On January 22nd, 1998, Pastor Dennis Patterson, conducted a sunset memorial service aboard a charted vessel, to scatter Michael’s ashes on Sydney Harbour. Immediate family members, the band and closest friends who attended will probably never forget that most spiritual and private hour. Around 8:00 p.m. that evening, Sydney’s skies were in all their glory. Ethereal hues splashed out over a pastel sky that silhouetted the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and the city skyline. They called it Michael’s sunset. The series of events that had led to this sorrowful gathering were barely sinking in. Emotions were still vacillating from, shock, grief, bewilderment, numbness. Yet in hindsight, it seems the moving of sovereign grace was already at work, orchestrating a series of almost incredible circumstances that culminated in what felt like a covering cloud of compassion over the “The Ambience” vessel on that warm, calm summer evening.

Letters of compassion

After Michael’s death Kell and Susie went to Bali in early December to seek some peace and spiritual solace. On their return Kell continued to wade his way through a sea of letters that had arrived since Michael’s death. The loving response of INXS fans and the public was overwhelming. One letter that had particularly taken his attention, was from a minister, the Reverend Dennis Patterson. Kell received a telephone call from the Pastor the day before the funeral. Kell had expressed to him how comforting his words were and so Kell requested that he fax them through to him. “It’s only by God’s grace that we had Michael at all. Thank God for the privilege of having Michael as a son for these past 37 years”, the Pastor had said.

Pastor Dennis Patterson had been a rock musician during the 70’s and 80’s and so understood some of the pressures placed on oneself and family. Just two weeks before Michael’s death, Pastor Patterson had lost a colleague and friend, a fellow minister who had booked into a hotel and there taken his life. His friend had been prescribed Prozac for deep depression. So Pastor Patterson had felt strongly about writing to Kell, believing that the comfort God was giving him was to be passed around. He had also known a lot about Michael and INXS. In fact he had been a high school music teacher and had taught music to at least two international rock stars who knew Michael. He wrote to Kell saying he had followed INXS’ career with interest having appreciated their “legend status” from when he was a supervisor of trainee music teachers at Killarney Heights High, where Mike and Andrew first met. Kell decided to give the Pastor a call and they subsequently set up a meeting. Perhaps it was “meant to be”, as had not the Pastor been recovering from a dirt bike accident he would have been away on family holidays and might never have received Kell’s call.

The planning of the ashes ceremony

When they did meet a few days later they discussed Michael, about his boyhood days, when he and Rhett would have Kell drive them to a paddock not far from the Pastor’s office to ride their dirt bikes. There was some mutual comforting and before Kell left he asked Dennis to do conduct Michael’s ashes ceremony. Though he had previously asked the Dean of St Andrew’s, he was now feeling that he wanted Dennis to do it. When Kell learned that the Dean would be on holidays and thus unavailable, he again approached Pastor Dennis Patterson who now readily accepted. Over the coming weeks Kell and the Pastor talked frequently as they planned the ceremony. The question of the ashes became a very vexed subject but in the end it was agreed by all parties that to overcome any arguments the ashes would be divided into three each placed in wooden urns and one each given to Kell and Rhett, his mother Patricia and sister Tina, and another to Paula.

Kell was able at this time to bring strength to everyone. He showed such courage in the patriarchal role, bringing together as best he could the family, the guys in the band, the management and road crew, and Michael’s close friends, including Jimmy Barnes, Michelle Bennett and Jenny Morris.

An old friend of Michael’s is amazingly invited

During the days leading up to the 22nd January, the Pastor planned the ceremony while Kell organised the hiring of the vessel “Ambience” and continued to contact Mike’s closest friends. Pastor Dennis had suggested that they invite his friend Erana Clarke to sing “Amazing Grace” after the scattering of Mike’s ashes. Erana was a Sydney session singer who according to Dennis, “Sings from the heart as well as the throat. She loves to sing Gospel songs since her conversion to Christianity had broken her drug addiction.” While Kell was a little reticent, he trusted the Pastor’s better judgement, after all, others like Jenny Morris could sing too if they had the emotional strength. Erana was overseas on tour and didn’t contact Dennis until she arrived back in Australia, the day before the ceremony. It was only then that the Pastor and Kell truly appreciated the significance of Erana Clarke singing at Mike’s ceremony. Erana had called to say that she was honoured to sing at Mike’s ceremony. What both Kell and Dennis hadn’t realized until they spoke with Erana on her return, was that Erana was a friend of Michael’s… she had toured with INXS as a backing vocalist during the 80’s.

Prayers for calm weather

As the day of the ceremony grew closer, Kell was feeling a little concerned about the Sydney weather. He related how he had years before scattered the ashes of his father at sea during heavy winds. The result was some what undesirable. Pastor Dennis decided they needed some “help” and so he contacted a Christian university in Ohio, USA where he had attended. Over 2,000 students, staff and friends were praying for the lead up and as the event actually happened, though there was such secrecy surrounding the ceremony, they didn’t know exactly for whom they were praying!

