INXS' Kirk Pengilly Reveals Port Took 'Never Tear Us Apart' Without Permission

2021 sees the 30th anniversary of the legendary sold-out headline concert at Wembley Stadium from INXS.

INXS' Kirk Pengilly spoke with Roo, Ditts, and Loz on Triple M Breakfast about how he prepared to perform in front of 78,000 people.

"I wanted to watch some of the acts from side stage. Also to get a feeling for it, I found that if I got there early it used to calm my nerves. I need time to feel it and prep myself up."

While he had the opportunity, Roo had to ask:

"Whose decision was it to allow Port Adelaide to butcher your song?"

Kirk Pengilly revealed that Port didn't contact the band before adopting the song...

"It's really become their theme song and that's really amazing. That's really special."

Pengilly discussed how the band had prepared themselves to perform in front of such astronomically large crowds early in their careers.

"We had a lot of experience in front of big crowds because the first thing we did when we went to America was open for other acts, big acts. We were performing on big stages in front of big crowds before people even knew who we were."

INXS' music continues to be popular today and Pengilly spoke on that 

"I don't think any of really imagined that it would the case that some of the songs that are still played on radio today, were played 40 years ago -EUGH."

"It's a testament to the great songs that predominantly Andrew and Michael wrote. It was all very real, it wasn't fabricated. The songs were just good songs to start with. We're very fortunate." 

Pengilly also shared a story about how their manager was offered 1 million dollars to go away and record a different album because Atlantic Records did not initially understand 'Kick'