Over a decade of hit making Adelaide's COLD CHISEL rose to gain a justifiable place in the annals of Australian Rock Music as one of the very highest achievers of the genre. COLD CHISEL fused an unfettled Hard Rockin' drive with soulful R&B and Blues influences to craft a distinctive version of mature 'Pub Rock' that would transfer to the arena stages. The band would sell over three million albums in Australia alone and would continue to enjoy such a run of hits, even after their split in 1983, that compounding record sales duly forced a 1997 reunion.

The group was forged in 1973 by the trio of guitarist Ian Moss, pianist Don Walker and bassist Les Kacsmarek. Shortly after deciding upon a union they would be joined by Scottish born vocalist JIMMY BARNES, then known simply as 'Jim Barnes', and another ex pat- Liverpool raised drummer Steven Prestwich.

Paying their dues COLD CHISEL's club repertoire consisted of Blues Rock standards. However, in 1975 Barnes opted out to team up with FRATERNITY taking over vocal duties from his sibling John Swan who duly manoeuvred to the drum stool. With FRATERNITY's days numbered Barnes hooked back up with COLD CHISEL, the band relocating to Melbourne then upping sticks once more to Sydney during 1977 and by September had scored a valuable recording contract with the Atlantic label. Phil Small had supplanted Kacsmarek by this stage.

The inaugural Peter Walker produced eponymous album 'Cold Chisel' soon fired the imagination of the Australian youth, going top forty and attaining Gold sales status. Shows supporting the album would see COLD CHISEL as support to FOREIGNER's April Australian tour. The 'Khe Sanh' single would also fare well giving the group it's first taste of singles chart success despite being blacklisted by many radio stations due to its lyrical content.

By November the group were on the road once more, this time as openers to PETER FRAMPTON. The provocatively titled December live EP 'You're Thirteen, You're Beautiful And You're Mine' would give the wider public their first real inklings of the energy the band had to offer on stage.

The 1979 album 'Breakfast At Sweethearts', produced by Richard Batchens at the famous Albert Studios, attained a national no. 4 chart placing and would prove tenacious in its grip on the charts. By the close of the year it had become 1979's best selling album. COLD CHISEL had kicked off the year guesting for another roving international act, playing the support role to ROD STEWART in both Australia and New Zealand. During August the band put on their first real national headlining trek dubbed the 'Set Fire To Your Town' tour. Posters for this venture, depicting a monk committing suicide by self immolation, did not go down well with many local authorities. Another round of gigs, the November 'Pooled Resources' tour, had the COLD CHISEL sharing billing with THE ANGELS and the FLOWERS.

1980 started in style with the group presented with their Gold disc awards for the 'Breakfast At Sweethearts' album. COLD CHISEL would better the achievement with the Mark Opitz produced 'East' in June of 1980 which gained a no. 2 placing and launched two hit singles in the ballad 'Choir Girl' and 'Cheap Wine'. The record would also mark Ian Moss' lead vocal debut on two songs. Initial copies of the album came with a free 7" single live version of BOB DYLAN's 'Knockin' On Heaven's Door'. 'East', with a revised track listing neglecting 'Ita' and 'Four Walls' in favour of a re-mixed 'Khe Sanh', would be issued in America by Elektra where it made a minor presence on the Billboard chart.

Throughout the summer COLD CHISEL embarked on the 'Youth In Asia' tour as 'East' maintained it's hold on the charts. It would remain lodged in the top twenty for a marathon 26 week run. During September the band catered for it's younger fanbase, performing an under 18s concert in Melbourne to an audience of over 6'000. November would see the inception of the 'Summer Offensive' tour. By now COLD CHISEL had stepped up to the very largest Australian venues and would regularly break house records.

A double live album 'Swingshift' continued the pace giving COLD CHISEL their first no. 1. January of 1981 had COLD CHISEL performing at the New Zealand 'Sweethearts' festival. Back home the band caused a furore at the 'Ram Rock' TV poll awards show when, despite walking off with honours for 'Top album', 'Top Australian group' and 'Best Australian album' the band smashed up their onstage gear in protest at the show's supposed non Rock n' Roll credentials.

Touring in America during July found the band as guests to CHEAP TRICK, HEART and TED NUGENT. The group returned home to work on the 'Circus Animals' album, yet another domestic no. 1 with a batch of hit singles onboard in 'You Got Nothing I Want', 'Forever Now' and 'When The War Is Over'. COLD CHISEL would put in their first touring on European soil in 1982 and put in a return visit to the States.

In 1983 Prestwich suffered an auto accident suffering injuries to his spine which would reluctantly force him out of the band. Gary Young took the drum stool for an Australian round of dates before former SPECTRUM and DINGOES man Ray Arnott took the position. In a shock move to many loyal fans COLD CHISEL then announced their demise.

Prestwich re-convened with the band for a farewell October tour and COLD CHISEL laid down their instruments after a gig on the 12th December at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. A posthumous contractual obligation album 'Twentieth Century' fittingly topped things off by hitting the top position on the charts. A set of albums 1985's 'The Barking Spiders Live' and 1992's 'The Last Stand' were later issued as epitaphs.

JIMMY BARNES was quick off the mark to ignite his solo career with the 'Bodyswerve' album which kick started a quite monumental and enduring run of success taking the frontman into the realms of genuine superstar status.

Steve Prestwich joined the LITTLE RIVER BAND. Don Walker busied himself with CATFISH achieving a modicum of success and IAN MOSS went solo. Phil Small teamed up with THE OUTSIDERS and POUND.

COLD CHISEL remained in the Australian public's conscience enough for a 1985 compilation 'Radio Songs' to give the band another no. 1 trophy. The 1994 'Teenage Love' collection, a compilation of archive demos and early tracks also charted and even spawned further hit singles. Indeed, COLD CHISEL managed to sell more records whilst apart than in all the time they were together.

In October of 1997 the band members bowed to the inevitable and reformed. COLD CHISEL's comeback album 'The Last Wave Of Summer', released a year later, saw the band achieving double platinum status in Australia with sales over 150'000. Needless to say the album debuted at the coveted no. 1 spot with the accompanying single 'The Things I Love In You' going Gold.

'The Last Wave Of Summer' would be reissued in 2001 by Warner Bros. re-packaged with an additional five tracks and a bonus CD.