Michael Hutchence: unreleased songs and documentary on his final years due

According to Ron Creevey, who has been developing the project, of the 15 songs, ‘at least five are brilliant’

Previously unreleased songs recorded by INXS’s Michael Hutchence and a documentary about the last years of his life are set to be released over the next year.

Sydney entrepreneur Ron Creevey, who runs Kings Cross studio and venue the X Studio, said he has spent the last two years working on the project alongside LA-based producer Danny Saber.

“I heard some time ago about some unreleased music that was sitting out there, and then I approached [Hutchence’s] trust directly,” Creevey said. A total of 15 songs will be released.

“At least five songs are brilliant,” he said.

“There’s going to be two duets that will come out with two very big artists that I can’t legally name at the moment, and then there’s singles he did himself.”

Saber, a producer on Hutchence’s self-titled, posthumous solo album which was released in 1999, said he and the singer had been working on music together not long before he died.

“Me and him sort of connected and started writing towards the end. It’s sort of like a little treasure trove of stuff – essentially there were vocals and ideas, and that’s the stuff that I’m reworking and we’re going to be releasing,” Saber said.

Creevey has also been gathering artefacts and documents belonging to Hutchence to build up a picture of the final years of his life. Along with Hutchence’s diaries and notes, Creevey says he has also developed film that was in a disposable camera the singer used not long before he died.

All of this will be used in a documentary that Creevey plans to release next year, to mark the 20th anniversary since Hutchence’s death.

When news first surfaced in May of a potential Hutchence release, INXS manager, Chris Murphy, threatened legal action against anyone who released anything under the INXS and Hutchence copyright.

“I do know every single individual and or company who interfere with INXS/Michael copyrights are about to find themselves in very deep legal trouble,” he wrote in an email to AAP.

Creevey denies Murphy has any claim over the new music.

The first song is set for release before Christmas, close to the 19th anniversary of Hutchence’s death in November.

The documentary is due for release next year, with the rest of the music to be released in the run up to the 20th anniversary.

Via the Guardian

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