Cold Chisel discography

The discography of Cold Chisel, an iconic Australian pub rock band formed in 1973, comprises nine studio albums, multiple live recordings, compilations, and over 30 singles released between 1978 and 2024, reflecting their enduring influence on Australian music.^[1] With more than 7.3 million albums sold domestically, the band's output has garnered substantial commercial success, including six number-one albums on the ARIA Charts such as Twentieth Century (1984), Blood Moon (2019), and 50 Years – The Best Of (2024).^[1][2] Inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1993, Cold Chisel's releases are renowned for hits like "Khe Sanh" and "Flame Trees," blending raw pub rock energy with poignant storytelling that has resonated across generations.^[1] Key studio albums include their self-titled debut Cold Chisel (1978), the breakthrough East (1980) which peaked at number two and charted for 63 weeks, Circus Animals (1982), and post-reunion efforts like The Last Wave of Summer (1998), The Perfect Crime (2015), and Blood Moon (2019), the latter debuting at number one.^[1] Live albums such as Swingshift (1981) and Ringside (2003) capture their electrifying stage presence, while compilations like The Best of Cold Chisel: All for You (2011) achieved triple platinum status and remained in the ARIA Top 100 for over 355 weeks.^[1] Their singles discography features chart-toppers including "Cheap Wine" (number eight, 1980) and "Forever Now" (number four, 1982), contributing to a legacy of over 5 million combined single sales in Australia.^[1] Despite disbanding in 1983 and multiple reunions since 1998, Cold Chisel's recordings continue to dominate Australian airwaves and charts, underscoring their status as one of the nation's best-selling acts.^[1]

Albums

Studio albums

Cold Chisel, the Australian pub rock band formed in 1973, released their debut studio album in 1978, marking the beginning of a discography that blends raw energy, storytelling lyrics, and blues-infused rock. Their studio albums, produced primarily in Australia with occasional international distribution, reflect the band's evolution from gritty pub anthems to more polished productions while maintaining a focus on working-class themes and Australian identity. Over nine releases spanning four decades, these albums achieved significant commercial success in Australia, with several reaching number one on the ARIA Albums Chart and earning multi-platinum certifications for sales exceeding hundreds of thousands of units. Production often involved key collaborators like Mark Opitz, who helmed the band's breakthrough efforts, emphasizing live-like energy captured in studio settings. Formats initially centered on vinyl LPs, later expanding to CDs and digital for reissues, though original releases were predominantly physical media. The band's early work, recorded in Sydney studios, captured their raw sound honed from pub gigs, with thematic elements drawing from urban life and personal struggles. Later albums, following reunions, incorporated contemporary production while revisiting classic motifs like road life and mateship. For instance, East (1980), produced by Opitz, featured a circus-inspired aesthetic in its artwork and lyrics exploring isolation and excess. Similarly, Circus Animals (1982) extended this motif with tales of itinerant performers symbolizing the band's own transient lifestyle. These studio efforts contrast with live recordings by prioritizing composed arrangements over audience interaction, though the energy remains visceral. These albums were reissued in remastered formats in 2011, enhancing accessibility but preserving original studio recordings. The production for East and subsequent albums by Opitz introduced tighter arrangements, contributing to their enduring appeal in Australian rock. Certifications reflect domestic sales, with early albums benefiting from retrospective platinum status based on Kent Report equivalents pre-ARIA. UK and NZ chartings were limited, highlighting the band's primary Australian fanbase.

