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Cold Chisel
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Cold Chisel are an Australian pub rock band, which formed in Adelaide in 1973 by mainstay members Ian Moss on guitar and vocals, Steve Prestwich on drums, Les Kaczmarek on bass and Don Walker on piano and keyboards. They were soon joined by Jimmy Barnes on lead vocals and, in 1975, Phil Small became their bass guitarist. The group disbanded in late 1983 but subsequently re-formed several times. Musicologist Ian McFarlane wrote that they became "one of Australia's best-loved groups" as well as "one of the best live bands", fusing "a combination of rockabilly, hard rock and rough-house soul'n'blues that was defiantly Australian in outlook."

Key Information

Eight of their studio albums have reached the Australian top five; Breakfast at Sweethearts (February 1979), East (June 1980), Circus Animals (March 1982, No. 1), Twentieth Century (April 1984, No. 1), The Last Wave of Summer (October 1998, No. 1), No Plans (April 2012), The Perfect Crime (October 2015) and Blood Moon (December 2019, No. 1). They have achieved six number-one albums on the ARIA Charts, the latest being their 2024 compilation 50 Years – The Best Of.[1] Their top-10 singles are "Cheap Wine" (1980), "Forever Now" (1982), "Hands Out of My Pocket" (1994) and "The Things I Love in You" (1998).

At the ARIA Music Awards of 1993 they were inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 2001 Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) listed their single "Khe Sanh" (May 1978) at No. 8 of the all-time best Australian songs. Circus Animals was listed at No. 4 in the book 100 Best Australian Albums (October 2010), while East appeared at No. 53. They won The Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music at the APRA Music Awards of 2016. Cold Chisel's popularity is almost entirely confined to Australia and New Zealand, with their songs and musicianship highlighting working class life. Their early bass guitarist (1973–75), Les Kaczmarek, died in December 2008; Steve Prestwich died of a brain tumour in January 2011.

History

[edit]

1973–1978: Beginnings

[edit]

Cold Chisel originally formed as Orange in Adelaide in 1973 as a heavy metal band with Ted Broniecki on keyboards, Les Kaczmarek on bass guitar, Ian Moss on guitar and vocals, Steve Prestwich on drums and Don Walker on piano.[2][3][4] Their early material included cover versions of Free and Deep Purple material.[2][4] Broniecki left by September 1973 and seventeen-year-old singer Jimmy Barnes – called Jim Barnes during their initial career – joined in December.[2][4]

The group changed its name several times, often for every live performance, before choosing “Cold Chisel” after an early Don Walker song of that title, and that name stuck.[5] Barnes' relationship with the others was volatile: he often came to blows with Prestwich and left the band several times.[4][5] During these periods Moss would handle vocals until Barnes returned.[5] Walker emerged as the group's primary songwriter and spent 1974 in Armidale, completing his studies in quantum mechanics.[2][5] Barnes' older brother, John Swan, was a member of Cold Chisel around this time, providing backing vocals and percussion.[2][3][5] After several violent incidents, including beating up a roadie, he was fired.[5][6] In mid-1975 Barnes left to join Fraternity as Bon Scott's replacement on lead vocals, alongside Swan on drums and vocals.[3][6][7][8]

Kaczmarek left Cold Chisel during 1975 and was replaced by Phil Small on bass guitar.[2][3] In November of that year, without Barnes, they recorded their early demos.[5]

In May 1976 Cold Chisel relocated to Melbourne, but "frustrated by their lack of progress,"[5] they moved on to Sydney in early 1977.[9] In May 1977, Barnes told his fellow members that he would leave again. From July he joined Feather for a few weeks, on co-lead vocals with Swan – they were a Sydney-based hard rock group, which had evolved from Blackfeather.[3][10] A farewell performance for Cold Chisel, with Barnes aboard, went so well that the singer changed his mind and returned.[6] In the following month the Warner Music Group signed the group.[6]

1978–1979: Cold Chisel and Breakfast at Sweethearts

[edit]

In the early months of 1978 Cold Chisel recorded their self-titled debut album with their manager and producer, Peter Walker (ex-Bakery).[2][3][5] All tracks were written by Don Walker, except "Juliet", where Barnes composed its melody and Walker the lyrics.[11] Cold Chisel was released in April and included guest studio musicians: Dave Blight on harmonica (who became a regular on-stage guest) and saxophonists Joe Camilleri and Wilbur Wilde (from Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons). Australian musicologist Ian McFarlane described how, "[it] failed to capture the band's renowned live firepower, despite the presence of such crowd favourites as 'Khe Sanh', 'Home and Broken Hearted' and 'One Long Day'."[2] It reached the top 40 on the Kent Music Report and was certified gold.[9]

In May 1978, "Khe Sanh" was released as their debut single but it was declared too offensive for commercial radio due to the sexual implication of the lyrics, e.g. "Their legs were often open/But their minds were always closed."[5][12] However, it was played regularly on Sydney youth radio station Double J, which was not subject to the restrictions as it was part of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Another ABC program, Countdown's producers asked them to change the lyric but they refused.[5] Despite such setbacks, "Khe Sanh" reached No. 41 on the Kent Music Report singles chart.[13] It became Cold Chisel's signature tune and was popular among their fans. They later remixed the track, with re-recorded vocals, for inclusion on the international version of their third album, East (June 1980).

The band's next release was a live five-track extended play, You're Thirteen, You're Beautiful, and You're Mine, in November 1978.[2][13] McFarlane observed, "It captured the band in its favoured element, fired by raucous versions of Walker's 'Merry-Go-Round' and Chip Taylor's 'Wild Thing'."[2] It was recorded at the Regent Theatre, Sydney in 1977, when they had Midnight Oil as one of the support acts. Australian writer Ed Nimmervoll described a typical performance by Cold Chisel: "Everybody was talking about them anyway, drawn by the songs, and Jim Barnes' presence on stage, crouched, sweating, as he roared his vocals into the microphone at the top of his lungs."[5] The EP peaked at No. 35 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart.[2][13]

"Merry Go Round" was re-recorded for their second studio album, Breakfast at Sweethearts (February 1979). This was recorded between July 1978 and January 1979 with producer Richard Batchens, who had previously worked with Richard Clapton, Sherbet and Blackfeather.[2][3][5] Batchens smoothed out the band's rough edges and attempted to give their songs a sophisticated sound.[5] With regards to this approach, the band were unsatisfied with the finished product.[14] It peaked at No. 4 and was the top-selling album in Australia by a locally based artist for that year;[2][13] it was certified platinum.[9] The majority of its tracks were written by Walker, with Barnes and Walker on the lead single, "Goodbye (Astrid, Goodbye)" (September 1978), and Moss contributed to "Dresden". "Goodbye (Astrid, Goodbye)" became a live favourite, and was covered by U2 during Australian tours in the 1980s.

1979–1980: East

[edit]

Cold Chisel had gained national chart success and increased popularity of their fans without significant commercial radio airplay. The members developed reputations for wild behaviour, particularly Barnes, who claimed to have had sex with over 1000 women and who consumed more than a bottle of vodka each night while performing.[6] In late 1979, severing their relationship with Batchens, Cold Chisel chose Mark Opitz to produce the next single, "Choirgirl" (November).[2][13] It is a Walker composition dealing with a young woman's experience with abortion. Despite the subject matter it reached No. 14.[13]

"Choirgirl" paved the way for the group's third studio album, East (June 1980), with Opitz producing.[3] Recorded over two months in early 1980, East, reached No. 2 and is the second highest selling album by an Australian artist for that year.[2][13] The Australian Women's Weekly's Gregg Flynn noticed, "[they are] one of the few Australian bands in which each member is capable of writing hit songs."[15] Despite the continued dominance of Walker, the other members contributed more tracks to their play list, and this was their first album to have songs written by each one.[2] McFarlane described it as, "a confident, fully realised work of tremendous scope."[2] Nimmervoll explained how, "This time everything fell into place, the sound, the songs, the playing... East was a triumph. [The group] were now the undisputed No. 1 rock band in Australia."[5]

The album varied from straight-ahead rock tracks "Standing on the Outside" and "My Turn to Cry" to rockabilly-flavoured work-outs ("Rising Sun", written about Barnes' relationship with his then-girlfriend Jane Mahoney) and pop-laced love songs ("My Baby" by Phil Small, featuring Joe Camilleri on saxophone) to a poignant piano ballad about prison life, "Four Walls". The cover art showed Barnes reclined in a bathtub wearing a kamikaze bandanna in a room littered with junk and was inspired by Jacques-Louis David's 1793 painting The Death of Marat.[5] The Ian Moss-penned "Never Before" was chosen as the first song to air on the ABC's youth radio station, Triple J, when it switched to the FM band that year. Supporting the release of East, Cold Chisel embarked on the Youth in Asia Tour from May 1980, which took its name from a lyric in "Star Hotel".

