Cold Chisel

:This article is about the Australian band. For information about the cutting tool, see Chisel.

Related Topics:
Australia - Chisel

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Cold Chisel, a rock and roll band, produced the canonical example of Australian pub rock, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and they are acknowledged as one of the most popular and successful Australian groups of the period, although this success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to Australia.

Related Topics:
Cold Chisel - Rock and roll - Pub rock - 1970s - 1980s

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Built around the superb songwriting of keyboard player Don Walker, the group featured the dazzling guitar and vocal talents of of Ian Moss and the screaming lead vocals of Scottish immigrant Jimmy Barnes. Although typically classified as a hard-driving rock and roll band, the Chisel repertoire included such Australian anthems as the landmark Vietnam War song "Khe Sanh", "Bow River", "Flame Trees" and "Saturday Night", but also included thoughtful ballads like "Choir Girl" (written about the subject of abortion), and the clasic love song "My Baby".

Related Topics:
Don Walker - Ian Moss - Scottish - Immigrant - Jimmy Barnes - Vietnam War - Khe Sanh - Abortion

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Their music remains popular with many Australians today, although the band is often derided for (supposedly) being mainly popular amongst working-class males born in the 1960s and 1970s, for whom "Chisel" and lead singer "Barnsey" remain cultural icons. This is in spite of the fact that they were one of the most broadly popular and best-selling bands of the day, often featured on the nationwide pop show Countdown, and were widely acknowledged as one of Australia's the most accomplished live acts.

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"Khe Sanh" consistently ranks highly in lists of Australia's most popular songs and their music remains a staple of rock station playlists. The Ian Moss song "Never Before" (from the East LP) was chosen by FM rock station 2JJJ (Triple Jay) as the first record played on-air when the station made its transition from AM to FM in 1980.

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Despite the continued dominance of Walker, during Chisel's later career all four of the other members began to contribute songs to the band, with Moss and Prestwich both emerging as highly accomplished songwriters in their own right. Barnes and bassist Phil Small also contributed significant songs to the group's repertoire and Cold Chisel may be unique in being the only Australian rock group in which each members conhtributed songs and which scored Australian hits with songs written by every member of the group.

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Alongside contemporaries Midnight Oil, Cold Chisel were renowned as one of the most dynamic live acts of their day and from early on in their career Cold Chisel concerts routinely became sell-out events. The band was also renowned for its wild lifestyle, and the hard-drinking Barnes (who has since given up alcohol) had a well-earned repuation as the true wild men of Australian rock.

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Increasing internal tensions and the pressures of touring took their toll and Steve Prestwich -- who was often in conflict with Barnes -- left the band in 1983, to be replaced by veteran Australian drummer Ray Arnott (ex Spectrum (band)).

Related Topics:
Ray Arnott - Spectrum (band)

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Cold Chisel announced their split in 1984, marking it with the release of their valedictory LP Twentieth Century and the staging one of the most successful concert tours of any domestic act, which saw Prestwich briefly return to the group.

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The break-up was also due in part to the band's relative lack of success in the US and Europe — their abortive US sojourn was commemorated in Barnes' excoriating rocker "You Got Nothing I Want". Like several other Australasian acts, it is a failure that remains mystifying to their fans. Barnes and, to a lesser extent, Moss went on to have successful solo careers.

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The band has reformed on several occasions in recent years. In 1999 the band reformed briefly for a new CD release, titled The Last Wave of Summer and an associated concert tour. They did so again in 2003 for the "Ringside" concert tour, and in early 2005 they performed at the "Wave Aid" tsunami benefit concert.

Related Topics:
1999 - 2003 - 2005

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