Live albums

Cold Chisel's live albums document the band's electrifying stage presence, often recorded during pivotal tours and featuring extended improvisations that differ from their studio recordings, such as elongated guitar solos in tracks like "Khe Sanh." These releases span from early pub gigs to stadium spectacles, highlighting the group's evolution and fan devotion. The series emphasizes unpolished energy, with many drawn from multitrack tapes preserved by the band. Swingshift, the band's debut live album, was recorded across multiple shows on the 1980 Youth in Asia Tour, capturing their rising popularity with a setlist heavy on tracks from East like the extended "Choirgirl" featuring audience sing-alongs not present in the studio version. Released as a double LP, it marked Cold Chisel's first chart-topping album and achieved triple platinum status for over 210,000 units sold.^[15][16] The Barking Spiders Live: 1983, released under a pseudonym to evade contractual issues, originated as a semi-official bootleg from the Last Stand tour's final Sydney shows, with post-production by the band emphasizing raw crowd noise in songs like "Forever Now." The double album peaked at No. 2 and earned gold certification, its 12 tracks including variations on "Saturday Night" with improvised intros.^[17][18] The Last Stand audio release in 1992 accompanied the 1984 concert film, drawn from the tour's climactic Sydney Entertainment Centre performances, where the band played a 20-song set blending hits like "Flame Trees" with covers, noted for Don Walker's piano flourishes extending beyond studio lengths. The package reached No. 6 and gold status, with 2023's 40th anniversary edition adding unreleased tracks and photos.^[19][20] Ringside, from the 2003 reunion tour inspired by Elvis Presley's comeback special, was captured over four intimate Hordern Pavilion nights, featuring a 16-track set with "Home and Broken Hearted" opener showcasing Ian Moss's guitar work amid fan chants. It re-entered the charts at No. 16 upon vinyl reissue, highlighting the band's post-hiatus chemistry without overdubs.^[21] The Live Tapes series, starting with Volume 1 from a 2012 Hordern Pavilion show, revived archival multitracks for high-fidelity releases; its 21 tracks include "Bow River" with extended solos varying from the 1982 studio cut, peaking at No. 4. Volume 2, from a 1979 Bombay Rock pub gig broadcast live on radio, offers 12 early tracks like "Breakfast at Sweethearts" in raw form, reaching No. 9.^[22][23] Volume 3 documents a 1980 Manly Vale Hotel performance with 19 songs, including "Cheap Wine" amid pub atmosphere, hitting No. 3; Volume 4 captures the 2015 Sydney Entertainment Centre finale across 29 tracks like "When the War Is Over," peaking at No. 2. Volume 5, from a 2020 Bondi Lifesaver club show, features 22 career-spanning cuts such as "Shakin' All Over" cover, debuting at No. 1 and earning platinum.^[24] The Big Five-O Live, commemorating the 50th anniversary tour, records the Melbourne Sidney Myer Music Bowl headline with 27 tracks including "Rising Sun" from the 2019 album, plus bonuses like unseen encores; it peaked at No. 4 on the ARIA chart, available in triple vinyl with over 90 minutes of footage.^[25][26]

