INXS - Kick

Kick is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band INXS, originally released in October 1987 via WEA Records in Australia, Atlantic Records in the US and Mercury Records in Europe.

INXS were formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, and began playing covers in Western Australian pubs and clubs, occasionally playing some of their original music. Mainstays of the band were main composer and keyboardist Andrew Farriss, drummer Jon Farriss, guitarists Tim Farriss and Kirk Pengilly, bassist Garry Gary Beers, and main lyricist and vocalist Michael Hutchence. Initially known for their new wave/pop style, INXS later developed a harder pub rock style that included funk and dance elements.

INXS first charted in 1980 with their self-titled debut, but later garnered moderate success in other countries with Shabooh Shoobah and a single, "The One Thing". Though The Swing brought more success from around the world, its single "Original Sin" was even greater commercially, becoming their first number-one single in Australia. They would later achieve international success with a series of hit recordings through later in the 1980s and the 1990s, including the albums Listen Like Thieves, Kick, and X, and the singles "What You Need", "Need You Tonight", "Devil Inside", "New Sensation", and "Suicide Blonde".

Kick was recorded between 1986 and 1987 at Rhinoceros Recordings in Sydney, and Studio De La Grande Armée in Paris, and was produced by Chris Thomas (noted for his work with The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen, Elton John, Paul McCartney, The Sex Pistols, and The Pretenders). Following the success of Listen Like Thieves, the band's aim was to produce "an album where all the songs were possible singles", however the record company wasn't happy with the result, as manager Chris Murphy remembers:

"They hated it, absolutely hated it. They said there was no way they could get this music on rock radio. They said it was suited for black radio, but they didn't want to promote it that way. The president of the label told me that he'd give us $1 million to go back to Australia and make another album."

However, despite protests from the record company, Kick was released in October 1987 and provided the band with worldwide popularity; peaking at #1 in Australia, #3 on the US Billboard 200, #9 in the UK, and at #15 in Austria. It was an upbeat, confident album that yielded four top 10 US singles, "New Sensation", "Never Tear Us Apart", "Devil Inside" and #1 "Need You Tonight". "Need You Tonight" also peaked at #2 on the UK charts, #3 in Australia, and at #10 in France.

This album is a 2017 reissue on 180 gram heavyweight black vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve, pressed in Europe via Petrol Electric.