Tim Farriss
Encyclopedia
Timothy William Farriss (born 16 August 1957, Perth
, Western Australia) is a member of the rock band :INXS.
and Jon
, and sister Alison. He was classically trained on the guitar from the ages of eight to twelve by Peter Fredericci who played with the Australian Symphony Orchestra.
As an adolescent, Farriss attended the Forest High School
in Sydney. There he quickly formed a friendship with Kirk Pengilly
. Farriss (lead guitar) and Pengilly (guitar and saxophone
) soon formed the band "Guinness," the eventual base and bedrock
to the future internationally successful group, INXS.
During Farriss' painful recovery from an operation to remove abnormal bone growths in his legs, the result of a Hereditary Multiple Exostoses
(which his brother Jon also suffers from), his brother Andrew recruited school friends and "Doctor Dolphin" band mates Garry Gary Beers (bass guitar) and Michael Hutchence
(vocals).
During the Summer XS tour in 1991 INXS played Wembley Stadium
in front of 77,000 people, at one point Michael Hutchence
told Tim to “play the f***ing riff Timmy.” Which lead to Farriss being nicknamed The Riff Meister, and later The Riff Sherriff. The moment was captured on film and CD for “Live Baby Live.”
Tim plays various G&L
(with which INXS hold an endorsement) and Fender guitars, his favourite being a 1956 Stratocaster.
During the 2006 “Switch” tour Tim suffered a knee injury, leading to surgery and the cancellation of several performances; After a short time recuperating Farriss decided to go back on stage wearing a knee support.
the CD, Deep Inside in 1996, which features over 1000 samples
of various instruments
.
He has also made a fishing video Fish in Space in 1989, the name coming as a humorous reference to bandmate Michael Hutchence
's film, Dogs in Space
.
Farriss wrote
and performed the song "Any Day But Sunday" on the soundtrack for the 1984 film No Small Affair
, starring Demi Moore
and Jon Cryer
.
He also has his own studio, 'Montana', in which he and his sound engineer work with many up and coming Australian artists
.
Farriss is a very private man who enjoys deep-sea fishing (tag and release), cricket, swimming, tennis, scuba diving, golf, snowboarding and working on the Kangaroo Valley family farm which he bought from his brother Andrew. He once served as president of the Manly Warringah District Cricket Club.
Interview
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia) is a member of the rock band :INXS.
Early life and the formation of INXS
Tim Farriss was born to Dennis and Jill Farriss, and is the oldest of four children: brothers AndrewAndrew Farriss
Andrew Charles Farriss is a rock musician , best known as the keyboardist and main composer for the Australian band INXS.-Career:...
and Jon
Jon Farriss
Jon Farriss is the drummer for the Australian rock band INXS.-Biography:...
, and sister Alison. He was classically trained on the guitar from the ages of eight to twelve by Peter Fredericci who played with the Australian Symphony Orchestra.
As an adolescent, Farriss attended the Forest High School
Forest High School (New South Wales)
The Forest High School, is a government day school located in Frenchs Forest, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on Frenchs Forest Road. It is a co-educational secondary school operated by the New South Wales Department of Education with students ranging from years 7 to 12. The school was...
in Sydney. There he quickly formed a friendship with Kirk Pengilly
Kirk Pengilly
Kirk Pengilly is an Australian musician, best known as a member of the rock group :INXS.-Early career:...
. Farriss (lead guitar) and Pengilly (guitar and saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
) soon formed the band "Guinness," the eventual base and bedrock
Bedrock
In stratigraphy, bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet, usually the Earth. Above the bedrock is usually an area of broken and weathered unconsolidated rock in the basal subsoil...
to the future internationally successful group, INXS.
During Farriss' painful recovery from an operation to remove abnormal bone growths in his legs, the result of a Hereditary Multiple Exostoses
Hereditary multiple exostoses
Hereditary multiple exostoses is a rare medical condition in which multiple bony spurs or lumps develop on the bones of a child...
