Tim Farriss, guitarist for legendary Australian band INXS, has undergone emergency surgery to reattach his ring finger after it was severed in a boating accident on Australia Day morning. The guitarist’s manager has said he is unsure if he will be able to play guitar properly again.
As the Sydney Morning Herald reports, the 57-year-old musician’s career has been cast in doubt after his left hand was injured and ring finger severed by an electric anchor winch. Farriss was working on a boat in Sydney’s Northern Beaches on Australia Day.
He underwent emergency surgery at the Royal North Shore Hospital last week. According to Petrol Records, Farriss underwent “two extensive operations” to reattach his finger and “is now at home undergoing further treatment to assist with his recovery”.
“The accident has caused permanent damage to Tim’s left hand,” said Farriss’ record label in a statement. According to the guitarist’s manager, Chris Murphy, Farriss is with his family and undergoing physiotherapy as part of his recovery process.
“He is getting the best possible care and we hope with time he will regain movement in his finger. This was a terrible accident, we are all here to support him,” said Murphy. However, it remains unclear if Farriss will be able to fully return to playing guitar.
“I don’t know if I will be able to play properly again,” Murphy is reported as saying in an email to bandmates. The accident comes shortly after the band experienced a resurgence in popularity following the success of the Channel Seven mini-series Never Tear Us Apart, which documented the band’s rise to stardom.
The success of the drama series saw the band’s compilation INXS’ The Very Best become the top selling Australian album in 2014, remaining in the top 20 after 77 weeks in the ARIA charts, and had the band hinting at future live performances despite announcing a retirement from touring in 2012.
