Full Transcript for Epi 234: Remembering Michael Hutchence- 1997 Interview revisited

this particular episode of Access All Areas and long gone, but never forgotten. 00:02:30.526 --> 00:02:34.166 Hey, this is Tim Farris. Big shout out to Hayden and Bea. Also want to say hello 00:02:34.166 --> 00:02:37.126 to all the listeners and NXS fans. Thanks for listening. 00:02:37.426 --> 00:02:40.166 I love you, Hayden and Bea. You're doing a great job. Keep it up. 00:02:44.386 --> 00:02:48.266 And now it's time for topic of the week. 00:02:49.182 --> 00:02:52.622 Well, we're actually very, very lucky today. We're joined by a gentleman who 00:02:52.622 --> 00:02:56.902 I, if I have FOMO or jealousy about one person's life here in this great Steve 00:02:56.902 --> 00:02:59.962 Lelbert, it's this gentleman, Nui Decao is joining us today, 00:02:59.962 --> 00:03:02.662 who's the leading sort of entertainment writer for the Herald Sun. 00:03:02.742 --> 00:03:03.802 Have I got that moniker right? 00:03:04.362 --> 00:03:07.702 Hello, team. Yes, that'll do. I'll wear that quite a lot. Thank you very much. 00:03:08.162 --> 00:03:12.242 There's no need for FOMO, mate. It's all smoke and food. I'm not wearing a tie. 00:03:12.462 --> 00:03:15.322 I will say, Nui, you're the most well-presented guest we've ever had, 00:03:15.402 --> 00:03:18.322 and here I am wearing a white T-shirt, feeling slightly pale in comparison. 00:03:18.322 --> 00:03:21.602 But we are very lucky to have you on today because, look, not only through your 00:03:21.602 --> 00:03:24.602 achievements with the Herald Sun and through Hit Magazine at your inception 00:03:24.602 --> 00:03:27.442 in Melbourne, you've had the luxury, I guess, of attending, you know, 00:03:27.682 --> 00:03:30.142 a schedule of events in the last, you know, few months. 00:03:30.282 --> 00:03:34.562 I know the Chili Peppers and Lizzo and all the famous acts coming to Australia and movie openings. 00:03:35.062 --> 00:03:37.842 You must, you know, pinch yourself. You have a pretty cool life. 00:03:38.470 --> 00:03:42.650 Oh, yeah, and it's worked, really, you know, beyond, you know, 00:03:42.710 --> 00:03:47.510 the glamour and the interview and the access and the shows and everything like that. 00:03:47.930 --> 00:03:52.770 It's still work in the end. You know this. It's going there to review. 00:03:53.070 --> 00:03:57.050 So, you know, I try to have as much fun as I can at these events. 00:03:57.070 --> 00:04:00.530 But you also know that in the back of your mind, you know, you're kind of thinking 00:04:00.530 --> 00:04:04.750 and calculating and reviewing and just trying to put it all together and try 00:04:04.750 --> 00:04:09.830 to make sense of it. So, you know, you mentioned I went to Lizzo the other night. 00:04:09.990 --> 00:04:13.990 It's just that, you know, I'm there with my notebook, there with my notes, 00:04:14.070 --> 00:04:18.090 kind of trying to figure out what the set list is and trying to interpret it 00:04:18.090 --> 00:04:22.870 and just, you know, make it as entertaining for the reader,

you know, as being there. 00:04:23.070 --> 00:04:27.210 So, you know what they say, that it's not work if you're loving it and enjoying it. 00:04:27.290 --> 00:04:31.190 And I do enjoy my work. It's one of the best gigs in town, man. 00:04:31.610 --> 00:04:35.030 And I know there's, you know, a balancing act between reporting and being a 00:04:35.030 --> 00:04:37.830 critic. Do you have a charter that's given to you or they just say, 00:04:37.990 --> 00:04:41.070 you go there, you feel it, you interpret it? You know, is it one of the two? 00:04:41.610 --> 00:04:44.090 No, I think you have to be honest. I think you have to be honest about, 00:04:44.230 --> 00:04:48.510 you know, what you're going to and what it is and how it's rolling out. 00:04:48.550 --> 00:04:52.730 And I certainly wouldn't hold back if it's, you know, if it's not a good show, 00:04:52.750 --> 00:04:54.930 but I generally go out to have a good time. 00:04:55.090 --> 00:04:57.830 I really want to enjoy the show. I want to be, you know, surprised, 00:04:58.130 --> 00:05:01.950 not necessarily impressed, but I just, I want to be entertained. 00:05:01.950 --> 00:05:05.910 I want to be challenged. You know, we often, you know, know in advance what 00:05:05.910 --> 00:05:08.230 these shows are going to be like, because you can look at the set list, 00:05:08.390 --> 00:05:10.990 you can see YouTube clips and all that sort of thing. 00:05:11.170 --> 00:05:14.870 But nothing beats going to a gig and just being there, being in the moment, 00:05:15.430 --> 00:05:19.730 you know, soaking it up and just, and just, you know, just enjoying it for what 00:05:19.730 --> 00:05:21.350 it is. I, you know, I always... 00:05:22.230 --> 00:05:25.030 Go out to have a good time. I always want to enjoy the show. 00:05:25.190 --> 00:05:29.990 So I'm not out there with, you know, with my knives and ready to catch a job on everything. 00:05:30.530 --> 00:05:34.770 You know, I know they're there to entertain. I want to be entertained. So let's do it. 00:05:34.890 --> 00:05:37.870 It's a great attitude to have because I think, you know, not everybody goes 00:05:37.870 --> 00:05:39.910 to those events with that sort of open agenda. 00:05:40.110 --> 00:05:43.930 As a Melbournian growing up here and obviously the Herald Sun being sort of 00:05:43.930 --> 00:05:48.390 one of our lifebloods, but also in the 90s, there was a magazine that you had 00:05:48.390 --> 00:05:52.670 an involvement with called Hit Magazine, which back in the pre-internet days, 00:05:52.810 --> 00:05:54.610 which a lot of our younger listeners won't relate to, 00:05:55.010 --> 00:05:57.930 publications like Hit Magazine were the Bible for us as a youth. 00:05:58.090 --> 00:06:00.910 Tell us a bit about getting involved with that early in the early 90s. 00:06:01.453 --> 00:06:06.533 Well, come with me, young'un, and let me tell you a story about the print media 00:06:06.533 --> 00:06:08.193 and background and all that. 00:06:08.773 --> 00:06:12.433 Hit Magazine was started in 1994 or 95. 00:06:13.073 --> 00:06:16.893 Until that point, the Herald Sun did not have a dedicated music, 00:06:16.893 --> 00:06:18.513 movies, and art section. 00:06:18.753 --> 00:06:24.213 There were bits and bobs. I certainly tried to get in there and do little pieces. 00:06:24.513 --> 00:06:28.573 So Hit Magazine, before Hit Magazine, there were just tiny little stories. 00:06:28.573 --> 00:06:31.253 You know, often up the paper, you kind of had to pine. 00:06:31.873 --> 00:06:36.593 I really wanted to bring something else to the paper, something a bit more substantial. 00:06:36.593 --> 00:06:39.753 So we started Hit Magazine as a music section. 00:06:39.993 --> 00:06:44.573 At the time, The Age, our competitor had a really strong section called EG. 00:06:44.953 --> 00:06:48.813 I don't know if EG's still going now, but the entertainment was the Bible. 00:06:49.113 --> 00:06:52.173 Man, I really wanted to match that. I wanted to get the biggest acts. 00:06:52.693 --> 00:06:55.813 You know, we wanted to just be on top of everything in entertainment. 00:06:55.813 --> 00:06:58.753 And I think we achieved that with Hit Magazine. 00:06:58.993 --> 00:07:03.353 You know, our very first cover story in 1994 was U2. 00:07:03.713 --> 00:07:06.873 U2 were coming out for, I think it was a Zeropa. 00:07:07.113 --> 00:07:11.453 Maybe it was a Zeropa tour for Ucturl and Bambi. They were our very first cover. 00:07:11.613 --> 00:07:15.653 So we aimed high and we got what we were after. 00:07:15.833 --> 00:07:20.053 I reckon November 93, that could have been the date because it was the only 00:07:20.053 --> 00:07:24.853 tour of U2 I missed because I had my uni exams. And right at the end of 93, 00:07:25.033 --> 00:07:26.793 early 94, sounds like a pretty accurate time. 00:07:27.313 --> 00:07:32.913 E-Magazine probably started around that time. Yeah. It was Europa and it was at the MCG. 00:07:33.233 --> 00:07:37.533 It was real busy that period because I remember you two were there and I think 00:07:37.533 --> 00:07:41.073 Madonna moved the following week with the girly show. 00:07:41.173 --> 00:07:46.153 Busy times, busy times. So how did you two meet? Because I've been out of this loop. 00:07:46.608 --> 00:07:52.368 I've been thinking, who's this Nui? Look, I've just sent generally friendly texts to Nui. 00:07:52.508 --> 00:07:55.088 Like, I love his life. I like the fact he's doing this. I think we might have 00:07:55.088 --> 00:07:57.128 had a chili peppers difference of opinion on something. 00:07:57.408 --> 00:08:01.788 I feel like there's this Melbourne-y and open-minded guy who engages with people 00:08:01.788 --> 00:08:05.288 who, you know, I guess engage with him in the social media space. 00:08:05.428 --> 00:08:08.328 That's really been the backdrop. But I've enjoyed listening to Nui. 00:08:08.548 --> 00:08:12.568 You were on, I think, with Eddie and Das for a number of years doing the entertainment section.

