STACK #245 March 2025

MUSIC FEATURE

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vinyl release incoming! THIEVES INXS

LISTEN LIKE

FRESH NEW

1. Before INXS, the band were known as the rather unimaginatively titled - and almost circus-esque - The Farriss Brothers, named after the three founding brothers, Jon, Andrew, and Tim. Next! 2. Inspired by British new wave band XTC, who had recently toured Australia, it was Midnight Oil’s manager Gary Morris who suggested the band name INXS. 3. When Nile Rodgers caught them live in Toronto, he approached the band to work with them. Rogers would end up producing Brand New Day, which would ballad Never Tear Us Apart was a blues-inspired affair, presenting the now cherished song with a simple piano back ing. It was producer Chris Thomas’s idea to bring in the synthesised strings instead. 5. The band’s biggest success came with the 1987 juggernaut album Kick . Incredibly, once recorded, their record label hated it and they even offered the musicians a million bucks to wipe the slate and start again. you probably knew about INXS but here they are anyway... 5 things eventually become Original Sin . 4. The original demo of power

It’s been 40 years since INXS cast the triumphant Listen Like Thieves into the world. Now, it’s been remastered by studio wizard Giles Martin for a shining 40th anniversary press.

B y 1985, INXS were on the cusp of something big. Through relentless touring, they built a solid reputation in Australia and gained international traction with The Swing (1984). However, sat at the crossroads, the band needed a defining album to breach the mainstream. They would find it in Listen Like Thieves . Recruiting renowned Chris Thomas, who had rubbed shoulders with the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, and the Sex Pistols behind the mixing desk, the producer pushed them to sharpen their sound, adding dynamism and polish to their raw energy. Recorded in Sydney, despite creative tensions within the group, the sessions were electric. The album blended funk-infused grooves and rock swagger with a hint of new wave, drawing influence from bands like the Stones and Chic. Hutchence’s vocals coursed with charisma. Songs like What You Need and Listen Like Thieves showcased their evolving songwriting; this was the sound of a band in ascendance yet to climb to its peak. That

would, of course, be two years later with Kick (1987), but Listen Like Thieves was a pivotal moment for the Sydney band. It was radio-friendly, arena-ready, and crucially, the album unlocked the door to the U.S.. 2025 marks the album’s 40th anniversary, and what better way to celebrate than revisiting the masterpiece with a fresh vinyl release? The 40th anniversary record features a new stereo mix undertaken by the virtuosos in this field, Giles Martin, son of famed Beatles producer George Martin, and Paul Hicks. The pair meticulously reconstructed the mix from the original masters, creating “new layers of sonic depth and an entirely fresh dimension, even for listeners who have been living with the album since the day it emerged”. Paul Jones

The album is already up for pre-order on the JB site and is set to be released on May 9, 2025.

36 MARCH 2025

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