Shine Like It Does

Back in 1997, one of my favorite musicians decided to end his life. Michael Hutchence was the lead singer of INXS. The band from Australia reached their height in 1987, and slowly went downhill in sales after that. Hutchence was having problems with a custody battle for his daughter which also involved his ex and Bob Geldof of Boomtown Rats and Live Aid. I personally cannot fathom suicide. I don't believe anything can ever be that bad. I love life, even when it sucks!

In a 2001 Rolling Stone article, U2 frontman Bono talked about Michael's death and what an impact it had on him. One night, Bono and Michael were hanging out in France and Bono was trying to lift Michael's spirits. As a result of his death, Bono wrote the song "Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of".

What follows is the impact INXS had on my life with a journey through some of their songs. These aren't necessarily a chronological order of when they were released but when they had a special meaning for me.

The One Thing, 1983: Just becoming a teenager, in the height of the New Wave era. It reminds me of a trip I took to Roanoke, VA. I had moved from there a couple years before, and it was great to see my old friends.

What You Need, 1986: Summer was coming, and school was ending. 10th grade was a weird year for me, but the summer was full of promise and adventure. Like most things in life, the anticipation was better than the results.

Good Times, 1987: This track was from the Lost Boys soundtrack. I remember seeing this with my brothers and my friend Rod. We were always seeing the latest movie, and I remember those summer nights with fondness. When I wasn't seeing movies, I was probably off drinking beers with other friends.

Need You Tonight, 1987: In October of 1987, I started going to a club called Kryptons with my friend Pete. Another friend, Viki, worked there and she would help get me in (I was only 17) and get me drinks. I remember having so much fun there.

New Sensation, 1988: After a bout with mono, I felt alive and ready to take on life. I was graduating in a couple months, and my whole life was ready for the taking. A reservoir near my house was the local hot spot for May of 1988, and I spent many days and nights there with friends drinking and... so on.

Disappear, 1990: I just love this song for the actual music and lyrics. It was one of those songs that I knew would become a long-term classic the first time I heard it and it still holds up to this day.

This Time/Kiss The Dirt (Falling Down The Mountain)/Shine Like It Does, 1990: I really got into the 1986 release of Listen Like Thieves after Disappear came out. I was going through a bit of a rough spot in October of 1990. It was like a journey for my soul. These songs helped lift me out of my funk and get past my woes.

Not Enough Time, 1992: I was transferring to Cabrini College my junior year, and this song captured the excitement of this huge transition. I had gone to a community college prior to this, and felt I missed out on the whole college experience. Cabrini definitely filled that hole, and quick.

The Gift, 1993: Another fall release from the band, but this was their worst one yet. They were trying to capture the grunge sound that brought Nirvana and Pearl Jam to greatness, and the band failed miserably. In my own life, I was struggling with my true self and quickly discovered who my true friends were.

The Strangest Party (These Are The Times), 1994: After college, I worked at a comic store for less than a year. I met a lot of new people and hung out with a lot of old friends during that time. After that era, my life changed considerably. This song reminds me of that year after college.

Elegantly Wasted, 1997: Living in Sweden, I was cleaning hotel rooms and washing dishes and I was absolutely miserable. I felt wasted, and I had to make some very hard choices fast. Whatever decision I made meant hurting others, and I knew I had to put up a tough demeanor to get through it.

I'm Just A Man, 1997: I listened to this song a lot after Michael killed himself in November of 1997. What I found most ironic was how full of hope Michael seemed to be when he wrote this song. Some sample lyrics are "I'm just a man. My will is so strong, when I've got plans, I close my eyes to the pain." I wondered why he didn't close his eyes on that fateful night when he hung himself.

The music business has had it's fair share of celebrity deaths. For my generation, the biggest was probably Kurt Cobain. But Hutchence' death hit me the hardest, because I felt such a deep connection to the music of INXS.

In 2005, the remaining members of INXS decided to start anew and were features on a summer show called Rock Star where they would find a new lead singer for the band. The winner was a Canadian named J.D. Fortune. Out of all the contestants, he sounded the most like Hutchence. They released an album called Switch in November of 2005. Which brings me to the final song on this INXS list.

God's Top Ten, 2005: I believe this song was written for Michael's daughter. The lyrics say it all, and eulogize Michael in an awe-inspiring way. "Romance is gone, he's drifting with the stars, a lyric in his pocket, little girl in his heart. When she hears his songs on the radio, I don't need to tell you what you already know, he's on God's Top Ten."

I don't know what became of INXS after that CD came out. Most people hate it because it doesn't have Michael. I am actually quite fond of it. But I do still miss the singer who helped lift me up out of depressions, anxiety and teenage angst. Michael wrote songs that celebrated life in all it's glory. It's still a shame he can't be around to create more.