We are delighted to honour Michael Hutchence with yet another world exclusive. 

Today is the twentieth anniversary of the initial recording of “Deliver Me”, completed on the first Freedom Day in South Africa when Nelson Mandela cast his first vote as a free man. 

Please take time to listen to our recent interview with Scott Perry, the original tracking engineer on the Miami “Deliver Me” session which was recorded on 27th April, 1994. 

We are continuing our commitment to celebrate Michael’s creative heritage!

Today please join with us and celebrate Michael’s 54th birthday! And as family, friends and fans send greetings to his Guestbook from around the world, Michael and INXS are enjoying new success with their “Greatest Hits” album.

This week it moved to number two in the Aria Australian Artists charts. What a wonderful tribute to Michael on his 54th birthday from the Australian public.  Never forget Michael loved Australia. Michael was so immensely proud of his Australian heritage, always unashamedly flying the flag at any opportunity while on his journey conquering the popular music world. The current resurge of interest no doubt stems from the imminent release of the television series. One can only hope that it will place Michael and INXS into a place of even greater respect at home, winning them comparable recognition for the incredible achievements and high esteem that Michael and the band enjoy abroad.   Yes, as we celebrate Michael’s birthday today there is an air of excitement. Australia awaits the release of ‘Never Tear Us Apart’, the television miniseries covering the rise and rise of INXS in the international rock arenas, on the radio waves and MTV videos during the heady days of the 1980s.

2014 also marks 30 years since INXS gained their first Australian number one chart position with ‘Original Sin’, produced by veteran funk man, Nile Rogers.

Twenty years ago this month the band where self-absorbed on a world tour, yet Michael found time to complete a number of side projects, one of which involved working with legendary Rolling Stones’ engineer and producer, Chris Kimsey on his Symphonic Music of the Rolling Stones album.  Chris had produced  Michael’s vocals on a number of tracks for “Full Moon Dirty Hearts” album during 1993. No doubt hugely impressed with Michael, Chris had no hesitation in choosing him as the only other male vocalist on Chris’ Symphonic Music project (Mick Jagger being the other).  Chris Kimsey sent Michael a demo recording of the Stones’ song, ‘Under My Thumb’ during December, 1993 and the following month, January 1994, Michael recorded his own excellent version of the song, backed up by the entire London Symphony Orchestra.  Michael seemed to be going through a period of stretching outside of INXS for creative collaboration that would see him record several other non-INXS tracks during 1994. These included the Batman sound track, “The Passenger” as well as commencing work on his then confidential solo album with Tim Simeon. Recording with Talking Heads ensued in New York and other collaborative projects were to follow.

Michael seemed happiest when he was creatively employed with new writing challenges.  We are hoping to bring you a world exclusive on one of these projects in coming weeks, celebrating 20 years. Keep checking back at Michael’s News page!

We know you will be enthusiastic in celebrating Michael’s birthday today, January 22nd 2014.  We again recommend you lift your spirit with his songs. We are from time to time blessed by God through rare souls on this planet, that wherever they go they bring joy with their music. Troubadours with an infectious smile, bright eyes that sparkle despite life’s challenges, and after they depart, their melodies and lyrics remain… and within their songs, a joyful spirit lingers long after they’re gone.

If you told me
Nothing’s perfect
Hearts are broken
Nothing’s free,
I will show you
Why it’s worth it…
And that’s the way it’s meant to be”

Happy 54th Michael Kelland Hutchence!

Ian Patterson 
On behalf of the Co-Directors
Susie Hutchence, Mario and Jacqui Ferrari

Michael realised in his short lifetime some of the most amazing achievements that any singer songwriter anywhere has ever achieved…

During the lead up to this day on the history calendar, it has been encouraging to see all the music videos, photos and stories of Michael emerging across the world’s social media networks. Stories and sharing of his music and photos are travelling around the world, from Australia, U.S.A, South America, Japan and across to the countries of Europe, from United Kingdom to Russia. Every INXS fan knows the significance of this date, but the majority have focused on the creativity, zest for life and celebrations of Michael. And so it has mainly been these past 16 years at this time, a celebration of a life that reached millions on this planet, with much affection and appreciation pouring out from family, friends and fans. For it is a well-known fact, for the vast majority of his life and career, Michael had a zest and enthusiasm for life. He laughed, smiled and sang his way through it. He tried to bolster and encourage those around him who were having a bad day. Even up to his untimely death he was sharing with his family his enthusiasm about purchasing a house in Sydney and resettling there, or in Hollywood where new opportunities were emerging. Days before arriving in Sydney he had a meeting with actor Michael Douglas about a future film project. Michael could see he was on the verge of new creative possibilities. He also had just completed more tracks on his solo project while in L.A. with Danny Saber. Michael was also pleased to be back in Australia with INXS, looking forward to their 20 year celebration tour that had come after several years away from performing on their native shores. Michael spoke positively about all of these new ventures when he met with his loved ones in the days leading up to his death.