In late 1980, the Aboriginal rock reggae band No Fixed Address supported the band on its Summer Offensive tour to the east coast, with the final concert on 20 December at the University of Adelaide.[16][17]

1981–1982: Swingshift to Circus Animals

[edit]

The Youth in Asia Tour performances were used for Cold Chisel's double live album, Swingshift (March 1981).[2] Nimmervoll declared, "[the group] rammed what they were all about with [this album]."[5] In March 1981 the band won seven categories: Best Australian Album, Most Outstanding Achievement, Best Recorded Song Writer, Best Australian Producer, Best Australian Record Cover Design, Most Popular Group and Most Popular Record, at the Countdown/TV Week pop music awards for 1980.[18][19][20] They attended the ceremony at the Sydney Entertainment Centre and were due to perform: however, as a protest against a TV magazine's involvement, they refused to accept any trophy and finished the night with "My Turn to Cry".[18][19][20] After one verse and chorus, they smashed up the set and left the stage.[21]

Swingshift debuted at No 1,[2][13] which demonstrated their status as the highest-selling local act.[2][5] With a slightly different track listing, East was issued in the United States and they undertook their first US tour in mid-1981.[2][5] Ahead of the tour they had issued "My Baby" for the North America market and it reached the top 40 on Billboard's chart, Mainstream Rock.[22] They were generally popular as a live act there, but the US branch of their label did little to promote the album.[6] According to Barnes' biographer, Toby Creswell, at one point they were ushered into an office to listen to the US master tape to find it had substantial hiss and other ambient noise,[6] which made it almost unable to be released. Nevertheless, the album reached the lower region of the Billboard 200 in July.[23] The group were booed off stage after a lacklustre performance in Dayton, Ohio in May 1981 opening for Ted Nugent. Other support slots they took were for Cheap Trick, Joe Walsh, Heart and the Marshall Tucker Band.[2] European audiences were more accepting of the Australian band and they developed a fan base in Germany.

In August 1981 Cold Chisel began work on a fourth studio album, Circus Animals (March 1982), again with Opitz producing.[2][3] To launch the album, the band performed under a circus tent at Wentworth Park in Sydney and toured heavily once more, including a show in Darwin that attracted more than 10 percent of the city's population.[21] It peaked at No. 1 in both Australia and on the Official New Zealand Music Chart.[13][24] In October 2010 it was listed at No. 4 in the book 100 Best Australian Albums by music journalists Creswell, Craig Mathieson and John O'Donnell.[25]

Its lead single, "You Got Nothing I Want" (November 1981), is an aggressive Barnes-penned hard rock track, which attacked the US industry for its handling of the band on their recent tour.[26] The song caused problems for Barnes when he later attempted to break into the US market as a solo performer; senior music executives there continued to hold it against him. Like its predecessor, Circus Animals contained songs of contrasting styles, with harder-edged tracks like "Bow River" and "Hound Dog" beside more expansive ballads such as the next two singles, "Forever Now" (March 1982) and "When the War Is Over" (August), both written by Prestwich.[2][5][26] "Forever Now" is their highest-charting single in two Australasian markets: No. 4 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart and No. 2 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart.[13][24]

"When the War Is Over" is the most-covered Cold Chisel track – Uriah Heep included a version on their 1989 album, Raging Silence; John Farnham recorded it while he and Prestwich were members of Little River Band in the mid-1980s and again for his 1988 solo album, Age of Reason. The song was also a No. 1 hit for former Australian Idol contestant Cosima De Vito in 2004 and was performed by Bobby Flynn during that show's 2006 season. "Forever Now" was covered, as a country waltz, by Australian band the Reels.

1983: Break-up

[edit]

Success outside Australasia continued to elude Cold Chisel and friction occurred between the members. According to McFarlane, "[the] failed attempts to break into the American market represented a major blow... [their] earthy, high-energy rock was overlooked."[2] In early 1983 they toured Germany but the shows went so badly that in the middle of the tour Walker up-ended his keyboard and stormed off stage during a show. After returning to Australia, Prestwich was fired and replaced by Ray Arnott, formerly of the 1970s progressive rockers Spectrum and country rockers the Dingoes.[2][3][27]

After this, Barnes requested a large advance from management. Now married with a young child, reckless spending had left him almost broke. His request was refused as there was a standing arrangement that any advance to one band member had to be paid to all the others. After a meeting on 17 August during which Barnes quit the band, it was decided that the group would split up.[21] A farewell concert series, The Last Stand, was planned and a final studio album, Twentieth Century (February 1984), was recorded.[2][3][21] Prestwich returned for that tour, which began in October.[21] Before the last four scheduled shows in Sydney, Barnes lost his voice and those dates were postponed to mid-December.[21][28]

Barnes, 2011

The band's final performances were at the Sydney Entertainment Centre from 12 to 15 December 1983[28] – ten years since their first live appearance as Cold Chisel in Adelaide – and the group then disbanded.[2][3][5] The Sydney shows formed the basis of a concert film, The Last Stand (July 1984), which became the biggest-selling cinema-released concert documentary by an Australian band to that time. Other recordings from the tour were used on a live album, The Barking Spiders Live: 1983 (1984); the title is a reference to the pseudonym the group occasionally used when playing warm-up shows before tours. Some were also used as B-sides for a three-CD singles package, Three Big XXX Hits, issued ahead of the release of their 1994 compilation album, Teenage Love.

During breaks in the tour, Twentieth Century was recorded. It was a fragmentary process, spread across various studios and sessions as the individual members often refused to work together – both Arnott (on ten tracks) and Prestwich (on three tracks) are recorded as drummers. The album reached No. 1 and provided the singles "Saturday Night" (March 1984) and "Flame Trees" (August), both of which remain radio staples. "Flame Trees", co-written by Prestwich and Walker, took its title from the BBC series The Flame Trees of Thika, although it was lyrically inspired by Walker's hometown of Grafton. Barnes later recorded an acoustic version for his 1993 solo album, Flesh and Wood, and it was also covered by Sarah Blasko in 2006.

1984–1996: Aftermath and ARIA Hall of Fame

[edit]

Barnes launched his solo career in January 1984, which has provided nine Australian number-one studio albums and an array of hit singles, including "Too Much Ain't Enough Love", which peaked at No. 1. He has recorded with INXS, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker and John Farnham to become one of the country's most popular male rock singers. Prestwich joined Little River Band in 1984 and appeared on the albums Playing to Win and No Reins, before departing in 1986 to join Farnham's touring band. Moss, Small and Walker took extended breaks from music.