00:08:12.988 --> 00:08:15.228 What's that, a radio show? Yeah. 00:08:15.708 --> 00:08:18.908 Yeah, it's Triple M, Triple M, it's Triple M Rocks. 00:08:21.608 --> 00:08:27.508 So someone called it the bourbon and coke of football commentary in the ABC with the red wine. 00:08:28.268 --> 00:08:34.208 What does that make, Chris? I don't know, maybe the spewmanty of podcasting. 00:08:34.728 --> 00:08:36.588 I'll lower it well, I'll lower it well. 00:08:37.788 --> 00:08:41.308 But I knew he would come on that. And look, again, it's just those entertainment 00:08:41.308 --> 00:08:42.448 updates of what's happening. 00:08:42.448 --> 00:08:45.488 You know, he had his finger on the pulse and, you know, again, 00:08:45.648 --> 00:08:47.548 you know, without peeing in the pocket, I mean, you know, there were certain 00:08:47.548 --> 00:08:50.948 people here in Melbourne that you would find your entertainment news out and 00:08:50.948 --> 00:08:52.988 that hit publication that would, 00:08:53.328 --> 00:08:56.768 you know, it sounds revolutionary sort of, well, it sounds par se now, 00:08:56.908 --> 00:09:01.148 but a booklet coming out of a Herald Sun, you know, tabloid 25, 00:09:01.388 --> 00:09:05.448 30 years ago was pretty, pretty important because we had no social leader and 00:09:05.448 --> 00:09:09.028 this is where you got your access to tours and movies and reviews and it was 00:09:09.028 --> 00:09:12.108 a genuine deep dive that helped probably the Herald Sun start, 00:09:12.568 --> 00:09:14.068 surpassing the age, I guess, its competitor. 00:09:14.713 --> 00:09:20.433 I agree, but I also rate EG. I think EG was always strong, always loved the green light. 00:09:20.593 --> 00:09:24.493 So there was always that friendly rivalry. I knew everybody at EG. 00:09:24.673 --> 00:09:28.913 We all got along. We're all there for the same purpose. We just wanted to vibe on music, man. 00:09:29.013 --> 00:09:34.333 We just wanted to vibe on the movies and promote it and just be as positive as we could. 00:09:34.693 --> 00:09:39.333 The good thing about those days, those days, it was street press. 00:09:39.453 --> 00:09:41.253 I really liked street press back then too. 00:09:41.753 --> 00:09:45.333 I was an avid reader of Impress. It was an avid reader of the magazine. 00:09:45.953 --> 00:09:47.173 And that was so good, man. 00:09:47.233 --> 00:09:49.933 I actually poached a couple of riders from B. 00:09:50.093 --> 00:09:52.873 I took Cameron Adams out of B and brought him across. 00:09:53.173 --> 00:09:56.493 Okay. We love Cameron. Cameron Adams. We love Cameron Adams. 00:09:56.993 --> 00:10:00.573 Much love, Cameron. Over at Ossterio now, poor guy. Fair, fair, fair. 00:10:00.873 --> 00:10:05.493 I used to use Andrew Marst, who was a great club rider at Impress. Used to use him. 00:10:05.773 --> 00:10:09.373 Mikey Cagle, who was from Impress and B. Cameron brought him across. 00:10:09.373 --> 00:10:12.373 So we were always keeping an eye out 00:10:12.373 -->

00:10:15.193 on who was you know writing good things in those 00:10:15.193 --> 00:10:18.873 street roads it's such a good training ground for journalists christy 00:10:18.873 --> 00:10:23.073 eliza was another one michael dwyer was another one and michael man he's like 00:10:23.073 --> 00:10:28.053 a heavy hitter over the age now my favorite music writer just incredible things 00:10:28.053 --> 00:10:32.573 so we all kind of come through the same stream and we all end up working together 00:10:32.573 --> 00:10:36.973 we all know each other and i just think the energy is just about doing good work. 00:10:37.133 --> 00:10:40.373 I think it was Neil Gillett, he used to review over at The Age, the movie guy. 00:10:40.873 --> 00:10:43.373 Was it Gillett? Yeah, he did. I remember, I think Tony Martin, 00:10:43.473 --> 00:10:47.933 the DJ, might have referred him as the guy who hates movies. All right. 00:10:49.613 --> 00:10:52.713 Link, Link, actually was over at The Age too. He was great. He's great, yeah. 00:10:53.373 --> 00:10:58.153 Link, you've done a good one, man. We steal. Yes. We steal. Yes. You know the talent. 00:10:58.533 --> 00:11:01.253 You know what you want in your gang, by the sounds of it? Yeah. 00:11:01.253 --> 00:11:06.893 Do you really get into it and immerse yourself into your career by the sides 00:11:06.893 --> 00:11:08.373 of it? Does your wife see much? 00:11:09.294 --> 00:11:13.614 She does, you know, and we went to, well, I went over to the Illuminate Festival 00:11:13.614 --> 00:11:16.374 in Adelaide last week and I took my family with me. 00:11:16.534 --> 00:11:20.834 I like, I just like experiences and I just, you know, like being, 00:11:21.054 --> 00:11:23.214 I don't like jumping into things. 00:11:23.374 --> 00:11:25.874 I really want to do this, but I just really want to soak it up, 00:11:25.934 --> 00:11:27.154 man. I want the experience. 00:11:27.534 --> 00:11:30.594 I just want to learn from stuff. I want to, you know, grow from things. 00:11:30.774 --> 00:11:33.954 This festival as part of Illuminate, they have it exclusively. 00:11:34.034 --> 00:11:39.654 It's a festival called Unsound and it's from Krakow. It's from Poland. Well. 00:11:40.163 --> 00:11:45.103 Yeah yeah yeah yeah and they 00:11:45.103 --> 00:11:48.203 just have some challenging things some challenging acts and 00:11:48.203 --> 00:11:51.083 i just go over there to soak it up and i do it's quite 00:11:51.083 --> 00:11:53.803 family she come on let's go and we'll do this come and see it 00:11:53.803 --> 00:11:56.503 took my son's done sounds yeah checked out 00:11:56.503 --> 00:11:59.383 a few things it went from you know kind of ambient to 00:11:59.383 --> 00:12:02.803 hardcore jungle to this new genre called footwork 00:12:02.803 --> 00:12:05.623 which is kind of like you know speedy kind of 00:12:05.623 --> 00:12:08.383 techno jungle sort of thing so it was 00:12:08.383 --> 00:12:11.083 super interesting man and i try to 00:12:11.083 --> 00:12:14.103 involve my family wherever i can if i'm going to dark mofo 00:12:14.103 --> 00:12:17.403 or you know motor foam or vivid and all 00:12:17.403 --> 00:12:21.083 it's always an open invite to them you know come and come and experience some 00:12:21.083 --> 00:12:24.423 of the great things that i am you know i'd love to share it the photos last 00:12:24.423 --> 00:12:29.763 week were sensational that you that shared um at illumina which i think you 00:12:29.763 --> 00:12:33.263 know melbourne and adelaide probably are the two more artistically sort of cultural 00:12:33.263 --> 00:12:36.643 cities in the country for these type of events, I guess, aren't they? 00:12:36.863 --> 00:12:40.823 Well, we're really good for festivals. I'm really happy that Rising is, 00:12:40.923 --> 00:12:46.183 you know, the Rising Festival, which is like our answer to Dark Mofo and Vibid and Eliminate, 00:12:46.543 --> 00:12:51.583 you know, is just taking some small steps to get an identity and really kind 00:12:51.583 --> 00:12:55.183 of forge something, you know, substantial for Melbourne. Yeah. 00:12:55.583 --> 00:12:58.223 Well, we would like to pick your brains a little bit. 00:12:58.323 --> 00:13:01.823 As you probably know, we are an InXS podcast. We have had Cameron Adams on a 00:13:01.823 --> 00:13:04.343 couple of times, who's been great with his time. 00:13:04.503 --> 00:13:08.903 But thankfully and historically, you have some history dating all the way back 00:13:08.903 --> 00:13:11.843 to, I guess, the early 90s around the Welcome to Wherever You Are tour, 00:13:12.003 --> 00:13:13.963 where you had the chance to interview Michael. 