WHAT YOU NEED: an INXS Rankdown (REVEALING)

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

EXTRA:  MAX Q - Way Of The World (1989)


#6.. US Modern Rock (Alternative)
#22 US Dance
#5.. New Zealand
#8.. Australia
#87 UK

Michael Hutchence took a short break from the band after Kick went multi-platinum across the world to form the side project Max Q.  Ollie Olsen (who he had collaborated with on the movie soundtrack to Dogs In Space) produced and co-wrote the songs & the band name was inspired by his dog named Max.  Other musicians in the band include:  Arne Hanna on guitar, Michael Sheridan on guitar & feedback, Bill McDonald on bass, Gus Till on piano & programming, and John Murphy performing percussion, trumpet, & "screams".

The band's eponymous album charted in all four aforementioned countries, and they released two follow-up singles:  "Sometimes" & "Monday Night By Satellite"

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

Submissions are officially closed; we received a total of 12 ballots (including mine) Please enjoy the extra above ^ while you wait for me to tabulate the results. If anyone wants to be added as a spectator please let me know.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}
aerodynamite
Az Paynter
craziaskowboi
Unhinged
Glove Slap
Doc Indie Party Rock
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾
singingrulebritannia
Juanca
mamooshka
Mirago

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

Here is my reveal schedule:

40-36:  Fri 6/15
35-26:  Sat 6/16
25-16:  Sun 6/17
15-11:  Mon 6/18
10-06:  Wed 6/20
05-#1:  Fri 6/22


I'll be sprinkling album overviews & extras throughout. So, an interesting tidbit to whet your appetite: we have TEN songs that are involved in ties (that's 25% of our songs).

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Our story begins in 1971 Sydney when Tim & Kirk performed as part of Guinness which was named after the bassist's dog (I sense a theme here).  Meanwhile at Davidson & Forest High Schools, classmates Andrew, Michael, and Garry were joined by Kent Kerny, Neil Sanders and Geoff Kennely in the band Doctor Dolphin.  Tim & Andrew, being brothers, decided to merge some of the members of their respective bands (plus adding their other brother Jon) to create a band called (what else) The Farriss Brothers.  They performed their first gig in 1977 & then temporarily relocated to Perth the following year where they performed under the name The Vegetables.  After returning to Sydney, a crewman for Midnight Oil (who they opened for at various gigs) came up with the name INXS, inspired by the band XTC & the Australian sauce/jam manufacturing company IXL.  They liked the name & performed under their new moniker for the first time on 9/1/1979 at Umina Beach.

EXTRAS:  Simple Simon (their very first single)


& here is the B-side:  We Are The Vegetables

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

ALBUM OVERVIEW: INXS (1980)


The eponymous debut album INXS was co-produced by Duncan McGuire and was released locally on Deluxe records on October 13, 1980, but the international release did not occur until 1984. The album featured their first Australian Top40 hit ("Just Keep Walking"); there was no follow-up single. Reviews were not so great and the band tends to agree that this is not one of their best.  It did, however, show glimmers of potential for what the band could achieve on future releases.

027:  Australian Album Chart (certified Gold)
164:  US Album Chart


EXTRA: On A Bus

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Our # 40 song, as you might expect, has a ton of bottom tens: EIGHT.  Six of those are bottom 5s & one person gets a P-P-P-P-Perfect Ranking.  Sadly nobody put this song in their top half, although one person came close.

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#40: Please (You Got That...) (f/ Ray Charles) (88 pts)

from album: Full Moon, Dirty Hearts


CHART PEAKS
37: Australia
46: New Zealand
50: UK
90: Canada


21 mamooshka
23 craziaskowboi
28 Juanca
28 Butterflies & Hurricanes
33 aerodynamite
35 Unhinged
36 Doc Indie Party Rock
37 Az Paynter
37 Glove Slap
37 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾
37 Mirago
40 singingrulebritannia

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While admittedly not one of their best, I thought Please deserved better than last place.  While I was never really a Ray Charles fan, he is a legend & the song works well with him on the verses & has a nice strong groove.  The chorus, on the other hand...



