Garry Gary Beers
The foundational bassist whose driving, melodic grooves provided the unstoppable heartbeat for INXS's global rock and roll takeover.
Born 1957 (age 69)·Australian musician·Birthday: June 22·Baby Boomers
Biography
Garry Gary Beers, alongside the Hutchence brothers, was there at the very beginning, helping to form the nucleus of what would become INXS in a Sydney high school. His bass playing was never just background; it was the propulsive, funk-infused engine of the band's sound, locking in with drummer Jon Farriss to create one of rock's most potent rhythmic foundations. From the early club days to the stadiums of the 'Kick' era, his steady presence and melodic lines were a constant, underpinning hits like 'Need You Tonight' and 'New Sensation.' While the frontman commanded the spotlight, Beers's work in the pocket was essential to the band's sleek, danceable energy. His career embodies the crucial, often understated role of the bassist in shaping a band's identity and success.
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.
Garry was born in 1957, 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 Garry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1957
#1 Movie
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Best Picture
The Bridge on the River Kwai
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Garry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1957Born
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1962Started school
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1970Became a teenager
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Could drive
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1975Could vote
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
1978Turned 21
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1987Turned 30
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 40
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 50
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 60
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 69 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded INXS and played on all of their albums, including the multi-platinum global phenomenon 'Kick.'
- His bassline for 'Need You Tonight' is one of the most recognizable in rock and pop music.
- Performed live to an estimated global television audience of over 1 billion at the AFL Grand Final in 1997.
- Remained a consistent member of INXS throughout its entire history, contributing to over 50 million records sold.
Did You Know?
He acquired the nickname 'Garry Gary' from bandmate Michael Hutchence to distinguish him from another Gary in their early scene.
He is an accomplished didgeridoo player and incorporated the instrument into some INXS recordings.
He was briefly a member of the side project band 'Absent Friends' with fellow INXS member Andrew Farriss.
He designed his own signature model bass guitar with the company Spector.
“The bass line is the anchor; it's what lets everyone else take flight.”