Small maintained a low profile as a member in a variety of minor groups Pound, the Earls of Duke and the Outsiders.[2][3][5] Walker formed Catfish in 1988, ostensibly a solo band with a variable membership, which included Moss, Charlie Owen and Dave Blight at times.[2][3][5] Catfish's recordings during this phase attracted little commercial success. During 1988 and 1989 Walker wrote several tracks for Moss including the singles "Tucker's Daughter" (November 1988) and "Telephone Booth" (June 1989), which appeared on Moss' debut solo album, Matchbook (August 1989).[2][3][29] Both the album and "Tucker's Daughter" peaked at No. 1.[29][30] Moss won five trophies at the ARIA Music Awards of 1990.[29][31] His other solo albums met with less chart or award success.[29]

Throughout the 1980s and most of the 1990s, Cold Chisel were courted to re-form but refused, at one point reportedly turning down a $5 million offer to play a sole show in each of the major Australian state capitals. Moss and Walker often collaborated on projects; neither worked with Barnes until Walker wrote "Stone Cold" for the singer's sixth studio album, Heat (October 1993). The pair recorded an acoustic version for Flesh and Wood (December). Thanks primarily to continued radio airplay and Barnes' solo success, Cold Chisel's legacy remained solidly intact.[2][3][32] By the early 1990s the group had surpassed 3 million album sales, most sold since 1983.[2] The 1991 compilation album, Chisel, was re-issued and re-packaged several times, once with the long-deleted 1978 EP as a bonus disc and a second time in 2001 as a double album. The Last Stand soundtrack album was finally released in 1992. In 1994 a complete album of previously unreleased demo and rare live recordings, Teenage Love, was released, which provided three singles.

1997–2010: Reunion

[edit]

Cold Chisel reunited in October 1997, with the line-up of Barnes, Moss, Prestwich, Small and Walker.[2][3] They recorded their sixth studio album, The Last Wave of Summer (October 1998), from February to July with the band members co-producing.[2][3][5] They supported it with a national tour. The album debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart.[33] In 2003 they re-grouped for the Ringside Tour and in 2005 again to perform at a benefit for the victims of the Boxing Day tsunami at the Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne. Founding bass guitarist, Les Kaczmarek, died of liver failure on 5 December 2008, aged 53.[34] Walker described him as "a wonderful and beguiling man in every respect."[35]

On 10 September 2009 Cold Chisel announced they would re-form for a one-off performance at the Sydney 500 V8 Supercars event on 5 December.[36] The band performed at Stadium Australia to the largest crowd of its career, with more than 45,000 fans in attendance.[37] They played a single live show in 2010: at the Deniliquin ute muster in October. In December Moss confirmed that Cold Chisel were working on new material for an album.

2011–2019: Death of Steve Prestwich and The Perfect Crime

[edit]
Ian Moss, 2011. Don Walker in the background.

In January 2011 Steve Prestwich was diagnosed with a brain tumour; he underwent surgery on 14 January but never regained consciousness and died two days later, aged 56.[38] All six of Cold Chisel's studio albums were re-released in digital and CD formats in mid-2011. Three digital-only albums were released – Never Before, Besides and Covered – as well as a new compilation album, The Best of Cold Chisel: All for You, which peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA Charts.[33] The thirty-date Light the Nitro Tour was announced in July along with the news that former Divinyls and Catfish drummer Charley Drayton had replaced Prestwich. Most shows on the tour sold out within days and new dates were later announced for early 2012.

No Plans, their seventh studio album, was released in April 2012, with Kevin Shirley producing,[39] which peaked at No. 2.[33] The Australian's Stephen Fitzpatrick rated it as four-and-a-half out of five and found its lead track, "All for You", "speaks of redemption; of a man's ability to make something of himself through love."[40] The track "I Got Things to Do" was written and sung by Prestwich, which Fitzpatrick described as "the bittersweet finale", a song that had "a vocal track the other band members did not know existed until after [Prestwich's] death."[40] Midway through 2012 they embarked on a short UK tour and played with Soundgarden and Mars Volta at Hard Rock Calling at London's Hyde Park.[41][42]

The group's eighth studio album, The Perfect Crime, appeared in October 2015, again with Shirley producing, which peaked at No. 2.[33][43] Martin Boulton of The Sydney Morning Herald rated it at four out of five stars and explained that the album does what Cold Chisel always does: "work incredibly hard, not take any shortcuts and play the hell out of the songs." The album, Boulton writes, "delves further back to their rock'n'roll roots with chief songwriter [Walker] carving up the keys, guitarist [Moss] both gritty and sublime and the [Small/Drayton] engine room firing on every cylinder. Barnes' voice sounds worn, wonderful and better than ever."[44]

The band's latest album, Blood Moon, was released in December 2019. The album debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Album Chart, the band's fifth to reach the top.[45] Half of the songs had lyrics written by Barnes and music by Walker,[46] a new combination for Cold Chisel, with Barnes noting his increased confidence after writing two autobiographies.[47]

2024: 50th anniversary tour

[edit]

On 29 May 2024, Cold Chisel announced The Big Five-O Live tour, celebrating their fiftieth anniversary.[48] The tour began in Armidale on 5 October 2024 and ending in New Zealand in January 2025.[49] It was released on various formats on 8 August 2025.

Musical style and lyrical themes

[edit]

McFarlane described Cold Chisel's early career in his Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop (1999): "after ten years on the road, [they] called it a day. Not that the band split up for want of success; by that stage [they] had built up a reputation previously uncharted in Australian rock history. By virtue of the profound effect the band's music had on the many thousands of fans who witnessed its awesome power, Cold Chisel remains one of Australia's best-loved groups. As one of the best live bands of its day, [they] fused a combination of rockabilly, hard rock and rough-house soul'n'blues that was defiantly Australian in outlook."[2] The Canberra Times' Luis Feliu, in July 1978, observed, "This is not just another Australian rock band, no mediocrity here, and their honest, hard-working approach looks like paying off."[50] He further wrote, "the range of styles tackled and done convincingly, from hard rock to blues, boogie, rhythm and blues, is where the appeal lies."[50]

Influences from blues and early rock n' roll was broadly apparent, fostered by the love of those styles by Moss, Barnes and Walker. Small and Prestwich contributed strong pop sensibilities. This allowed volatile rock songs like "You Got Nothing I Want" and "Merry-Go-Round" to stand beside thoughtful ballads like "Choirgirl", pop-flavoured love songs like "My Baby" and caustic political statements like "Star Hotel", an attack on the late-1970s government of Malcolm Fraser, inspired by the Star Hotel riot in Newcastle.

The songs were not overtly political but rather observations of everyday life within Australian society and culture, in which the members with their various backgrounds (Moss was from Alice Springs, Walker grew up in rural New South Wales, Barnes and Prestwich were working-class immigrants from the UK) were quite well able to provide.[citation needed]

Cold Chisel's songs were about distinctly Australian experiences, a factor often cited as a major reason for the band's lack of international appeal. "Saturday Night" and "Breakfast at Sweethearts" were observations of the urban experience of Sydney's Kings Cross district where Walker lived for many years. "Misfits", which featured on the B-side to "My Baby", was about homeless kids in the suburbs surrounding Sydney. Songs like "Shipping Steel" and "Standing on The Outside" were working-class anthems and many others featured characters trapped in mundane, everyday existences, yearning for the good times of the past ("Flame Trees") or for something better from life ("Bow River").

