Australian rock legends INXS are marking four decades of their breakthrough album 'Listen Like Thieves' with a special anniversary release featuring unreleased material and a newly discovered live recording.
Set to arrive on May 9, the 40th-anniversary edition will showcase a fresh stereo mix of the 1985 album, crafted by executive music producer Giles Martin and Paul Hicks. The reissue will be available in two formats - a three-CD/vinyl LP deluxe edition and a two-CD extended edition.
The deluxe package includes previously unreleased outtakes and demos, capturing the band's creative process during the album's making. A standout addition is a recently unearthed BBC recording of INXS performing at London's Royal Albert Hall in June 1986, with Mick Jagger among the notable attendees.
Andrew Farriss of INXS praised producer Chris Thomas's contribution to the original album, noting his role in helping create the hit single "What You Need." The album marked a pivotal moment for the band, leading to their international breakthrough and paving the way for their massive success with 1987's 'Kick'.
The extended edition features the new mix alongside selected B-sides, remixes, and live recordings. Both versions include a new interview with the band conducted by music writer Paul Sexton.
'Listen Like Thieves' originally peaked at No. 1 in Australia and reached No. 11 on the Billboard 200, where it remained for over a year. The album spawned four singles including "What You Need," "This Time," "Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)," and the title track.
The late Michael Hutchence, INXS's frontman, had described the album's creation as a collaborative live process, emphasizing the band's desire to capture six musicians playing together with traditional sounds.
The reissue celebrates an album that helped establish INXS as a global force in rock music, eventually achieving double platinum status and contributing to their legacy of over 4 billion career streams.