Michael Hutchence: 14 Years Gone

It's hard to believe we know, but 14 years have passed since the untimely death of one of Australia's best ever rock exports, Michael Hutchence.

Born in Sydney in 1960 (meaning he died at the relatively young age of 37), he met up with the Farriss brothers in the late '70s and formed INXS. Their self-titled debut came out in 1980 and since then INXS have sold millions of albums.

Michael said of the band's success. "INXS are real. INXS is a real band. We didn't just have a hit out of a garage. We just kept on playing and playing and that's the way we work and function. We're a living band."

Michael lived his life to the full. He famously dated supermodels like Elle McPherson, pop star Belinda Carlisle and Australia's own Kylie Minogue.

What we tend to forget is how many other strings Hutchence had to his bow... He famously recorded an album with Max Q, he acted in cult films such as Frankenstein Unbound and Dogs In Space, and recorded a string of songs as a solo artist, both covers (Iggy Pop's The Passenger, Elvis' Baby Let's Play House) and his own original compositions (songs that were completed for his posthumous album "Michael Hutchence").

When he passed away suddenly in 1997 tributes flooded in and continue to do so to this day.

"Michael Hutchence is the sweetest boy I've ever met." Kylie Minogue remembered at the time of his passing.

While, Jon Farriss remembered his bandmate and close friend as a man who lived his life the way he wanted. "He was enthusiastic, energetic, charming and mysterious. He was a poet, a visionary and a dreamer who was deeply passionate about music and the arts... I miss Michael every day, but I'm one of the lucky ones who shared time with a beautiful soul who was on this earth far too short a time... God bless you, Michael."

Of course, more proof that his legacy has proven tough to replace lies in the amount of lead singers INXS have had out front since Hutchence's death. Time will tell if Ciaran Gribbin's the bloke to stop the revolving door of lead singers.

RIP Hutch... a true Aussie music legend.