00:13:14.163 --> 00:13:18.243 And then, look, later on and somewhat, you know, sadly, was probably the last 00:13:18.243 --> 00:13:21.543 interview that Michael did here in Australian waters as he was probably rushing 00:13:21.543 --> 00:13:23.803 from LA to Australia before getting on a plane. 00:13:23.923 --> 00:13:27.243 But if we go back to the more happier one, I think the Welcome to Wherever You 00:13:27.243 --> 00:13:31.563 Are tour, where they did the clubs and unis and things. I was fortunate enough to be at those. 00:13:31.883 --> 00:13:36.703 Tell us a bit about meeting Michael and where and what and how and all that interview came about. 00:13:37.300 --> 00:13:40.140 Well, that's my favorite tour. That's my favorite show of this. 00:13:40.300 --> 00:13:43.540 So you were there at the Palace? I saw the three at the Palace, 00:13:43.700 --> 00:13:46.420 then the Melbourne Uni, then at Caulfield Chisholm or whatever, 00:13:46.740 --> 00:13:48.700 at Monash, I think. That was an amazing show. 00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:52.380 It was so casual, and Michael just felt so relaxed in that one. 00:13:52.520 --> 00:13:55.940 You remember the intro, you know, hey, welcome to wherever you are, 00:13:55.980 --> 00:13:57.180 and then they just kicked off. 00:13:57.420 --> 00:14:01.400 And that's such a good record, too. It's

like Kevin Slynt, Irina Glanshin, 00:14:01.520 --> 00:14:07.320 not enough time. It's a super, super delightful period for me for NXS Music. 00:14:07.460 --> 00:14:08.620 I really love that album. 00:14:08.860 --> 00:14:12.100 Fell in love with them all over again with that tour. I love being down at the 00:14:12.100 --> 00:14:14.000 Palace and seeing that show. 00:14:14.705 --> 00:14:19.025 That interview came about because they were just in town to promote the tour. 00:14:19.505 --> 00:14:24.025 So it was simple as that. Michael was available. We did the interview at the Coma Hotel. 00:14:24.265 --> 00:14:27.365 He was staying down there. A very pleasant host. 00:14:27.465 --> 00:14:30.425 As soon as I got in there, offered me tea, made a cup of tea, 00:14:30.645 --> 00:14:34.885 was really friendly and just really super aware of who he was. 00:14:35.245 --> 00:14:39.345 I think he was going out with Helena Christensen at that time because people 00:14:39.345 --> 00:14:42.185 were bugging them for photos down on the street on Chapel Street. 00:14:42.185 --> 00:14:48.585 And he said, I've got a favorite trick when people want to get a photo with me. 00:14:48.625 --> 00:14:52.505 I get Helena to take the photo and chop off my head and theirs. 00:14:53.925 --> 00:14:57.765 Well, this was when you had to get your tools developed. So you really didn't 00:14:57.765 --> 00:15:01.965 know what you had until you got it back from the chemist. Oh, 00:15:01.965 --> 00:15:03.245 my God, that's hilarious. 00:15:03.705 --> 00:15:07.985 That was his favorite trick. He said, oh, please shoot us from the neck down. 00:15:08.105 --> 00:15:11.565 And he used to do it whenever they wanted a photo with Helena. but 00:15:11.565 --> 00:15:15.145 he was really nice man he was so friendly there were 00:15:15.145 --> 00:15:18.025 no constraints on the interview i could ask about 00:15:18.025 --> 00:15:21.245 kylie because they dated and obviously split i 00:15:21.245 --> 00:15:25.325 could ask about helena which is when he you know shared that information about 00:15:25.325 --> 00:15:29.225 the photography he wanted to speak a lot about the record because he was super 00:15:29.225 --> 00:15:34.145 proud of that album and just you know really hanging to play those shows i didn't 00:15:34.145 --> 00:15:38.825 realize they did three shows at the palace i thought it was one or two no no No, they did the Palace. 00:15:40.105 --> 00:15:44.605 I reckon it was three and three nights. They did the Melbourne Uni the next night. Oh, wow. 00:15:45.223 --> 00:15:47.523 Well, it might have been two nights later, didn't they finish at Monash? 00:15:47.563 --> 00:15:49.383 They did these two uni shows. 00:15:49.943 --> 00:15:53.703 I mean, the Palace one really is probably my favorite because it was, 00:15:53.723 --> 00:15:57.883 you know, three, four years between or maybe a couple of years prior to seeing 00:15:57.883 --> 00:16:00.303 them and the new album and they're playing stuff off that album they hadn't 00:16:00.303 --> 00:16:02.283 even released yet, which was Full Moon and Dirty Hearts. 00:16:02.443 --> 00:16:06.743 And I remember the cast of Neighbors were upstairs in their little VOP area 00:16:06.743 --> 00:16:10.103 and we were giving them some shit because we were young and wild. 00:16:10.143 --> 00:16:13.483 And I think UMI was supporting them that night. Wow. A very young UMI. 00:16:13.483 --> 00:16:17.683 Yeah, I just remember it was such a great energetic show. 00:16:17.763 --> 00:16:20.063 And did they open with Heaven Sent? I can't remember. 00:16:20.443 --> 00:16:22.343 They opened with Communication that 00:16:22.343 --> 00:16:26.803 night. Yeah, we did an episode on that concert series a few weeks ago. 00:16:26.883 --> 00:16:29.463 But yeah, they opened with Communication. But they played Heaven Sent and some 00:16:29.463 --> 00:16:30.263 of the tracks you mentioned. 00:16:30.463 --> 00:16:34.603 And it was really sort of, I guess, if you break it down, they played a year 00:16:34.603 --> 00:16:37.363 earlier at a stadium, sorry, at Centennial Park. Yeah. 00:16:38.003 --> 00:16:41.203 And then maybe 18 months earlier, they played at Wembley. But they really hadn't 00:16:41.203 --> 00:16:43.283 done much in Australia for about two and a half years. 00:16:43.483 --> 00:16:47.223 And weirdly, to go from these venues to something small like the Palace was 00:16:47.223 --> 00:16:51.403 very unique and odd but also exciting to be that close to the band. 00:16:51.523 --> 00:16:58.463 That's what I'm thinking because 93 is not too far removed from Liv's Baby Liv, which is like 192. 00:16:58.663 --> 00:17:01.783 Yeah, that's right. With that stadium rock kind of image. 00:17:02.043 --> 00:17:06.883 Yeah. I just wonder what the Palace and then two union gigs were doing for the band. 00:17:07.983 --> 00:17:13.623 Well, Andrew did – we interviewed Andrew sort of back last year with Mark, 00:17:13.783 --> 00:17:16.943 and it was a four-hour interview, actually, not that there's pressure on you. 00:17:17.903 --> 00:17:20.683 Andrew had the Saturday afternoon off, and he... 00:17:21.007 --> 00:17:23.767 Really elaborated and we sliced it up for about three or 00:17:23.767 --> 00:17:26.607 four episodes but he just sort of said and it's probably gone with the bandits 00:17:26.607 --> 00:17:29.287 they wanted to record more and then these shows were 00:17:29.287 --> 00:17:32.287 little bonus shows and let's just do something different let's 00:17:32.287 --> 00:17:35.407 go back to playing a few things like this and it was it wasn't aimed to be a 00:17:35.407 --> 00:17:39.727 money tree exercise it was more of a back to basics let's do something that 00:17:39.727 --> 00:17:43.207 they we don't have people expect us to do it was like birth their own bubble 00:17:43.207 --> 00:17:48.147 in a way wasn't it they said yeah they did to get on that treadmill again they 00:17:48.147 --> 00:17:50.887 wanted to feel the sweat and