At 39 we have a song that also has EIGHT bottom 10s, but unlike 49, this has two top 20s, but also two 40s.  There are 2 PPPPPs.

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#39: The Gift  (99 pts)

from album: Full Moon, Dirty Hearts


CHART PEAKS
06: US Modern Rock
11: UK
16: Australia
25: Canada
38: New Zealand


17 Az Paynter
19 craziaskowboi
29 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾
30 Unhinged
31 singingrulebritannia
31 Juanca
32 aerodynamite
34 Mirago
39 Doc Indie Party Rock
39 Butterflies & Hurricanes
40 Glove Slap
40 mamooshka

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I was not a fan of The Gift when it came out, but it has grown on me somewhat over time.  I think INXS was trying too hard to fit in with the grunge sound here.



At 38, yet another song with EIGHT bottom 10s & two Top 20s, only one 40...but no PPPPP this time.

[Glove Slap]

They crashed really hard with this album, and this single in particular is shockingly weak compared to what they were doing from 84-92.

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#38:  Underneath The Colours  (103 pts)

from album: Underneath The Colours


CHART PEAKS: N/A


11 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾
20 Doc Indie Party Rock
28 Unhinged
29 mamooshka
32 Az Paynter
32 Butterflies & Hurricanes
34 Glove Slap
36 aerodynamite
37 singingrulebritannia
39 craziaskowboi
39 Mirago
40 Juanca

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While not bad, UTC seems a bit bland and very unmemorable to me. Their early days were very inconsistent.



At 37, we lose our very first TOP TEN rank joined by one other Top 20, but that is countered by SEVEN bottom 10s. Someone gets a PPPPP here.

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#37:  Stay Young  (123 pts)

from album: Underneath The Colours


CHART PEAKS
21: Australia


05 Doc Indie Party Rock
19 Glove Slap
24 Mirago
27 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾
30 singingrulebritannia
34 Butterflies & Hurricanes
34 Unhinged
35 Az Paynter
35 Juanca
37 craziaskowboi
38 aerodynamite
39 mamooshka

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

Well, that eliminates THAT album. Surprised this song didn't do better; it's one of their best early songs.



For our last reveal of the evening, we have a song with SIX bottom 10s, 2 Top 20s and 1 PPPPP. Nothing too exciting here.

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#36:  Everything  (132 pts)

from album:  Elegantly Wasted


CHART PEAKS
071: UK
159: Australia


12 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾
19 Az Paynter
22 Unhinged
26 Juanca
28 aerodynamite
28 singingrulebritannia
32 mamooshka
33 craziaskowboi
35 Butterflies & Hurricanes
36 Mirago
38 Doc Indie Party Rock
39 Glove Slap

[Doc Indie Party Rock]

#40: Please (You Got That...) (f/ Ray Charles)
You know how I feel about needless featuring, songs..

#39: The Gift
This was bad. I didn't like their last songs that much. To simple in melody.

#38: Underneath The Colours
I really loved this one. A bit simple in melody, but had that early 80's New Wave vibe. Still get one of those first albums in cassette.

#37: Stay Young
I had a feeling this would happen to their most; Duran Duran ,sounding song. People are just not used to their original style. I still get a New Wave hard-on when I play this one.

#36: Everything
Trying too hard to sound like U2 and not enough, like INXS. 

[Doc Indie Party Rock]

EXTRAS:

Simple Simon and We Are Vegetables.  45' single

Both are great, but I really love "We Are Vegatables" more. Reminds of Spanish New Wave. The lasers and extras were done right and gave it a punky vibe.

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Doc Indie Party Rock - what do you think of the other extras?

• Slide Away
  
• Way Of The World
• On A Bus

[Doc Indie Party Rock]

On The Bus
I submitted a few for the first album. I actually enjoyed "On The Bus". I think the rhythm guitar sounded a bit too Elvis Costello for them with a hint of prog rock. Not bad, but I go more for the "Stay Young" vibe.

MAX Q - Way Of The World
I get that this project needed to sound quite different from INXS. It's enjoyable. You know what I do love about it. It's distinct, but I got a little of a Pete Burns vibe from his vocals in this one.

