It looks like there may be another case of hologram madness with reports that INXS have been approached to utilise the impressive technology in a tour with late frontman Michael Hutchence.
Ever since rapper Tupac was reincarnated as a hologram alongside Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg earlier this year, it seems many have taken to obsessing about the almost endless possibilities of bringing musical talent back from the grave.
Latest reports from News Ltd suggest that the current INXS bandmembers seem to be open to the possibility of touring with the ghost of their beloved leading man.
”I don’t think anything like that is out of the question. You can’t take any modern technology out of the question, including whether a hologram of Michael could happen,” said the band’s manager Chris Murphy.
Hutchence was laid to rest over a decade ago in 1997, aged 37. The Australian rock icon’s death was reported as a suspected suicide and was a huge loss for the Australian music industry.
Since then INXS have worked with various replacement artists, going so far as to create a reality TV search for their next frontman (which ultimately didn’t work out too well, go figure). The Aussie rockers’ most recent leading vocalist is Irish singer-songwriter Ciarin Gribbin.
TNT magazine indicates that the band receives ‘countless offers’ regarding Hutchence, but has always refused with fears that the late rock legend would be taken advantage of and misrepresented. The fact that the band is now open to the idea of a hologram representation of Hutchence comes as a surprise, considering their apparent concerns over exploitation.
INXS isn’t the only Australian act to jump on to the hologram phenonmenon. As previously reported earlier this month, deceased rock legend Billy Thorpe will be revived for the upcoming 10th Anniversary Long Way To The Top Tour.
The retro-fied tour’s Director Ted Robinson – who previously worked with the deceased Thorpe – said that: “having to create the ‘moment’ in the show now for him is a bittersweet experience but I’m honoured to undertake it.”
This year marks the 25th anniversary of INXS’s most popular album, multi-platinum selling Kick, which was originally released in 1987. The band will support Matchbox Twenty on their Australian tour late next month. Despite the hype, it is likely the guys from INXS will be appearing sans-hologram.
