Hutchence was also a member of the short-lived band Max Q and recorded some solo material, alongside acting in films such as Dogs in Space (1986) and Frankenstein Unbound (1990).

[4] His paternal grandparents were an English couple who had relocated to Sydney in 1922,[5] while his maternal grandfather was an Irish man from County Cork.

Farriss convinced Hutchence to join his band, Doctor Dolphin, alongside their classmates Kent Kerny and Neil Sanders.

Bassist Garry Beers and drummer Geoff Kennelly from nearby Forest High School completed the line-up.

In 1977, a new band called the Farriss Brothers was formed with Andrew on keyboards, Tim on lead guitar, and Jon on drums.

[8] The Farriss Brothers regularly supported hard rockers Midnight Oil on the pub rock circuit, and were renamed as INXS in 1979.

[8] Soon after recording sessions for Underneath the Colours – produced by Richard Clapton – had finished, band members started work on outside projects.

Hutchence recorded "Speed Kills", written by Don Walker of hard rockers Cold Chisel, for the soundtrack to the 1982 film Freedom, directed by Scott Hicks.

The cassette also included a cover version of Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood's hit "Jackson", which Hutchence sang as a duet with Jenny Morris, a backing singer for The Swing sessions.

[15] In 1986, Hutchence played Sam, the male lead in the Australian film Dogs in Space, directed by long-time INXS music video collaborator Richard Lowenstein.

[18][19] Late in 1986, before commencing work on a new INXS album and while supposedly taking an eight-month break, the band's management decided to stage the Australian Made tour as a series of major outdoor concerts across the country.

The roster featured INXS, Jimmy Barnes (Cold Chisel), Models, Divinyls, Mental as Anything, the Triffids and I'm Talking.

[22] Divinyls' lead singer Chrissy Amphlett enjoyed the tour and reconnected with Hutchence, stating that "[he] was a sweet man, who said in one interview that he wanted me to have his baby.

[28] In 1990, Hutchence portrayed nineteenth-century Romantic poet Percy Shelley in Roger Corman's film version of Frankenstein Unbound, which was based on a science fiction time travel story of the same name written by Brian Aldiss.

[10] After a period of inactivity and releases that received lukewarm reviews, INXS recorded the band's 10th official album, Elegantly Wasted, in 1996.

"[38] Paul Donoughue of Australia's ABC, wrote that Hutchence had "a phenomenal voice — moody, sexual, and dynamic, able to shift effortlessly from fragile to cocksure.

"[39] Reviewing an INXS concert, Dave Simpson of The Guardian wrote, "Watching Hutchence, hair flailing, crotch thrusting, a mischievous smile forever creeping across his leathery face, I realised that here was a man born to be onstage, living and loving every minute, an explosion of sexual energy".

"[41] According to People, Hutchence's "public brawls and onetime open drug use" led London tabloids to dub him the "wild man of rock".

[49] The taxi driver assaulted Hutchence, causing him to fall backwards and hit his head on the pavement; he suffered a fractured skull.

According to INXS bandmate Beers, Hutchence brandished a knife and threatened to kill him during the 1993 recording of Full Moon, Dirty Hearts.

[57] In September 1996, Yates and Hutchence made headlines when they were arrested for suspicion of drug possession after the family nanny reportedly found a small amount of opium in a shoebox underneath their bed.

[58] Paula Yates died on 17 September 2000 of an accidental heroin overdose; she was discovered in the presence of her and Hutchence's then four-year-old daughter.

[59] Soon after Yates' death, Geldof assumed foster custody of their daughter so that she could be brought up with her three older half-sisters, Fifi, Peaches and Pixie.

[61][62][63] On 22 November 1997, at the age of 37, Hutchence was found dead in his room at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in the Double Bay suburb of Sydney.

[65] Earlier that year, Hutchence and INXS had started a world tour to support the April 1997 release of Elegantly Wasted.

[64][67] Geldof's police statements and evidence to the coroner indicated he did receive a call from Hutchence, who was "hectoring and abusive and threatening" during their phone conversation.

"[64] On 6 February 1998, after an autopsy and coronial inquest, New South Wales State Coroner, Derrick Hand, presented his report.

"[68] In producing his coroner's report, Hand had specifically considered the suggestions of accidental death (coupled with the fact that Hutchence left no suicide note), but had discounted them based on substantial evidence presented to the contrary.

[72] Nick Cave, a friend of Hutchence's, performed his 1997 song "Into My Arms" during the funeral and requested that television cameras be switched off.

[72] Rhett claimed in his 2004 book, Total XS, that on the previous day at the funeral home, Yates had put a gram of heroin into Michael's pocket.