Recognition

[edit]
Moss and Barnes, 2012

At the ARIA Music Awards of 1993 they were inducted into the Hall of Fame.[51] While repackages and compilations accounted for much of these sales, 1994's Teenage Love provided two of its singles, which were top-ten hits. When the group finally re-formed in 1998 the resultant album was also a major hit and the follow-up tour sold out almost immediately. In 2001 Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) listed their single "Khe Sanh" (May 1978) at No. 8 of the all-time best Australian songs.[52]

Cold Chisel were one of the first Australian acts to have become the subject of a major tribute album. In 2007, Standing on the Outside: The Songs of Cold Chisel was released, featuring a collection of the band's songs as performed by artists including The Living End, Evermore, Something for Kate, Pete Murray, Katie Noonan, You Am I, Paul Kelly, Alex Lloyd, Thirsty Merc and Ben Lee,[53] many of whom were children when Cold Chisel first disbanded and some, like the members of Evermore, had not even been born. Circus Animals was listed at No. 4 in the book 100 Best Australian Albums (October 2010), while East appeared at No. 53.[25] They won The Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music at the APRA Music Awards of 2016.[54]

In March 2021, a previously unnamed lane off Burnett Street (off Currie Street) in the Adelaide central business district, near where the band had its first residency in the 1970s, was officially named Cold Chisel Lane. On one of its walls, there is a 50-metre (160 ft) mural by Adelaide artist James Dodd, inspired by the band.[55][56]

Members

[edit]

Timeline

[edit]

Discography

[edit]
Main article: Cold Chisel discography

Awards and nominations

[edit]

APRA Awards

[edit]

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982.[58]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2012 "All for You" (Don Walker) Song of the Year Shortlisted [59]
2016 "Lost" (Don Walker, Wes Carr) Song of the Year Shortlisted [60]
2021 "Getting the Band Back Together" (Don Walker) Most Performed Rock Work Won [61][62]
Song of the Year Shortlisted [63]

ARIA Music Awards

[edit]

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987. Cold Chisel was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.[64]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1992 Chisel Highest Selling Album Nominated
1993 Cold Chisel ARIA Hall of Fame inductee
1999 The Last Wave of Summer Best Rock Album Nominated
Highest Selling Album Nominated
2012 No Plans Best Rock Album Nominated
Best Group Nominated
Light The Nitro Tour Best Australian Live Act Nominated
2020 Blood Moon Best Rock Album Nominated
Kevin Shirley for Blood Moon by Cold Chisel Producer of the Year Nominated
Blood Moon Tour Best Australian Live Act Nominated

Helpmann Awards

[edit]

The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia since 2001.[65]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2012 Light the Nitro Tour Best Australian Contemporary Concert Nominated [66]

South Australian Music Awards

[edit]

The South Australian Music Awards are annual awards that exist to recognise, promote and celebrate excellence in the South Australian contemporary music industry. They commenced in 2012. The South Australian Music Hall of Fame celebrates the careers of successful music industry personalities.[67]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2016 Cold Chisel Hall of Fame inductee [68]

TV Week / Countdown Awards

[edit]

Countdown was an Australian pop music TV series on national broadcaster ABC-TV from 1974 to 1987, it presented music awards from 1979 to 1987, initially in conjunction with magazine TV Week. The TV Week / Countdown Awards were a combination of popular-voted and peer-voted awards.[69]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1979 Breakfast at Sweethearts Best Australian Album Nominated
Best Australian Record Cover Design Won
Don Walker for "Choirgirl" by Cold Chisel Best Recorded Songwriter Nominated
1980 East Best Australian Album Won
Best Australian Record Cover Design Won
Most Popular Australia Album Won
Cold Chisel Most Outstanding Achievement Won
Most Popular Group Won
Jimmy Barnes (Cold Chisel) Most Popular Male Performer Nominated
Don Walker by Cold Chisel Best Recorded Songwriter Won
Mark Opitz for East by Cold Chisel Best Australian Producer Won
1981 themselves Most Consistent Live Act Won
1982 Circus Animals Best Australian Album Nominated
1984 "Saturday Night" Best Video Nominated

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Cold Chisel

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Cold Chisel is an Australian pub rock band formed in in 1973, consisting of on guitar and vocals, Don Walker on keyboards and primary songwriter, on lead vocals, Phil Small on , and Steve Prestwich on . The band achieved commercial success through high-energy live shows and albums featuring raw, narrative-driven songs about Australian working-class experiences, , and urban grit, with key releases including East (1980) and Circus Animals (1982). After disbanding in 1983 following the massive tour, Cold Chisel reformed sporadically for tours and recordings starting in 1998, maintaining enduring popularity in with anthems like "," "Cheap Wine," and "." Their influence stems from blending , and piano-driven ballads into a distinctly local sound that resonated with pub audiences, selling millions of records domestically despite limited international breakthrough. Internal tensions, including Barnes' volatile stage presence and creative clashes, contributed to the original split but also fueled their legendary status for authenticity over polished production.

History

Formation in Adelaide (1973–1974)

Cold Chisel formed in Adelaide, South Australia, in September 1973, initially under the name Orange, as a heavy metal cover band centered around keyboardist Don Walker, guitarist and vocalist Ian Moss, and bassist Les Kaczmarek. Drummer Steve Prestwich joined shortly thereafter, solidifying the rhythm section while the group focused on replicating the sounds of British hard rock acts. The band's early repertoire consisted primarily of covers by Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, and similar influences, reflecting the era's dominant heavy metal trends in local Adelaide venues. In late 1973, at age 17, Scottish-born —then known as Jim Barnes—joined as lead singer, bringing a raw, soul-infused vocal style that contrasted with Moss's more subdued contributions and shifted the band's dynamic toward pub rock energy. This lineup debuted with live performances around starting in October 1973, playing working-class pubs and building a grassroots following through high-energy sets despite limited original material. Barnes's addition marked a pivotal evolution, as his charismatic stage presence and gritty delivery began to define the group's identity amid the competitive South Australian music scene. By 1974, the quintet—Moss, Walker, , Barnes, and Kaczmarek—had coalesced into a cohesive unit, adopting the name Cold Chisel, reportedly inspired by the tool's connotation of precision and toughness, aligning with their hardening sound and working-class ethos. They continued extensively in Adelaide's northern suburbs, honing a reputation for intense, no-frills performances that blended heavy riffs with emerging original compositions from Walker, though covers remained central to their sets. This formative period laid the groundwork for their transition from metal covers to pub rock originals, amid challenges like lineup instability and the local scene's emphasis on endurance over innovation.

Relocation and Pub Rock Foundations (1975–1977)

In 1975, Cold Chisel consolidated its lineup when bassist Les Kaczmarek departed and was replaced by Phil Small, establishing the core quintet of Ian Moss on guitar and vocals, Don Walker on keyboards, Jimmy Barnes on lead vocals, Small on bass, and Steve Prestwich on drums. The band remained based in Adelaide during this period, performing locally while Walker composed early original material amid a repertoire dominated by hard rock covers. Seeking expanded opportunities beyond the South Australian scene, Cold Chisel relocated to in May 1976, but limited success there prompted a further move to in November 1976. In , the group immersed itself in the thriving pub rock circuit, securing gigs through energetic renditions of covers by acts like and Free, which appealed to rowdy venue crowds. Walker continued developing originals, gradually incorporating them into sets, as the band played venues such as Pleasures Wine Bar, RSL, and Northern Suburbs Leagues Club in early 1977. These performances, often in competitive environments with other emerging acts, honed Cold Chisel's raw, high-energy style, fostering a dedicated following and establishing their pub rock credentials by late 1977. Regular slots at suburban hotels like Norths in Wollongong through the end of 1977 further solidified their presence, emphasizing audience interaction and unpolished authenticity over commercial polish.

Debut Album and Rising Popularity (1978)

Cold Chisel recorded their self-titled debut album in the early months of 1978 with producer Peter Walker, featuring original compositions primarily written by keyboardist Don Walker, including the standout track "Khe Sanh." The album was released in April 1978 to capitalize on the band's momentum from years of pub performances, though the production was somewhat rushed to align with touring commitments. The lead single "," issued in May 1978, drew immediate controversy for its raw portrayal of a veteran's post-service descent into and encounters with Saigon prostitutes, leading to a ban on commercial radio airplay across . Despite—or perhaps because of—the prohibition, the song spread through word-of-mouth and live shows, becoming an anthem in the pub rock circuit and marking the band's breakthrough in capturing national attention without mainstream media support. The album itself charted modestly, spending 23 weeks on the Australian charts and peaking at number 38, while eventually certifying for sales exceeding 50,000 copies. Rising popularity in was propelled by extensive live work, including a high-profile support role on Foreigner's Australian tour in , where Cold Chisel's high-energy sets reportedly overshadowed the headliners in several venues, drawing crowds beyond their base. The band played numerous gigs throughout the year, from Adelaide's Arkaba Hotel and Elizabeth Rugby Club in January to 's forecourt and various clubs, solidifying their reputation as a potent live act amid the pub rock scene. This grassroots traction, independent of radio play, laid the foundation for broader commercial success, as fans connected with the album's gritty realism and the band's unpolished intensity.

