Tim Farriss

Acting

Tim Farriss

Born 1957-08-16 · Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Timothy William Farriss (born 16 August 1957) is an Australian musician, founding member and the lead guitarist of the rock band INXS. Farriss was born in Perth, Western Australia, to Dennis and Jill Farriss, and is the oldest of four children: he has two brothers, Andrew and Jon, and a sister, Alison. He was classically trained on the guitar from the ages of eight to twelve by Peter Fredericci, who played with the Australian Symphony Orchestra. As an adolescent, Farriss attended The Forest High School in Sydney. There he quickly formed a friendship with Kirk Pengilly. Farriss (lead guitar) and Pengilly (guitar and saxophone) soon formed the band "Guinness," the eventual base and bedrock to the future internationally successful group INXS. During Farriss's painful recovery from an operation to remove abnormal bone growths in his legs, the result of a Hereditary Multiple Exostoses (which his brother Jon also suffers from), his brother Andrew recruited school friends and "Doctor Dolphin" bandmates Garry Gary Beers (bass guitar) and Michael Hutchence (vocals). During the Summer XS tour in 1991 INXS played Wembley Stadium in front of 73,791 people, at one point Michael Hutchence told Farriss to "play the fucking riff Timmy", which led to Farriss being nicknamed the Riff Meister, and later the Riff Sheriff. The moment was captured on film and CD for "Live Baby Live". Farriss plays various G&L (with which INXS hold an endorsement) and Fender guitars, his favourite being a 1956 Stratocaster. During the 2006 Switch tour Farriss suffered a knee injury, leading to surgery and the cancellation of several performances; after a short time recuperating he went back on stage wearing a knee support. Farriss recorded the CD Deep Inside in 1996, which features over 1000 samples of various instruments. He has also made a fishing video Fish in Space in 1989, the name coming as a humorous reference to bandmate Michael Hutchence's film, Dogs in Space. Farriss wrote and performed the song "Any Day But Sunday" on the soundtrack for the 1984 film No Small Affair, starring Demi Moore and Jon Cryer. He also has his own studio, 'Montana', in which he and his sound engineer work with many up and coming Australian artists. On 6 February 1981, Farriss married his high school sweetheart Bethany Anne (Buffy) Reefman and subsequently had two sons. INXS bandmates see Farriss as the "father figure", as he was the first to get married and to 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." Farriss is a very private man who enjoys deep-sea fishing (tag and release), cricket, swimming, tennis, scuba diving, golf, snowboarding and working on the Kangaroo Valley family farm which he bought from his brother Andrew. He once served as president of the Manly Warringah District Cricket Club. ... Source: Article "Tim Farriss" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Acting credits

Mystify: Michael Hutchence poster
7.2

Michael Hutchence was flying high as the lead singer of the legendary rock band INXS until his untimely death in 1997. Richard Lowenstein’s documentary examines Hutchence’s deeply felt life through his many loves and demons.

Mystify: Michael Hutchence

2019

INXS: The Swing and Other Stories poster
NR

Compulsively watchable…in the style & tradition of INXS classics “Shaboo Shoobah” & “The Swing” this longform video “THE SWING & OTHER GREAT STORIES” demonstrates why INXS are so universally popular

INXS: The Swing and Other Stories

1985

INXS: Live Baby Live poster
7.5

INXS fans can rejoice over the release of this buoyant concert film, shot during an ecstatic performance before 72,000 hopping fans in London's Wembley Stadium on 13 July, 1991. The Australian band's vocalist, the late Michael Hutchence, is at his feral-romantic best, stalking and swiveling his way through an energized set of welterweight pop. The show starts with a big, boomy "Guns In The Sky", takes a turn toward unexpected soulfulness with "New Sensation" and spreads the wealth with a sharp set of ballads and rockers. Hutchence has fun with a naughty "Know The Difference", plays around with a Jagger-esque take on confessional soul in "The Loved One" and milks "Never Tear Us Apart" for all it's worth. The band sounds more muscular than they did in the studio, hard-charging and rough on "Suicide Blonde", drunk on a jazzy guitar hook in "Need You Tonight" and completely danceable on "Bitter Tears".

INXS: Live Baby Live

1991

I'm Only Looking – The Best Of INXS poster
7.7

Released in 2004, I'm Only Looking is a two-disc compilation DVD by INXS. The set comprises Disc One which contains a number of official videos with commentaries for their most famous hits, and Disc Two which features a number of remastered live and studio rarities.

