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 August 10, 1961) is an Australian drummer. He is famous for being a founding member of the rock band INXS. He is known for his unique drumming style.

Jon Farriss: Early Life and Music

Jon Farriss was born to Dennis and Jill Farriss. He is the second youngest of four children. His older brothers, Andrew and Tim, also became members of INXS. He also has a younger sister named Alison.

Farriss is known for mixing different drumming styles. He combines traditional rock drums with funk and dance music beats. He also uses acoustic drums, sequencers, and pads. You can hear these techniques in songs like "Need You Tonight" and "The Stairs."

Jon's First Bands

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

His very first band experience was at age eleven. He played with a Christian choral group. Later, he played in other bands like Top Kat, Blackwater, and Fish.

Jon Farriss and INXS

Jon Farriss also sang backing vocals on many of INXS's early albums. He helped write many songs for INXS. Most of these were written with the band's singer, Michael Hutchence.

Some of the songs he helped write include "Red Red Sun" and "The Gift." He also co-wrote the popular song "Disappear." In 1984, he wrote and performed the song "You Never Used to Cry." This song was part of the soundtrack for the film No Small Affair.

Collaborations and Recognition

In February 2013, Jon Farriss performed on stage with Ringo Starr. 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."

He was also recognized by Nile Rodgers at the Sydney Opera House. Nile Rodgers said that Jon Farriss'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 the album. These songs featured famous artists like Rob Thomas and Ben Harper. Jon said that working on this project was a great experience. He enjoyed mixing these new versions with the band's usual songs.

Jon Farriss: Solo Work

Jon Farriss has also worked on music outside of INXS. In 1987, he produced Richard Clapton's album Glory Road. He also played drums on three songs for Clapton's 1982 album The Great Escape.

Farriss also co-produced Jimmy Barnes' album Love and Fear. For this album, he played drums, programmed music, played bass and keyboards, and sang backing vocals.

Original Sin Album

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

Farriss explained that many artists had covered INXS music before. So, the band thought, "Why don't we do that ourselves?" They decided to create a remixed and re-imagined cover album using their own songs.

Many artists contributed to the album. These included Rob Thomas, Ben Harper, and Pat Monahan from the band Train. Jon Farriss co-executive produced the album with Chris Murphy.

Smokin Joe (feat Viv Richards)

In March 2015, Jon Farriss released a song called "Smokin Joe." This song featured Viv Richards, a famous cricket player. Farriss released it on his own record label, Drum Opera.

Farriss co-wrote the song and played drums, percussion, and programming. He said that Viv Richards was very friendly and loved music. Jon asked him if he wanted to do something musical, and Viv said yes.

Farriss was excited to work with Viv Richards. He said his main goal was to have fun. He did not expect the song to be a big hit. He just wanted it to be enjoyed by people.

Awards and Recognition

West Australian Music Industry Awards

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

Images for kids

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  Jon Farriss

See also

In Spanish: Jon Farriss para niños