IT'S Australia's unvarnished national anthem, Khe Sanh.
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The gravelly voice of Jimmy Barnes coupled with the anti-authoritarian sentiment of writer Don Walker. A good 40 years on, the band that broke up and got back together again is headed to Tamworth.
Cold Chisel guitarist Ian Moss reflects on what it's like to be at the heart of Australian identity.
"In the 60's and 70's, Australia had this attitude that if music came from overseas it would be better than anything we could produce here," Mossy said.
"Bands pandered to that and pretended to be American or wrote about those places, they were too embarrassed to stand up and be proud of our own country.
"Cold Chisel and Midnight Oil said bugger that, and that was right."
The band formed in Adelaide, but grew its roots at an orchard in Kentucky back when Don Walker was enrolled in a physics degree at the University of New England.
It was his idea to have the band move up there to avoid the blistering pub rock cover band scene and focus on original music.
Walker wrote songs for keeps, that's why 50 years on Cold Chisel is a strong as ever, Mossy said.
"It's just hard to describe, like a lot of other bands we've had our differences and some of those have gone public over the years - for some bands it's been a death knell," he said.
"For us if there's tensions, invariably without fail in a rehearsal room we start playing and there's this magic that hits.
"We're barely able to stop grinning at each other, it feels like day one, there's this unexplainable chemistry." Cold Chisel will play their Blood Moon Tour 2020 at Tamworth Country Music Festival with new music, penning the aptly named single Getting the Band Back Together.
Of course, they'll still play the favourites, Mossy said.
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"There's great value in reminiscing, we have an extensive catalogue but we figure there's about 14 songs we have to play if we want to get out alive," he said. "It just sounds like classic, epic Cold Chisel."
Tickets go on sale Monday October 21, at ticketmaster.com.au.
Madeline Link
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