Compilation albums

Cold Chisel's compilation albums encompass a range of retrospective collections, from early greatest hits packages to thematic assemblages of rarities, covers, and tribute recordings by other artists. These releases, spanning over four decades, have played a key role in sustaining the band's legacy during hiatus periods, often drawing tracks from their studio catalog while highlighting unreleased material or reinterpretations. Many achieved commercial success on the ARIA Charts, reflecting the enduring popularity of the group's pub rock anthems in Australia.^[27] The band's first compilation, Northbound, was released in 1983 by Line Records in Germany. It was a greatest hits collection featuring key tracks from their first three studio albums, such as "Khe Sanh" and "Cheap Wine." This 10-track set did not chart prominently but served as an introductory overview for international audiences.^[28] Radio Songs: A Best Of Cold Chisel, issued in November 1985 by WEA, curated radio-friendly hits from the band's first five studio albums, such as "Cheap Wine," "Breakfast at Sweethearts," and "Flame Trees." The 12-track collection emphasized accessible, chart-topping singles to capitalize on airplay, peaking at No. 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart.^[27][29] In 1987, Razor Songs followed on WEA, compiling edgier, lesser-known tracks and B-sides from the same studio era, including "Razor's Edge" and outtakes like "Saturday Night." This 10-track release targeted fans seeking deeper cuts beyond mainstream hits, with no significant chart performance noted.^[30] The 1991 greatest hits album Chisel, released by EastWest Records, aggregated 17 key tracks from 1978–1984, such as "Khe Sanh," "Choirgirl," and "Forever Now," remastered for broader appeal post-hiatus. It peaked at No. 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart and received multi-platinum certifications in Australia for over 630,000 units shipped.^[27][31] Teenage Love, a 1994 Mushroom Records release, centered on early demos and unreleased songs from the band's 1970s adolescence, featuring tracks like "Teenage Love Affair," "Hand Out of My Pocket," and "When the Sun Goes Down" sourced from studio outtakes and home recordings. The 13-track set peaked at No. 6 on the ARIA Albums Chart, offering insight into their raw, formative sound.^[27][32] The 1999 double-CD The Studio Sessions 1978–1984, put out by Universal Music, compiled alternate mixes, demos, and session recordings from the band's classic period, including variants of "Bow River" and "Goodbye (Astrid Goodbye)" drawn from original multitrack tapes. This 28-track archival release did not chart but provided comprehensive behind-the-scenes material for dedicated listeners.^[3] Standing on the Outside: The Songs of Cold Chisel, a 2007 tribute compilation on EMI, featured covers by Australian artists like The Living End ("Rising Sun"), Dallas Crane ("Standing on the Outside"), and Pete Murray ("Forever Now"), alongside a bonus disc of 18 original Chisel tracks. The two-disc set peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified platinum, reintroducing the band's material to newer generations through reinterpretations. A limited-edition five-CD box set expanded this with additional rarities and live cuts, enhancing its role in bridging eras.^[27][33] In 2011, Universal released several digital-only compilations during the band's reunion. Never Before, a collection of rare demos and early takes like "Never Before" and outtakes from 1977–1984 sessions, highlighted previously unreleased material from their demo tape era. Besides, focused on B-sides, bonus tracks, and rarities such as "Suicide Sal" and alternate mixes, offered fan-favorite obscurities. Covered gathered the band's cover versions, including live "Wild Thing" and studio "Georgia on My Mind" and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." These three 10–15 track sets did not enter physical charts but bolstered digital sales. The Best of Cold Chisel: All for You, a two-disc physical and digital greatest hits with two new recordings ("All for You" and "HQ"), selected 37 tracks spanning their career, peaking at No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart and certified quadruple platinum.^{[34][35][36][27]} Marking the band's 50th anniversary, 50 Years – The Best Of arrived in August 2024 via Universal Music Australia as a career-spanning double-CD with 24 essential tracks, including "Khe Sanh," "Flame Trees," and recent additions like "The Perfect Crime." It debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, becoming their sixth chart-topping release and the longest-running Australian album of the year to date.^[37][38][39]

