Cold Chisel without Barnesy

[Falchoon]

Slightly before my time but I saw a couple of their live videos over the weekend and was wondering (I like Barnsey, always crank up Working class man and No second prize but he does tend to grate after a while)

Would they have been any less successful with Ian Moss doing full time vocals?

 

[blackshadow]

Slightly before my time but I saw a couple of their live videos over the weekend and was wondering (I like Barnsey, always crank up Working class man and No second prize but he does tend to grate after a while)

Would they have been any less successful with Ian Moss doing full time vocals?

In a word yes.

While there is nothing wrong with Ian Moss' voice Barnsey out the front of Cold Chisel was a force of nature. I was lucky enough to see Chisel in concert in 1982 when I was 16 - they were an amazing live band and a lot of that had to do with the performance of Barnes.

I've never been a huge wrap for Barnes solo stuff (and have seen him live) but there was a real electricity between the various members of Cold Chisel in a live setting.

 

[HigginsHawk]

Definitely one of the bands where the sum of whole worked better. Was lucky enough to catch the Last Wave of Summer tour. Never thought I would get to see them live.

I think the problem for both Moss and Barnes was, that as solo artists, they thought they were pretty good songwriters. They were average at best. The best Chisel stuff was always Walkers with a cameo here and there by Prestwich.

I personally don't think Chisel without Barnes would have worked quite as well.

 

[materamagic]

Could you imagine The Angels without the enigmatic Doc, Divinyls without the manic Chrissy or the Oils without the looming Garrett?

 

[krusden]

Slightly before my time but I saw a couple of their live videos over the weekend and was wondering (I like Barnsey, always crank up Working class man and No second prize but he does tend to grate after a while)

Would they have been any less successful with Ian Moss doing full time vocals?

i prefer moss over barnes anyday but i'm in the minority there

 

[rocker_oz33]

barnesy has a new album out its a kinda jazzy made with the same person he did soul deep with.And he is on tour doing shows @ the palace and l seen that Ian (bow river) moss is also on tour tickets are cheap l would see him if he toured down my way

 

[materamagic]

Ian Moss is streets better than Barnesy for the better part of this decade. Barnsey's lifestyle and age have limited his performing capacity somewhat and he is playing it safe and has became a caberet act these days which I guess suits him better than not doing any singing at all because he is nowhere near a top line rock performer nor would he have another studio contribution that would rock any time soon.

 

[TheStinger]

Don Walker is a God. Chisel is nothing without Don Walker.

 

[External Inputs]

Definitely one of the bands where the sum of whole worked better. Was lucky enough to catch the Last Wave of Summer tour. Never thought I would get to see them live.

I think the problem for both Moss and Barnes was, that as solo artists, they thought they were pretty good songwriters. They were average at best. The best Chisel stuff was always Walkers with a cameo here and there by Prestwich.

I personally don't think Chisel without Barnes would have worked quite as well.

Spot on!

 

[Tex_21]

As others have mentioned, Walker is the cornerstone to Chisel. Without his work, they would have struggled, though personally, I think the best songs were Steve's (why they booted him, I'll never understand-yeah, I know him and Barnes used to punch on). I think the mix on thr front men was about right, with Barnes doing most of it, and Mossy chiming in with some of the more 'ballady' songs.

Interestingly, Walker wrote the soundtrack for a movie, I think it was called "Freedom" or something, and it was played with Cold Chisel, and instead of Barnes, they had Michael Hutchence singing-always wanted a copy of it, but never found it.

 

[Jerome]

As others have mentioned, Walker is the cornerstone to Chisel. Without his work, they would have struggled, though personally, I think the best songs were Steve's (why they booted him, I'll never understand-yeah, I know him and Barnes used to punch on). I think the mix on thr front men was about right, with Barnes doing most of it, and Mossy chiming in with some of the more 'ballady' songs.

Interestingly, Walker wrote the soundtrack for a movie, I think it was called "Freedom" or something, and it was played with Cold Chisel, and instead of Barnes, they had Michael Hutchence singing-always wanted a copy of it, but never found it.

I was about to post that. The movie is called Freedom and is directed by Scott Hicks. It was released on CD by Origin Records back in 1996. You may be able to find it second hand or even on vinyl. It can be over priced due to the fact that Hutchence is on it. Try Red Eye Records or Vicious Sloth.

The good news is the movie is on DVD.
http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/products/show/3/945
I placed an order on a Saturday and recieved it Tuesday.

There was a chance that Moss would have been the full time singer. Barnes left for a while to join Blackfeather.

So they went around as a four piece until Blackfeather split up and they let Jim back in. the energy that Jim brought to the band was hard to replicate and even Moss says that. Moss said in Jim's most recent book that the energy from JB was there every night but some nights you had to put on a bomb under Ian to really get him going.

Ian would have been a ripper frontman if given the chance. Track down his best solo album Petrolhead. Fantastic hard rock blues record produced by Walker with songs by Don, Ian Rilen, Red Rivers & Spencer P Jones.

I am a very big Walker fan and in case you havent heard he is re-releasing his solo gear from the 80's and 90's. We're All Gunna Die has just come out and is well worth getting. Catfish albums would be next, not sure about Freedom.

For an idea of what his next album will sound like check out the music section of his Official site www.donwalker.com.au

 

[JUBJUB]

Yet to be confirmed but it seems Cold Chisel are going to play a one off show on December 5th at the Homebush V8 Supercar race.

Cold Chisel to play V8 Supercar event

 

[don vito of fitzroy]

Barnesy's vocals brought a distinctive sound and Moss wouldn't have provided that. Chisel sounded like a pub rock band with a singer more suited to death metal music but it was a formula that worked for them. Moss as a vocalist wouldn't have created that effect. He would have been much more listenable but he wouldn't stand-out like Barnesy.

 

[marklar]

Jimmy had the voice, but the rest of the guys had the talent... Forever Now, Bow River, Breakfast at Sweethearts, Keh Sanh... simply amazing!

 

[The Mollusk]

Cold chisel without Barnsey. That would be like a shit sandwich without the bread