Fresh off the back of his ARIAs performance, Vance Joy stopped by the triple j studio to cover INXS‘ ‘Don’t Change’ for Like A Version.
The cover comes just days after the 25th anniversary of late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence‘s death, on November 22.
Joy’s rendition of the Australian rock band’s ’80s classic is a more mellow take, swapping some of the heavier sonic elements for finger-picked acoustic guitar, soft saxophone, and an overall folkier sound. Check it out below:
“When we’re figuring out how to approach the song, there’s a temptation, I guess, to play it the same way,” Joy said in a post-performance interview. “With this song, it’s like a rock band, and we have all the ingredients to be able to play that way, but it’s probably not really my wheelhouse and my strong suit.”
He said he asked himself “how would I play it if I was just sitting by myself?” and that shaped the direction of the cover.
Joy also performed an original while in the studio, opting for ‘Catalonia’ from his latest album ‘In Our Own Sweet Time’. Watch that below:
It’s the third time Joy has taken on triple j’s Like A Version, covering Adele‘s ‘Rolling In The Deep’ in 2013 and Radiohead‘s ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ in 2015.
Joy released his third album ‘In Our Own Sweet Time’ back in June, earning him five nominations at the 2022 ARIAs. He didn’t take home any wins on the night, however. Find the full list of ARIA winners here.