Commercial Breakthrough with East (1979–1980)

East, Cold Chisel's third studio album, represented a calculated shift toward broader commercial appeal, recorded mainly in March and April 1980 at Paradise Studios in under producer Mark Opitz. Released on June 2, 1980, via East Records distributed by , the album featured songwriting contributions from multiple band members, including Don Walker's "Cheap Wine" and Ian Moss's "My Baby". The record achieved immediate chart success, debuting on June 9, 1980, and peaking at number two on the , where it resided for 63 weeks, making it the highest-selling Australian album of the year. Lead single "Cheap Wine", issued in May 1980, climbed to number eight on the national singles chart by July 14, providing the band's first top-ten hit and underscoring their growing mainstream traction. Follow-up singles "My Baby" and "Choirgirl" sustained momentum, with the latter addressing themes in a manner that sparked radio play debates but contributed to the album's cultural resonance. Post-release, Cold Chisel launched the Youth in Asia Tour in mid-1980, delivering high-energy and theater performances that routinely sold out and shattered attendance records at venues like Sydney's Capitol Theatre and Melbourne's Festival Hall. Live captures from these shows formed the basis of the Swingshift, which debuted at number one, further cementing the band's live prowess. By late 1980, East had elevated Cold Chisel from regional favorites to national rock dominants, with sales and tour grosses reflecting unprecedented demand for their raw, narrative-driven sound.

Peak Era and Circus Animals (1981–1982)

Following the commercial breakthrough of East in 1980, Cold Chisel embarked on a 19-show North American tour in 1981 to build international momentum, though it yielded limited success abroad. In April 1981, the band released Swingshift, a double live album recorded during their "Youth in Asia" tour the previous winter, which became their first chart-topping release in . From September to December 1981, Cold Chisel recorded their fourth studio album, Circus Animals, at Paradise Studios and Studio 301 in , refining their rock sound with more sophisticated production while retaining raw energy. Released on March 8, 1982, the album debuted at number one on the Australian charts, spending multiple weeks at the top and solidifying the band's domestic dominance. Key singles from Circus Animals included "You Got Nothing I Want," "Forever Now," and "When the War Is Over," which highlighted songwriter Don Walker's lyrical depth and the band's instrumental interplay, contributing to the album's enduring appeal. The record received widespread critical praise for its balance of aggression and melody, with reviewers noting it as a pinnacle of Australian rock craftsmanship. Throughout 1982, Cold Chisel maintained intense touring activity, including domestic headline shows like the January 9 concert at Noosa Football Park and an extensive Circus Animals promotional tour, alongside a brief European stint, which amplified their live reputation amid growing fame. This period represented the zenith of their cohesion and popularity, with Circus Animals sales exceeding 200,000 copies in alone by year's end.

Internal Strains Leading to Breakup (1983)

By early 1983, escalating interpersonal conflicts within Cold Chisel had undermined the band's cohesion, particularly between lead vocalist and Steve Prestwich, who frequently clashed over musical tempo and performance style, with Barnes pushing for faster pacing and Prestwich preferring a more measured approach. These disputes, compounded by Prestwich's perceived lack of enthusiasm during rehearsals and shows, led Barnes to contemplate replacing him mid-tour, even arranging for an Australian to join them overseas. Manager Rod Willis later described the dynamic as a persistent "bone of contention," reflecting broader frustrations with inconsistent live performances that had plagued the group amid their post-Circus Animals touring commitments. Tensions reached a breaking point during the band's May 1983 tour of Germany, where "slack" shows exacerbated resentments, culminating in keyboardist Don Walker overturning his piano on the final night in a fit of frustration, narrowly missing bassist Phil Small and Barnes. Walker attributed the outburst to the band's overall poor execution, stating, "We were incredibly frustrated. We were all frustrated with Steve." Upon returning to Australia in June 1983, the members voted to dismiss Prestwich, a decision Barnes justified by noting, "Steve was just being an asshole the whole time" and showing disinterest. This sacking failed to resolve underlying dysfunction, as individual ambitions, creative differences, and the failure to sustain international momentum—despite earlier U.S. forays—intensified the sense of stagnation. On August 17, 1983, the band convened and formally decided to disband, initiating a wind-down process that included farewell performances, with Walker later recalling the group as "an unhappy place" rife with anger over unrealized global potential, which he felt had been "sabotaged." The split brought relief to members weary of chronic volatility, though it marked the end of their most commercially dominant phase after a decade of mounting strains from touring pressures and personal drifts.

Solo Careers and Intermittent Activity (1984–1996)

Following the band's dissolution in late 1983, vocalist rapidly established a prominent solo career, releasing his debut album Bodyswerve on 15 October 1984, which reached number one on the albums chart in . His follow-up in 1985 also topped the charts, as did subsequent releases including (1987) and Two Fires (1990), yielding five consecutive number-one studio albums and outselling many Cold Chisel records. Barnes incorporated soul and rock elements, achieving hits like "Too Much Ain't Enough" from Bodyswerve and "Working Class Man" from the 1985 album. Guitarist Ian Moss paused after the breakup before entering the studio, launching his solo trajectory with the single "Bow River" in 1986 and debuting with the album Matchbook in September 1989, which peaked at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart and sold over 200,000 copies. Featuring collaborations with Cold Chisel alumni like Don Walker on keyboards, Matchbook produced top-ten singles such as "Tucker's Daughter" (with Jimmy Barnes on vocals) and "Telephone Booth," blending blues-rock with pop sensibilities. Moss toured extensively to support the release, solidifying his status as a leading Australian guitarist. Keyboardist Don Walker concentrated on songwriting and production, contributing tracks to other artists and co-founding the supergroup Company of Strangers in 1991 alongside Barnes on vocals; the project's self-titled album emerged in 1992, incorporating Walker's piano-driven compositions like "Northern Star." Walker avoided high-profile solo releases during this era, instead emphasizing behind-the-scenes work that maintained his influence in Australian rock. Drummer Steve Prestwich joined in 1984 as their percussionist, contributing to albums like Playing to Win (1984) and (1986) before departing in 1986; he later pursued session work and his own material, including a self-titled solo album in 1997. Bassist Phil Small performed with acts such as Pound in 1985 and of Duke from 1985 to 1988, supplementing income with non-musical jobs like truck driving amid reduced visibility. Band-wide activity remained sporadic, limited to informal collaborations such as the Barnes-Moss-Walker track "Tucker's Daughter" rather than full reunions, reflecting ongoing interpersonal tensions and individual commitments until preparations for a 1997 return.

Reunion Tours and Last Stand Album (1997–2012)

Cold Chisel reunited in late 1997 after initial discussions in 1995, with the original lineup of Jimmy Barnes, Ian Moss, Steve Prestwich, Phil Small, and Don Walker recording new material. The band released their sixth studio album, The Last Wave of Summer, on October 2, 1998, which debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart and achieved over 100,000 presales. Supporting the album, they embarked on the Last Wave Tour in 1998, performing arena shows across Australia that attracted 150,000 attendees. This marked their first full-scale reunion effort since disbanding in 1983, driven by renewed creative synergy despite past tensions. Following the 1998 tour, the band remained sporadically active, conducting 16 intimate "Ringside" shows in 2003 and 2004 at smaller venues, which helped resolve internal disputes and reinvigorated their live dynamic. These performances emphasized unamplified, close-proximity sets, drawing enthusiastic responses from audiences. In January 2011, drummer Steve Prestwich died suddenly at age 56, prompting the group to enlist session drummer for subsequent activities. The band announced their Light the Nitro Tour in early 2011, their most extensive outing in decades, selling over 325,000 tickets across and , with 170,000 sold on the first day of release in August 2011. The tour included a notable performance on April 18, 2012, at Sydney's amid severe weather, later documented in The Live Tapes Vol. 1, a live recording released in 2013 capturing 21 tracks from the show. Coinciding with the tour's momentum, Cold Chisel released No Plans on April 6, 2012, their seventh studio album, which debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart, went gold, and featured final recordings from . These efforts underscored the band's enduring appeal in Australian pub rock, blending new material with classics amid lineup adjustments.

