INXS

INXS returned to the news in 2004 when it was announced that a new reality television program titled Rock Star would feature a contest to find a new lead singer for the band. The B-side was "Baja". However, he left INXS in 2003, only recording a song called I Get Up, released as a single (which charted in the top 100 on the Australian ARIAnet Singles Chart) in the same year, and it was used in the Rugby Union World Cup 2003. John Paul Jones' first solo recording was a single for Pye Records in April 1964 which featured "A Foggy Day in Vietnam". Jon Stevens began singing with INXS in 2000 and was officially named a member of the band in 2002. Zooma, his debut solo album, was released in September 1999 and followed up in 2001 by Thunderthief which includes his debut as a solo vocalist. Since Hutchence's death, INXS has continued, using Jimmy Barnes and Terence Trent D'Arby as temporary lead singers. Jones set up his own recording studio called Sunday School as well being involved in his daughter's (Jacinda Jones) singing career.

On November 22, 1997 Hutchence was found dead in his Sydney hotel room, an apparent victim of suicide (some speculate his death was actually an accident, the result of autoerotic asphyxiation). He recorded and toured with Diamanda Galás on her 1994 album, The Sporting Life (co-credited to John Paul Jones). The band worked closely with several other Australian artists, such as The Models and Jenny Morris, helping to establish their careers. In 1986, Jones was asked by director Michael Winner to provide the soundtrack for the film, Scream for Help, with Jimmy Page appearing on two tracks. Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, INXS was a major force in Australian popular music, leading the way into worldwide popularity for several Australian bands. He appeared on a number of sessions and videos for Paul McCartney and was involved in the soundtrack of the film Give My Regards to Broad Street. 1994 brought the first of many 'Greatest Hits' compilations. King, The Mission, La Fura Dels Baus, Brian Eno, and The Butthole Surfers.

1993's Full Moon, Dirty Hearts was their attempt to capitalize on the grunge movement, and while it received mixed reviews, it plunged the band further into obscurity. Since 1980 his collaborators have included R.E.M., Heart, Ben E. However, the band's belated attempts to follow up on the success of Kick, 1990's X and 1992's Welcome to Wherever You Are found them struggling to stay relevant as alternative rock began to dominate the airwaves and more traditional rockers like INXS (fronted by Hutchence, who lived the rock-star lifestyle by dabbling in film acting and dating several models and public personalities including Kylie Minogue and Paula Yates), fell out of favor. He has also played keyboards on many Roy Harper albums and contributed to Wings Back to the Egg Rockestra. The band's worldwide peak of popularity came with 1987's Kick, a punchy, confident set of pop-rock gems that yielded three top-ten US singles, including the number-one hit "Need You Tonight". Jones was Madeline Bell's first choice to produce and arrange her 1974 album Comin' Atcha. By 1985's breakthrough album Listen Like Thieves the band had perfected a matured sound influenced by The Rolling Stones and U2 but true to the band's original roots in the Aussie pubs; that album spawned several hits, including the top-10 "What You Need". In 1969 he returned to the studio to play bass guitar on Family Dogg's Way of Life album, in 1970, keyboards for guitarist Peter Green on his solo album The End of the Game.

The band, which had started out as a New Wave act featuring more synthesizers than guitar, gradually moved in a more straight-ahead Rock oriented direction through the first half of the 1980s. Jones' involvement with Led Zeppelin however did not halt his session work. INXS and its follow-up, 1981's Underneath the Colours (produced by Richard Clapton) were hits in their native Australia, and their third album, Shabooh Shoobah was released worldwide but it wasn't until their Nick Launay-produced fourth album, The Swing in 1983 that the band received significant attention in the US or UK, as the single "Original Sin" became a minor pop radio hit and the band's charismatic singer Michael Hutchence gained attention for his MTV-ready looks. "Royal Orleans" was the name of a hotel where the members of Led Zeppelin would stay when they visited New Orleans because not as many people asked for autographs there. INXS began under the name The Farriss Brothers but the band changed their name to INXS in 1979, just prior to the release of their self-titled debut album in 1980. The song is about a person who mistakenly takes a drag queen up to his hotel room, who then falls asleep with a joint of marijuana in hand, lighting the room on fire. The band was formed in 1977 and comprised of Andrew Farriss, Michael Hutchence, Tim Farriss, Jon Farriss, Garry Gary Beers and Kirk Pengilly. It is rumored that the Led Zeppelin song "Royal Orleans", from their album (Presence) is about an experience Jones once had.

