My Summer Lair Chapter #192: Do You Enjoy Country Music?
You first met Andrew Farriss on October 13 1980 with INXS’ self-titled debut album.
By 1987’s freshtastic album Kick Andrew Farriss was the principal songwriter along with magnetic frontman Michael Hutchence. I can’t even put it into words: INXS has been a wild ride: a truly great band with truly great songs.
Unfortunately no matter how fun the roller coaster is…it comes to an end. Thankfully Andrew Farriss has returned with a new ride and it’s a country EP and LP.
Country? Oh yes country: Trains are a coming, arrows flying through the air, horses, outlaws…this is country like Wild West movies not like jukebox country songs about pickup trucks and cheating wives. Oh outlaws: I can do that. This is amazing.
The EP is Love Makes The World released on October 2nd, 2020 while the self-titled LP is out March 19, 2021.
In the media release for the album Andrew says:
“I have always seen myself as a songwriter more than anything. Being the main songwriter in a band as talented as INXS, with a superhuman front man such as Michael, it was a songwriter’s dream. The lessons that I took for writing for INXS into my own career, is that maybe I can do things a little bit differently. I don’t mind not being pigeonholed. I am not interested in that; I appreciate all genres. I don’t think you have to necessarily stay in your little box and behave yourself. I think working with people outside your comfort zone is great for the future of music, that is what makes great change in music.”
Launching from track 7 the sublime song Apache Pass finds Andrew singing about Geronimo.
And I dunno why but Geronimo is something we yell out when taking a large leap. Based on that I tease him are you ready to yell Geronimo as you take the leap to being a frontman and principle songwriter?
When you look back at those early INXS videos he’s hidden in the corner there; mostly behind keyboards…now there’s no more Michael Hutchence with his simmering heat: Andrew is front and center in the recently released videos and the upcoming shows. Geronimoooo for true!
Welcome Andrew Farris to My Summer Lair.
