Today marks the birthday
of Michael Hutchence, the charismatic frontman of INXS — artist, poet, sex symbol, and tragic rock legend.
The adaptation above and the musical birthday calendar / reference work featuring 366 world-famous musicians were made by me, Frieke.
Michael Kelland Hutchence was born on January 22, 1960, in Sydney, Australia. He was a sensitive, intelligent, and creative child. His youth was partly nomadic: his family moved frequently, exposing him to different cultures but also creating a sense of instability. This combination — worldliness and emotional vulnerability — would later become a key part of his artistic identity. He briefly attended university and had a strong interest in literature, film, and music. Unlike many rock stars, Hutchence was not only a performer but also a thinker and a writer, deeply influenced by poetry, philosophy, and cinema.
In 1977, he co-founded the band INXS with friends. The name was pronounced “In Excess,” a fitting title for a band that would later become a symbol of excess, energy, and emotion.
At first, the band played in pubs and small venues, but Hutchence quickly stood out because of his deep, sensual voice and undeniable charisma. During the 1980s, INXS grew into an international superband, with Hutchence as its beating heart.
INXS achieved worldwide success with albums such as The Swing (1984), Listen Like Thieves (1985), and Kick (1987) — their absolute masterpiece — featuring hits like:
Hutchence’s performances were famous not only for their erotic energy but also for their emotional honesty. He was not a simple rock star; he wanted to create art, build meaning, and tell stories.
Michael Hutchence’s love life attracted enormous media attention. He had relationships with Kylie Minogue, Helena Christensen (the supermodel), and Paula Yates, with whom he had a daughter, Tiger Lily. His relationship with Paula Yates placed him at the center of a British media storm filled with gossip, moral judgment, and intense public scrutiny.
In 1992, Hutchence was the victim of a violent assault that caused severe head injuries. After this, he was never the same person again — he suffered from loss of smell, as well as cognitive and emotional changes. The trauma, combined with stress, drugs, fame, and emotional turmoil, gradually pushed him toward a mental health crisis.
His work became darker, more introspective, and more personal.
He struggled with feelings of loss, a legal battle over custody of his daughter, and an increasing sense of isolation. On November 22, 1997, Michael Hutchence was found dead in a hotel room in London. He was 37 years old.
His death was widely seen as the loss of one of the most charismatic rock frontmen of his generation.
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