Fans Remember INXS’ Halcyon Days In New Book ‘Calling All Nations’
‘I feel both privileged and blessed to have been witness to the evolution of the greatest band that Australia has produced.’
For the first ever book on INXS, the band put out the call far and wide for fans to share their stories, memories, and life-changing moments of INXS for the recently released book, Calling All Nations – A Fan History Of INXS.
The book is a living history of the legendary global rock band and a collective love letter from hundreds of fans from around the world.
Calling All Nations is available exclusively via INXS’ official website in a limited-edition Deluxe format. The boxed set will contain exclusive items recreated from throughout INXS’s history. An extremely limited number of Super Deluxe editions will also be available hand-signed by the band. The standalone hardback edition will also be available for purchase.
To celebrate the release, here is an excerpt of one of these stories, from Australian fan Rosanda Pesut Herbert who photographed the band during their performance at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on September 15,1985.
I feel both privileged and blessed to have been witness to the evolution of the greatest band that Australia has produced. As an adolescent growing up in Sydney, the 1980s were the halcyon days of the Australian live music scene, and on any given night the question was not, “Will I go and see a band?” but rather “Which band will I go and see?”
At the forefront of this scene were INXS, and the memories and excitement of the early days are still tangible. From the free pop-up shows to the many moments and shared spaces, INXS were very much part of the fabric of life. One of my most treasured memories is from the Listen Like Thieves tour in 1985.
As an aspiring photographer, I had been granted the privilege of a guest photo pass to one of the Sydney shows. I wrote to Chris Murphy and sent a portfolio of some of my photos along with a request for a photo pass to the show at Sydney Entertainment Centre on September 15, 1985. INXS were the biggest band in Australia, and with this tour they were about to take it to the world. They had been away from home for far too long and there was no way I was going to miss the opportunity to be in the photo pit.
The excitement of being within the barricades for the first three songs was beyond words. These were the days before auto focus or auto anything. It was a pure adrenaline rush, having the freedom to move with Michael, to capture his energy and that of the whole band. Yes, my hands were shaking and my heart was ready to burst. I wanted to capture every moment and yet I also wanted to experience it beyond the lens. When Michael burst onto the stage he was breathtaking, and I forgot for a moment that I was there to photograph the show. When the first roll of film ran out it was a race to get the next one in. I am eternally grateful for having had the opportunity to capture the band during that period.
The Listen Like Thieves period will always be my favorite; the band were tight, everything seemed effortless. Wembley was magnificent, but for me it is hard to surpass Rocking the Royals, Oz For Africa, and this show. It somehow seemed a more innocent time and it was definitely a great time to be alive.
The photos remain a touchstone of a magic period of my youth; of balmy Sydney summers, crisp winters and the seasons in between. Thank you Tim, Andrew, Jon, Garry, Kirk and Michael for the gift of your music and poetry. I am eternally grateful.