Singles and extended plays

Extended plays

Cold Chisel released three extended plays during their career, with the debut serving as a live showcase early in their rise and the later two emerging as part of a major archival project in 2011. These EPs capture the band's raw pub rock energy from radio sessions and theater performances, featuring original compositions alongside covers that highlight their influences. None of the EPs achieved significant commercial chart success, but they provide essential glimpses into the group's formative years and have been reissued digitally as part of anniversary-driven remasters. The band's first EP, You're Thirteen, You're Beautiful, and You're Mine, was released on November 20, 1978, by Elektra Records in vinyl format, with a digital reissue following in 2011 as part of the comprehensive The Last Wave remaster campaign. Recorded live at the Regent Theatre in Sydney in October 1978, it consists of five tracks blending originals and covers, emphasizing Cold Chisel's high-energy stage presence during their pre-Breakfast at Sweethearts era. The EP was limited to 12-inch vinyl initially and later made available digitally, without notable chart performance but valued for its historical snapshot of the band's early live sound. In 2011, to commemorate the band's enduring legacy and coincide with remastered album reissues, Cold Chisel released two archival EPs drawn from early Triple J (then 2JJ) radio broadcasts, available exclusively in digital formats through Cold Chisel Pty Ltd. These were part of a larger project excavating unreleased material from the archives, marking a 35-year retrospective effort without physical editions at launch, though the St Leonards Park recording later saw a limited vinyl pressing in 2015. Triple J – Live at the Wireless 29.3.77, released on July 22, 2011, features six tracks from a March 29, 1977, studio session at the 2JJ studios in Sydney, capturing the band in their nascent phase with two previously unreleased songs. This EP highlights covers like "Georgia on My Mind" alongside originals that foreshadowed their debut album, serving as an early radio artifact in the band's history. Triple J – Live in St Leonards Park 28.5.78, also released on July 22, 2011, documents an 11-track outdoor performance broadcast live on May 28, 1978, at St Leonards Park in Sydney, including all previously unreleased material and an alternate version of the rare track "F-111." This EP showcases the band's expanding setlist with a mix of high-tempo rockers and ballads, reflecting their growing confidence ahead of East, and was later reissued on limited-edition vinyl in 2015 to tie into ongoing anniversary celebrations.

Singles

Cold Chisel's singles discography encompasses over 30 official releases from 1978 to the mid-2020s, primarily issued through WEA (later Warner Music) and Universal Music Australia, evolving from 7-inch vinyl formats in their pub rock beginnings to digital downloads and streaming in the 2010s. These singles, often tied to studio albums, captured the band's raw energy and storytelling, achieving notable success on Australian charts managed by the Kent Music Report (pre-1988) and ARIA thereafter. While few reached international charts, several like "My Baby" cracked the US Mainstream Rock survey, and domestic hits such as "Forever Now" marked their commercial peak. Certifications are rare for individual singles, though enduring tracks like "Khe Sanh" earned cultural recognition from APRA as one of Australia's top songs. Non-charting or promotional releases, including early independents and later reissues, highlight their grassroots rise and lasting appeal. The band's singles frequently featured B-sides drawn from album cuts or live recordings, with remixes and reissues appearing in compilations like The Last Stand (1992) and 50 Years – The Best Of (2024). Early efforts like "Elevator Driver" (1978, independent 7" format) did not chart but built pub circuit buzz, while later digital-era variants, such as the 2011 iTunes release of "Khe Sanh," propelled re-entries on ARIA charts. Below is a table of select key singles, focusing on those with significant chart impact or historical note; full details include A/B-sides, associated album, label, primary format, peak positions, and certifications where applicable. Post-1980s singles, such as "No Sense" / "Hold Me Tight" (1983, #14) and "The Things I Love in You" (1998, #10), continued charting modestly, often as comeback promotions, while 2010s reissues via digital platforms revived classics without new certifications. Promotional variants, like radio edits of "Bow River" (1982 album track, no standalone single but radio staple), and non-charting efforts from EPs (e.g., "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" cover, 1981) underscore their focus on album-driven output over standalone hits. By the 2020s, streams from 50 Years – The Best Of (2024, Universal) reignited interest in core singles, blending vinyl reissues with modern formats.

