Hutchence family hated Last Rock Star doco

Seven documentary Michael Hutchence: The Last Rockstar is back in the spotlight amid questions about key participant, lawyer, Colin Diamond, whose dealings have been exposed by the Paradise Papers.

Brother Rhett Hutchence (pictured top) has slammed the documentary, both via Facebook and in comments to ABC’s Four Corners, taking direct aim at Diamond, whom the family has previously fought in lawsuits.

The ABC has raised serious questions about how Diamond (pictured below) came to own some of Hutchence’s most personal belongings, including a diary and song lyrics left by Hutchence when he took his own life in a Double Bay hotel room 20 years ago. Four Corners alleges Michael Hutchence’s intellectual property was used by Chardonnay Investments, an offshore company set up to exploit the 20th anniversary of his death.

“Everything of Michael’s in the room of the hotel was taken two days later by Colin Diamond,” Michael’s brother, Rhett Hutchence, told Four Corners. “None of that stuff has ever been released to the family.”

The documents reveal for the first time a claim of total ownership over a key part of Hutchence’s estate made by the performer’s former lawyer, Colin Diamond. Diamond is not just claiming to be Hutchence’s trustee, but the “ultimate beneficial owner” of all the star’s remaining assets held in Chardonnay Investments, ABC revealed.

On Facebook Rhett Hutchence went into far more detail, directed at the Seven network:

“Your program got me feeling emotional, then sickened, before loathing set in. So you are aware, the Hutchence family hated it. Your Last rock star told soo many lies, major mistakes and fallacies, that it was disturbing and painful to watch,” he wrote.

Rhett Hutchence accuses Diamond of theft, taking 169 items listed on the police inventory but leaving Michael’s belt for his father. He alleges Diamond has held onto Hutchence’s diary for 20 years “to exploit and profit” from it and keeping missing guitars, musical equipment and art works, which all featured in the doco.

“There is no statement from any first responders, crime scene investigators, police, coroner, witness, or any anybody at all, stating there was any empty packets of cocaine found in room 524 in Michaels file at Glebe morgue,” he wrote.
“The actual room was NOT as messy either.
“SLIDE AWAY was an unfinished piece that Michael had only written and sung the first verse and chorus. Bono was lured in to lift the song, which he did perfectly. But it was not written as a duet.
Michael loved his family deeply, worked hard for his money, and would have wanted his wishes carried out.”

He continues: “The Last Rock Star was no more than a vehicle to sell more solo albums, boost the intrigue of the new album coming (more on that later) , and make Colin Diamond rich, and seem as a good friend of Michaels, and all around good guy…..”

“Well, that is so far from the truth Channel 7, as you have been duped too. You fell for his lies, and paid a lot of money for your efforts, which amount to nothing new, to downright bullshit.”

Meanwhile documents relating to Ron Creevey’s Moment Media, which arranged an introduction with Colin Diamond,  were sought in search warrants issued by Australian Federal Police in a widely-publicised swoop on the self-described “King of the Cross”, John Ibrahim. Ibrahim was not charged after the raids.

Last month INXS distanced themselves from the doco, which included interviews with Diamond, Tina Hutchence, Bono, Simon Le Bon and Billy Zane.

Seven responded to Four Corners enquiries by saying the documentary was an in-house production and no payments were made to Creevey or his agents: “Our agreement, as such, was to promote this documentary extensively to attract the biggest audience possible – as is the usual practice on a commercial network! Such promotion would inevitably generate interest in Michael’s new music which we would be made available for sale after broadcast by (Chardonnay Investments Ltd).”

Seven has been contacted for comment regarding Rhett Hutchence’s Facebook post.

Additional source: The Age