INXS - Kick - 1987

We had a two week bowling segment in gym class in Chicago during my sophomore year.  The teachers would load 50 students on a bus and haul us down to the local bowling alley and we'd waste 30 minutes pretending that we cared about it, when in reality we spent most of our time screwing around with our friends or trying to make it with the girls.  Of course, I had no idea how to talk to a girl, so I spent most of that time with my headphones on, trying to be cool.

On day two, Julie Jensen walked up to me and asked me what I was listening to.  To this day, I can't remember what it was.  She seemed un-impressed, and asked me if she could listen to a new tape that she just got, Kick by INXS.  Well, having a girl talk to me was more than I could ever hope for, so, of course!  She took my walkman and played the tape for most of the class, while I sat with her, quietly, and waited.  It's all I really needed, honestly.  Her and I sitting side by side on a bench at the bowling alley.

As we got our stuff together to get back on the bus, she gave me the walkman back.  I asked her if the tape was any good, and she said it was great.  She asked me if I wanted to borrow it, as I could make a copy of it for myself.  Great!

The next day, she came back, looking for her tape, and looking for my walkman.  I had made a copy of the album and had it in the walkman waiting for her.  Again, she sat by my side and listened to that tape.  Again, I sat with her, in seventh heaven.

On the fourth day, she asked me what I had in the walkman, and, of course, I said I had INXS in there.  Her exact words to me  -   "Geez.  Don't you listen to anything else?  How boring."  And she turned around and walked back to her group of friends.

Now, I would like to say that after that, Julie and I were still friends, if you could call it that.  She hung out with the people that I hung out with at the time.  But, we never had another time when I could have tried to ask her out, or impress her, or even just talk to her.  I sort of missed it.

In hindsight, I would have done things differently, but wouldn't we all.

This is simply the album with all of the b-sides demos and unreleased tracks mixed in.  The album itself was a great album, and I feel that including all of the extra materiel may have spoiled it, making it too long and dragging it out.  You be the judge.  Regardless, I miss Michael's voice.

INXS - Kick - 1987