Host
Please welcome Kelland Hutchence, father of INXS frontman, Michael Hutchence.
Kelland Hutchence
It’s a great pleasure to be invited to participate in this little talk, and I hope I can give the sort of answers you might be looking for. And it just feels so nice to be part of this program.
honey_crash
the music of michael and inxs will be forever linked with my youth – do you find other people have the same reaction to michael’s music?
Kelland Hutchence
Very much, honestly, we are two years down the trek since Mike left us, and I never cease to get poems, letters and photos from people and even CD’s that they’ve done of concerts and things. There is such a great swell of admiration and love for Mike it really touches my heart.
And a lot of the songs I think are evergreen and will go on forever, and it’s nice to know.
Reaccion
Hello, I saw your son’s BEHINDE THE MUSIC on Vh1… I enjoyed it.
Kelland Hutchence
I just thought it was the best production I’d ever seen of a documentary on Michael. It really covered Michael’s life in such a way, it made me so proud. The producer Seth Cohen, he rang me to ask me what I thought, I was full of admiration, I thought it was beautifully produced, nicely edited, and I thought it told Mike’s story much better than any other documentary I’d ever seen.
zooey_franny
did you have any role in the production of the new michael hutchence album?
Kelland Hutchence
No, not really. Mike worked on this album for two or three years in various parts of the world. I never knew it was going to come out and I don’t know if Michael did either. But due to the wonderful support of Danny Saber in LA and Andy Gill in London, I think it was beautifully arranged, and beautifully engineered. And Bono helped out on the last track, and it was just magic. It was the only track that was a little incomplete, and he came in and did the solo with Mike, and it was beautiful. He actually finished it off, he and Danny and Andy finished it off very appropriately.
U2gator
I love what Bono said describing him as “Oxygen- the world was a dizzier place because of him”… How would you describe what he meant to you?
Kelland Hutchence
He was oxygen to me too. You need guys, not just because he was my darling son, he was just full of great thoughts and great humility. He only had to enter a room and things seem to change. There was a lot of vibes that people liked that he seemed to emit. Bono described it very nicely. Mike was very shy actually, not at all pretentious, and just a regular guy when you knocked around town.
benjohnst
kelland, did michael get any of his musical abilities from his family? are there other musicians in the family?
Kelland Hutchence
Well, yes, when I looked back on things, my mother was a very good soprano, actually, she was not professional, but she used to sing in church and little festivals things like that. One of his long lost aunties was a fine singer, she lived in England, but yes, I think he got it from my side of the family, he didn’t get it from me! I’m purely an under the shower singer.
csuchanick
Kelland, I have seen the website, and it is MAGICAL!!!
Kelland Hutchence
Yes, we think it’s very special, it’s taken a year or more to put together. And thanks to Mario Ferrari and Jacqui Ferrari and Dennis Patterson and myself, the design was done by Mario and Jaqui and I think it was put together very beautiful. There are over 55,000 people who have visited it since October. But those people have revisited over 1.5 million times. And the average time spent on the site is over 13 minutes. It has won two awards, and we are very proud of that. I am very proud that it means something spiritual and beautiful to the fans.
manolis_varnassinger
did you encourage for michael to be a singer or it was something that he did it on his own
Kelland Hutchence
It was really something he did on his own. When INXS was the Farriss Brothers, that’s how they started off, they used to rehearse in my garage in Sidney, made a lot of noise! He just started singing when they were rehearsing their little band, trying to get a sound. And lo and behold we found that Michael had a pretty good voice. I think it was as much a surprise to Michael as it was to us! silverchair_shayla_2000 asks: What was it like to be the father of a rock star? LOL! Well, you know, it had a lot of exciting moments.
Michael was wonderfully generous, he would fly us to concerts around the world. We really did enjoy going to the concerts and visiting him backstage, and the fun of it all after the concert was finished. We loved it. It was a great privilege to be a dad to such a fine artist.
faerychyld
I just wanted to express my sympathy for your loss..I was him in concert once and was touched by the passion he put out on that stage for all us fans..wanted to let you know how much it was enjoyed and appreciated…
Kelland Hutchence
Thank you. He did give a lot, and was a dedicated entertainer.
Kelland Hutchence
I’m glad he touched your heart like he did a lot of other people.
thegift72
no doubt all the songs are your favourite… but is there one that stands out for you, from the album?
Kelland Hutchence
Yes. I just love Possibiliites. I do love them all, but I think Possibilities I play more than most.
Kelland Hutchence
And the other one I love, too, is All I’m Saying. And of course the one with Bono, Slide Away, is just unbelievable.
spyoflove_au
Kell out of all the INXS albums which one is your Fave ?
