Discovering INXS ‘Listen Like Thieves’

In the 80s the last thing anyone expected was more that 2 songs that were good on a record. When you heard it, you were shocked. INXS shocked me.

Back in the day they had what kids called "record stores". It was shop that sold music. And, of course, it's easier to sell a product when your customers can sample said product. So "record stores" would play albums all day long.

I was in Fargo, N.D. at the West Acres Mall in 1985. It was getting close to Christmas so I needed to figure out what I wanted to get myself. I was really into music at the time. Fargo offered many choices of styles of music. I was used to the standard two style... Country and Western. So when I heard "Pop" songs for the first time. I have to admit I got a sweet tooth. But the "white" in me really wanted to rock.

I was searching the "Rock" section when a new record started on the sound system in the record store. After about ten minutes I was amazed at what I was hearing. It was rockin, yet it was pop in. It was Pop Rocks for my ears. It was INXS.

The record store would display the album that was playing, so I walked up to the counter to see what I was hearing. I asked the counter girl... "What is 'incks?'"

She said "I'm not sure, but I think they pronounce it 'in excess.' They're from Australia and the album is called 'Listen Like Thieves.'"

"Oh, I see it now. IN. X. S."

I went back to rooting around the music, but I was now just wasting time to listen to INXS. I went over to the "I" and found a stash of their Cassettes. I stayed for the whole album. The moment it was over I picked up "Listen Like Thieves", and the two albums before it "Shabooh Shoobah" and "The Swing". They each had a couple of songs I liked on them, but it was "Listen Like Thieves" that held my attention for a whole Cassette.

They went on to be one of the biggest bands in the world before "fame" bit back. No matter what happened to them, I will always have the memory of "Listen Like Thieves". 30 years later and the LP still holds my attention.

Here is the best song from "Shabooh Shoobah" called "Don't Change".

And from "The Swing" it's "Original Sin"