First emerging onto the Australian Rock scene as INXS in September 1979, the immediate years to follow would be a steady climb toward the top. Finding success in Australia with their 1980 self-titled debut and 1981’s Underneath the Colours, it would not be until 1982’s Shabooh Shoobah that the band would have their first taste of attention abroad, as the album found its way into the US Billboard Charts and featured two highly charted singles with “The One Thing” and “Don’t Change.” From here, 1984’s Swing would become their first number one in Australia, reaching Number 52 on the US Billboard 200, all while the single “Original Sin” found significant airplay in the US.
A slow build for a talented band consisting of three brothers (Tim, Jon, and Andrew Farriss), Kirk Pengilly, Garry Gary Beers, and, of course, Michael Hutchence, years of hard work crafting their sound and touring heavily seemed to be paying off, because 1985 would be a landmark year for INXS. Entering the recording studios in the summer of 1985 with accomplished Producer Chris Thomas (who worked with everyone from Pink Floyd to the Sex Pistols), together they put a group of songs that would be their international breakthrough, Listen Like Thieves.
Released in October 1985, as the fifth INXS studio album, Listen Like Thieves, peaked at Number 11 on the US Billboard 200 and spawned the band’s first-ever Top 5 single with “What You Need.” A prelude of even bigger things to come, in 1987, Kick was released, and INXS had been crowned international stars. A fantastic tale of a band with a unique sound, Listen Like Thieves now celebrates a significant 40th anniversary in 2025.
A turning point in INXS’s career worth celebrating: on May 9, 2025, the 40th anniversary deluxe reissue of Listen Like Thieves was released, featuring a new stereo mix, previously unreleased demos/outtakes, and a 1986 Royal Albert Hall concert. Offered as either a two-CD or three-CD/Vinyl set, it is a very enticing purchase for fans, with one of the most curious parts being the live recordings from Royal Albert Hall.
Looking at this aspect a bit more closely, these live recordings were captured by the BBC during INXS’s performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on the evening of June 24, 1986. Recordings (only recently discovered to exist still), it was a special night for numerous reasons for the red-hot INXS. To begin with, it was the band’s first time playing the iconic venue (which has hosted everyone from the Beatles in 1963 to Bryan Adams for a three-night residency in 2022). A great honor, it was set full of excitement as well because Listen Like Thieves had reached the Top 50 on the UK Album Charts and “What You Need” became their first single ever to hit the region’s single charts.
A tremendous accomplishment, considering the UK music scene was an international leading force at the time with artists like Wham!, Phil Collins, and Dire Straits dominating charts, INXS captured the moment with a lively performance in front of a sold-out enthusiastic crowd, which also included The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger (which apparently thoroughly enjoyed “Biting Bullets” according to a diary entry from Kirk Pengilly), members of The Cult, and The Psychedelic Furs. Truly magical: one listen to these live recordings, and you can tell the entire band was amped up, with a highly tight sound and heavy emotion in their performance.
Standing to reason, it was yet another monumental moment in INXS’s rise, because less than a year later, Kick was lighting up the world with top singles like “New Sensation,” “Never Tear Us Apart,” “Devil Inside,” and “Need You Tonight.” With this in mind, the recordings at Royal Albert Hall offer an extraordinary glimpse into this period for INXS. What is even more exciting is that not only can you find it as part of the 40th anniversary reissue of Listen Like Thieves, but there is also a standalone vinyl edition.
Set for release on November 28, 2025, as part of Rhino’s Black Friday Record Store Day 2025 selections, this exclusive is pressed to a bright, opaque apple red vinyl and features the entire set, which includes “Burn For You,” “Original Sin,” “Listen Like Thieves,” “What You Need,” and more. Looking great and with extremely high-quality sound, it is a single LP enclosed in a nice sleeve featuring the INXS Listen Like Thieves logo in red, making it a great companion to the original album. Limited to only 3,000 copies, it would behoove INXS fans everywhere to find a copy before it sells out, because Cryptic Rock gives the vinyl pressing of Live From Royal Albert Hall, London, 1986, 5 out of 5 stars.
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