INXS have celebrated the 35th anniversary of “Never Tear Us Apart” with a special behind the scenes look at its stunning music video. The visual includes rare footage, deleted scenes, and interviews with late frontman Michael Hutchence.
Director Richard Lowenstein had shot footage of Prague’s medieval architecture on 8mm black and white film. The decision to use these images against the band’s music happened almost accidentally.
The group was watching clips of the footage when “Never Tear Us Apart” began playing from the control room. The band then decided to film the video in Czechoslovakia during the winer.
“The spirit of the people there is fantastic, that’s what I love, it really makes you appreciate what you have so much,” commented Hutchence in the five-minute behind-the-scenes video, which Billboard exclusively premiered.
“There were numerous hurdles to gain access to film in Prague at that time,” said saxophone and guitar player Kirk Pengilly to Billboard.
“…Being able to cinematically utilize the city’s beautiful, romantic architecture and landmarks as a backdrop was incredibly special and fitting for this song. Our week-long stay allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the city’s charm and culture.”
In October of last year, INXS members Andrew, Tim, and Jon Farriss, Pengilly, and Garry Gary Beers came together for the first time in six years for an intimate lunch event in Sydney, Australia, hosted by Universal Music (Australia) and Petrol Records. The band celebrated a truly astonishing feat, having achieved four billion collective catalog streams.
“It’s truly mind-blowing that our music has been streamed over 4,000,000,000 times—and incredibly humbling,” Tim Farriss reflected. “I’m grateful I’m not the one tallying them all! Our success can be attributed to crafting amazing songs as a band that’s grown up together, made a pact, and devoted our lives to performing them. This achievement truly demonstrates the enduring relevance of our music to this day.”