Video releases

Video albums

Cold Chisel's video albums primarily consist of concert films and compilation releases capturing the band's live performances and visual history, spanning from early VHS formats to modern high-definition releases. These long-form videos document key moments in the band's career, including farewell shows, reunion tours, and anniversary celebrations, often complementing corresponding live audio albums. The evolution of these releases reflects advancements in video technology, beginning with analog VHS tapes in the 1980s and progressing to digital DVD and Blu-ray formats by the 2010s and 2020s, enabling enhanced audio-visual quality and bonus content like interviews. The band's first video album, Seeing Is Believing, was released in 1986 on VHS in Australia as a compilation of promotional clips and performance footage, running 82 minutes and rated PG for general audiences.^[50] Issued by WEA Music Video, it provided fans with early visual access to the band's hits in PAL format with a cardboard slipcase.^[51] Last Stand, released in 1992 on VHS (with a remastered PAL edition) and later reissued on DVD in 2005, is a 92-minute documentary concert film directed by Tony Stevens, capturing the band's final performances during their 1984 farewell tour at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.^[52] Produced by John McLean and Next Vision, it features the full setlist including staples like "Khe Sanh" and "Flame Trees," with cinematography by John Whitteron, and is tied to the contemporaneous live audio album of the same name.^[53] The DVD edition includes multichannel audio and runs in PAL format, emphasizing the emotional closure of the band's initial disbandment.^[54] In 2002, Vision arrived as a DVD compilation on Warner Music Vision, offering 93 minutes of remastered music videos and live clips in PAL format, showcasing the band's career highlights from the 1970s through the 1990s.^[55] This single-disc release, clocking in at approximately 93 minutes, focuses on visual storytelling of tracks like "Flame Trees" and "When the War Is Over," without associated live audio but serving as a retrospective companion to their studio catalog.^[56] Ringside The Movie, a 2003 DVD release (marketed in 2004) by Warner Music Vision, documents the band's reunion concerts at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on June 3, 4, 6, and 7, 2003, in a full-length concert film format.^[57] Filmed during their post-reunion tour, it captures high-energy performances of classics and new material, paired with the live audio album Ringside from the same shows, and is available in standard DVD-Video.^[58] The 2007 DVD Rockpalast, released by Warner Vision Australia, presents a 115-minute concert film of the band's 1982 performance at Hamburg's Markthalle, originally broadcast live-to-air on the German TV series Rockpalast. Directed for television and running in PAL DVD format, it highlights Cold Chisel's international appeal during their European tour, with no direct audio album tie-in but featuring raw, unedited setlists from the era.^[59] The Best of Cold Chisel – Vision, a 2011 DVD compilation on Universal Music Australia, extends the 2002 Vision concept with 102 minutes of remastered videos, including 24 classic clips and a new video for "All for You."^[60] This PAL-formatted release emphasizes the band's enduring hits with improved audio, serving as a visual greatest-hits package without a specific live audio counterpart.^[61] The Live Tapes – Vol. 1, released in 2013 as part of a deluxe edition with the live audio album, is a 101-minute concert film (plus 22 minutes of extras) captured at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on April 18, 2012.^[62] Available on DVD and Blu-ray in all regions with Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 audio, it includes 21 tracks from the band's reunion set and bonus studio footage, marking the first new live release in over a decade under Cold Chisel Pty Limited.^[63] The most recent entry, The Big Five-O Live, issued on August 8, 2025, via Universal Music Australia as a double-disc DVD (also on Blu-ray), celebrates the band's 50th anniversary with a full concert from Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl on November 23, 2024.^[25] Directed by Andrew Lord and produced by Paul Clarke and Beyond Productions, the release features the core show plus 10 additional songs and over an hour of bonus interviews, tying into the live audio edition and highlighting high-definition upgrades for modern viewing.^[64]