INXS is an Australian rock group. Jones later claimed that everything he did was kept private, so no one would know about it. INXS) #19 UK. While all members of Led Zeppelin had a reputation as party animals (a reputation Robert Plant later claimed was somewhat exaggerated), Jones was seen as the professional member of the group, as his excesses never hindered his performance, in contrast with Page and Bonham in Led Zeppelin's later years. 2001 "I'm So Crazy" (Par-T-One vs. His diversity for the group also extended to other instruments, which included unusual double and even triple necked mandolins. from "Definitive INXS"

. On live performances, Jones' keyboard showpiece was "No Quarter", often lasting for up to half-an-hour and included snatches of "Amazing Grace" and variations of classical pieces by composers such as Rachmaninov.

1997 "Elegantly Wasted" #27 US, #20 UK, #44 AU. His keyboard skills added an eclectic dimension that realised Led Zeppelin as more than just a heavy metal band, most notably on the delicate "The Rain Song" (Houses of the Holy) played on a Mellotron, the funky, danceable "Trampled Under Foot" (Physical Graffiti), and the eastern scales of "Kashmir" (also on Physical Graffiti). from "Elegantly Wasted"

. After "retiring" his Fender Jazz bass in 1975, Jones switched to using custom designed Alembics. 1994 "The Strangest Party (These Are the Times)" #15 UK, #30 AU. Jones was responsible for the classic bass lines of the group, notably the descending notes on "Dazed and Confused" (Led Zeppelin), the funk influenced riffs of "The Lemon Song" and "What Is and What Should Never Be" (Led Zeppelin II), and the power crunch of "Black Dog" (untitled fourth album). from "The Greatest Hits"
. Despite the spotlight being placed on Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, Jones' temperament, musicianship, and experience were crucial to creating the bedrock sound and success of Led Zeppelin.

1993 "Please (You Got That...)" #35 AU. His decision to leave session work and join a group was due to his desire to express his artistic creativity. 1993 "The Gift" #11 UK, #12 AU. A year later, as Chris Dreja had decided to leave Page's group and take up photography, Jones was Page's first choice for bass player in The New Yardbirds, later to become Led Zeppelin. from "Full Moon, Dirty Hearts"

. Although the album did not fare well commercially, the session did result in Jones and Page discussing to work again in the future. 1993 "Beautiful Girl" #46 US #23 UK. It was during the sessions for Donovan's Hurdy Gurdy Man that Jones met Jimmy Page and the two would eventually link up again during the making of the Yardbirds Little Games album, with Jones contributing orchestral arrangements and playing cello on the opening track "Little Games".

1992 "Not Enough Time" #28 US. Instead they chose John Rostill. 1992 "Taste It" #21 UK, #37 AU. Before these recordings, Cliff Richard and the Shadows nearly changed history, by nearly preventing the future formation of Led Zeppelin, when they had talks about Jones replacing their ex-bassist Brian "Licorice" Locking. 1992 "Baby Don't Cry" #20 UK. Jones also got to record with fellow friends of Tony Meehan and Jet Harris, none other than Meehan and Harris' ex-band, Cliff Richard and the Shadows. 1992 "Heaven Sent" #31 UK, #14 AU. His arranging and playing on Donovan's "Sunshine Superman", resulted in producer Mickie Most using his services as choice arranger for many of his own projects, with Tom Jones, Nico, Wayne Fontana, The Walker Brothers, and many others.

from "Welcome to Wherever You Are"

. As well as recording sessions with Dusty Springfield, Jones also played bass for her Talk Of The Town series of performances. 1991 "Shining Star EP" #27 UK. Between 1964 and 1968 he was much in demand arranging, playing keyboards or bass guitar for artists including The Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, Donovan, Jeff Beck, Cat Stevens, Rod Stewart, Shirley Bassey, Lulu, and numerous others. from "Live Baby Live"
. In 1964, Jones began session work with Decca Records on the recommendations of Tony Meehan. 1991 "Good Times" (with Jimmy Barnes) #18 UK. Jet and Tony had just been at Number 1 hit with "Diamonds" (a track which Jimmy Page was on).

from "The Lost Boys" soundtrack

. His big break came in 1962 when he met Jet Harris and Tony Meehan (who had just left the Shadows) and played bass for their band for two years. 1991 "The Stairs" #72 US, #4 AU. He then played bass for jazz-rock London group, Jett Blacks. 1991 "Bitter Tears" #46 US, #30 UK, #37 AU. Jones joined his first band at 15, which was called The Deltas. 1990 "Disappear" #8 US, #21 UK, #19 AU. Jones continued to use that Fender bass up until 1975.

