“From the hard, parched saltpan of the album’s front cover to the bloodcurdling crescendo at the end of the last track (‘Letter To Alan’), Circus Animals screams of its birthplace. Even without the place names, ‘Bow River’, ‘Houndog’ ‘Taipan’ and ‘Numbers Fall’ all tell of the Australian experience – from the hot, barren coastal highways to the sloping indifference of Kings Cross, these are the Australian blues.”
Coming on the back of the band’s breakthrough album East, which established Cold Chisel as the biggest band in the country, Circus Animals was the band’s first album to hit # 1 on the Australian Charts – spawning the huge, perennial songs ‘You Got Nothing I Want’, ‘Forever Now’, ‘When The War Is Over’ ‘Bow River’ and more… It marked the further development of all of the band as songwriters, with drummer Steve Prestwich writing the beautiful ‘When The War Is Over’ and ‘Forever Now’, Jimmy penning the fierce first single ‘You Got Nothing I Want’ and Ian Moss delivering the live favourite ‘Bow River’ and ‘No Good For You’. Don Walker, the band’s chief songwriter, was responsible for the remaining songs.
March 8, 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of the release of this legendary album and Cold Chisel is preparing a bunch of items to celebrate
The Signed and Framed Print is of the great back cover image and is a unique offering. All prints are personally signed by all Jimmy, Ian, Phil and Don. It is strictly limited to 400 copies and it will sell out quickly. The dimensions of the framed print are: 426mm x 600mm. It is mounted horizontally.
The CD/DVD marries the album on one disc with a brilliant DVD disc, featuring:
- Taipan – filmed at the ‘An Evening With The Circus Animals’, the famous shows that launched the album
- No Good For You – an early version of this song, captured on rough film stock prior to recording the album, live at the legendary Playroom on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
- Wild Colonial Boy – from the same Playroom show as above.
- Letter To Alan – Captured live on the German TV show Rockpalast
- Houndog (with Tim Rogers from You Am I) – recorded and filmed at Sydney Acer Arena on the band’s triumphant 2011 Light The Nitro tour. This blistering performance is released for the first time.
- When The War Is Over – again, this is the first release of this emotional tribute version of Steve’s classic song done in acoustic mode by the band on their 2011 tour, featuring rare and special photos of Steve throughout his life with the band.
- Forever Now – the original concept video
- You Got Nothing I Want – the original concept video
- Bow River – the original concept video
This CD/DVD is limited to 1,000 copies
The original Vinyl album is made available again for the first time in 3 years. It is currently being pressed and shipped from Europe and we have our fingers crossed it will make the July 8 release date.
We also have a White T-shirt, a Black T-shirt and a one-off ‘Bow River’ Tea Towel. All Unlimited!
We start taking orders from now until the release of these items on July 8*
Release Date: July 8*
*Release date is reliant upon vinyl delivery
‘CIRCUS ANIMALS’ 40TH ANNIVERSARY ITEMS