The bringing together of improbable friends

The Pastor had also logged into the internet INXS chat room under a pseudonym to fully appreciate the extent of the grieving prior to the ceremony. The chat room closed ranks when they wrongly presumed the Pastor to be a press reporter. He tried in vain to get a “message poem for Michael”. Not realizing who he was, the regular chat roomers used a barrage of coloured language to send the Reverend on his way. The poem Kell eventually used in the ceremony, was taken by the Pastor from a “Tribute to Michael” page on the Internet. It’s strange how tragedy brings such a diversity of people together. Several weeks after the ceremony, the same INXS fans who had unknowingly “attacked” the Reverend, had now sorted out friend from foe, and enthusiastically helped him bring about a world-wide Internet hookup with Kell and INXS fans. Three months to the day after the ashes ceremony, a small representation of the fans flew in from around the world to meet with Kell. They also invited the Pastor to lead them in their own ceremony as they scattered rose petals near to the original site on Sydney Harbour on behalf of INXS fans around the world. Amongst those paying homage were “Kick” from Brisbane, “Brick” from Melbourne, “Yvette” from Tasmania and “Brat” from Canada.

On 22nd January while fans gathered in the Hard Rock Cafes in various cities of the world or linked together on the Internet, Rhett, Mandy, other close relatives, Andrew and Shelley Farriss, Tim Farriss, Kirk Pengilly and Garry and Jodie Beers were arriving at Kell and Susie’s Sydney apartment. After drinks and re-introductions to Erana, and some final planning with the minister, the party made their way down to the harbour side jetty where they were joined by others including Jimmy Barnes and his wife Jane, Jenny Morris, Michele Bennett, Richard Lowenstein, Kell’s sister Iris Croy Magee, Michael’s cousin from England, Sonya Hutchence, Paul Ellis, Greg Perano (Michael’s close friend), INXS tour manager David Edwards, Paul Horton, Andrew Young, Gary Grant, Tony Woodall (Michael’s personal security man), long-time friend Hiraani (whose name Tiger bears) and John Clapham. Fishermen arriving at the jetty could hardly have realized the significance of the gathering before them as sun-glassed mourners, unnoticed, quietly boarded the vessel that would carry Michael’s ashes to a final resting place.

Kell was not sure where to locate the boat to carry out the service but as they solemnly headed off out of Rose Bay he saw that the wind was fairly brisk and as they passed the point of the Vaucluse Peninsula, he asked the skipper to turn right and go into the lee of the hills away from the wind and there luckily he spotted a mooring right opposite Milk Beach near to where Michael had once considered purchasing a house. He loved Australia and particularly the beauty of Sydney Harbour. The Pastor called the group to the bow of the boat. Rhett held Michael’s ashes in a beautifully fashioned wooden urn, made from the same timber as Michael’s casket. There was an awkwardness in the silence as the mourners gradually made their way out from the vessel’s cabin.

The address

The Pastor was the first to speak, welcoming the group and re-assuring them that this was to be a sacred and special time. “I didn’t know Michael like you know him”, he said “And so I have given a lot of thought as to what I can tell you. I thought it best that I tell you what I really believe Michael would want me to say… so I want to tell you what heaven is like and how you find your way there.” The Pastor continued through a series of humorous INXS anecdotes, illustrating what heaven was like and not like. He referred to a man who two thousand years ago, was about to die and cross over into the spiritual world. He wanted to comfort his closest friends and so he said,

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going… I am the way, the truth and the life. John 14:1-3, 6 (NIV)

He firstly referred to a story told by Tim. The band were in Australia travelling to an outback gig in a light aircraft. The pilot had forgotten his maps, they had lost their way and so they were trying to follow roads to get back home. Andrew is somewhat apprehensive about flying, so the situation became challenging to say the least, when the pilot fell asleep on Andrew’s shoulder, leaving a very nervous Andrew with the controls as the plane continued through the darkness. This was to illustrate that there is no fear in heaven for those who are trusting in Jesus and that He is the good pilot who leads us safely to our final destination.

The second story referred to how during a show one night, the backing vocalist, Jenny Morris was wearing jeans that were not quite tailored to her size and so in front of an audience of thousands, the jeans split.

“Heaven’s not like those jeans,” the pastor continued, “heaven is our perfect home… tailor made… a place where we fit and it fits us.”

In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

“Heaven is not like the sky rocket either that the band attempted to launch in a US desert one night. They waited months to launch that thing and it ended up a “fizzer”. Two thousand years in preparation… heaven is worth the wait. ”

The final INXS story referred to the night the band were throwing each other into the audience. Up until the point that Kirk was thrown in, the audience obligingly had been cushioning their fall. But the crowd, seeing Kirk coming guitar and all, parted, leaving poor Kirk to land heavily on the floor. “Heaven is not like that. We are not thrown out into the unknown only to land painfully. We are lovingly led there. It is certainly true all pain is taken… there are no tears in heaven”.

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their
shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Rev. 7:17

The Pastor concluded with a challenge, “Michael is probably regretting he couldn’t be with us. Let us not waste this moment, but let his death motivate us all to dig deeper spiritually.”

