And still be looking damn good for a 60-year-old.". The deceased was found at 11.50am naked behind the door to his room. I am also satisfied that this death is one in which nothing will be gained by holding a formal Inquest. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. While their slick funk sound, tight instrumentation and pop smarts were essential, the key to their success lay in their charismatic frontman: Andrew's high school friend Michael Hutchence, whose onstage persona straddled the line between Bono and Jim Morrison. However, there is no forensic or other evidence to substantiate this suggestion. A violent altercation five years before his death left the INXS star with two large areas of permanent damage, as well as robbing him of his sense of taste and smell. And yesterday, as distraught Paula began her journey back to Britain with the ashes of her dead lover, the chambermaid who discovered the INXS singer's body spoke for the first time about her horrific experience. In 1995, Hutchence left Christensen for British star Paula Yates, who was married to Live Aid organizer Bob Geldof at the time. He became depressed and aggressive, He was just not the same person. Michael Putland/Getty ImagesINXS has sold more than 75 million records. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. Mystify Michael Hutchence Trailer. On July 22, 1996, she gave birth to Hutchences daughter Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily Hutchence. Kylie Minogue, who dated Hutchence between 1989 and 1991, spent three hours talking to Lowenstein in London, then three more in Australia. New South Wales State Coroner Derrick Hand did find a solid answer, albeit without holding an open inquest, which he did not deem necessary. It's still too heavy for me to look at, even today.". /Madman Films. His mood was described as 'elevated, however pensive when discussing Court proceedings'. So why hide his injuries, and suffer in silence? "Then I can remember sharing a joke with Michael. They were quite candid images of him,' Richard said. 'Because the Harley had been revving for a couple of minutes it was very hot. Because he cant see really past the first few rows., And even being one of the biggest rock stars in the world, Hutchence was, in Aussie speak, a regular mate. Now, Kylie has revealed details about their relationship in a new documentary about the late singer. And the last time I saw his face, he was smiling at me as he walked out the door. Back in 2012 Australian band INXS announced their new lead singer in Adelaide. Michelle Bennett, a former de facto of Hutchence, received two calls from him that morning. Hutchence then called his ex-girlfriend Michelle Bennett and told her he was very upset on a call at 9:54 a.m. She immediately rushed over. Coroner Derrick Hand retired in 2000 after a distinguished 47-year career in the state's courts. With Davidson High School classmates Andrew Farriss, Kent Kerny, and Neil Sanders, as well as Forest High School students Garry Beers and Geoff Kennelly, he formed a band called Doctor Dolphin only to be uprooted again, but this time to Los Angeles in 1975. He goes, Things arent good, you know? And then the next one was like, Hey, are you there? In the second one, it was more like he was tired. After the disappointing response to 1993's Full Moon, Dirty Hearts, and the chaos that ensured during its recording, the band had taken a long break. "Things got worse," Tim Farriss recalls. Pic: Marc Berry Reid, The singer found it hard to come to terms with his own success. Hutchence was found dead in Room 524 of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at Double Bay, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, on the Saturday morning of November 22, 1997. A further call was received at 9.50am on Ms Troup's telephone answering machine. INXS star Michael Hutchence 'had permanent brain damage', Australian singer Michael Hutchence took his own life aged just 37. He was arrested and charged with assault. "I've f***ing had enough." Hands report concluded that Michael Hutchences death was the result of asphyxiation and that no other person was involved. He lost all sense of taste and smell and his drug and alcohol use increased afterward. They would leave around 5:00 a.m. when Hutchence angrily berated Geldof over the phone and wrote a note to his tour manager stating he wouldnt attend rehearsals. Hutchence, 37, the lead singer of the rock group INXS, was found dead at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at Double Bay in east Sydney on Nov. 22, 1997. However, Some of Richards most prized pictures for his family photo album were taken by someone else as they pictured the young fan and Hutchence together. By October, still having not fully recovered, rehearsals for the next album began at his villa in the south of France. Lowenstein says he believes Hutchence's biggest fear - "of not being in love and not having someone to love him" - holds the key to his secrecy over his private suffering. It was here that the bands charismatic frontman Hutchence and the teenage fan first became friends. Join the conversation, you are commenting as. Suddenly, the unknown Fortune was in a major rock band, and the guys had a lot of positive momentum at first. "He'd have a younger girlfriend and he'd be absolutely playing with INXS and doing his own solo work. And I said, Michael, lets cancel the Australian tour. And he goes, I could never do that. Don't have an account? He was frightened and couldnt stand a minute more without his baby, said Yates. She rang the hotel immediately and the telephone rang out. His family would later say this accident precipitated the depressed phase that would later lead to his death. At 5am, the morning he took his life, he yelled at Geldof over the phone, who, through due to the custody dispute regarding her other daughters, was preventing Yates from bringing Tiger Lily to visit him. After recording was completed on the album, Hutchence began work on a solo record he would never complete. Another one. Later at 9.38am, Ms Troup received via voicemail a call from Hutchence in which he said: "Martha, Michael here, I f---ing had enough.". For those in need of support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. SYDNEY, Australia - The death of Australian rock star Michael Hutchence in a Sydney hotel room in November was declared a suicide Friday. "He'd been ripped out of high school at 15 and press ganged into a band, which he was quite willing to do. 11/6/2013. Under these conditions, Hutchence started dating British television presenter Paula Yates in 1996. Those two professions led to frequent relocation throughout Hutchences childhood from Brisbane to Hong Kong and beyond. Hutchence used to roll his Harley Davidson motorbike into the music studio to avoid the parking inspectors, Hutchence is pictured here with partner Paula Yates and their daughter Tiger Lily Hutchence, The former INXS frontman leans against against a pole as dusk descends on a summer Sydney evening. He singlehandedly made INXS' "Need You Tonight" video the hottest thing on MTV in 1987, and the iconic clip with the singer seducing the masses in a leather jacket and pants, sans shirt went on to win Video of the Year at the 1988 VMAs. * this is an edited transcript from the inquest into the death of Michael Hutchence. It's fitting that Hutchence's daughter with Yates, Tiger Lily, has also played her part in the making of the documentary. 22/11/97 Hutchence was found dead in a hotel room at the Ritz Carlton in Sydney. It turned out he had a fractured skull a brain injury that robbed him of his taste and smell and also affected his mental health. "He was unconscious and there was blood coming out of his mouth and ear," Christensen recalls in Mystify, the new documentary about Hutchence's life. log in. It was 11:50 a.m. when a maid found his body. Fearing such distractions would derail the recording process, the band decided to relocate to a hard-to-reach studio on the Isle of Capri. Thats why he could do it. Nothing will be gained by holding a formal inquest. Photographer Chris Cuffaro, who first shot the INXS singer during the Kick tour in 1988, described Hutchence as the nicest guy in the world., I was backstage with him, and he was wearing Doc Martens, and I said to him, Ive never worn Doc Martens, recalled Cuffaro. Mr Hutchence Sr could offer no explanation as to why his son would take his own life. "Michael would be more interested in sitting in his hotel room till four in the morning, talking about art and politics.". Hutchence co-founded the rock band INXS, which sold over 75 million records worldwide and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2001. I would never do that to the fans in Australia.. The second call was received by Geldof about 5.30am on 22nd November, Sydney time. They wouldn't release another record for four years. When he would play at a place like Wembley [Stadium in London], I used to laugh because he couldnt see past the first 10 rows, because he never wore his glasses onstage. Troup wasnt so sure they should go through with it. Mr Hand's office only ever publicly released a toxicology report and his reasons for not holding an inquest, which contained the findings about Hutchence's death. We were the only ones there and he was very casual and relaxed, Richard told Daily Mail Australia. They were still playing pubs in Sydney's northern beaches, but Hutchence was built for stadiums. "He was a dick and it wasn't him, that's the thing. :: Listen to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker. INXS, who first formed as a six member band in 1977 announced the release of a new album for 1997. At the time of his death - 20 years ago on Wednesday - the rocker was being treated for depression. Confused, she left. 6. "It was totally live, and Michael sang with such emotion: 'I am searching, I am not alone.' According to the Doctor there was no hint of suicidal thinking by the deceased. She also handed over never-before-seen personal filmed footage shot by the couple during their relationship, as well as photos and letters. Hutchence poses for a picture taken by Richard. INXS band members were blindsided by the tragedy, ready to hit the club circuit again, and consequently, they were forced to cancel their tour. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images The filmmaker says at the time, Michael convinced him his frustrations stemmed from his loss of taste and smell, but after star's death, Lowenstein discovered the truth. And very powerful. It would sell millions of units, lead to sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium, and change their lives forever. Another picture was also taken at the Opera House just a few days after the group photo there. 13:21 GMT 19 Nov 2017. "Bono would look at Michael and say, 'Boy I wish I could perform like that' - in that really sensual, true rock star way. Pengilly later cast his mind back to the previous day, when the pair were chatting in the car on the way to the studio. Former INXS lead singer J.D. Hutchence sounded as if he was affected by something and was slow and deep. Now an award . For Michael Hutchences brother, Rhett, the rock stars death feels somewhat more complicated. That June she attempted to take her own life, but was found unconscious, and revived. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK. As a personal friend of the star he admits: "I do find watching it a lot harder than making it". Elegantly Wasted was not celebrated as the return to form they had hoped, debuting at #14 in Australia, #16 in the UK, and like their last album failing to crack the US top 40. His band's best days were behind it and he was still taking drugs. In August 1996, Yates gave birth to Hutchence's only daughter, Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily. On this particular occasion Michael took me into the studios very late at night. Describing him as a "sponge who soaked up all the stuff around him", Lowenstein explains Hutchence's appetite to learn stemmed from his early start in showbiz. While he and his then-girlfriend, supermodel Helena Christensen, were biking in Copenhagen, Hutchence got into an altercation with a taxi driver. The trio drank vodka, beer, champagne and cocktails during the night. Paula Yates (right) and her lawyer Anthony Burton (center) leaving her London home to travel to Sydney after learning of Michael Hutchences death. "When you look at the Bob and Paula thing in a Freudian context, you've got a father of three daughters and a mother with an instant family, and Michael goes off with the mother and destroys the family. While researching for the film, Lowenstein says, "we found six or seven interviews, where he brings up suicide, saying, 'no one minds if you kill yourself' and 'no one minds if you do'. But it was that personal relationship with Hutchence, as well as many of his friends and former partners, that allowed him to ask questions and get answers no other filmmaker could. Earlier this year, Rhett issued a statement on social media on what would have been Michael's 57th birthday. @BethanyMinelle. One night, after an evening spent partying, Hutchence was drunkenly riding a bicycle home, down the middle of a street. A post-mortem examination found alcohol, cocaine, codeine, Prozac, Valium and other prescribed benzodiazepines - or 'benzos' - in Hutchence's urine and blood. Lowenstein explains: "She's an incredibly private person, so I don't feel right saying too much. Michael Putland/Getty Images Nearly 20 years after his death, charismatic INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence will be the. But Yates, meanwhile, suggested that he died accidentally during an attempt at autoerotic asphyxiation in which the sensation of orgasm is heightened by the restriction of oxygen. What amazing pictures. But the Canadian musician's lower lows are the . One recording session was abandoned when a drunken Hutchence bellowed, "We need more aggression on this track", before forcefully shoving a microphone through the strings of Andrew Farriss's acoustic guitar. The only other person who knew - his then girlfriend supermodel Helena Christensen - had been sworn to secrecy. "They were trying to make him stay but he was physically pushing them away.". He had recently become obsessed with the grunge music coming out of Seattle and feared his band would be left behind if they didn't adapt to this dark new sound. "Especially aged 27, when so many stars died like Hendrix and Morrison, and he was being obviously compared to some of those. Hutchence was found naked behind the door to his room, 524. Their love and sympathy