Jon Farriss facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jon Farriss
Background information
Birth name	Jonathan James Farriss
Born	(1961-08-10) 10 August 1961 (age 63) Perth, Australia
Occupations	Musician record producer
Instruments	Drums percussion
Years active	1977–present

Jonathan James Farriss (born on August 10, 1961) is an Australian drummer. He is famous for being a founding member of the rock band INXS.

About Jon Farriss

Jon Farriss was born to Dennis and Jill Farriss. He has three siblings: his older brothers Andrew and Tim, who also played in INXS, and a younger sister named Alison.

Jon is known for his unique drumming style. He mixes classic rock drumming with sounds from funk and dance music. He uses both regular drums and electronic tools like sequencers and pads. You can hear his special style in songs like "Need You Tonight".

His Early Music Journey

When Jon was only nine years old, he tried out for a band called Guinness. His future bandmates Kirk Pengilly and his brother Tim were also there. But Jon was too young to join at that time.

His very first band experience was playing with a Christian singing group when he was eleven. Later, he played in other bands like Top Kat, Blackwater, and Fish.

Jon's Time with INXS

Jon Farriss also sang backing vocals on many of INXS's early albums. He helped write several songs for INXS, often working with the band's singer, Michael Hutchence. Some of these songs include "Red Red Sun," "The Gift," and the hit song "Disappear."

He also wrote and performed a song called "You Never Used to Cry" for the movie soundtrack of "No Small Affair" in 1984.

In February 2013, Jon got to play drums with Ringo Starr, the famous drummer from The Beatles! This happened during Ringo's All Starr Band show in Sydney. Jon played Ringo's drums while Ringo sang The Beatles' song "With a Little Help from My Friends."

Nile Rodgers, a famous music producer, also praised Jon. He said that Jon's live drumming inspired him to work with INXS.

Farriss performing with INXS in 2012

In 2010, Jon was a co-executive producer for INXS's tribute album, "Original Sin." He helped produce several songs on this album. Many famous artists sang on it, including Rob Thomas and Ben Harper. Jon said that working on this project was a great experience for the band.

Solo Work and Collaborations

Jon Farriss has also worked on music outside of INXS. In 1987, he produced an album called "Glory Road" for Australian musician Richard Clapton. He also played drums on some of Richard Clapton's other songs.

Jon also helped produce Jimmy Barnes' album "Love and Fear." For this album, Jon played drums, programmed music, played bass and keyboards, and sang backing vocals.

The Original Sin Album

Jon Farriss was a co-executive producer for the 2010 album "Original Sin." This album featured other artists singing covers of INXS songs.

Jon explained that many artists had covered INXS songs before, like Tom Jones and Joe Cocker. So, the band thought, "Why don't we do that ourselves?" They decided to create an album where their own songs were remixed and re-imagined by other singers.

Many artists contributed to the album, including Rob Thomas, Ben Harper, and Pat Monahan from the band Train. Jon worked closely with Chris Murphy as executive producers. Jon said he was very critical of the music but that it was a team effort to make the album great.

Smokin Joe (feat Viv Richards)

In March 2015, Jon Farriss released a song called "Smokin Joe (feat Viv Richards)." He released it on his own music label, Drum Opera. For this song, Jon worked with Viv Richards, who is one of the greatest cricket players ever. Viv Richards speaks on the song, which has a soulful sound. Jon helped produce and co-write the song, and he also played drums and percussion.

Jon remembers meeting Viv Richards: "Viv was such a friendly and charming guy. We got along right away, and it was easy to see how much he loved music." Jon asked Viv if he wanted to do something musical, and Viv said yes.

Jon said he was excited but a little nervous to work with Viv because it was a new experience. But his main goal was to have fun. He didn't worry about the song being a big hit or fitting into a certain music style. He just wanted it to be something people would enjoy.

Jon's Personal Life

Jon Farriss was married to actress Leslie Bega from 1992 to 1999.

In 2006, he married his longtime girlfriend, Kerry Norris, in a small ceremony by the beach. Their first child was born in 2008, and their son was born in 2010.

Awards and Recognition

West Australian Music Industry Awards

The West Australian Music Industry Awards (WAMIs) are awards given each year to musicians in Western Australia. They are presented by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc (WAM).

See also

In Spanish: Jon Farriss para niños