Michael really did have a zest and a love for life. He wanted to be creative and spiritual, romantic and blessed with family; he was a man who loved to take interest in people, before his spiral down that sunk him into what was a disastrous combination of events and conditions. Michael had a very bad day and no doubt in a moment of total despair, was overcome by it.

2 billion young people have been added to this earth since Michael left us. Precious lives that have started down a birth canal as we all have come down, though some into privilege, some into famine, some into peace, some into civil strife and war. I was very much moved by Angelina Jolie’s Jean Hersholt Humanitarian award for service to humanity this week. Her words from the acceptance speech were heartfelt and full of questions, but also full of sincere gratitude. She understood that it is an unanswerable question why some are blessed, others seemed cursed, some have a rich life, others impoverished, some have opportunity to live their dreams, others with equal ability don’t, some make it through the low depressions and live another day, some succumb to the moment and are lost from us forever. 

So please continue those mutual exchanges and words of gratitude for the good years Michael had. Play his music and celebrate the greater part of a highly creative and productive life. Add a kind thought to Michael’s Guestbook. He realised in his short lifetime some of the most amazing achievements that any singer songwriter anywhere has ever achieved. That is the significant legacy he has left for all who remain, and for those yet to come. That is our focus today.

Ian Patterson 
On behalf of the Co-Directors
Susie Hutchence, Mario and Jacqui Ferrari

Michael’s birthday, as for everyone of course comes around seemingly more frequently each, particularly as a year becomes a much smaller fraction of our entire life. Today Michael turns 53! It is also the 15th anniversary of the night we celebrated his first birthday without him, on a yacht in Sydney Harbour. That night all his family and friends raised their glasses and proposed a toast to him. They honored his memory with many funny stories, and despite the sorrow in all our hearts, there was still this warmth from his recent encounters with many of them as it had only been two months to the day that he had departed this life. One of the band related to me that it was such a strange feeling having a party without Michael. There was a half expectancy that he would turn up late and enter the room with his wit and warm charisma. You can revisit that first commerative birthday that was spent aboard the ‘Ambience’ here.

I believe that first 22nd Jannuary, 1998, set the tone for every subsequent birthday. It is just that! …a celebration of the day Michael Kelland Hutchence first entered this world. He had an amazing life during which he fulfilled his creative dreams. 

He would surely be missing his time with his dear daughter, Tiger, so today we sent her loving greetings and assure her of his deep love for her.

Light a candle, put on your favourite Michael track, raise a glass and toast happy birthday to an amazingly inspirational soul.

Happy Birthday dear Michael Kelland Hutchence!

But so much has changed since Michael fronted INXS delivering this great anthem.

…Resolution of happiness
Things have been dark
For too long…

No one needs to be reminded of the significance of this day in the history of Australian and International popular music. It is an important commemorative day to honour Michael Kelland Hutchence, 15 years on from the sad moment a charismatic, energetic, lovable, amazingly gifted and preciously caring Australian musician departed this life.

Yes, there have been many changes that have taken place. Significant changes. The departing of Michael, of Paula, the growing into young adulthood of Tiger, the departing of Michael’s father Kelland and mother Patricia, and the ending this month of a 35 year music career for INXS as a touring band. Things change all the time in this transient life.

I was listening last week to a lecture by US author and speaker, Dr Wayne Dyer who asked, “What is reality”? He drew some conclusions from others, and decided reality is that which never changes. He explained about the great “I am” from the Old Testament who never changes and about our own “I am” that also never changes, the part of us that is eternal, our spirit soul. The secret to time travel and time machines has quite fascinated me lately as I view the many photos of my body changing over the decades. With that drastic change, Dr Dyer says our bodies don’t fit the definition of never changing and so our bodies are not true reality. Bodies are like an optical illusion because they can hide or distract from what these changing bodies carry, the eternal heart and soul. So in that sense Michael was correct in saying the “sky won’t fall down”. Our very being is not going to change or cease to exist. The eternal hope of a spirit that moves from temporary bodies to eternity was of much comfort to Kelland as he prepared for his own journey to cross over. He was convinced through his faith and hope in the great “I am” that his own “I am” would find rest, comfort and be re-united with his dear son. So that was always a great cause for celebration and hope for Kelland and it should also bolster our own spirits today that bodies die, get damaged and wear out, but our spirit is eternal. 

Could this mean that the best part of Michael, the “I am” part, is very much intact, conscious, celebrating, wiser, more loving? If you believe in the eternal nature of the soul, then the answer is “YES!!! Of course!!! And even if you don’t then appreciate the reflection of that soul in the lyrics of Michael’s songs because he saw his fellow traveller that he passed on the stairs as, “All are different all are great!” 

