Tim Farriss facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tim Farriss
Farriss in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Timothy William Farriss
Born	(1957-08-16) 16 August 1957 (age 67) Perth, Australia
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1977–present
Children	2
Relatives	Andrew Farriss Jon Farriss

Timothy William Farriss (born on August 16, 1957) is an Australian musician. He is a founding member and the lead guitarist of the famous rock band INXS.

Tim Farriss: Early Life and INXS Beginnings

Farriss (right) with Rob Thomas

Timothy William Farriss was born in Perth, Western Australia. His parents are Dennis and Jill Farriss. He is the oldest of four children. His brothers are Andrew and Jon, and he has a sister named Alison.

Tim started learning classical guitar at age eight. His teacher was Peter Fredericci, who played with the Australian Symphony Orchestra. He continued his lessons until he was twelve.

When Tim was a teenager, he went to The Forest High School in Sydney. There, he quickly became friends with Kirk Pengilly. Tim played lead guitar, and Kirk played guitar and saxophone. They formed a band called "Guinness." This band later became the internationally successful group INXS.

Tim had an operation to remove extra bone growths in his legs. This condition is called Hereditary Multiple Exostoses. His brother Jon also has this condition. While Tim was recovering, his brother Andrew brought in some school friends. These friends were Garry Gary Beers (bass guitar) and Michael Hutchence (vocals). They had played together in a band called "Doctor Dolphin."

During the "Summer XS" tour in 1991, INXS played at Wembley Stadium. There were over 73,000 people watching. At one point, Michael Hutchence told Tim to "play the freaking riff, Timmy." This led to Tim being nicknamed the "Riff Meister" and later the "Riff Sheriff." This moment was recorded for the "Live Baby Live" album and film.

Tim Farriss uses various G&L and Fender guitars. INXS has an agreement with G&L. His favorite guitar is a 1956 Stratocaster.

In 2006, during the "Switch" tour, Tim hurt his knee. He needed surgery, and some shows were canceled. After a short time, he returned to the stage. He wore a knee support to help him play.

Tim Farriss's Other Music Projects

Tim Farriss recorded a CD called Deep Inside in 1996. This CD has more than 1,000 different samples of instruments.

He also made a fishing video in 1989 called Fish in Space. The name was a funny nod to his bandmate Michael Hutchence's movie, Dogs in Space.

Tim wrote and performed a song called "Any Day But Sunday." This song was part of the soundtrack for the 1984 movie No Small Affair. The movie starred Demi Moore and Jon Cryer.

He also has his own music studio called 'Montana'. There, he and his sound engineer work with many new Australian artists.

Tim Farriss: Personal Life and Hobbies

On February 6, 1981, Tim Farriss married his high school girlfriend, Bethany Anne (Buffy) Reefman. They later had two sons. The other members of INXS often saw Tim as a "father figure" in the band. This was because he was the first to get married and 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.

Tim Farriss is a private person. He enjoys many hobbies like deep-sea fishing, cricket, swimming, tennis, scuba diving, golf, and snowboarding. He also enjoys working on his family farm in Kangaroo Valley. He bought this farm from his brother Andrew. He once served as the president of the Manly Warringah District Cricket Club.

In January 2015, Tim had a serious accident while using a winch on a boat. He injured his finger. He had operations to try and fix it, followed by physical therapy. After the accident, he could only play a few basic guitar chords. It was unclear if he would be able to continue his music career as before.

Awards and Recognition

West Australian Music Industry Awards

The West Australian Music Industry Awards (WAMIs) are yearly awards. They celebrate the local music industry in Western Australia. The Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc (WAM) organizes them.

See also

In Spanish: Tim Farriss para niños