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's Early Life and Band Beginnings

Tim Farriss (right) with Rob Thomas

Tim 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, Peter Fredericci, played with the Australian Symphony Orchestra. Tim learned from him until he was twelve.

Forming the Band Guinness

As a teenager, Tim 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 soon 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. His brother Jon also has this condition. While Tim was recovering, his brother Andrew brought in school friends. These friends, Garry Gary Beers (bass guitar) and Michael Hutchence (vocals), were from a band called "Doctor Dolphin." This completed the lineup for the future INXS.

Tim's Guitars and Stage Injuries

Tim Farriss plays different G&L and Fender guitars. INXS has a special agreement with G&L guitars. His favorite guitar is a 1956 Stratocaster.

During the 2006 Switch tour, Tim hurt his knee. He needed surgery, and some shows had to be canceled. After a short rest, he went back on stage. He wore a knee support to help him play.

Tim Farriss's Other Music Projects

Tim Farriss has worked on music outside of INXS. In 1996, he recorded a CD called Deep Inside. This CD has over 1000 different instrument samples.

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 played the song "Any Day But Sunday." This song was for the 1984 film 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's Personal Life

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 see Tim as a "father figure." This is because he was the first in the band to get married and have children.

His bandmates have said:

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 the farm from his brother Andrew. He used to be the president of the Manly Warringah District Cricket Club.

In January 2015, Tim had an accident with a winch on his boat. He injured his finger. He had operations and physiotherapy to help it heal. For a time, it was unclear if he would be able to continue playing music. The accident affected his ability to play the guitar.

Awards and Recognition

West Australian Music Industry Awards

The West Australian Music Industry Awards (WAMIs) are given out every year. They honor people in the local music industry in Western Australia. The Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc (WAM) organizes these awards.

Images for kids

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  Farriss in 2014

See also

In Spanish: Tim Farriss para niños