Light your candles, raise your glass, say that prayer of thankfulness for Michael and for your own eternal spirit. Everything else may be just an optical illusion, ever changing! 

Today our thoughts and prayers are with Tiger, Tina, Rhett, Susie and all of Kelland’s and Patricia’s grand children. 

I found a love I had lost,
It was gone for too long.
Hear no evil in all directions,
Execution of bitterness,
Message received loud and clear.

Don’t change for you
Don’t change a thing for me

(from Don’t Change)

Ian Patterson

for
Susie Hutchence, Mario and Jacqui Ferrari
Co-Directors Michael Hutchence Memorial Site

Happy Birthday to our co-founder of Michaelhutchence.org, Kelland Hutchence whose birthday precedes his beloved granddaughter, Tiger by one day. We remember these summer days in Europe with much joy as it was a wonderful time of celebration for Michael and his family.

To two souls who meant the world to Michael, we say happy birthday Kelland 21st July and Happy Birthday dear Tiger, 22nd July. 

We bring this greeting with all the love and best wishes from the team at www.michaelhutchence.org and on behalf of Michael’s loyal and supportive fans from around the world.

It is with deep shock and sorrow that we have learned of the sudden and tragic death today of celebrated music journalist Vince Lovegrove in a motor vehicle accident in Byron Bay, Australia.

Vince Lovegrove became the last journalist to work officially with Michael on what was to become a controversial book following Michael’s untimely death. During those difficult months he collaborated very closely with Kell on an almost daily basis as he transcribed from Kell’s tapes. At Kell’s request, I spent the last few weeks working on the book with him helping him sort through re-edits on tapes and files Kell had supplied before Kell was suddenly hospitalised. Kell really respected Vince and regarded his biography on Michael as the most accurate at the time. It was a helpful and divergent exercise for Kell during early days of grieving for Michael. 

Vince and I were often on the phone between Sydney and London and he shared aspects of his own life. On one particular day while working on Michael’s story, we shared about the tragedies in our own lives. I was blown away by his story, but he seemed very intrigued with something personal I had shared.

He cried over the phone, “You must let me use this in the book!”

“Why? How can that be relevant?” I asked him.

“Because you were the man leading Michael’s ashes ceremony,” he said with a definite resolution. “What can you remember?” he asked. I shared a few things with him and the last thing I recounted really sent him. “That’s the ending! That is our ending to Michael’s book!” he yelled.

Vince was not popular with everyone, as most journalists tread on toes through their writing careers. But I can genuinely say that he touched our lives with his genuine devotion to writing Michael’s biography, even though Kell didn’t fully agree to all that was eventually published. Yet through the resilience in his own life to the tragedy of losing a loving wife and child to illness (sensitively documented in “Suzi’s Story”), Vince showed himself to be a man of immense strength and courage, and one who valued life as being so very precious. We at www.MichaelHutchence.org respected him and found him to be a man of discernment forged by personal tragedies. Eight hours before Vince died, he had providentially concluded his last post to his music blog with this, a fitting epitaph to a life that reached out to many:

May God receive you and rest you, dear Vince.

Ian Patterson
For the Co-directors of Michael Hutchence’s Official Memorial Site
Susie Hutchence, Mario and Jacqui Ferrari.

Now as the years roll on 
Each time we hear our favorite song 
The memories come along 
Older times we’re missing 
Spending the hours reminiscing”

Graham Goble

Such will always be this day for those who knew and loved Michael. It is about fond memories of his music, of lyrics and melodies that bring back a flood of memories of people, places and things that are now indelibly part of our memory of Michael by association. Allow fond, positive memories to be paramount in your thoughts today, and may they give you hope and joy, as such memories are a gift of endearment, an enduring legacy of the preciousness of life and its ability to flow on regardless of events and happenings. So honor Michael’s spirit today by appreciating his songs. No greater compliment can we make to his legacy than to give attention to his work. Composers love that! And with gratitude, pray for all his family but especially for his teenage daughter, Tiger Lily. Michael would love you for that too!

Ian Patterson
On behalf of the Co-Directors
Susie Hutchence, Mario Ferrari, Jacqui Ferrari

Each year we negotiate through the milestone days where our thoughts are captured more than any other day remembering the sad passing of family and friends. For many of us, one of those days is this day, December 12th. On this day 9 years ago after struggling with illness Kelland Hutchence, a very sweet soul, left this earth. Rest in peace dear Kelland, a husband, father, grandfather, and a dear friend to many.

Ian Patterson for Susie Hutchence, Mario and Jacqui Ferrari Co-Directors of MichaelHutchence.org