I'm Only Looking – The Best Of INXS

2004

US Festival 1983 Days 1-3 poster
9.5

The ultimate concert took place on Labor Day Weekend 1983. Curated by Steve Wozniak (Apple computers), the 3 days of New Wave, Heavy Metal and Rock are legendary. Features performances from U2, the Clash, Judas Priest, Stevie Nicks, Scorpions, INXS, Men at Work, Stray Cats, Triumph, Missing Persons and more

US Festival 1983 Days 1-3

2009

INXS: In Search of Excellence poster
NR

In Search of Excellence is a 1989 music documentary that chronicles the rise of the Australian rock band INXS, featuring rare interviews, live performances, and music videos

INXS: In Search of Excellence

1989

No artwork available
NR

INXS: The Very Best is a retrospective exploring the Australian rock band's journey from Sydney pubs to global superstardom

INXS: The Very Best

2011

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NR

In depth look at the life and death of INXS frontman Michael Hutchence (1960-1997), who took his own life at an Australian hotel room at the age of 37 on November 22, 1997. Featuring interviews with his family, bandmates and friends such as Bono.

Behind the Music: Michael Hutchence

2000

INXS - Kick 30th Anniversary Edition poster
NR

It was 40 years ago this year that INXS first came together, which – make no mistake about it – is an impressive anniversary and one worth celebrating. 20 years ago this year, another event took place that won’t soon be forgotten: Michael Hutchence died at the age of 37. These two moments in INXS history are bookended by the anniversary of the greatest commercial success in the band’s career: the release of KICK, an album which has, over the course of the intervening 30 years, gone platinum three times over in the UK, six times over in America, and seven times over in Australia.

INXS - Kick 30th Anniversary Edition

2018

INXS - LISTEN LIKE THIEVES (40th Anniversary Edition) poster
NR

Listen Like Thieves 40th Anniversary LP is a deep dive celebration into INXS’s global breakthrough album. The Anniversary Edition 1LP contains the brand-new 2025 stereo mix of the Listen Like Thieves album by Giles Martin & Paul Hicks. Built from the ground up in partnership with the band, they have been able to find new layers of sonic depth and a fresh dimension giving fans a new listening experience with the record.

INXS - LISTEN LIKE THIEVES (40th Anniversary Edition)

2025

INXS: Live Germany 1984 poster
NR

INXS live concert filmed in Hamburg, Germany in 1984.

INXS: Live Germany 1984

2010

INXS: Living INXS poster
7.5

"Rockin' the Royals" – a Royal Command performance for the Prince and Princess of Wales, recorded live on the 4th November 1985 at Melbourne Concert Hall, Australia. Setlist as follows: Burn For You, Kiss The Dirt, Dancing On The Jetty, The One Thing, This Time, Shine Like It Does, Listen Like Thieves, What You Need, One By One, Original Sin, Don't Change.

INXS: Living INXS

1985

Australian Made: The Movie poster
10.0

Australian Made: The Movie is a 1987 live concert film of the Australian Made tour from December 1986 to January 1987. The tour featured internationally performing Australian acts, INXS, Divinyls, Models, The Triffids, The Saints, I'm Talking, and Jimmy Barnes. Concert segments were linked by Troy Davies interviewing audience members and musicians.

Australian Made: The Movie

1987

INXS: Live in Buenos Aires 1991 poster
NR

INXS perform at the River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, on Michael Hutchence's 31st birthday in 1991.

INXS: Live in Buenos Aires 1991

1991

INXS – What You Need: The Video Hits Collection poster
NR

INXS set the standard for hit video after hit video on MTV in the '80s and early '90s. What You Need: Video Hits Collection features 20 classic videos that made the Australian rockers international superstars and arguably one of the greatest video bands of all time. Included are the Top 10 hits "What You Need," "Devil Inside," "Never Tear Us Apart," "New Sensation" and the #1 smash "Need You Tonight."

INXS – What You Need: The Video Hits Collection

2005

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NR

"Welcome to Wherever You Are" is an 18-minute documentary that follows INXS behind the scenes at a charity concert in 1992. In addition to providing an interesting look at the lead-up to a concert, this program includes performances of the songs "Heaven Sent" and "Taste It."

INXS: Welcome to Wherever You Are

2004