1990 "Suicide Blonde" #9 US, #11 UK, #3 AU. The fluid playing of Chicago musician Phil Upchurch made him decide to take up the bass guitar. from "X"

. At the age of 14, he became choirmaster and organist at a local church and during that year, he also bought his first bass guitar, a Dallas solid body electric followed by a Fender Jazz bass. 1989 "Mystify" #14 UK. Jones was a student at Christ College boarding school in Kent where he formally studied music. 1988 "Never Tear Us Apart" #7 US, #24 UK, #11 AU. His influences ranged from the blues of Big Bill Broonzy, the jazz of Charles Mingus, to the classical piano of Rachmaninov.

1988 "New Sensation" #3 US, #25 UK, #8 AU. His mother was also in the music business which allowed the family to often perform together touring around England. 1988 "Devil Inside" #2 US, #6 AU. Jones learned his keyboard skills from his father, Joe Baldwin, who was a pianist and arranger for big bands in the 40's and 50's, notably with the Ambrose Orchestra. 1987 "Need You Tonight" #1 US, #2 UK, (1988 release), #3 AU. The name John Paul Jones was suggested to him by a friend, Andrew Loog Oldham, after seeing a movie poster with that name on it in France. from "Kick"

. Jones was born in Sidcup, Kent.

1986 "Different World" #28 AU. He can also play guitar, mandolin, koto, autoharp, ukulele, and organ, and played the over-dubbed bass recorder on Stairway to Heaven. from "Crocodile Dundee" soundtrack

. John Paul Jones, pseudonym of John Baldwin, born January 3, 1946, was the bassist and keyboard player for Led Zeppelin until the band's breakup after the death of John Bonham in 1980. 1986 "Listen Like Thieves #54 US, #28 AU. Thunderthief (2001). 1986 "Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain) #15 AU. Zooma (1999).

1985 "What You Need" #5 US (1986 Release), #2 AU. The Sporting Life (1994), with Diamanda Galás. 1985 "This Time" #81 US, #19 AU. Scream for Help (1985) (soundtrack). from "Listen Like Thieves"

. 1984 "Dancing on the Jetty" #39 AU.

1984 "Burn for You" #3 AU. 1984 "I Send a Message" #77 US, #3 AU. 1983 "Original Sin" #58 US (1984 Release) #1 AU. from "The Swing"

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1983 "Black and White" #24 AU. 1983 "To Look at You" #36 AU. 1982 "Don't Change" #80 US (1983 Release), #14 AU. 1983 "The One Thing" #30 US, #14 AU.

from "Shabooh Shoobah"

. 1981 "Stay Young" #21 AU. 1981 "The Loved One" #18 AU. from "Underneath the Colours"
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1980 "Just Keep Walking" #38 AU. from "INXS"

. INXS Squared: The Remixes (2004). Stay Young 1979-1982 (2002).

The Years 1979-1997 (2002). Definitive INXS/The Best of INXS (2002) #144 US, #15 UK. Shine Like it Does: The Anthology (1979-1997) (2001). Elegantly Wasted (1997) #16 UK #41 US.

The Greatest Hits (1994); #112 US, #3 UK, US Sales: 1,000,000. Full Moon, Dirty Hearts (1993) #53 US, #3 UK. Welcome to Wherever You Are (1992); #16 US, #1 UK, US Sales: 1,000,000. Live Baby Live (1991); #72 US, #8 UK, US Sales: 1,000,000.

X (1990); #5 US, #2 UK, US Sales: 2,000,000. Kick (1987); #3 US, #9 UK, US Sales: 6,000,000. Listen Like Thieves (1985); #11 US, US Sales: 2,000,000. The Swing (1984); #52 US, US Sales: 1,000,000.

Dekadance (1983); #148 US. INXSIVE (1982). Shabooh Shoobah (1982); #46 US, US Sales: 500,000. Underneath the Colours (1981).

INXS (1980); #164 US.