KIRK PENGILLY | Guitar, sax, vocals, songwriter, producer

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Kirk is the keeper of the flame for INXS—part musician, part archivist, all-in from day one.

 

From scrapbooks to storage lockers packed with tour relics, Pengilly has been documenting the ride since the beginning. Posters, passes, vinyl—it’s all there, waiting for the day it becomes legend on display.

 

Born in Melbourne and raised in the wild isolation of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, he grew up off-grid—no electricity, just bushland and a beat-up guitar. Music wasn’t taught, it was discovered.

 

At Forest High School, he met Tim Farriss—and the fuse was lit. Early band Guinness gave way to The Farriss Brothers, where Pengilly first shared vocal duties with Michael Hutchence before stepping back and letting a star take center stage.

 

A multi-instrumentalist by instinct, he swapped between guitar and sax—choosing the latter for its edge and attitude. Along the way, he co-wrote, produced, and played beyond INXS, quietly shaping sounds behind the scenes.

 

Then came the moments: first spin on the radio, first U.S. tour, first #1, the MTV sweep, and a sea of 150,000 at Rock in Rio. And of course, Wembley—immortalized forever.

 

His pick for the ultimate INXS statement? What You Need—the groove, the swagger, the sound of a band firing on all cylinders.

 

But the music never left. Whether it’s blasting in a supermarket or echoing through a stadium crowd, he feels it—equal parts pride and disbelief.