Vast is my music catalog. A generation X-er I grew up on parental eight tracks and vinyl albums, influenced by rock-a-billy, country & western, and twanging guitars.

Defining my tastes for a variety of music genres, I found my tunes – as they should be – cataloged into seasonal preferences. Setting aside ‘Jingle Bells’ at Christmas time, summertime music is the most empowering, the most memorable and most impactful…even when enjoyed on a worn-out cassette tape.

But it was the soundtrack of the movie ‘The Lost Boys’ that shaped me drastically and that which I found most appealing in the sixteenth year of my existence.

Set aside the fact that Keifer Sutherland was – and quite arguably still holds the trophy for – the SEXIEST vampire to ever bear those sweet, sultry, demonic fangs.

Hell, the man is still as attractive now as he was then.

Idol worship aside, just as enticing was the whiskey-smooth purring of INXS’ frontman, Michael Hutchence, abadoned to pair with the voluminous-decibel-reaching range of Jimmy Barnes for the track ‘Good Times’ – a cover of the 1968 Easybeats’ tune so popular in Australia that Paul McCartney requested repeated play immediately after hearing the song on his car radio.

It reached #2, #18, and #47 on the Australian, UK, and US pop charts, respectively.

At the tender age of 26, Mike’s belting rock-n-roll power shone through that lush mop of brunette curls to catapult him to the ranks of pop demigod, and forever sear into a mid-80s youth two vocal powerhouses, assuring them most respected positions in the annals of rock and roll and movie history in infamy.

This immeasurable tingling appreciation was darkly over-shadowed by Michael Hutchence’s death in November 1997 in an apparent case of auto-erotic asphyxiation, a determination largely argued to this day.

To dream of what Michael probably would have accomplished had his remarkable life not been cut so tragically short is an effort in futility and now lost to the ages.

But, Mike, we’ll never forget you, nor will we let die that which you left for us…all those ‘Good Times’. RIP, you magnificent creature.