go out to Michael Hutchence's family. After hours of drinking with his ex and her new boyfriend in his Ritz-Carlton hotel room that fateful night in November, Hutchence was heard screaming at someone over the phone. So he posed for the photo. This call worried Ms Troup and she spoke to John Martin, the tour manager for INXS. Vehement about all six members being represented equally, they turned the opportunity down, but it proved a harbinger of future fissures within the group. Michelle Bennet, [sic] a former de-facto of the deceased, received two telephone calls from him on the morning of the 22nd November. "They did some naughty recreational things together but underneath it all was this really warm, secure love and relationship. INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence at his London home. He was the lead singer and lyricist of INXS from 1977 until his death. I said: Hang on Michael, and I was able to get a snap of that. Given his situation, it was an emotional performance. However, when she arrived at the hotel she was not able to rouse him by knocking loudly on his door nor by ringing him. A London psychiatrist, Mr Mark Collins, was consulted by the deceased on 17th October, 1997 in regard to a minor depression being experienced by him. "When Michael hit his head, he came back a different person and I'm sure doctors were prescribing all sorts of weird and wonderful concoctions,'' bassist Garry Garry Beers told Sunday Night in 2014. So, what does Lowenstein think Hutchence would have made of the documentary? William West/AFP/Getty ImagesFans at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Sydney, Australia, following news of Michael Hutchences death. Pic: Marc Berry Reid, Hutchence dated model Helena Christensen for around four years, Richard Lowenstein worked with Hutchence over many years. "He'd burst into tears and say, 'It's all about taste and smell that I'm so depressed If I have a baby, I won't be able to smell my own child.'". The 18th anniversary of legendary INXS lead singer Michael Hutchences death is on Sunday and a new book will capture him in some of his most intimate moments. "I know that Michael would have loved to have the reputation of Nick Cave for example.". She had just divorced her husband Bob Geldof, with whom she had three children. Various band members and backing vocalists filed out, and only Kirk Pengilly, Andrew Farriss and the singer remained. I am satisfied that the cause of death was 'hanging'. Troup tried to return the call a few hours later when she woke, but nobody answered. I therefore discount that manner of death. That's the reaction the band's longtime members Andrew, Tim and Jon Farriss, Kirk Pengilly and Garry Gary Beers so often get when they talk of hiring another frontman. Already at a low ebb, and on the eve of a gruelling world tour, Hutchence called his manager and ex-girlfriend from his Sydney hotel room and then took his own life. Ms Paula Yates provided a statement. The gulf between Hutchence and his bandmates was growing quickly. Hutchence was late, but this was nothing out of the ordinary. "I took all that material from the interview and the report to an expert on suicide and neurologists and they said: 'Without doubt that's what happened, he killed himself'. Ms Bennett went to the hotel but could not rouse him by telephone or knocking on his door. Then later at 9.38am she received, via voicemail, a call from Michael Hutchence in which he said 'Martha, Michael here. He was last prescribed Prozac on November 1, 1997 (three weeks before his death). "I knew all these people, so there was this element of trust on either side of the microphone.". 'It'll be a cross between family, friends and fans. The coroner ruled it wasn't likely a suicide attempt, but the result of being "foolish and incautious". Ms Kym Wilson and Mr Andrew Rayment were with the deceased in his hotel room from sometime after 11pm and left about 5am. Richard jumped in and had a picture taken with them. Until, as she says in the film, it was over.". "She wrote an email to the record company and band management, and within 24 hours of the email being sent, we had nine songs at a very reasonable rate. This is the Coroner's verdict, as told at the time. Rock Star: INXS is the first season of the reality television show Rock Star where fifteen contestants competed to become the lead vocalist for the Australian rock band INXS.. INXS enjoyed great popularity through the 1980s and early 1990s, but after frontman Michael Hutchence died in 1997, the band attempted to continue with alternate singers, but remained largely dormant until this show. That meant Yates would not be coming either. Conmen, crooked cops, gangsters and notorious murders Andrew Rule has taken us through the darkest corners of Australias underworld. The rehearsal was to be the last one before the start of the tour and was quite important.