Andrew Farriss
The quiet architect of INXS's sound, whose synth hooks and global rhythms built the backbone for Michael Hutchence's magnetic frontmanship.
Born 1959 (age 67)·Australian musician·Birthday: March 27·Baby Boomers
Biography
Andrew Farriss was the studious counterpoint to the rock star frenzy, the man in the background whose musical curiosity built the world INXS inhabited. Meeting Michael Hutchence in high school, Farriss recognized a kinetic frontman and began crafting sonic landscapes for that energy to explode within. As the band's principal composer and keyboardist, he was the relentless experimenter, absorbing everything from classic pop to African beats and channeling it into taut, infectious arrangements. Hits like 'Need You Tonight' and 'New Sensation' bear his unmistakable stamp—minimalist, funky synth lines that locked into irresistible grooves. After Hutchence's death, Farriss stepped back from the spotlight, eventually re-emerging not with rock anthems but with a solo country-tinged album reflecting his deep love for American roots music, revealing a songwriter whose journey had always been driven by an insatiable musical wanderlust.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Andrew was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andrew Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Andrew's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-wrote and composed the music for INXS's worldwide hit 'Need You Tonight,' which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987.
- Inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2001 as a member of INXS.
- Released his self-titled debut solo album in 2021, exploring Americana and country music influences.
- Received the APRA Song of the Year award in 1988 for 'Need You Tonight.'
Did You Know?
Farriss is an avid collector of historical artifacts and owns a large collection of Aboriginal art and American frontier memorabilia.
He studied agriculture and law at university before committing fully to music.
Farriss composed the score for the 1986 Australian film 'Dogs in Space,' which starred INXS frontman Michael Hutchence.
He is a skilled multi-instrumentalist, playing keyboards, guitar, drums, and harmonica.
“I was always the one in the band saying, 'Let's try something different.'”