smell their audience. 00:17:51.187 --> 00:17:54.147 Yeah, well, I mean, bands often talk big game like that. 00:17:54.247 --> 00:17:57.427 They often say, you know, we want to go back to our roots and we want to do 00:17:57.427 --> 00:18:00.227 that, and it seems that NXS really did that. 00:18:00.407 --> 00:18:04.647 But weren't they going to play the LA Theatre when they came back in 97? 00:18:05.547 --> 00:18:06.847 LA Theatre in St. Jordan. 00:18:07.593 --> 00:18:11.213 Oh, yeah, yeah, they were. They were playing the Palais, which was two doors 00:18:11.213 --> 00:18:14.053 up. But the old palace, as you know, is locked down now. That's right. 00:18:14.453 --> 00:18:16.433 And we had to play the Palais. That's right, yeah. 00:18:16.893 --> 00:18:20.453 So I wonder whether NXS had kind of figured out something that they wanted to 00:18:20.453 --> 00:18:25.613 kind of stay in that, that, you know, Wembley and all that sort of stuff was 00:18:25.613 --> 00:18:27.213 not enjoyed with them anymore. 00:18:27.753 --> 00:18:31.273 They had, through our research and just going back and diving, 00:18:31.413 --> 00:18:35.973 they really just didn't want to do the three-year album, Big tour, 00:18:36.573 --> 00:18:38.853 you know, loud, big venues. 00:18:39.353 --> 00:18:42.473 You know, they wanted to just play to their own terms a bit. 00:18:42.593 --> 00:18:45.593 And it wasn't like commercially they're on the downward spiral. 00:18:45.853 --> 00:18:49.813 Like Live Baby Live and X and Kick were the albums preceding that. 00:18:49.933 --> 00:18:52.673 You know, Welcome, yeah, all right, sold $4 million. It didn't sell $20 million, 00:18:52.713 --> 00:18:55.413 but it probably sold $4 million because they didn't do a world tour. 00:18:55.573 --> 00:18:56.593 You know what I mean? Yeah. 00:18:57.193 --> 00:19:01.173 Yeah. And they wanted to record more. How do you rate Welcome to Wherever You 00:19:01.173 --> 00:19:02.973 Are? In the pantheon of NXS? 00:19:03.133 --> 00:19:07.293 Yeah. Yeah, I mean, it's something that I've probably said is my favourite album 00:19:07.293 --> 00:19:10.053 because I think musically it really sort of challenged them. 00:19:10.133 --> 00:19:13.353 And Mark Opitz, who's been a good friend of us and been on the podcast who produced 00:19:13.353 --> 00:19:16.053 it, really said to the band, okay, great, guys. 00:19:16.153 --> 00:19:19.433 You know, you've done Kick Part 2, which is X. I really want to challenge you guys' music. 00:19:19.993 --> 00:19:23.893 Let's take this to where we can go. And, you know, every soul really is quite 00:19:23.893 --> 00:19:28.033 sonically different to what they've done previously. So I love it and I think it still stands up. 00:19:28.173 --> 00:19:32.593 The world probably didn't quite get it, but the world didn't get pet sounds 00:19:32.593 --> 00:19:35.453 from Beach Boys either, you know, that's stiff for them. So, 00:19:35.553 --> 00:19:36.513 you know, these things, someone's. 00:20:09.004 --> 00:20:12.344 I don't know if you can run the story, but in that 93 interview, 00:20:12.544 --> 00:20:13.984 I asked him about Kylie Minogue. 00:20:14.284 --> 00:20:19.184 I said, you know, what do you think about the commentary around you and Kylie? 00:20:19.504 --> 00:20:24.444 You know, what kind of influence you were on her and the relationship that you had? 00:20:24.704 --> 00:20:30.924 And he said to me quite dryly, you mean the story about how I helped Kylie find her? 00:20:33.744 --> 00:20:39.564 Right, okay. And then I'm running back to our music editor and said, 00:20:39.664 --> 00:20:41.204 well, we've got the Hutchins story. 00:20:41.644 --> 00:20:46.484 I think we've got kind of the lead on this, and this is what he said. 00:20:47.024 --> 00:20:51.084 We've got never right there. I think she had a little questy cat, didn't she? 00:20:51.304 --> 00:20:55.144 Yeah. That was the kind of human you were dealing with. 00:20:55.324 --> 00:21:00.084 You know, I met him twice, and he was just so aware of who he was and, 00:21:00.124 --> 00:21:03.624 you know, the things that he was saying. And it was, oh, of course it was cheeky. 00:21:04.064 --> 00:21:08.264 And it was, you know, Hutchence being Hutchence. But, you know, 00:21:08.304 --> 00:21:11.044 to kind of say that to a tabloid, Janice, that's just hilarious. 00:21:11.244 --> 00:21:15.124 Funny that you mention his humour because was it only last week we spoke to 00:21:15.124 --> 00:21:19.184 one of his best mates and he was saying that they had the best time and the 00:21:19.184 --> 00:21:22.044 best laugh because he did have that sort of, you know, 00:21:22.619 --> 00:21:26.759 He loved to have a good laugh being ridiculous a little bit as well. 00:21:27.459 --> 00:21:31.979 Just, you know, it's a word that's thrown around too much, but that larrikin, 00:21:32.179 --> 00:21:37.279 you know, the larrikin sense of humour, that was well and truly on show that day. 00:21:37.379 --> 00:21:40.359 You know, the stuff about the camera and Christensen and Kylie, 00:21:40.699 --> 00:21:44.699 I just came away from that interview, you know, feeling really good. 00:21:44.699 --> 00:21:48.599 I didn't know what to expect because you see this, the image of the rock star 00:21:48.599 --> 00:21:51.959 and they'd conquered Wembley and, you know, all that stuff. 00:21:51.959 --> 00:21:57.159 And I mean the tabloid headlines hadn't really got bad by then certainly with 00:21:57.159 --> 00:22:03.039 Paula but he was really comfortable about who he was and and what he was doing in life I loved it. 00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:07.279 Was it a scenario that day where you're one of a few journos lined up and you 00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:10.159 go into a room and then do your section and things and you haven't a lot of 00:22:10.159 --> 00:22:11.699 time or was it a bit more organic than that? 00:22:11.999 --> 00:22:16.019 Not organic at all it was the the the 20 minute window that you speak of so

00:22:16.019 --> 00:22:20.759 I think it was half an hour very friendly You know, often we do these interviews 00:22:20.759 --> 00:22:21.919 and it's full of, you know. 00:22:22.939 --> 00:22:24.399 Americans with headsets on 00:22:24.399 --> 00:22:29.959 kind of arranging people and bringing them from one room to another room. 00:22:30.059 --> 00:22:33.459 And then you go into the room with a talent. It's just, you know, it's just a mess. 00:22:33.719 --> 00:22:38.759 Yeah. But this was super friendly. I think it was still, it was one by Warner, 00:22:38.919 --> 00:22:40.719 who was the music label at the time. 00:22:40.919 --> 00:22:45.199 And then maybe the promoter was involved, but it was just a one-two step from 00:22:45.199 --> 00:22:49.459 the lobby straight to Hutchins. And as I said, as soon as he opened the door, 00:22:49.619 --> 00:22:52.759 he offered to make tea. And then he made tea and sat down. 00:22:52.899 --> 00:22:56.519 It was very calm and casual and zen. It was great. 00:23:02.362 --> 00:23:06.222 You mentioned previously you also had a chance to interview Kirk in The Journey. 00:23:06.382 --> 00:23:10.082 What years was that when you interviewed Kirk? Was it between Welcome and the last tour? 00:23:10.162 --> 00:23:14.762 Yeah, I reckon, so I'm looking at my notes here, and I did Kirk a couple of times. 00:23:14.942 --> 00:23:21.402 One was for, I think it was that NXS show where they were looking for a new front man. 00:23:21.502 --> 00:23:24.002 Okay, the rock star, yeah, the rock star, yeah. 00:23:24.302 --> 00:23:26.582 Oh, right, that was two sides and four. 00:23:26.922 --> 00:23:32.602 Yeah, and just in this interview, he was talking about image and how important images. 00:23:32.862 --> 00:23:37.222 So it was, at the time it was, well, they were obviously on a reality show, 00:23:37.402 --> 00:23:40.542 but around the time of the rise of the reality show. 00:23:40.722 --> 00:23:46.002 So this interview is obviously after 2000 when The Boys and all those sorts of things came through. 00:23:46.422 --> 00:23:51.622 So I was asking Kirk about, you know, just the new way of becoming a pop star, 00:23:51.742 --> 00:23:55.022 that you really don't have to do the garages and the pubs anymore. 00:23:55.342 --> 00:24:00.822 You can fast track yourself, you know, into one of these reality shows and become an instant star. 00:24:00.922 --> 00:24:03.602 And he said, you know, that's just the way it is. 00:24:03.662 --> 00:24:08.422 It's a great way of discovering talent, of introducing someone to a massive audience. 00:24:08.482 --> 00:24:14.942 It's a fast trip to the industry, definitely, but the artwork starts after you're discovered. So, yeah. 00:24:15.282 --> 00:24:17.962 Yeah. You know, I still love that thing. And I also asked him whether, 00:24:18.042 --> 00:24:20.542 you know, the image and a look is important because, you know, 00:24:20.602 --> 00:24:25.202 you had these shows like The Voice, which were all about, we

