SEX, drugs and rock and roll are not unfamiliar to Jimmy Barnes, but lesser-known are the events that drove the alcohol-fuelled antics that nearly cost him his life.
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The Cold Chisel front man grew up a witness to domestic violence and is using his pull to start a national conversation.
“Men are afraid and are trying to intimidate women, violence is like that last stand desperate act of these desperate men and I just think we have to stop it because it scars families for life,” he said.
“As a child my father and mother were fighting, particularly my dad hit my mum, that affected me and everything I did for a long, long time.
“You talk about me being wild and outrageous, a lot of that was me acting out because I was recovering from the domestic violence.
“I tried to kill myself, I tried to drink myself to death for fifty years.”
At 16-years-old Jimmy left home and joined a band with a few mates at an apple orchard in Kentucky – that band was Cold Chisel.
For eight months the band practiced relentlessly just forty minutes out of Armidale.
“I was living in Armidale, I’d left home and joined a rock band and we lived and breathed 24 hours a day music,” Jimmy said.
“Whenever we’d be awake we’d be in the room practicing, we’d be there learning songs, writing songs and that period in Armidale is why the band got really good.”
When asked about his favourite pub in town Jimmy struggles to pick just one.
“We drank at all of them I think,” he said.
After ten years the band split up and experimented with different ways of making music.
“We wanted to broaden our horizons as people, we lived together, we lived in the back of the bloody car driving around the country, we shared houses, we shared everything,” Jimmy said.
“It was just time to continue to grow and it was really sad, it was hard to leave the band, but when we did we all blossomed into different careers.”
His most famous solo song, Working Class Man, has become something of a national anthem.
“It sort of touched a nerve with the Australian public, the song was written about my audience, it was written about people who go to see rock and roll gigs in Australia,” he said.
“They save their money and they go out on the weekend and have a good time to forget their troubles.”
Years later, Jimmy will return to Armidale to headline A Day on the Green, alongside Australian acts.
“I’m really thrilled to be on a bill with each of these band members,” he said.
“Day on the Green is a great bill, they always put great bills together.”
A Day on the Green
With powerhouse vocals that he has become renowned for, Diesel’s high-energy live sets feature songs spanning his 15-album career.
A huge five-band bill is on its way to Armidale to head up a new concert at Petersons Winery.
It will be the first time A Day on the Green has presented two concerts in Armidale in the one season.
“We had the opportunity to do this show with Jimmy and knew it would be fantastic for Armidale so it was a no-brainer really,” promoter Michael Newton said
“We’ve gone all out to put together five incredible bands so this is going to be a spectacular day at Petersons.”
The Angels debuted on the A Day on the Green stage in 2012, to a raucous reception.
Frontman Dave Gleeson has re-energised the band, prompting two albums of new material ‘Take It To The Streets’ and ‘Talk The Talk’.
In 2015 they also toured internationally, their first overseas shows in many years, performing in Paris, London and Sweden.
Fresh off the announcement that Diesel would open the stage for Bruce Springsteen on two outdoor concerts in early 2017, the acclaimed singer/songwriter is currently on the road supporting his new album ‘Americana’, which debuted at 15 on the ARIA chart in July.
With the distinctive guitar playing and powerhouse vocals Diesel has become renowned for high-energy live sets.
The Black Sorrows continue to be one of Australia’s most enduring touring bands.
At the helm, Joe Camilleri steers the band through an energetic interplay of solid grooves and well- crafted songs that mix those well-worn ingredients of blues, soul, gospel, country and pop.
Recently The Black Sorrows released their 18th album ‘Faithful Satellite’, which has been acclaimed as perhaps their best ever.
The Badloves are an Australian soul band formed by front man Michael Spiby, in Melbourne.
They have released six albums, won two Australian Music Awards, three ARIA awards and produced hits like Lost, Green Limousine, I Remember, and a cover of The Weight with Jimmy Barnes.
Since joining in 2011, front man Dave Gleeson has totally re-energised the band, prompting two albums and a renewed love of touring the country.
When, where and how
The event kicks off at Petersons Wines, Armidale, on the historic Palmerston property in Australia’s newest wine region.
A shuttle will run throughout the day from a number of locations in the New England.
Routes are as follows:
1. Coach will depart Inverell and Bundarra.
2. Coach from Tamworth, Nemingha, Kootingal, Moonbi and Bendemeer.
3. Coach from Tenterfield, Deep Water, Glen Innes, Glenco, and Guyra.
4. Shuttle buses from town to the winery
For more information contact Edwards Coaches on 6772 3116.
Timetable:
2.00pm Gates Open
3.00pm The Badloves
4.15pm The Black Sorrows
5.30pm Diesel
7.00pm The Angels
8.30pm Jimmy Barnes
9.45pm Finish
A Day on the Green will take place on March 4 at Petersons Winery.