Kelland Hutchence
I think, I’d have to go for Kick. There were many good albums, but that was the best seller. There were others that had good music on them that didn’t take off the same way, like Elegantly Wasted.
tpiaggio
Do you have the song “Jingle Bells” recorded by Mike when he was a kid?
Kelland Hutchence
LOL! No, as a matter of fact, I don’t, and I’m trying to do something about that. He did that in Hong Kong when he was a young guy. It’s been lost in time, I’m trying to contact the advertising agency that he did that for, I’d love to get a tape of that or something.
benjohnst
kelland, are there any charities or causes that Michael championed that people can give memorial donations to?
Kelland Hutchence
Yes. Michael was very active in Amnesty International, Green Peace. And we have a charity foundation in Australia called Starlight. Michael did a lot of, and took a great interest in disadvantaged kids. He helped one of those foundations in Sidney called Noffs Foundation.
darci30_2000
Michael is loved and missed many
jack02_99
Kick is an awesome album……never tear us apart, mystify…..
blubberpop
I believe inxs influenced a whole generation of music, how did Michael feel about this awesome resposibility?
Kelland Hutchence
The hard challenge of always trying to create something as good as or better than the last album was always very taxing for Michael. He took the challenge very seriously. They were quite a unique band, there is no doubt about it.
malt84
Do you know if there will be any more single’s off the new album?
Kelland Hutchence
For the U.S., I don’t actually know.
malt84
The new album is genious. All of Michaels music is wonderfull. I have never reacted to anyone’s music like I do to INXS and Michael. I have been a fan for 3 years, and I will continue to be one for many years to come. So thank you so much for doing your part in creating him! and do you know if any of the songs in the new album are about anything in particular? Thank you so much for reading my post!
Kelland Hutchence
My pleasure!
jendav75
Is it true that ‘Into My Arms’ was played at his funeral? And, if so, how did Michael and Nick Cave become friends?
Kelland Hutchence
Nick Cave was about to release that number Into My Arms but he had not yet released. But he was good enough to play it in St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sidney. And it was a very touching moment. But they had to block out all radio and TV of that song because of copyrights and one thing or another. I was really touched by what he did. Michael and he became very good friends in London where they were both based. And saw a lot of each other from what I understand, and had a lot of mutual interests in music.
anjelic99
grandaddio, what are your feelings on the band continuing under the name INXS, and with other lead singers??
Kelland Hutchence
I have no problem with INXS continuing at all, it’s not really up to me. I’ve always said to them they should continue because they are such an excellent band. All I would not like to see is somebody imitating Michael. But if they get another singer, particularly a girl singer, I think it would be a great idea.
ckdye
How did you feel at outpour of emotions as the world reacted to the death of Michael?
Kelland Hutchence
Naturally it’s very hard to accept all that has happened. It was a very hard time. I get used to it now because I’m a very spiritual person myself. I never feel that Michael is very far away. I think he found peace and happiness at last. I think it was a great loss to me, his family and his friends and fans. It was a big shock. But I think we’ve got great music that can live on forever. Particularly with the solo album which becomes really a memorial to him. And it is beautiful music, in my opinion, lovely lyrics.
Host
Thank you so much for joining us today – Kelland
Kelland Hutchence
It’s been a pleasure, and thank you very much. All my very best, thank you to all the people who came to the chat room, and thank you for loving my son. It’s very nice to have this personal sort of chat
lseventeen
I saw Michael and INXS opening for Adam Ant a long time ago. I remember thinking who the hell was this beautiful guy. Michael and the band stole the show. Eventhough Adam jumped into a plexis glass water tank.The performance of INXS stayed with me long after the concert. They were no opening band. I remember the power and passion that came out of Michael. I just wanted his dad to know.
csuchanick
Kelland- the website is MAGICAL!!!!
tpiaggio
Daddio, Mike had a inmense heart full of love…
blubberpop
Their music was so clear and free, thats what I loved about it
jack02_99
i just want to say that his(INXS) music will be forever with me….. “Kiss the Dirt (falling down the mountains)” is escially awesome….and shows their talent
anjelic99
Thank you Kell!
S_S_XX_Y_S_P_O_T_ou812
Sorry for your loss, Sir and may his voice always carry on for the next generations to come to hear just how wonderful his singing truely was
spyoflove_au
seeya Kell thanks for giving up your time to chat with us we apreciate it 🙂
KAYLAZMA
WE LOVE YOU!!
csuchanick
He will always ‘stay young’….
Host
Thanks so much for stopping by tonight to chat with Kelland Hutchence, Michael Hutchence’s father. Until next time…