don't, 00:24:25.282 --> 00:24:27.482 you know, we don't worry about looks, it's all about The Voice, 00:24:27.602 --> 00:24:28.802 and that's what makes the look. 00:24:29.862 --> 00:24:33.142 But he said, you know, image has always been a big part of the industry, 00:24:33.162 --> 00:24:37.682 you know, as he grew up as a kid, bands always had an image and they set the 00:24:37.682 --> 00:24:39.542 fashions and it's extremely important. 00:24:39.782 --> 00:24:42.462 And I suppose when you think about their front man, you know, 00:24:42.562 --> 00:24:47.082 being the ultimate, you know, kind of front man in Michael Hutchence, he knows what he's. 00:25:07.288 --> 00:25:12.748 So were you a fan of In Excess' music before even the Welcome album and your interview? 00:25:13.128 --> 00:25:16.908 Yeah, I got into, so I am from New Zealand, grew up in New Zealand, 00:25:17.088 --> 00:25:22.568 over in the 90s, and I really didn't know In Excess until Original Sin. 00:25:23.208 --> 00:25:28.948 That was a big hit in New Zealand, and then obviously the Kick album and that 00:25:28.948 --> 00:25:30.688 sort of thing. I did enjoy their music. 00:25:30.848 --> 00:25:34.588 I wasn't a massive fan. I didn't know the early catalogue, kind of got on to 00:25:34.588 --> 00:25:36.268 the early catalogue when I moved here. 00:25:36.848 --> 00:25:40.808 But yeah, I would say I knew their music and I was a fan of their music. 00:25:41.208 --> 00:25:46.468 Wasn't a massive fan of NXS, but certainly, you know, enjoyed and appreciated what they did. 00:25:47.068 --> 00:25:51.308 The hits over in New Zealand were massive. Like, I can't even remember what 00:25:51.308 --> 00:25:55.628 came after Original Sin, but, you know, the music relation I remember over there. 00:25:56.268 --> 00:25:58.728 Yeah, just everything. Yeah, what you need. 00:26:13.807 --> 00:26:16.947 So let's fast track from there right 00:26:16.947 --> 00:26:19.847 to the last interview how did that happen how 00:26:19.847 --> 00:26:23.667 did you get that didn't know it was the last interview that's the saddest thing 00:26:23.667 --> 00:26:27.927 about it they were touring with frontier so i remember it was a michael godinski 00:26:27.927 --> 00:26:32.327 tour i think they had to move a few tickets a year in melbourne that's often 00:26:32.327 --> 00:26:37.867 why an interview comes through a promoter needs to sell tickets so So it was Michael Hutchinson, 00:26:38.087 --> 00:26:40.087 get on a phone call from LA at this time. 00:26:40.547 --> 00:26:46.347 Are you available? Yeah, hell yes. Yes, I'll do it. Talk about life. 00:26:46.627 --> 00:26:50.167 By then, there'd been a lot of dramas with his partner, Paula Yates, 00:26:50.347 --> 00:26:53.307 and they'd really become fixations in the tabloids. 00:26:53.647 --> 00:26:58.447 So I knew there were certain talking points that were going to make the chat 00:26:58.447 --> 00:27:00.107 interesting, to say the least. 00:27:00.707 --> 00:27:08.207 He did the phone call from LA just as he was about to border fly to Australia, to Sydney. 00:27:08.507 --> 00:27:11.767 So they were the last times he did any interview. Obviously, 00:27:11.787 --> 00:27:14.207 they were going to do some on-ground stuff when he got to Sydney. 00:27:14.827 --> 00:27:20.147 You know, TV would have done things then. So I got a phone interview and my 00:27:20.147 --> 00:27:24.047 friend Michael Ephus at The Age also got an interview. 00:27:24.307 --> 00:27:26.867 So they were the last two interviews that Michael did. 00:27:27.291 --> 00:27:31.651 And they were purely just to promote the shows and, you know, 00:27:31.711 --> 00:27:36.351 talk about, you know, new music that they were playing. And did he sound tired? 00:27:36.631 --> 00:27:40.511 Well, it was four years after, you know, our fun time at the Como. 00:27:40.811 --> 00:27:46.351 He definitely sounded a little worn down by all the attention about all the 00:27:46.351 --> 00:27:52.831 stuff, you know, with Paula, all the tabloid attention, all the paparazzi following him. 00:27:52.831 --> 00:27:59.211 But he was really lucid and really clear about what he thought about that and 00:27:59.211 --> 00:28:00.571 how he was handling that. 00:28:00.751 --> 00:28:03.271 I've got the clippings here, what he said. 00:28:03.611 --> 00:28:09.331 This is just beautiful, man, the way that he saw life and was willing to kind 00:28:09.331 --> 00:28:10.731 of try and fight through. 00:28:10.911 --> 00:28:15.311 So this is what he said. He started talking about his demons and the things 00:28:15.311 --> 00:28:21.611 that were starting to trouble him and getting hassled and pressured and paparazzi 00:28:21.611 --> 00:28:22.711 following him everywhere. 00:28:23.231 --> 00:28:26.671 Things weren't resembling the truth in the newspaper. 00:28:26.951 --> 00:28:31.311 And so this is what he said. He said, I've dealt with many demons in my life, 00:28:31.431 --> 00:28:35.551 but nothing compares to what I've had to face over the past few years. 00:28:35.911 --> 00:28:39.671 It would be so easy for me to say that I hate what I've become, 00:28:39.811 --> 00:28:46.351 but then what I've become certainly in the public eye, I've had no control I don't like that. 00:28:46.511 --> 00:28:50.751 It concerns me a great deal that every move I make is looked at, 00:28:51.211 --> 00:28:57.691 photographed, and made into gossip and some fucking soundbite that doesn't even resemble the truth. 00:28:58.439 --> 00:29:03.959 I mean, you can just wear the frustration, but just how weird is that messaging? 00:29:04.399 --> 00:29:10.559 It's just absolutely crystal clear. He's making his point and he's making it heard, man. 00:29:10.779 --> 00:29:13.519 And I said, you know, well, how is it though? How is it? 00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:17.219 Because there's another party involved in this. Paul is involved in this. 00:29:17.439 --> 00:29:22.039 It's just this unholy mess that seems to be following, you know, you

