Cold Chisel Interview

The pub rock legends turned household name, Cold Chisel, have enjoyed a staggering popularity for their dynamic performances since their heavy-metal debut in Adelaide back in ’73. Now preparing for their highly anticipated One Night Stand tour of Oz, Cold Chisel’s singer/songwriter Don Walker answers our burning questions.
Hi Don, how are you?
I’m well. How are you?
We’re good thanks! You kick off your One Night Stand tour at Deni Ute Muster on 2nd October; what is the festival experience like for you guys? Do you enjoy it?
We did Deni for the first and only time in 2010, and it was great. More peaceful than I was expecting, thousands of people camped out across the plain under the kind of stars you only see out in those areas.
The headline show must be quite poignant for you all, as your set in 2010 was the last time you played with Steve Prestwich; will you be marking the occasion in any way?
We’ll play the songs Steve wrote for us. 2010 was the last show we did with him and we’ll be remembering that.
Is there one of your songs that gets the biggest reaction from the crowd?
There are a few that I couldn’t pick the difference. ‘Khe Sanh’, ‘Flame Trees’, ‘Bow River’, and ‘When The War Is Over’, which is one of Steve’s.
What do you get up to on tour today compared to the ‘70s and ‘80s?
Much the same, but on a different scale. We spend the day apart unless we’re travelling. We convene for a sound-check in the late afternoon. We do the show, and we catch up with friends afterward.
You’ve toured all over Australia; where are the most beautiful spots in the country for you?
I’ve just been in Winton with a couple of friends, and although they could use some rain around there, the landscape is beautiful and the town is great too.
You’re Australian legends with a career spanning 40 years! There’s no doubt you’ve inspired future artists and musicians, so who inspired you guys when you were starting?
Among Australian bands it was The Dingoes, Harry Vanda and George Young. Kevin Borich we thought was pretty good too.
If you could add a musician or singer to the band for a one-off show, who would you choose?
From anywhere anytime? I don’t know how you’d fit the people worth naming in to what we do. Louis Armstrong? Etta James? She’d fit, no rehearsal.
Catch Cold Chisel at Deni Ute Muster on 2nd October 2015 alongside Birds of Tokyo, The Pigs and more. Get your ticket from www.deniutemuster.com.au