Definitive INXS

Personnel: Michael Hutchence (vocals, background vocals); Kirk Pengilly (guitar, saxophone, programming, background vocals); Andrew Farriss (guitar, keyboards); Tim Farriss (guitar); James Morrison (brass); Jon Farriss (drums, programming); Daryl Hall, Keith Urban (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: INXS; Chris Thomas ; Mark Opitz; Niven Garland; Tom Lord-Alge; Bob Clearmountain.
Audio Remasterer: Don Bartley.
Audio Remixers: Dan the Automator; Randy Nicklaus.
Recording information: Armoury Studio, Vancouver, Canada; Barker Hangar, Santa Monica Airport, CA; Capri Digital Studios; metropolis Studios, London, England; Rhinoceros Studios, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, CA; The Power Station, NY; Tralfalgar Studios, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, CO.
Photographers: Stuart Spence; Peggy Sirota; Andrew Southam; James Minchin; Philip Mortlock; Grant Matthews; Nick Egan.
During 2001 and 2002, different double-disc INXS anthologies were released in numerous countries. The first, Shine Like It Does, was released on Rhino in the U.S. in 2001. The following year, both The Years 1979-1997 (Australia) and Definitive INXS (U.K.) were issued. Shine Like It Does and The Years are very similar, differing only with a handful of track selections. Definitive INXS, while also a double disc, is considerably different. The first disc sticks strictly to the biggest hits -- like "What You Need," "Need You Tonight," "Never Tear Us Apart," and "New Sensation" -- and also adds the same pair of previously unreleased tracks that appear on The Years ("Salvation Jane" and "Tight"). The second disc is devoted strictly to video footage, combining live footage with the a couple of the videos that helped make the group so popular. While it's nice to have the disc of videos, it's the type of thing that only hardcore fans -- and not people who just want the hits -- would care to have. The saving grace is that Definitive INXS goes for the price of a single disc, but a band with too many key moments to fit onto one disc is deserving of better, like Shine Like It Does and The Years. ~ Andy Kellman