guys around. 00:29:22.039 --> 00:29:26.319 And he says, I'd say it's much worse for Paul, but I'm a realist. 00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:31.419 I just do my best to confront these things, and I hope I come out of it stronger 00:29:31.419 --> 00:29:34.419 and a wiser and a better person. 00:29:34.619 --> 00:29:37.679 The truth has hardly ever survived in our case. 00:29:37.919 --> 00:29:43.319 I get to see some of what's written and hear what's said, but I try not to because 00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:49.719 some of it, no, most of it is hurtful, and it does me no good to think that it's out there. 00:29:50.039 --> 00:29:53.859 I hate the fact that people's perception of me is just fodder. 00:29:53.859 --> 00:29:57.379 Every movie you make is just used to sell newspapers. 00:29:57.999 --> 00:30:02.019 I don't want to be exposed like that all the time. I don't want to be known 00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:04.299 as someone that's just a shallow soundbite. 00:30:04.619 --> 00:30:07.359 I've worked too hard and too long for that. 00:30:07.879 --> 00:30:11.899 I've always just carried on my life the way I see it. And if that ruffles feathers 00:30:11.899 --> 00:30:15.419 and if it becomes tabloid fodder, then so be it. 00:30:15.719 --> 00:30:20.639 I'm not going to lock myself away or change my lifestyle to suit someone else's set of rules. 00:30:20.959 --> 00:30:26.839 I think that's immoral. people should just remember I'm a musician I'm a singer 00:30:26.839 --> 00:30:33.999 and that's it I'm not complaining about the life I've got I'm a dad I sing I 00:30:33.999 --> 00:30:37.019 travel I get into most of the clubs for free. 00:30:37.979 --> 00:30:43.699 I have freedom and freedom gives you a certain amount of power but I can lose 00:30:43.699 --> 00:30:48.319 all of this whenever I want to which is eerie isn't it that's really eerie but 00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:52.039 he's so frustrated with where his life was going. 00:31:36.564 --> 00:31:43.364 We have rumours that he had had film offers and these new music. 00:31:43.564 --> 00:31:48.444 Was there any optimism in his voice when he spoke to you about those things? 00:31:48.644 --> 00:31:52.764 I was going to get to that. Absolutely, he was optimistic. He had filmed a bit 00:31:52.764 --> 00:31:56.504 part in a movie in Los Angeles just before he came down. 00:31:57.288 --> 00:32:02.088 And he said in our interview that he was optimistic that he was soon going to 00:32:02.088 --> 00:32:09.028 be able to tell the truth his own way, you know, to kind of set the record straight on everything. 00:32:09.228 --> 00:32:13.788 But this is what he said, that I can create, that I can write, 00:32:14.088 --> 00:32:19.528 that I can express, that is the light at the end of the tunnel in my life. 00:32:20.008 --> 00:32:23.908 That is how I will win the battle. so he 00:32:23.908 --> 00:32:26.608 was still leaning on his art on his 00:32:26.608 --> 00:32:29.768 music and these opportunities that were coming his 00:32:29.768 -->

00:32:33.208 way in film here he saw art 00:32:33.208 --> 00:32:39.268 his work as a as a creator as the way out of this mess it's beautiful all right 00:32:39.268 --> 00:32:43.888 it's interesting the juxtaposition of his sort of life and we had greg from 00:32:43.888 --> 00:32:48.388 hunnison collectors on last week who was his close friend greg perano and said 00:32:48.388 --> 00:32:53.028 he'd never seen him happy with Helena and just the life all together and the European lifestyle. 00:32:53.228 --> 00:32:55.868 And within four years, I guess, you know, that had finished. 00:32:56.048 --> 00:33:00.088 The level of honesty in the interview, he was always a bit opaque and mysterious, 00:33:00.288 --> 00:33:04.568 but his latter interviews, he really spoke from the heart and it probably indicated 00:33:04.568 --> 00:33:06.128 where he was at, didn't it, in a way? 00:33:06.188 --> 00:33:09.628 When you look in hindsight, I mean, it must have hit you hard four or five days 00:33:09.628 --> 00:33:10.968 later when you heard the news. 00:33:11.108 --> 00:33:13.268 It must have hit you so hard. That's the thing. 00:33:13.488 --> 00:33:18.568 He put it all out there, and this was all for a tour that was about to happen. 00:33:18.568 --> 00:33:24.148 This was for music that was about to be made. So he clearly had a plan, 00:33:24.168 --> 00:33:27.228 you know, to push through this mess and move forward. 00:33:27.388 --> 00:33:31.908 It's like he's explaining, you know, being in the middle of this whirlwind, 00:33:31.928 --> 00:33:37.588 in the middle of this mess. And he'd figured out where he was in there, where Paul was in there. 00:33:37.728 --> 00:33:42.328 And he clearly had, you know, intentions to get out of that and tell the truth 00:33:42.328 --> 00:33:48.248 and tell that truth, I mean, and to just keep, you know, not explaining himself, but just. 00:33:49.228 --> 00:33:53.248 Keep telling the truth through his music and through performance That's what I got out of it. 00:34:46.008 --> 00:34:53.028 And maybe you were sort of, I guess, a vessel to which everything else, particularly in, 00:34:55.046 --> 00:34:59.366 wild colonial boys over there, ex-fifth-generation convicts, 00:34:59.426 --> 00:35:01.246 you know, taking on Sir Bob Geldof. 00:35:01.546 --> 00:35:03.326 I mean, he was on a hiding to nothing. Yeah. 00:35:03.626 --> 00:35:08.006 But having, I guess, a chance to speak his own truth to an Australian journalist 00:35:08.006 --> 00:35:11.986 and we have those words, you know, we don't have him, but we have those words. 00:35:12.186 --> 00:35:15.086 Yeah. Which are pretty special, you know, Nui. I think it's a really special 00:35:15.086 --> 00:35:19.106 interview, you know, in your life to have and you can look back in hindsight 00:35:19.106 --> 00:35:21.646 and it probably must resonate with you, you know? I think so too. 00:35:21.646 --> 00:35:26.826 You know, it's one of the most kind of honest and candid interviews I've ever done. 00:35:26.986 --> 00:35:29.426 And, you know, you've got to remember the context of this. All he was trying 00:35:29.426 --> 00:35:31.586 to do was sell a few tickets to a show in Melbourne. 00:35:31.906 --> 00:35:35.906 He didn't really have to do the big Pond de Nast, you know, reveal, 00:35:36.086 --> 00:35:39.226 especially to a tabloid, you know, group in Australia. 00:35:39.466 --> 00:35:43.326 I'm not talking down our news group, but, you know, often this kind of honesty 00:35:43.326 --> 00:35:45.886 you find in another outlet. 00:35:46.066 --> 00:35:49.606 It ain't a cookie-cutter interview, is it? It's not Michael going into motions 00:35:49.606 --> 00:35:51.466 because he could have easily done that, You know. 00:35:51.926 --> 00:35:56.286 Anybody under that amount of pressure, anybody who's been, you know, 00:35:56.406 --> 00:36:00.726 hunted and tracked in that way would certainly go, oh, well, 00:36:00.886 --> 00:36:02.186 you know, that's what it is. 00:36:02.286 --> 00:36:04.486 And, you know, I'd rather focus on, you know, whatever. 00:36:04.766 --> 00:36:11.626 But he was certainly honest with that one. I mean, yeah, it's one of my journalism 00:36:11.626 --> 00:36:16.266 highlights talking to him and, you know, doing that interview and just having 00:36:16.266 --> 00:36:18.286 him speak so honestly and candidly. 00:36:18.286 --> 00:36:22.646 Our podcast actually, as you're on it, is a sort of an anthology. 00:36:22.926 --> 00:36:27.026 We've gone from 77 to 97 and we're in this sort of bit of a tough position where 00:36:27.026 --> 00:36:30.466 our next couple of episodes are literally about him passing the funeral and 00:36:30.466 --> 00:36:33.226 everything there. And we've all got our own little stories to tell. 00:36:33.606 --> 00:36:37.966 I guess like the old JFK comparison, where were you on the day when you heard the news? 00:36:38.086 --> 00:36:41.666 It was a Saturday, obviously, here in Melbourne. And I assume you were in Melbourne at the time. 00:36:41.846 --> 00:36:46.426 And how did you find out about the news and the inevitable news of his passing? 00:36:46.546 --> 00:36:51.586 Yeah, I was at home. it was Saturday, you're right, Michael Gudinski called me, the promoter. 00:36:51.866 --> 00:36:53.786 So Michael was in Sydney, 00:36:54.164 --> 00:36:59.984 to meet with Michael Hutchins. And Michael called me to relay the sad news. 00:37:00.184 --> 00:37:03.504 He said, I just want you to know this has happened. I'm in Sydney. 00:37:03.824 --> 00:37:10.124 It was just basically a touristy call. It was just a tragic call, really. 00:37:10.864 --> 00:37:15.244 I realized what I had in terms of an interview. I didn't write anything on the 00:37:15.244 --> 00:37:18.704 Saturday. Obviously, the coverage was Saturday to Sunday. 00:37:19.404 --> 00:37:25.304 Shocked deaths, Michael Hutchins, that sort of thing. And then my story or my 00:37:25.304 --> 00:37:29.344 interview with Michael ran on the Monday. So the Sunday