(which his brother Jon also suffers from), his brother Andrew recruited school friends and "Doctor Dolphin" band mates Garry Gary Beers (bass guitar) and Michael Hutchence
Michael Hutchence
Michael Kelland John Hutchence was an Australian musician and actor. He was the founding lead singer-songwriter of rock band :INXS from 1977 to his death in 1997, a period of twenty years. Hutchence was a member of short-lived pop rock group Max Q and recorded solo material which was released...
(vocals).
During the Summer XS tour in 1991 INXS played Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
in front of 77,000 people, at one point Michael Hutchence
Michael Hutchence
Michael Kelland John Hutchence was an Australian musician and actor. He was the founding lead singer-songwriter of rock band :INXS from 1977 to his death in 1997, a period of twenty years. Hutchence was a member of short-lived pop rock group Max Q and recorded solo material which was released...
told Tim to “play the f***ing riff Timmy.” Which lead to Farriss being nicknamed The Riff Meister, and later The Riff Sherriff. The moment was captured on film and CD for “Live Baby Live.”
Tim plays various G&L
G&L
G&L is a guitar design and production company founded by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Dale Hyatt in the late 1970s. Fender sold his company named Fender in 1965. He designed and produced instruments for Music Man in the 1970s through his company CLF Research. When relations with Music Man...
(with which INXS hold an endorsement) and Fender guitars, his favourite being a 1956 Stratocaster.
During the 2006 “Switch” tour Tim suffered a knee injury, leading to surgery and the cancellation of several performances; After a short time recuperating Farriss decided to go back on stage wearing a knee support.
Solo projects
Farriss recordedSound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
the CD, Deep Inside in 1996, which features over 1000 samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
of various instruments
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
.
He has also made a fishing video Fish in Space in 1989, the name coming as a humorous reference to bandmate Michael Hutchence
Michael Hutchence
Michael Kelland John Hutchence was an Australian musician and actor. He was the founding lead singer-songwriter of rock band :INXS from 1977 to his death in 1997, a period of twenty years. Hutchence was a member of short-lived pop rock group Max Q and recorded solo material which was released...
's film, Dogs in Space
Dogs in Space
Dogs in Space is a 1986 Australian film set in the "little band scene" in Melbourne in 1978. It was directed by Richard Lowenstein and starred Michael Hutchence as Sam, the drug-addled frontman of the fictitious band from which the film takes its name....
.
Farriss wrote
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and performed the song "Any Day But Sunday" on the soundtrack for the 1984 film No Small Affair
No Small Affair
No Small Affair is a 1984 comedy-drama film directed by Jerry Schatzberg. It features the acting debuts of Jon Cryer and Jennifer Tilly.-Story:...
, starring Demi Moore
Demi Moore
Demi Guynes Kutcher , known professionally as Demi Moore, is an American actress. After minor roles in film and a role in the soap opera General Hospital, Moore established her career in films such as St...
and Jon Cryer
Jon Cryer
Jonathan Niven "Jon" Cryer is an American actor, screenwriter and film producer. He is the son of actress–singer Gretchen Cryer. He made his motion picture debut in the 1984 romantic comedy No Small Affair, but gained greater fame as "Duckie" in the 1986 John Hughes-scripted film Pretty in Pink...
.
He also has his own studio, 'Montana', in which he and his sound engineer work with many up and coming Australian artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
Private life
On 6 February 1981, Farriss married his high school sweetheart, Bethany Anne (Buffy) Reefman and subsequently had two sons, James and Jake. INXS bandmates see Farriss as the "father figure," as he was the first to get married and to have children.
"Tim is like the ballast in the band...He's the one who gives the band a bit of leadership, a sense of unity, and he'll usually project a very practical, logical view of everything".
Farriss is a very private man who enjoys deep-sea fishing (tag and release), cricket, swimming, tennis, scuba diving, golf, snowboarding and working on the Kangaroo Valley family farm which he bought from his brother Andrew. He once served as president of the Manly Warringah District Cricket Club.
External links
Websites- INXS.com – the official INXS website
- INXS.PL – Polish INXS website
- Tim Farriss' Bio at ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM
Interview