Jon Farriss

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Jon Farriss
Birth name Jonathon James Farriss
Born August 10, 1961 (1961-08-10) (age 46)
Perth, Western Australia[1]
Instrument(s) Drums/Percussion
Years active 1979-present[1]
Associated acts INXS
Website Jon Farriss from the INXS website

Jonathon James Farriss (born 10 August 1961) is the drummer for the Australian rock band INXS.

He is the younger brother of fellow band members Tim Farriss and Andrew Farriss[1], and was the youngest member of INXS until J.D. Fortune joined on lead vocals.

Farriss is known[who?] for integrating traditional rock drums with more funk and dance influenced beats as well as acoustic drums and sequencers and pads. Examples of these techniques can be found in such songs as "Need You Tonight" and "The Stairs".

Farriss has also been credited with backing vocals on many of the band's earlier albums. Among his song writing credits with INXS (mostly collaborations with Michael Hutchence) are "Red Red Sun," "The Gift," "Deepest Red" (a rare b-side) "Faith In Each Other," "Back On Line," "Never Let You Go" (with JD Fortune) and the hit "Disappear".

He also received high marks on his drumming work in the song "Taste It".

[edit] Other work

Farriss started playing drums professionally at the age of 16.[1] He played with bands such as Top Kat[1], Blackwater, Fish and Guinness.[2]

Farriss is credited as "Jazzy Jonny J" on Tim Farriss' album Deep Inside, a compilation of samples. He wrote and performed the song "You Never Used to Cry" on the soundtrack for the 1984 film No Small Affair.

[edit] Private Life

  • Formerly married to actress Leslie Bega, from 14 February 1992 to 1999.
  • After the death of his mother Jill in 1995, separation from Bega and loss of his "inseparable friend" Michael Hutchence (with whom he once shared an apartment in Hong Kong) and finally painful knee surgery - Jon suffered from a nervous breakdown, fueled by alcohol and drugs.
  • In 2006, married long-time girlfriend Kerry Norris in a small beach-side ceremony in Jervis Bay, followed by a party at their home in Hyams Beach.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Biography of Jon Farriss from the INXS website
  2. ^ INXS. Story To Story; the Official Biography.
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