MUMBAI: The multi-platinum rock band INXS is about to kick off a new phase of its storied career. On the eve of this summer's much-buzzed-about reality series Rock Star: INXS (premiering Tuesday, 12 July on Star World in India), INXS has inked a worldwide recording agreement with Epic Records/SonyBMG. The band will release its long-awaited new album in late 2005.
 

 
INXS' debut album for the label will feature the winner of the Rock Star: INXS competition. The ambitious series, executive-produced by Mark Burnett, goes where no show has gone before, spanning 22 cities and six continents in its search for singers.

In the US, it premiers on 11 July on the CBS Television Network.

 
 
INXS' Andrew Farriss said, "We're very happy to be joining the Epic family and can't wait to get back into the studio to record again. It's been too long! Everyone in the band is truly looking forward to the months ahead and this great new chapter in our career."
 
 
For the following 13 weeks INXS (Andrew, Tim and Jon Farriss, Kirk Pengilly and Garry Beers) will assess a group of 15 candidates in everything from songwriting to live performance.

The winner will record an album with the band -- their first since the death of frontman Michael Hutchence in November 1997 -- and embark on a worldwide arena tour spanning more than 100 cities.

Legendary A&R man John Kalodner (Aerosmith, Jimmy Page) will serve as A&R consultant on the band's album.

Over the course of their 25-year-career, INXS has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and scored number one hits on four different continents.

They've racked up 23 UK hits, 17 US Billboard hits (seven of which were top 10), 33 Australian hits and six consecutive top ten UK and US albums. They've performed over 4,000 live shows for more than 25 million people in almost 50 countries.