with great sadness that the remaining members of INXS mourn the passing of our brother, Chris Murphy,’ band members Tim, Jon and Andrew Farriss, Kirk Pengilly and Garry Beers said in a statement at the time.
‘Without Chris’s vision, passion and hard work, the INXS story would be totally different.’
Andrew’s debut solo album will be released on Friday, March 19, and tickets for his tour can be accessed via his website.
INXS pictured in 1990, including original frontman Michael Hutchence (centre, coloured shirt)