Sporadic Reunions and Member Losses (2013–2023)

Following the conclusion of their Last Stand tour in early 2013, Cold Chisel maintained a low profile as a performing entity, with core members Jimmy Barnes, Ian Moss, and Don Walker pursuing individual projects amid occasional collaborative efforts. The band reconvened in 2015 to record and release their eighth studio album, The Perfect Crime, on 2 October 2015, which debuted at number 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart and featured 11 new tracks emphasizing their signature raw pub rock sound with contributions from Walker on most compositions. This release prompted the One Night Stand tour, comprising 18 Australian and New Zealand shows from October to December 2015, including high-capacity performances at venues like the Sydney Entertainment Centre, where the final two concerts on 17 and 18 December were recorded for the live album The Live Tapes Vol. 4, released in 2017. The 2015 lineup consisted of Barnes on vocals, on guitar and vocals, Walker on keyboards, and Matt Drummond on drums, with touring bassist duties handled by session musicians rather than original bassist Phil Small, who had opted out of road work post-2012 to prioritize a private life away from the demands of touring. Small's absence represented a significant shift, as the founding member— who had rejoined for select reunions like the 2009-2011 gatherings—effectively retired from active band participation, reducing the group to its longstanding creative nucleus of three while relying on substitutes for live needs. No other principal member departures or deaths occurred during this period, though the lingering impact of former Steve Prestwich's 2011 passing continued to influence setlists and tributes in performances. Activity remained intermittent thereafter, with the band issuing a 40th-anniversary of the 1983 recordings on 17 November 2023, featuring remastered audio and unreleased material from their farewell shows, but without triggering a live reunion. In December 2019, they released their ninth studio album, Blood Moon, on 6 December, which topped the Albums Chart and included Walker-penned songs reflecting themes of aging and reflection; this was supported by the Blood Moon tour of 12 arena and outdoor dates across from December 2019 to February 2020, again featuring the core trio augmented by Drummond and additional players, selling over 150,000 tickets. Sporadic one-off appearances, such as slots or charity events, punctuated the years, but no further full-scale tours materialized until 2024, underscoring the group's pattern of album-driven, finite engagements amid members' solo commitments and health considerations, including Barnes' open-heart surgery on 6 December 2023.

50th Anniversary Tour and Ongoing Uncertainty (2024–2025)

In May 2024, Cold Chisel announced their 50th anniversary tour, titled "The Big Five-0", comprising an initial 11 dates across major Australian cities and , with three additional shows added shortly thereafter due to demand; all dates sold out rapidly. The tour commenced on 5 October 2024 in and concluded in early 2025, drawing over 250,000 attendees who experienced performances of the band's core catalog, including hits from their 1978–1982 peak era, alongside special guests such as The Cruel Sea. The tour's success was documented in a live album and DVD release, "The Big Five-O Live", issued in July 2025, capturing over 90 minutes of material from venues like the Music Bowl, with bonus footage of rare performances. A televised special aired on Channel 7 in May 2025, highlighting the event's scale and fan enthusiasm. However, the performances occurred amid frontman ' ongoing health challenges, which introduced uncertainty regarding the band's long-term viability; , aged 68 at the tour's start, had undergone open-heart surgery in December 2023 following bacterial complications from . In August 2024, he was hospitalized for severe pain, leading to cancellations of solo engagements, though he persisted with Cold Chisel dates using temporary interventions. Post-tour, in February 2025, required further surgery for the unresolved issue, having performed in "severe pain" during the final shows. As of October 2025, no subsequent full-band tours have been confirmed, with Barnes focusing on solo activities, including a new album and tour announced amid his recovery; this, combined with the group's of intermittent reunions and Barnes' advancing age, sustains questions about Cold Chisel's future cohesion.

Musical Style and Lyrical Themes

Core Influences and Sonic Evolution

Cold Chisel's musical foundation rested on , , and rock 'n' roll traditions, with primary songwriter Don Walker drawing from , , and the rock 'n' roll explosion of the during his formative years in . The band's sound integrated influences from American soul figures like and , rock pioneers such as , and British acts including The Who, The Faces, and , which were reframed through an Australian lens emphasizing raw energy and working-class narratives. Guitarist and vocalist further amplified and early rock elements, evident in the gritty guitar riffs and vocal delivery that defined their pub rock origins. The band's sonic evolution began with their raw, unpolished debut album Cold Chisel in 1978, capturing the high-octane intensity of Adelaide and Sydney pub gigs through straightforward blues-rock arrangements and minimal production. By Breakfast at Sweethearts (1979), producers introduced cleaner, more layered textures with subtle orchestral touches, marking a shift toward accessibility that broadened their appeal while retaining rhythmic drive—though some contemporaries noted it softened the debut's edge. This progression peaked in East (1980) and Circus from India (1982), where hit singles like "Choirgirl" and "Flame Trees" blended anthemic hooks, piano-driven ballads, and experimental flourishes with increasingly sophisticated production, yet preserved the core blues-infused propulsion and live-wire aggression. Post-reunion works, such as The Last Wave of Summer (1998), echoed this refined hybrid, fusing soulful introspection with rock vigor, while recent releases like Blood Moon (2024) revisited blues and soul roots amid orchestral experimentation.

Examination of Key Themes and Realism

Cold Chisel's lyrical content, primarily authored by keyboardist Don Walker, centers on the unvarnished experiences of ordinary Australians, encompassing working-class drudgery, personal alienation, fleeting relationships, and the search for escape amid socioeconomic constraints. Songs frequently depict urban and regional life in Australia during the late 20th century, including pub culture, manual labor, and the psychological toll of unfulfilled ambitions, as seen in tracks like "Cheap Wine," which portrays alcohol as a temporary salve for emotional voids rather than a heroic indulgence. This thematic focus extends to narratives of migration, displacement, and cultural dislocation, reflecting the band's members' own backgrounds—such as vocalist Jimmy Barnes's Scottish immigrant roots and Walker's observations of Sydney's underbelly. A prominent motif involves the aftermath of conflict and societal reintegration failures, exemplified by "" (1978), which chronicles a veteran's postwar disillusionment, marked by , aimless wandering, and irreconcilable gaps between battlefield camaraderie and civilian anonymity. Similarly, "Four Walls" (1980) offers a stark, detached portrayal of existential monotony in domestic confinement, evoking a trapped in repetitive despair without melodramatic resolution. These themes counterbalance with inevitable reckoning, as in "" (1984), where for youth and hometown symbols clashes against the permanence of loss and stagnation. The band's realism manifests in Walker's observational style, drawing from direct encounters with "working class or outsider Australian life" to craft empathetic yet unflinching vignettes that eschew romanticization for causal fidelity to human frailty and environmental pressures. This approach yields lyrics akin to terse, Australian-inflected short stories, prioritizing authenticity over universality—evident in the gritty interplay of triumph and heartbreak in everyday struggles, which resonated with audiences attuned to the discrepancies between Australia's aspirational self-image and its material realities. Unlike contemporaneous rock narratives favoring mythic heroism, Cold Chisel's oeuvre integrates poetic lyricism with socioeconomic specificity, such as industrial decline and veteran alienation, grounded in verifiable mid-1970s to 1980s Australian contexts like high unemployment and Anzac cultural memory. Such verisimilitude stems from Walker's method of embedding "ring of truth" through lived vignettes, avoiding abstraction to mirror causal chains of personal and collective hardship.

