Jon Farriss

Farriss has also been credited with backing vocals on many of INXS’s earlier albums. Among his song writing credits with INXS (mostly collaborations with Michael Hutchence) are "Red Red Sun," "The Gift," "Deepest Red", "Faith in Each Other," "Back on Line," "Never Let You Go" (with Fortune) and the hit "Disappear".

Farriss produced Richard Clapton’s ‘Glory Road’ in 1987 and played on ‘The Great Escape’ in 1982 as well as performed on drums on three tracks. Farriss co-produced Jimmy Barnes’ ‘Love and Fear’ and performed drums, programming, bass, keyboards, backing vocals.

Contributors included Rob Thomas, Ben Harper, Train’s Pat Monahan, Nikka Costa and numerous others.

Farriss co-executive produced the album with Chris Murphy. Farriss stated, "There’s a pretty stringent gallery of ears that has to pass through the band, including myself. I’m extremely critical of everything. But throughout the project, the more and more it became clear that part of my task as executive producer, along with Chris Murphy, was to sort of integrate producers and, when necessary, co-produce songs. At the end of the day, you can’t do everything by yourself. It’s a team effort.

Farriss said, "A lot of artists have covered INXS music, the likes of Tom Jones, Joe Cocker, Snow Patrol, countless others, and we thought, ‘Why don’t we do that?’ Why don’t we start doing a remixed, re-imagined cover album but with our own songs," he said. "And that’s how it started."

Smokin Joe (feat Viv Richards) was released in March 2015 on Farriss' independent label Drum Opera. Farriss teamed up with one of cricket's greatest players of all time Viv Richards on the soul infused track which features the spoken word of Richards. Farriss executive produced and co-wrote the track with Walter Brandt, Farriss also performed on drums, percussion and programming.

Jon appeared on stage with Ringo Starr in February 2013, during Ringo’s All Starr Band performance in Sydney. With Ringo singing, Jon played Ringo’s drums to The Beatles’ song "With a Little Help from My Friends." He was also invited and recognized on stage by Nile Rodgers in Sydney’s iconic Opera House, where Nile recalled, "My inspiration to work with INXS was after seeing their drummer Jon Farriss perform live, when the band were playing on a festival with Hall & Oates."

"I was very excited yet slightly nervous to work with Viv. I knew this was an uncharted area. But the goal was to have fun – I had no pressure on myself or expectations of it being a chart success or fit into any specific genre or live anywhere in particular, other than in people’s hearts" says Farriss of their first meeting in the studio.

2010 saw Jon as co-executive producer on INXS’s tribute album, "Original Sin". He co-produced several tracks on that album featuring artists including Rob Thomas, Ben Harper, Tricky, John Mayer and Pat Monahan. "The Original Sin Project has been a great thing not only for us to have experienced in the studio, but it has also been great taking some of the songs on the road and mixing them in with the normal songs we usually play."

Farriss co-executive produced the 2010 tribute album ‘Original Sin’ which features covers of INXS songs, with each song using a guest singer.

In 2006, he married his long-time girlfriend Kerry Norris in a small beach-side ceremony. The couple's first child was born in 2008. Their son was born in 2010.

He was married to actress Leslie Bega from 14 February 1992 to 1999.

He wrote and performed the song "You Never Used to Cry" on the soundtrack for the 1984 film No Small Affair.

Jonathan James Farriss (born 10 August 1961) is an Australian drummer and founding member of rock band INXS.