to Monday. 00:37:29.744 --> 00:37:32.884 So your original story hadn't been released yet. It hadn't been released. 00:37:33.304 --> 00:37:39.804 And I didn't. I just thought it wasn't a good ride. It was definitely too soon. 00:37:40.504 --> 00:37:46.544 But given he is and or about demons and all the things that he was fighting 00:37:46.544 --> 00:37:49.604 and all the wrongs that he was trying to make right. 00:37:49.804 --> 00:37:57.044 And they weren't even his wrongs. It was just the life that had started to surround he and Paula. 00:37:57.444 --> 00:38:02.764 I kind of realized that was the story on Monday, that Michael was talking about 00:38:02.764 --> 00:38:10.424 his demons. He was really ready to tackle everything, and he was coming home to... 00:38:59.287 --> 00:39:04.727 The intro that I had on the story that ran on the Monday was Michael Hutchins 00:39:04.727 --> 00:39:09.507 had battled many demons, but for the first time, he fell close to winning the war. 00:39:10.887 --> 00:39:15.107 I've heard stories, I don't know if it's true, that him and Paula, 00:39:15.467 --> 00:39:20.227 he was getting Paula over here so that Tiger would be closer and that Paula 00:39:20.227 --> 00:39:25.027 had got a job working in TV and she was going to have her own show. 00:39:25.187 --> 00:39:29.947 Did he mention any of that to you? No, nothing about any career plans. 00:39:30.107 --> 00:39:31.747 I asked if they wanted to get married. 00:39:32.407 --> 00:39:37.067 Oh, yeah? And what was the answer? Right. Okay, so Michael Arches was allowed, 00:39:37.187 --> 00:39:39.907 but he said he had not discussed marriage with Paula Yates. 00:39:40.427 --> 00:39:44.427 Quote, every year some columnist tells us where we're going to get married and 00:39:44.427 --> 00:39:48.307 where. Last year was Queensland. The year before was in Italy. 00:39:48.807 --> 00:39:52.667 But marriage is a very personal thing. And to deny it, well, 00:39:52.827 --> 00:39:56.527 you don't want to deny it because it sounds like you don't want to do it. 00:39:57.087 --> 00:40:00.167 And I said, well, do you want to do it? And he said, to be honest, yeah. 00:40:00.607 --> 00:40:04.667 I think there's part of me that truly wants that. But in reality, 00:40:04.687 --> 00:40:05.787 we haven't even discussed. 00:40:07.127 --> 00:40:09.187 So he was thinking that way, definitely. 00:40:10.432 --> 00:40:13.432 You know, when you speak and you look at this article and everyone else there, 00:40:14.332 --> 00:40:19.072 his brain would have been so busy with so many agendas and people wanting a 00:40:19.072 --> 00:40:20.652 piece of him. You've got his partner. 00:40:20.912 --> 00:40:24.872 I mean, Paula, you know, for the best of intentions was a high maintenance lady, 00:40:24.912 --> 00:40:28.232 but, you know, she would have had a piece of him, you know, manager would have 00:40:28.232 --> 00:40:31.432 had a piece of him, you know, his family, the band, his friends, 00:40:31.652 --> 00:40:32.892 you know, his own internal struggles. 00:40:33.072 --> 00:40:37.272 I mean, I just think, you know, as Bono said, he probably got stuck in a moment 00:40:37.272 --> 00:40:42.572 he couldn't get out of, and he had this half battle of optimism but also these 00:40:42.572 --> 00:40:46.232 sort of demons at the same time and one surpassed the other. 00:40:46.412 --> 00:40:49.712 It's just my feelings on it. Well, you can hear it in everything he says. 00:40:49.892 --> 00:40:53.372 There's this darkness and then there's this light and then there's this dusk. 00:40:53.652 --> 00:40:59.632 Yes, yes. It's a real struggle and it's so sad because I really think he was 00:40:59.632 --> 00:41:03.872 trying to get to the light, man, just from the quotes. 00:41:03.872 --> 00:41:09.712 And as I keep saying, you know, he kind of knew who he is and who he was and 00:41:09.712 --> 00:41:12.732 what he needed to do to overcome. 00:41:13.332 --> 00:41:17.152 There was no control, was there? There was no control of the media, 00:41:17.152 --> 00:41:21.172 of what was being said in the press back in the UK. 00:41:21.192 --> 00:41:24.832 And that was just filtered again over internationally. 00:41:25.332 --> 00:41:28.052 But just imagine how much worse it would have been with social media. 00:41:28.292 --> 00:41:29.052 There was no social media. 00:41:29.752 --> 00:41:34.832 This was print. This was print. But, you know, the same year we lost Princess 00:41:34.832 --> 00:41:37.572 Diana and we lost Versace. Right. 00:41:37.972 --> 00:41:43.132 And that was all down to what was being said to them in the media as well. Yeah. 00:42:22.103 --> 00:42:24.523 Look, I know you've got to go soon, et cetera, and your time's precious, 00:42:24.603 --> 00:42:25.943 so we really appreciate you getting on today. 00:42:26.243 --> 00:42:28.903 I thought just to sort of tie things up a little bit, you must, 00:42:29.083 --> 00:42:33.083 I think for us, and I know myself as a bit of a sycophant of the band and everything 00:42:33.083 --> 00:42:38.403 there, I was particularly grateful for Richard Lowenstein's documentary for two reasons. 00:42:38.543 --> 00:42:42.843 One, it's where I met my co-host Bea the very first time and we hatched this idea to a podcast. 00:42:43.083 --> 00:42:47.003 And secondly, the film that Richard put together sort of mitigated all of those 00:42:47.003 --> 00:42:48.583 silly myths and some of those silly 00:42:48.583 --> 00:42:52.643 rumours and gave Michael quite a good portrait of who he was as a person. 00:42:52.823 --> 00:42:56.303 I don't think anything really out there other than that doco really hits the 00:42:56.303 --> 00:42:57.883 core like that doco does. 00:42:58.303 --> 00:43:01.423 How did you feel about the doco? And I'm sure you went to it and saw it. 00:43:01.503 --> 00:43:02.443 I loved the documentary. 00:43:02.663 --> 00:43:06.403 I thought the personal stuff that he had with Kylie Minogue, 00:43:06.543 --> 00:43:09.203 that

footage, that just really, that blew me away. 00:43:09.383 --> 00:43:12.703 To get that kind of stuff. Yeah, just nuts. 00:43:13.223 --> 00:43:14.763 Is that how Lange did I remember? 00:43:15.503 --> 00:43:19.383 Horky. I think she was one of the speaking, one of the talking here. Yeah, yeah. 00:43:19.883 --> 00:43:23.183 But just the Kylie stuff on the boat and on the train and, you know, 00:43:23.263 --> 00:43:28.903 when the Americans say, you know, this lovely couple and that stuff. 00:43:28.923 --> 00:43:32.383 It was delightful, wasn't it, to see that side of the playful play? 00:43:32.383 --> 00:43:36.403 And the thing is, the real cool thing is that a lot of that Kylie and Michael 00:43:36.403 --> 00:43:38.903 stuff kind of just happened under everyone's noses here. 00:43:39.083 --> 00:43:44.883 Like hardly any of that stuff became public and just kind of to see it revealed, 00:43:45.363 --> 00:43:50.243 like, you know, obviously they went to a movie premiere together and all that kind of thing. 00:43:50.403 --> 00:43:53.683 But you really didn't know how deep that love affair ran. And I think, 00:43:53.683 --> 00:43:57.403 you know, Richard's doco really, really showed that. 00:43:57.523 --> 00:44:02.303 You hardly ever see Kylie in those unguarded moments. And that's what I really 00:44:02.303 --> 00:44:05.043 loved about her. And she was real confessional in it too. 00:44:05.363 --> 00:44:09.743 I really think that after Michael, she just became a lot more open to things. 