INXS Pen Song for Michael Hutchence  11/22/05

Australian rockers INXS are still so influenced by the presence of late front man Michael Hutchence, they've penned a tribute song for him on their new album.

God's Top 10 portrays the late singer as a "wild colonial boy drifting with the stars" and will feature on Switch - the rock outfit's first LP since Hutchence committed suicide eight years ago (97).

The New Sensation hit makers hope the track will finally put his spirit to rest and gain his approval of new singer JD Fortune - who replaced Hutchence as front man after winning reality TV show Rock Star: INXS.

Sax player Kirk Pengilly says, "When we carried out Michael's coffin from his funeral there was a wild storm with lightning, rain and thunder.

"Then we had our first serious band meeting without him, and once again we got heavy rain, thunder and lightning.

"When we got singer Terence Trent D'Arby to appear with us there was heavy rain, thunder and lightning.

"When we recorded the finale of Rock Star it poured rain with heavy thunder and lightning and it very rarely does that in Los Angeles.

"Finally, our first performance with new singer JD Fortune was washed away when the outdoor gig we were supposed to be playing at got hit by - yes, you got it - heavy rain, lightning and thunder."