How It Was Recorded

INXS · Kick, 1987

Need You Tonight

Lead vocalGuitarsBassDrumsRecording and mix chainVerified10Reported7

What the sources do and do not say

One Mix Classic Tracks article, read in full, with Andrew Farriss and engineer David Nicholas. Farriss’s statements about the demo, drum machine, sample, bass and guitars are tied to the song; the drum, guitar and vocal microphones and the console and recorders are described for the Kick sessions in general, so are marked album-level, and some drum mic rows come from the journalist’s narrative. No microphone is stated for bass and no mix chain beyond the console and delays is given.

Lead vocal

Michael Hutchence

Input chain

Yamaha REV7

VerifiedAlbum sessions

Album sessions, not stated for this song: A split taken from the vocal microphones was put through it, set to a phase effect.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Covers this kind of unit

Valhalla DSP ValhallaVintageVerb

reverb

A reverb built on the methods of 1980s digital units like this one, giving the same bright, slightly grainy halls and plates; it is not a model of this unit.

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Guitars

Tim Farriss

Instrument

Fender Guitar (model not stated)

Verified

Guitars used for the parts, some overdubbed.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. A guitar is the source of the sound, not a process applied to it. No plugin stands in for it.

Amplifier

Marshall Amplifier (model not stated)

Verified

Older Marshall amps the guitars were played through.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Covers this kind of unit

IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5

amp and cabinet simulator

An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear.

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Also worth a look: Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7 Pro (An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear).

Microphone

Neumann U 47 fet

VerifiedAlbum sessions

Album sessions, not stated for this song: One of a double-miked pair on the guitar amps, set X-Y with the Beyer.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Beyerdynamic 201

VerifiedAlbum sessions

Album sessions, not stated for this song: Second of the X-Y pair on the guitar amps, level matched with the FET 47.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Input chain

UREI 1176

VerifiedAlbum sessions

Album sessions, not stated for this song: Both amp mics were run up at equal level through it with no EQ.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

compressor

Models several revisions of the 1176, including the blackface units.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves CLA-76 Compressor / Limiter (Models two 1176 revisions (blacky and bluey)).

Bass

Garry Beers

Instrument

Fender Precision Bass

Verified

Bass part added by Garry Beers.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. A bass guitar is the source of the sound, not a process applied to it. No plugin stands in for it.

E-mu Emulator II

Verified

Played a sampled bass sound that Farriss made up from a MIDI keyboard.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Arturia Emulator II V

instrument

An emulation of the E-mu Emulator II.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Drums

Jon Farriss

Instrument

Roland 707

Verified

Programmed the groove on the original demo; Farriss says the record is close to what he entered.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Roland Roland Cloud

instrument

Roland's own subscription, which includes its software version of this drum machine.

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Pearl Drum kit (model not stated)

Reported

Jon Farriss would probably have played a Pearl kit of some sort, with cymbals, toms and fills across the drum machine.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Approximate

Toontrack Superior Drummer 3

drum instrument

A sampled drum instrument. It does not claim to be this kit or drum.

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Remo Roto-Toms

Reported

Probably used by Jon Farriss alongside the kit.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Approximate

Toontrack Superior Drummer 3

drum instrument

A sampled drum instrument. It does not claim to be this kit or drum.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Microphone

Sennheiser MD 421

ReportedAlbum sessions

Album sessions, not stated for this song: Used on the kick and on the toms, top and bottom.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model. The MD 421 is still made.

Neumann U89

ReportedAlbum sessions

Album sessions, not stated for this song: Room microphones in the drum room.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Unidentified Ribbon microphone (model not stated)

ReportedAlbum sessions

Album sessions, not stated for this song: A mono room microphone of some sort of ribbon type, used alongside the U89 room microphones. (recalled with uncertainty)

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Recording and mix chain

Input chain

Solid State Logic 4000-series console

ReportedAlbum sessions

Album sessions, not stated for this song: Tracking console in the Rhinoceros control room, praised for its preamps, compressors and EQs.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Close match

Solid State Logic SSL Native Channel Strip 2

channel strip

SSL's own channel-strip plugin. It is not a model of this particular desk.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves SSL E-Channel (Models the 4000 E channel strip; the source does not make this the same desk).

Otari 32-track digital recorder (model not stated)

ReportedAlbum sessions

Main multitrack recorder for the Kick album.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. A digital recorder. Your DAW does this job, so no plugin is needed to stand in for it.

Studer 800 MK3

VerifiedAlbum sessions

Album sessions, not stated for this song: Slaved to the Otari, and helped on a couple of occasions when the Otari said it was recording but was not.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Approximate

Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines

tape

Models two Studer machines, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Universal Audio Studer A800 Tape Recorder (Models a Studer A800, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape).

Sources

  1. Classic Tracks: INXS’s “Need You Tonight”, Mix, 2012-12. Accessed 15 Nov 2026.
Verified

Stated by the engineer, producer or artist, or by the manufacturer.

Reported

Stated by a reputable secondary source.

Inferred

An educated suggestion, not a documented fact.

Disclosure: plugin links currently go straight to the maker and earn us nothing. If that changes, affiliate links will be marked here. Suggestions are chosen on fit, never on commission, and are kept separate from the recording facts. More.