00:44:09.883 --> 00:44:15.583 I remember interviewing Kylie up to Impossible Princess and it was really quite bland. 00:44:16.581 --> 00:44:21.001 And then after Michael, I just think she became open to a whole lot more that 00:44:21.001 --> 00:44:23.301 she became a lot more revealing. 00:44:23.841 --> 00:44:27.941 She became a lot more honest. You know, she talked a lot about him. 00:44:28.461 --> 00:44:34.461 And I just think there was a different Kylie after him for sure. 00:44:35.281 --> 00:44:38.701 Hey, Nui, do you know that they actually recorded a song together? 00:44:39.301 --> 00:44:43.501 They did. Then I've got – this is a good rap because I've got some known people 00:44:43.501 --> 00:44:45.141 Just because I did ask her. 00:44:46.441 --> 00:44:52.081 Ah, how prepared you today, B? Yeah, we've been talking, hey, really. 00:44:53.321 --> 00:44:58.921 Let this for a tabloid intro. Australian operantist Kylie Minogue has revealed 00:44:58.921 --> 00:45:03.481 details of a recording studio collaboration with former lover Michael Hutchins. 00:45:03.961 --> 00:45:09.781 However, she has vowed the tapes, long rumoured to be a Hutchins-Minogue duet, 00:45:10.721 --> 00:45:15.181 will never be released. The session happened nine years ago when Hutchins toured 00:45:15.181 --> 00:45:18.001 Australia for the Welcome to Wherever You Are concerts. 00:45:18.581 --> 00:45:21.621 Oh, he actually told me about those sessions. So this is what he said. 00:45:21.841 --> 00:45:26.141 We have recorded some things, Hutchins said, but they will be out in a dark 00:45:26.141 --> 00:45:28.701 cave somewhere never to see the light of day. 00:45:29.601 --> 00:45:33.441 In an interview with Harold Sun Minogue recalled the secret session, 00:45:33.661 --> 00:45:38.061 quote, I remember there was a night in the studio and there was a bunch of us 00:45:38.061 --> 00:45:42.521 that went in, but I can't even remember what we did. It was probably just a 00:45:42.521 --> 00:45:44.541 group of us waffling stuff off. 00:45:44.841 --> 00:45:49.121 Other than that, it would have been Michael rambling into a microphone. 00:45:51.421 --> 00:45:55.861 I love it. I love it. Well, Kylie, if you're listening and you want to, 00:45:56.041 --> 00:45:58.161 we are the people that you want to send it to. 00:45:58.421 --> 00:46:03.421 Exactly. And with auto-tune now, you could turn that into a hit song. Oh, yeah. 00:46:03.821 --> 00:46:07.821 Wow. You know, it's a bit like even Princess the Black Album made it out eventually, 00:46:07.981 --> 00:46:09.481 Nelly. Oh, these will see. 00:46:47.349 --> 00:46:50.949 At the end of every show, we generally let our guests have a song that is dedicated 00:46:50.949 --> 00:46:52.129 to them for being a guest. 00:46:52.769 --> 00:46:58.709 What song do you typifies an in-excess track that you love and a banger for you or a quieter moment? 00:46:58.909 --> 00:47:01.449 Because we'll go out with that later in the show. Disappear. 00:47:02.889 --> 00:47:06.249 Oh, there we go. Off your dicks. Fantastic. 00:47:06.869 --> 00:47:09.529 Tell us about your love of Disappear. How does that resonate with you? 00:47:09.669 --> 00:47:12.769 It's such a soulful track and it is vocal on it. 00:47:13.449 --> 00:47:17.909 It's so beautiful, man. Yeah. It's a real falsetto. He's never done that much 00:47:17.909 --> 00:47:22.349 before, you know? You know, it's just a songful track. The bass line is just lush. 00:47:22.569 --> 00:47:24.529 I just love that song. I love that song. 00:47:25.369 --> 00:47:28.369 We've never gone out with it before. We love it. We love to do that. No. 00:47:28.629 --> 00:47:30.909 No. We've never gone out with it. We will. We'll come out with it. 00:47:30.949 --> 00:47:33.729 It's not one that people usually pick, so it's nice. 00:47:34.089 --> 00:47:37.429 Herbie doos at the beginning. Do-op. Well, do-do-do. 00:47:39.249 --> 00:47:39.909 Very cool. 00:47:40.473 --> 00:47:44.053 All right. Well, look, thank you very much for coming on. I will keep being 00:47:44.053 --> 00:47:48.213 jealous of your life and living my life vicariously through your news reports. I'm jealous too. 00:47:50.293 --> 00:47:56.913 I'm going to post something from the toilet cubicle now just so you know it's good. 00:47:57.253 --> 00:48:00.453 Did on our last week's episode, Michael talked about a fan experience when he 00:48:00.453 --> 00:48:04.853 was on with Rosie O'Donnell back in the last tour and he said that

a fan. 00:48:04.853 --> 00:48:05.993 You're obsessed with this, aren't you? 00:48:06.093 --> 00:48:09.913 Well, a fan had a strange request. She said that took him backstage to a toilet 00:48:09.913 --> 00:48:14.373 also, Nui, but she was doing some, let's just say a wee in the toilet, 00:48:14.373 --> 00:48:17.093 and she said to him, do you know what that sounds like? 00:48:17.153 --> 00:48:20.613 And he said, no, and she was weeing the rift to Need You Tonight. Awesome. 00:48:20.893 --> 00:48:25.233 So, today. And she was upset that he didn't realise. 00:48:25.633 --> 00:48:28.913 Yeah, yeah. This was Michael's words to Rosie back in the day. 00:48:29.013 --> 00:48:32.873 But, look, thanks very much for coming on. As I said, we look forward to getting 00:48:32.873 --> 00:48:36.393 Hit Magazine and everything else with Herald Sun, the next incarnation tomorrow 00:48:36.393 --> 00:48:40.013 or the next day when it's out. But look, again, thanks for being really open and prepared today. 00:48:41.073 --> 00:48:47.313 We'll probably upload this article to our newsletter maybe after next week. Yeah, it's a few. 00:48:47.633 --> 00:48:53.013 I'd rather our listeners hear your words talking about as the interview is happening 00:48:53.013 --> 00:48:54.393 than before the interview. 00:48:54.553 --> 00:48:59.633 But it speaks so truthfully. I read this a few years back and I read it today 00:48:59.633 --> 00:49:04.513 and it is, as you said, quite revealing both in its sort of ominous tones but 00:49:04.513 --> 00:49:08.953 also in its optimistic tones. You know, he really does give an idea. 00:49:09.093 --> 00:49:11.853 And I think that Monday after he passed, people want some answers, 00:49:11.993 --> 00:49:15.373 don't they? They want to know where somebody was at at the time, you know? 00:49:15.513 --> 00:49:18.433 I think, unfortunately, we lost, I think, Avicii a couple of years ago, 00:49:18.453 --> 00:49:21.073 and people didn't quite understand his struggles, you know? 00:49:21.550 --> 00:49:26.390 It's a Swedish DJ, I think, who took his life. And I can only say that sometimes, 00:49:26.390 --> 00:49:31.030 you know, words and articles like this do have a way of healing to a point or 00:49:31.030 --> 00:49:31.910 at least understanding. 00:49:32.110 --> 00:49:34.050 But I think this is just a fantastic article. 00:49:34.470 --> 00:49:40.010 Thank you, Ted. Thank you for coming on. And I do pray that you find the tapes as well. Oh. 00:49:40.750 --> 00:49:44.370 Because I reckon there's more. Believe me, I will find, yeah, 00:49:44.470 --> 00:49:47.350 there will be more because we often chop it down to the, you know, 00:49:47.450 --> 00:49:50.390 the hardcore stuff. So, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I'm sure. Yeah. 00:49:50.790 --> 00:49:54.330 Yeah. Yeah. Thanks, guys. All right. All right. Thanks for coming on. 00:49:54.330 --> 00:49:56.170 Thank you. Bye. Bye-bye. 00:49:58.470 --> 00:49:58.910 Hey. 00:50:01.230 --> 00:50:03.390 This is Paul Jolly from Sydney, and this is the... 00:50:13.269 --> 00:50:17.289 Wherever you are today, all around the world, we know you're all listening. 00:50:17.669 --> 00:50:23.509 You're not alone. We all love Michael and I'm sure he feels the love today. 00:50:24.309 --> 00:50:27.449 God bless you all. Take care and we'll be back soon.