At the conclusion of the pastoral address, Michael’s family and friends prayed “The Lord’s Prayer” which was followed by a brief pastoral prayer for the committing of Michael’s ashes. This was a most reverent time as Rhett and Kell scattered the ashes, followed by Susie and others who cast bright flowers onto the waters. A minute of silence was then observed in honour of Michael. People were now openly weeping. In the stillness of that moment , the harbour sounds and the weeping were like a requiem for Michael. The weeping became the prelude to what was to follow next. Erana Clarke raised her shoulders and began singing a crying lament, sounds known perhaps only to a native Maori. Those sounds were haunting yet strangely comforting and they seamlessly rolled into a celebration anthem… “Amazing Grace”. The power and the beauty of Erana’s voice reverberated around the harbour. Like the purity of a church bell it continued to ring out, changing key through every stanza until the final crescendo of

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun.

Only the singing voice could have portrayed the sorrow for Michael during that poignant moment… and as the sun retreated behind the horizon a day and an era had come to an end.

The silence was broken by Pastor Dennis Patterson, who now invited family and friends to informally eulogize Michael.

Kell spoke first, words from a father whose heart was broken. He faulted through an anonymous poem by an INXS fan, his voice breaking with deep emotion. Yet he spoke with thankfulness for the privilege of being a father to Michael. Rhett followed, expressing his love, sorrow and deepest respect for a unique brother. Others were to follow including Jenny Morris who also offered a song and then Andrew Farriss, still struggling with the loss of a dear mate. Andrew spoke of Michael’s genius with words. He related stories, funny stories of their school days. He thanked the pastor for reading from the Bible. “Michael would have liked that” , he said “I don’t care what anyone thinks now, but Michael and I loved the years we spent together as teenagers in a church youth group.”

Gary Grant, INXS Tour Manager, had his story to tell too. During a tour of Japan, Michael and he were in an upper room of a hotel listening to the chanting of fans below. “Watch this,” said Michael, “And he stuck his head and torso out the window, much to the delight of the crowd below.” What happened next is typically Michael. He said to Gary “Hey, come and see what it’s like to be me.” He then set about taking of his shirt and sun glasses, so he could use them to disguise Gary. Now dressed as Michael Hutchence the rock star, Gary stuck his head out the window and waved to the crowd. Again there was an instant uproar of delight. When a stunned Gary withdrew back into the room, Michael smiled, “See, don’t they love me!”

By this time everyone aboard the vessel was smiling, laughing, crying, celebrating Michael.

It seemed now an appropriate time to continue celebrating Michael. It was 22nd January, Michael’s birthday. Kell called for glasses and drinks and proposed a toast to Michael. “Happy birthday, Michael!” was echoed around the vessel. The evening was still young as a buffet dinner was served. Family and friends grouped in huddles, comforting one another, exchanging stories. It was a sweet time with sweet memories of Michael. Many expressed feeling a great comfort come over them during the ceremony. “I have never felt such comfort,” said Jenny Morris. Jimmy Barnes gave the minister a hug. It was Jimmy’s way of saying, “Thank you.” Kell and Susie, Rhett and Mandy, Tim, Andrew, Kirk, Garry, and all of Michael’s dearest friends somehow found the grace and strength that night to say goodbye to Michael.

At around 10:00 pm the vessel weighed anchor, moved off from the memorial waters and continued on it’s journey.

For Hutch

So the birds have flown
The ashes are cold
You will never be lonely
You will never grow old
No tears from gentle eyes will fall
Now that your pain is gone

But for me, my friend, I see no spark
In those good eyes
I hear no shout at my front door
I will sit here evermore
And count the empty years.

The birds flew in from everywhere
And all spoke of your magic
And those of pomp and circumstance
Waxed eloquent and long
But very few who knew your song
Will ever be the same
I went down to the shore today
But the ocean made no sense.

And nests are built of heartfelt words
And warmth and truth and beauty
Of wild nights and loud, long songs
Carnival, bacchanale
Stupid dreams that never end
Pieces that have built a friend
And the wind destroys them all
The pieces fall
They will not fit together
Not now, not ever.

I sit selfishly and cry
Clench my fists and try to crush all thought
What was that sound?
Who goes there
Run dumb fingers through my hair
Every thing is useless
All the words of friends fall on deaf ear
And nothing will make sense
Until, you, my friend, are here.

So the birds have flown
Will not be back
But I will sit on the sad shore
Talk to you, watch the sky for your return
How did we ever get so close?
Long ago, it was so simple
Naive fools in naive gangs
Taking on the world
Now the world has won
And we have lost.

So make them laugh out there
Make them know of your good heart
Your wild streak, your simple art
Your impish grin, your wolf impression
But never make them sad.

And the birds still sing a lonely song
Nights come down like sad blankets on empty hills
The rest of the fools meander along
Oblivious to the truth
I sit and watch them fly
Blood red wings on an early evening sky
I watch them go, and gone
Wonder if they sing his song
Or do my ears deceive me?

And love is just a four-lettered word
And soul is just a motown song
And friends are never here that long
Forever ended yesterday, close is much too far away
And nothing makes me warm
Please send another storm
So that some thing will make sense

Always and forever, brother
One foolish dreamer to another
We’ll meet again, sweet friend.

Greg Perano, November 1997