Band Members and Dynamics

Principal Members and Contributions

The principal members of Cold Chisel were Jimmy Barnes (lead vocals), Ian Moss (guitar and vocals), Don Walker (piano and backing vocals), Phil Small (bass guitar), and Steve Prestwich (drums). These five formed the core lineup from the mid-1970s through the band's initial breakup in 1983, providing the instrumental foundation and creative drive behind their pub rock sound. Don Walker, as the primary songwriter, composed or co-composed the majority of the band's enduring hits, including "Khe Sanh" (1978), "Cheap Wine" (1980), and "Flame Trees" (1984), which captured themes of Australian working-class life and became cultural touchstones. His keyboard arrangements and lyrical focus on realism shaped Cold Chisel's distinctive style, blending blues, rock, and piano-driven melodies. Jimmy Barnes delivered the band's raw, powerful lead vocals, emphasizing emotional intensity in performances of tracks like "Khe Sanh" and "Flame Trees," and contributed original material such as "You Got Nothing I Want" from the 1982 album Circus Animals. His charismatic stage presence and raspy timbre were central to their live energy and commercial appeal. Ian Moss handled lead guitar duties, adding blues-inflected solos and shared vocal responsibilities on songs like "My Baby" (1980), while penning "Bow River," a highlight of Circus Animals that showcased his melodic guitar work. Steve Prestwich provided driving drum patterns that underpinned the band's rhythm, and contributed key songs including "Forever Now" (1982, peaking at #4 on Australian charts) and "When the War Is Over" from Circus Animals. He co-wrote "Flame Trees" with Walker, enhancing the album's melodic depth. Phil Small anchored the low end with bass lines that supported the group's tight ensemble playing, and participated in songwriting for the 1980 album East, contributing to its cohesive sound during their rising popularity.

Timeline of Lineup Changes

Cold Chisel formed in Adelaide in late 1973 initially as a heavy metal cover band named Orange, comprising Ian Moss on guitar and vocals, Don Walker on keyboards and vocals, Les Kaczmarek on bass guitar, and Steve Prestwich on drums. Jimmy Barnes joined as lead vocalist in December 1973, solidifying the initial performing lineup. In mid-1975, Barnes temporarily departed to replace as lead singer of , prompting his older brother John Swan to join Cold Chisel briefly on drums and backing vocals while handled more lead vocal duties. Barnes rejoined shortly thereafter, restoring the prior vocal arrangement. Later that year, Kaczmarek was sacked and replaced by Phil Small on , establishing the band's core five-piece configuration of Barnes, Moss, Walker, Small, and Prestwich. In May 1977, Barnes announced his intention to quit and join in the band , leading to a farewell performance, but he reversed the decision and remained with Cold Chisel. This lineup persisted through the band's active period until internal strains culminated in Prestwich's dismissal in early following a troubled European tour marked by his alcohol-related unreliability; Ray Arnott, formerly of , filled in on drums for the band's final shows before its December breakup. Subsequent reunions from 1998 onward featured the original surviving members—, Walker, Small, and alongside Barnes—until Prestwich's death on 16 January 2011. then assumed drumming duties for the 2011–2012 tour and recordings, a role he has maintained for sporadic activity and the band's 2024 50th anniversary tour, which includes Barnes, , Walker, and Small.

Interpersonal Relationships and Conflicts

The principal members of Cold Chisel maintained a complex interplay of camaraderie and friction, rooted in strong personal bonds overshadowed by clashing egos, , and professional frustrations. Vocalist , who joined the band in 1974 after initial reservations from guitarist , shared a longstanding friendship with Moss dating back to their shared roots, yet Barnes' volatile temperament led to multiple temporary departures from the group, including a brief stint auditioning for following Bon Scott's death in 1980. These exits strained relations, as Barnes' impulsive decisions exacerbated underlying resentments within the lineup. A pivotal conflict arose in 1983 during a European tour, where drummer Steve Prestwich's performance faltered amid personal struggles, culminating in his dismissal upon the band's return to Australia in June. Manager Rod Willis recounted that Prestwich was "singled out fairly or unfairly," bearing the brunt of collective dissatisfaction after subpar shows in Germany, though he later rejoined for select farewell performances. Keyboardist Don Walker, the band's primary songwriter, described the pre-breakup atmosphere as an "unhappy place," with members ceasing communication amid exhaustion from a decade of intense touring and recording. Walker later reflected on the 1983 split as a relief despite his heartbreak over untapped potential, attributing it to unresolved interpersonal exhaustion rather than a single incident. Bassist Phil Small and the core creative duo of Walker and generally avoided public airing of grievances, but the group's failure to break internationally amplified internal pressures, fostering a sense of futility that eroded cohesion. Reunions from onward required deliberate caution among survivors, with members acknowledging past scars while prioritizing mutual respect to sustain sporadic collaborations. These dynamics underscored Cold Chisel's resilience, as personal conflicts, while disruptive, did not sever lifelong ties forged through shared triumphs.

Discography

Studio Albums

Cold Chisel has released nine studio albums, primarily through East Records and later major labels such as and , achieving significant commercial success in with multiple number-one releases on the and . Their output reflects periods of intense activity in the late and early , followed by a 14-year hiatus until reunion efforts yielded further albums.
Album TitleRelease DateLabelPeak Chart Position (Australia)
Cold ChiselApril 1978East38
Breakfast at SweetheartsFebruary 1979East4
EastJune 1980East2
Circus AnimalsMarch 1982East1
Twentieth CenturyAugust 19841
The Last Wave of SummerAugust 19981
No Plans...6 April 2012Cold Chisel Pty Ltd2
The Perfect Crime2 October 2015Cold Chisel Pty Ltd2
Blood Moon6 December 2019Cold Chisel Pty Ltd1
The early albums, produced by Mark Opitz, featured raw pub rock energy and songs drawing from Australian working-class experiences, with hits like "" from East becoming enduring anthems. Later works, including the post-reunion releases, incorporated more polished production while retaining thematic grit, often addressing maturity, loss, and nostalgia; for instance, Blood Moon broke records as the longest gap between number-one albums by an Australian band.

Live Releases and Compilations

Cold Chisel's live releases capture the band's reputation for high-energy performances, spanning early gigs, their farewell tour, and post-reunion shows. The "Live Tapes" series, initiated in , features professionally recorded concerts remastered for release, emphasizing raw audience interaction and extended sets. Earlier live efforts include recordings from their final original-lineup tour in 1983–1984, which were initially bootlegged but later officially issued. A 2025 release commemorates their 50th anniversary with material from a major outdoor concert. Key live albums include:
TitleRelease DateKey Details
SwingshiftOctober 1981Double live album/EP recorded during early tours; features tracks like "Breakfast at Sweethearts" and covers; peaked at No. 2 on Australian charts.
The Barking Spiders Live 19831984 (official reissue 2011)Recorded at during tour; 12 tracks including "Merry-Go-Round" and "No Sense"; originally semi-official bootleg reflecting chaotic final shows.
Last StandNovember 1992Double live album from 1983–1984 farewell tour; 19 tracks such as "Standing on the Outside" and "Cheap Wine"; charted at No. 6 in ; 40th anniversary edition released 2023 with bonus material.
The Live Tapes Vol. 1 – Live at the Hordern22 November 2013Recorded 18 April 2012 at Hordern Pavilion, ; 21 tracks including "Flame Trees"; available in CD, DVD, and vinyl formats.
The Live Tapes Vol. 3 – Live at the Manly Vale Hotel2 December 2016Recorded 7 June 1980 at Manly Vale Hotel; 19 tracks like "Khe Sanh"; captures early pub rock era.
The Live Tapes Vol. 4 – The Last Stand of the Sydney Entertainment Centre10 November 2017Recorded 17–18 December 2015 at ; 29 tracks across three discs; deluxe edition includes DVD.
The Live Tapes Vol. 5 – Live at the Bondi Lifesaver11 December 2020Recorded at Bondi Lifesaver venue; 23 tracks including covers like "Wild Thing."
The Big Five-0 LiveAugust 2025Recorded at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne; 27 tracks such as "Flame Trees" and "Khe Sanh"; celebrates 50 years, available on CD, DVD, and vinyl.
Compilations aggregate the band's studio highlights, B-sides, and rarities, often remastered for anniversary editions. These releases have sustained interest between studio albums and tours, with recent ones incorporating new mixes or unreleased tracks. Notable examples include (1991), a single-disc best-of peaking at in Australia, featuring hits like "" and "."
TitleRelease DateKey Details
Remastered compilation; tracks include "No Sense" and ""; focused on early hits.
The Best of Cold Chisel: All for You2011Deluxe edition with 37 tracks; includes rarities and digital-only companions like Never Before, Besides, and Covered.
50 Years – The Best Of202425-track compilation; features remastered classics like "Rising Sun" and "Saturday Night"; tied to anniversary celebrations.
These collections have charted strongly in Australia, reinforcing Cold Chisel's enduring commercial appeal despite lineup changes and hiatuses.

