Acclaimed singer-songwriter and former member of INXS Jon Stevens will arrive in Bunbury next week as part of his national The Noiseworks & INXS Collection tour.
As the youngest of 11 children growing up in a musical family, Stevens said he had had an affinity for music for as long as he could remember.
Stevens released his debut album at just 17, before forming what would later become Noiseworks alongside guitarist Stuart Fraser in 1983.
The band later went on to release three platinum studio albums in the space of four years before Stevens began pursuing a solo career.
In 2000, Stevens became the seventh member of rock band INXS, fronting the band for four years following the death of lead singer Michael Hutchence.
After touring solo and performing for audiences across Australia for more than a decade, Stevens said INXS principal songwriter Andrew Farriss was the one to persuade him to play INXS songs on the road.
"I was performing as part of a fundraiser for Rural Aid last year and he said I was the only person who could do them [the songs] justice," Stevens said.
"Coming from the principal songwriter, it was really lovely. I thought 'why not?'."
Stevens started his The Noiseworks & INXS Collection tour earlier this month and is set to perform at 44 locations across Australia.
The tour will showcase the best of Noiseworks and INXS, aiming to get people on their feet and remind people of the songs they know and love.
"This is serious pub rock," Stevens said.
"There is a whole generation out there that have grown up with their parent's music collection and have only ever heard of pub rock.
"I just wanted to go back to the pubs and do the shows and I had to get back to WA."
And Stevens said the tour had been well-received, with a number of shows having already sold out.
"The shows are selling out, people are just going nuts hearing those songs again," he said.
"The fans love hearing those songs again.
"It's exciting. I love performing and I love performing anywhere.
"I'm not in the music business, I'm in the giving business - I like making people happy.
"Putting smiles on people's faces with the music they grew up with makes me happy.
"I'm very privileged to have been in the industry for this long and to have touched many people's lives in a positive way.
"Having been in the industry for so long, I'm just happy to be performing live and bringing joy to people."
Stevens will perform at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre on Friday, August 23.
To purchase tickets, visit www.bunburyentertainment.com/whats-on/jon-stevens-the-hits-tour/