Music videos

Cold Chisel's music videos began as simple promotional clips in the late 1970s, primarily for television broadcast, and evolved into more narrative and polished productions by the 1980s, reflecting the band's rising prominence in Australian rock. These videos often captured the raw energy of pub rock culture, with visuals emphasizing Australian landscapes, urban nightlife, and emotional storytelling tied to the singles they promoted, such as heartfelt ballads and anthemic tracks from albums like East (1980) and Twentieth Century (1984). Official releases were initially distributed via TV shows like Countdown and later on VHS compilations, before gaining wider reach on MTV and digital platforms like YouTube starting in the 2010s. The band's early videos were low-budget affairs, often shot in black-and-white or basic color to evoke intimacy and grit. For instance, the 1978 video for "Khe Sanh," directed by Paul Drane, features the band performing in a dimly lit studio setting, capturing their debut single's raw intensity with simple close-ups on Jimmy Barnes' vocals and Ian Moss' guitar work; running approximately 4 minutes, it was primarily aired on Australian TV.^[65] Similarly, the 1980 clip for "My Baby" adopts an early black-and-white aesthetic, showing live performance footage from Countdown with minimal staging, emphasizing the song's bluesy vibe in a 3:30 runtime, distributed via broadcast television.^[43] By the early 1980s, videos incorporated more narrative elements and color cinematography. The 1980 video for "Cheap Wine," directed by Peter Cox, depicts the band in a seedy bar environment with dynamic cuts between performance and staged drinking scenes, lasting about 3:25 and released for TV promotion.^[66] "Forever Now" (1982), directed by Eduardo Guelfenbein, follows an emotional storyline of longing and separation, filmed in moody urban locations with a runtime of around 4:20; it highlights Steve Prestwich's songwriting through symbolic visuals like rainy streets, distributed on VHS and TV.^[67] That same year, "When the War Is Over" features a straightforward performance clip with war-themed overlays, shot in basic studio conditions for a 5-minute length, focusing on the ballad's poignant lyrics and aired on music programs.^[68] The mid-1980s marked a peak in production quality, aligning with Cold Chisel's farewell era. "Flame Trees" (1984), a narrative-driven video directed by Kimble Rendall, portrays small-town nostalgia with pub scenes filmed in Oberon, New South Wales, including crowd interactions and outback imagery; at 4:30, it was distributed via MTV and VHS, becoming iconic for its cultural resonance.^[69] "Saturday Night" (1984), directed by Richard Lowenstein, captures a lively pub atmosphere in Sydney's Kings Cross, with the band performing amid rowdy patrons in a 4-minute clip that evokes weekend revelry, released post-disbandment for TV and video formats.^[70] "Twentieth Century" (1983) offers a high-energy performance in industrial settings, directed without specified credits in available records, running 3:50 and promoting the title track's social commentary through fast-paced edits. Later reunions brought higher-production values with digital enhancements. "Bow River" (1982 original, re-released video in 2010) shows the band jamming in a riverside location, with a 4:50 runtime emphasizing instrumental prowess, uploaded officially to YouTube for global streaming.^[71] "Choir Girl" (1983) features intimate performance shots in a church-like setting, lasting 3:30, highlighting the song's controversial themes and distributed digitally in the 2010s.^[72] In 2015, "Lost" from The Perfect Crime depicts a road-trip narrative across Australian highways, directed by Robert Hambling in a 4-minute length, available on YouTube and streaming services.^[73] "All For You" (2011) follows a similar high-production style, with emotional family visuals in a 4:20 clip promoting reunion themes.^[74] The 2010s and 2020s saw polished, thematic videos tied to comebacks. "Getting the Band Back Together" (2019), directed by longtime collaborator Robert Hambling, uses studio outtakes from Studios 301 to showcase reunion energy, running 4:06 and released on YouTube alongside the Blood Moon album.^[75] For their 50th anniversary, "You've Got To Move" (2024), also directed by Hambling, was filmed in a sleek studio environment at 301 Studios, emphasizing blues roots in a 4-minute video distributed digitally and tied to the 50 Years - The Best Of compilation.^[76] Over time, Cold Chisel's music videos transitioned from rudimentary 1970s TV clips—often fan-made or basic band performances—to sophisticated 1980s narratives directed by notable Australian filmmakers, and finally to high-production digital releases in the 2010s and 2020s that leverage streaming for broader accessibility. This evolution mirrors the band's career arc, from underground pub rockers to national icons, with official videos distinguishing themselves from fan-made tributes like later "Khe Sanh" remakes by focusing on authentic band dynamics and thematic depth rather than elaborate effects. No major awards or nominations for individual videos have been documented, though their cultural impact endures through millions of YouTube views and integration into anniversary compilations.^[77]