Reception and Impact

Critical Assessments and Achievements

Cold Chisel's music has been praised by critics for its raw energy, blending pub rock grit with sophisticated songwriting, particularly in albums like East (1980), which marked a pivotal evolution in their sound through polished production and thematic depth without diluting their edge. Reviewers have highlighted vocalist Jimmy Barnes' "superhuman" delivery as a cornerstone, anchoring performances with emotional intensity that sustains audience engagement over decades. Don Walker's piano-driven compositions and Ian Moss's lyrical guitar work have been noted for creating anthemic, narrative-driven tracks that evoke Australian working-class life, influencing subsequent generations of rock acts. The band's live shows have drawn acclaim for delivering "masterclasses in sustained intensity," maintaining high-caliber execution even in large venues, as evidenced by their 50th anniversary performances in 2024. Critics attribute their enduring appeal to authentic in , often compared to Raymond Carver's style but infused with an Australian , fostering a cultural that transcends initial pub rock origins. However, some assessments point to internal inconsistencies during later tours, where the band occasionally fell short of their peak form, contributing to their 1983 disbandment amid frustrations over performance standards. Achievements include selling over seven million albums worldwide since their 1978 debut, with strong domestic dominance reflecting their status as a cornerstone of Australian rock. They were inducted into the on March 31, 1993, recognizing their foundational role in the genre. In 1981, Cold Chisel swept the Countdown Awards, securing a record seven trophies for categories including Most Outstanding Achievement and Most Popular Group, though notably declined to accept them in protest of the event's format. Additional honors encompass induction into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame and a prestigious APRA in for contributions to Australian music. Their influence extends to defining 1970s-1980s pub rock, producing unofficial national anthems that captured generational experiences and shaped Oz rock's identity.

Commercial Performance and Cultural Resonance

Cold Chisel achieved substantial commercial success primarily within , where the band has sold over seven million albums to date. Their discography includes six albums that reached number one on the , with the most recent being the 2024 compilation 50 Years – The Best Of, which debuted at the top and extended frontman Jimmy Barnes's record for most chart-topping releases. Earlier efforts like The Last Wave of Summer (1998) and reunion tours, such as the one following The Best Of Cold Chisel (2011), generated significant revenue, including over 225,000 tickets sold for a national tour. Internationally, the band's breakthroughs were minimal; despite promotional tours in in 1981 and in 1983, they failed to secure widespread commercial traction or radio play abroad, confining their market dominance to and . The band's cultural resonance stems from their raw portrayal of Australian working-class life, pub culture, and regional identity, which resonated as anthems for multiple generations without relying on mainstream radio support. Songs such as "Khe Sanh" and "Flame Trees" captured narratives of mateship, loss, and everyday struggles, earning descriptions as unofficial national anthems that "paint pictures" of Australian experiences. This authenticity fostered a profound, enduring impact on the nation's rock tradition and self-perception, with their music influencing subsequent artists and symbolizing resilience amid personal and societal excesses. Their legacy endures in , as evidenced by ongoing reverence in media and fan bases that view them as architects of modern Australian rock ethos.

Awards and Industry Recognition

Cold Chisel was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame on 12 October 1993 during the seventh annual ARIA Awards ceremony in Sydney, an honor recognizing their pioneering role in Australian pub rock and commercial success with albums such as East and Circus Animals. On 5 April 2016, the band received the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music at the APRA Music Awards, presented by APRA AMCOS to acknowledge their lifetime contributions, including songwriting by Don Walker and cultural influence through hits like "Khe Sanh." Cold Chisel was inducted into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame in 2018, highlighting their formation in in 1973 and foundational impact on the state's rock scene.

Controversies and Criticisms

Lifestyle Excesses and Personal Struggles

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Cold Chisel cultivated a reputation for a hard-partying lifestyle emblematic of pub rock excess, characterized by prolific alcohol consumption during performances and offstage, alongside escalating drug use among members. Frontman exemplified this, engaging in onstage drinking that became legendary, often consuming and other substances to fuel his high-energy shows, which occasionally impaired his vocal performance. Barnes's personal struggles intensified post-success, developing severe addictions to alcohol, , and later and , which he later described as a 40-year attempt to "drink myself to death" while ingesting any available drugs. These habits culminated in a 2012 suicide attempt in an hotel room, following consumption of multiple bottles and snorted and . The band's internal dynamics suffered, with substance-fueled volatility contributing to an "unhappy place" atmosphere that factored into their 1983 breakup, as recounted by keyboardist Don Walker. While Barnes's issues dominated narratives of the band's excesses, other members experienced less publicized but related pressures from the touring lifestyle, including alcohol's toll on cohesion and health. Drummer Steve Prestwich, who joined in 1975, maintained a lower profile amid the chaos but died in at age 56 from complications following surgery, unrelated directly to substances though occurring after years in the band's environment. Barnes achieved in the , crediting it with restoring his voice's power, and has since reflected on how unchecked addictions nearly ended his life and career.

Public Backlash and Interpretations of Lyrics

Cold Chisel's lyrics, primarily penned by keyboardist Don Walker, frequently drew from observations of Australian working-class life, including themes of alienation, regret, and hedonism, which occasionally provoked official scrutiny rather than widespread public outrage. The band's 1978 debut single "Khe Sanh," depicting a Vietnam veteran's post-war disillusionment with lines referencing casual sex ("their legs were often open") and drug withdrawal, was banned from commercial radio airplay by Australian censors shortly after release, stalling its chart peak at number 41 despite later becoming a cultural staple. This censorship stemmed from the song's explicit adult themes amid a conservative broadcasting environment, though the band attributed it partly to unfamiliarity with their raw style. Interpretations of "" emphasize its composite portrait of veteran trauma, blending stories from multiple sources to evoke broader societal neglect of returned soldiers, rather than a strictly autobiographical . Similarly, "Choirgirl" (1979) has been read as a somber reflection on unwanted and , with Walker confirming he crafted it around the emotional weight of a termination procedure, portraying regret without endorsement. Such songs resist simplistic moralizing, instead offering unflinching realism that critics like those in describe as nihilistic yet resonant with male pride amid systemic struggles. Broader lyrical analysis positions Cold Chisel's work as Carver-esque vignettes of Aussie grit, capturing contempt for authority, escapist boozing, and fractured relationships without romanticization—elements that fueled enduring appeal over backlash. While some contemporary listeners note the darkness in tracks like "" as mismatched for festive sing-alongs, this has not translated to organized public criticism, reflecting the band's alignment with cultural undercurrents rather than provocation for its own sake.

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