The sun, for me, sets on INXS with their final 1980's album, Kick. While it would go on to be the band's best selling album, spawning multiple Billboard hits, their label Atlantic didn't initially see this. Instead, upon its completion, the label offered the band one million dollars to return to the studio to record a new record. The fortunately declined.
Worldwide popularity ensued upon its release, with Kick landing at number one in Australia. Its success would be aided by hits, Never Tear Us Apart (Billboard number 7), New Sensation (3), Devil Inside (2), and their number one hit, Need You Tonight. They found additional success with their single, Good Times (7), which was featured in The Lost Boys.
While their music videos occupied airtime on MTV in 1988, the band focused on a world tour. They would wrap up the year by sweeping that year's MTV Music Awards, winning in five categories for their videos for Need You Tonight / Meditate.
With all that said, let's dive headlong into Kick. It's an album I've heard many times before, but will gladly listen to again for today's Retro Spin. This unto itself is ironic because truth be told, as I may have mentioned before, INXS was not a band I liked in the 80's. I knew the hits, which is what led me to ultimately buying this album. This in turn led me to buying more from them, eventually amassing their entire 80's catalog.
For me, the album delivers hand over fist. Yes, you have the above noted hits, but then you also get the likes of Meditate, and The Loved Ones, which should have been a hit. Not enough for you? No problem. You also get Wild Life, Mystify, Calling All Nations, and Tiny Daggers.
Kick is solid. There's just no other way to say it. It's also a fantastic end of the 80's era for INXS. Granted, they did go on to the 90's where they continued to be successful. Sadly, the momentum came to an end in 1997 when Michael Hutchence was found dead in a hotel room, ruled as suicide. The singer struggled with depression, as well as substance abuse. Further, he was struggling with not being able to see his daughter much. That in and of itself is a story which includes Bob Geldof, and Paula Yates. It's tragic to the core, and a sad note to end on, though an ending none the less.
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| THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS June 21, 1980 |
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| THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS June 21, 1986 |
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