Slide Away
probably my least favorite. Aside from it being a first time listen, The melody sounds a bit too subdued for my liking. Surprisingly; I enjoyed the parts with Bono a lot more. I think this style fits his vocal perfect.

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ALBUM OVERVIEW: UNDERNEATH THE COLORS (1981)


After recording a cover of a 60's song for a one-off single, produced their second album with Richard Clapton (? no relation ?) producing.  Critics said it was more of the same, but this time their chart performance was improving, managing to crack the top 20 on both the singles ("Stay Young") & album chart.  Kirk said:  "...we weren't really prepared for it and I think the album suffered a bit because of that."

15:  Australia (certified Gold)


EXTRA: Night Of Rebellion

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ok, let's get back to the reveals now...


at 35, we see a song from an album that hasn't shown up yet...we have FIVE bottom 10s, two Top 20s & no PPPPPs

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#35:  Black And White  (146 pts)

from album:  Shabooh Shoobah


CHART PEAKS
24: Australia


13 Juanca
17 mamooshka
22 Doc Indie Party Rock
25 Az Paynter
25 singingrulebritannia
29 aerodynamite
30 Glove Slap
32 craziaskowboi
33 Mirago
34 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾
36 Butterflies & Hurricanes
38 Unhinged

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Despite ranking this one so low, I really enjoy it. It was brutal trying to rank these as the band was so consistent, at least starting with this album.


Hey, guess what: at 34 we lose our second Top 10 song of the rankdown plus two more Top 20s, along with FIVE bottom 10s...some lucky bloke has a PPPPP incoming

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#34:  Time  (148 pts)

from album: Full Moon, Dirty Hearts


CHART PEAKS
25: US Modern Rock
36: Australia
88: Canada


10 craziaskowboi
16 Mirago
20 Butterflies & Hurricanes
25 Unhinged
28 Az Paynter
29 Doc Indie Party Rock
30 Juanca
31 aerodynamite
34 singingrulebritannia
35 mamooshka
36 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾
38 Glove Slap

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And our second album's songs are eliminated with that reveal. I think we collectively underranked this song, its got all the trademark INXS elements, propulsive guitar, rhythmic groove & Michael's powerful vocals - deserved better.


At 33, someone who already has a PPPPP, will get another...only FOUR bottom 10s this time with two Top 20s...oh, and did i mention that this is part of our first of many ties...it loses the tie because unlike 32, it couldn't manage to garner a Top 10 ranking.

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#33:  Shining Star  (150 pts)

from album:  Live Baby Live (only new song & only studio song on an otherwise live album)


CHART PEAKS
04: US Modern Rock
14: US Mainstream Rock
21: Australia
26: Canada
27: Netherlands
40: UK


14 Butterflies & Hurricanes
18 Az Paynter
24 aerodynamite
24 Unhinged
26 Doc Indie Party Rock
27 Glove Slap
28 Mirago
30 mamooshka
33 singingrulebritannia
34 craziaskowboi
35 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾
37 Juanca

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

Hey look at that, two PPPPPs in a row for Gates! Well, sigh, it's another song gone too soon, this would've fit nicely onto "X" & it probably would've been an even bigger hit than it was.


Winning the tie is a song from an album we haven't heard from yet...as i mentioned before it got a Top 10 rank, but what dragged it down was its SIX bottom 10s...this time the PPPPP goes to someone who hasn't had one yet

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

#32:  Burn For You  (150 pts)

from album:  The Swing


CHART PEAKS
03: Australia
29: New Zealand


07 mamooshka
14 Doc Indie Party Rock
18 Mirago
24 Butterflies & Hurricanes
26 Glove Slap
30 Az Paynter
32 Juanca
35 aerodynamite
35 Unhinged
36 singingrulebritannia
37 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾
38 craziaskowboi

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

I guess this ended up about where it should be, but a few notches higher would've been nice. Love that intro - very unique.


At 31 we get a song from an album that we've already heard from in this rankdown, we'll award TWO PPPPPs...there are FIVE bottom 10s but no Top 10s, but 3 of us ranked it in the top half of our lists