For “Estadão”, the guitarist and saxophonist Kirk Pengilly of the Australian band who became famous in the 80s, recalls the alleged suicide of the singer, who died at 37 years old and celebrates four decades from the album “Listen to Like Thieves”
NOTICE: The following text deals with topics such as suicides and mental disorders. If you are finding problems, see in the end where to look for help.
The success of a rock band can be deafening, but the tragedy, when it affects, echoes a silence that weighs fans for eternity. Examples abound: The doors, Nirvana, INXS, Morphineamong others.
In the case of the Australian band, founded in 1977 by the three Farris brothers, Kirk PengillyGarry Gary Beers and the singer Michael HutchenceThe shock arrived in 1997, when the singer was found lifeless in his apartment, hanged with the belt attached to the door handle. He died at the age of 37 and the cause defined by the authorities was suicide.
Pengilly, now 66 years old, still questioned what could have happened to the former partner. “We will never know what happened,” he says Estadãoin an interview to promote New commemorative edition and expanded 40 years of the album Listen to as thieves (1985)which includes unpublished recordings of a London show at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as Demo and Outtakes. The launch is available in physical media and through streaming.
The album, which changed the level group in the Pop music sphere, now gets the version remastered in Dolby Atmos of Giles Martinson of George Martin, the legendary producer of Beatles. Heir of his father’s talents, Giles was acclaimed by the same type of work with the iconic catalog of the Liverpool quartet.
In this conversation, the guitarist and saxophonist also spoke of the memorable show in Rock in Rio Since 1991, against about 150,000 people and told how Hutchence’s tragedy has influenced it. “You start learning that you are not immortal. And the main lesson of this is enjoying everything,” he says, that he fought against serious health problems such as glaucoma and prostate cancer.
How did you become a musician and you were interested in guitar and saxophone?
I grew up in a remote part of Sydney. We had no electricity and it was a long dirt road for the nearest city. When I was about 10 years old, my older brother was leaving the house and gave me an old guitar that he no longer wanted. And I really clung to the guitar and played together with the songs of the radio that I liked. And then, maybe three or four years later, I met Tim Farris, the oldest of the three brothers in the high school and I formed a band together. I was the singer and the main composer. We finished the high school, that type of band he shot, and inxs graduated. Then I started playing the saxophone just before starting to record our first album. I bought a saxophone because we had three guitarists in the band, including me. And it was too sometimes, many guitars.
How has an Australian band helped or damaged the start of the inxs career?
At that time, before the internet and cell phones, Australia was very isolated from the rest of the world. You really didn’t know what was going on in the rest of the world, except for a newspaper, which until they printed any news from otherwise in the world, they were already old news. But what was good for us was that we had a scene of flowery pubs. And almost all the bars had a band playing practically every night of the week. We were lucky to be able to collect our sound and try to try different things, but a little out of the eyes of the world. So you could improve your art before going to the great world. This was a great advantage for us. And even in a creative way, it was very good because we were not necessarily influenced by what happened in the rest of the world.
What do you remember the first visit to Brazil for the show in Rock in Rio?
I remember that we were not allowed to leave the hotel because there were many fans. But this was not only for us, since all the bands were in the same hotel in Ipanema. We were a little closed in our rooms, which was boring because we wanted to leave and see how the river was. It was a bit difficult. But obviously the show was fantastic. We were lucky enough to be the main attraction.
Information on the 40th anniversary of “Listen as Thieves”, how does this album stand out in the INXS discography and how did you help you evolve musically?
By getting a manufacturer actually known as Chris Thomas, we believe that we were doing something quite special and we would be supported all over the world. We heard that this album was returning to the sound of the INX and we waited to take us further in our career. And of course, that’s what happened, especially with music What do you need.
This new edition is remastered by Giles Martin. Did you impress you what did you do at the Beatles catalog?
Yes, absolutely. A long time ago, in Las Vegas, I went to watch [ao espetáculo] Lovefrom Cirque du Soleil. And Giles had mixed all the traces of the Beatles. It was incredible to see how the songs were raw without all that armor who put at the top. I don’t know how he did. But we have known Giles for a long time, we have made a special show in Japan for years, together with George Martin. It was there that we met for the first time and we really got along. It is fabulous.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk7gepd_j1g
Is there any story about Michael that you can share that they illustrate who was as an artist and as a person?
There was so much in him, really. You have not been born a rock star, you develop, it grows in it. But I think the best interpreters and rock stars have something. A sort of charisma or factor X. Michael certainly had this. Many people thought they were sometimes distant, but in reality it was quite shy.
Did you feel he was in a bad phase in his latest conversations with him?
No, absolutely the opposite, because it was staying in a hotel near where I lived and, in several mornings, I would have taken it and I would have guided together. It was really in a positive state. So, who knows what happened that night? We will never know. I just know we will always miss.
And how do this tragedy and all the obstacles you had in your life, your health problems, have changed your perception of life?
You start learning that you are not immortal and you will die at some point. I think the main lesson of this is just enjoying every moment. And Michael was very good in this. He would have liked everything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ9MOPPTFZE
The support network
In delicate times, in addition to the medical demand, the support of friends and family is essential for the improvement of the patient, as well as to encourage treatment. The psychiatrist underlines that one of the ways to help is paying attention to the signs of the change that the colleague could look. “Understand if the person is more isolated, if he has excessive expenses, even euphoria peaks,” he underlines.
“There is no mention of mental health as it should. It is important to talk about it so that people are aware and have more empathy and are less judges,” concludes Michelle.
Where to seek help
If you are experiencing a psychic suffering or know someone in this situation, see below where to find help:
Life evaluation center (CVV)
If you need immediate help, contact the life evaluation center (CVV), a free emotional support service that provides a 24 -hour service a day. The contact can be established by e -mail, chatting on the site or by phone 188.
The channel can speak
Initiative created by UNICEF to offer listening to teenagers and young people aged 13 to 24. The contact can be established by WhatsApp, from Monday to Friday, from 8 to 22.
Sus
Psychosocial core centers (CAP) are units of the Unified Health System (Sus) aimed at taking care of patients with mental disorders. There are specific units for children and adolescents. In the city of San Paolo, there are 33 caps infantojuventis and it is possible to search for the addresses of the units on this page.
Mental health map
The site carries maps with health units and free initiatives of psychological face to face and online treatments. It also offers orientation materials on mental disorders.
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
