JUST A MAN: The Real Michael Hutchence

This odd biography will primarily appeal to hardcore fans of INXS, a wildly successful Australian group of the 1980s whose waning popularity in the 1990s ended abruptly with the 1997 suicide of its charismatic lead singer, Michael Hutchence. Written by the singer's sister and mother, the book combines basic facts of Hutchence's early life and his rise to stardom with an almost too-intimate view of the authors' feelings ("That night I was so exhausted: it felt as if all of my emotions had been drained and laid on the sidewalk for strangers to trample"). Payback is the book's primary raison d'être: the authors have clearly not forgiven the singer's management for attempting to bilk him out of money, his various girlfriends—especially the late Paula Yates, Bob Geldof's ex—for spreading rumors that Hutchence's suicide was some mysterious and kinky sexual adventure gone wrong, and the Australian media for hounding the grieving family. The narrative, split between the sister and the mother, repeats itself frequently, especially about the singer's childhood; a more conventional biographical style (or a professional co-writer) could have sidestepped that problem. Also, while INXS was popular, the authors are too close to make any hard critical judgments about the band's merit. However, the last 80 pages or so, which detail not only the horrible, secretive financial management given to Hutchence but also his family's difficult and expensive efforts to find out the truth, is a gripping tale that every would-be pop star should read. Photos. (July 1)