March 15, 2011

Cold Chisel have announced today that they will continue to record new music together over the coming months. The band has also confirmed that there will be a major re-release of their entire catalogue – including the first ever digital release of their recorded works and a number of previously unreleased recordings – over the coming winter.

The iconic Australian group recorded new songs together over several recording sessions in 2010, and had plans for further recording this year towards a new studio album. All those plans were suspended and questioned with the tragic and sudden passing of drummer Steve Prestwich in January.

At this stage there are no firm dates for the release of the band’s new music but the four surviving members of the group have announced that drummer and multi-instrumentalist Charley Drayton will be helping out in completing some of the new recordings. Initial sessions will happen in Sydney in late March with further recording planned for June. Charley has played with some of the world’s leading artists, including Keith Richards and the X-pensive Winos, Iggy Pop, Simon & Garfunkel, the B-52s and Neil Young. He is well known by the members of Cold Chisel and will be recognised by many Australian music fans through his performance and production with Chrissy Amphlett and Divinyls.

“We’d already recorded a number of new songs with Steve prior to his passing. Plus all five of us have written songs over summer with the intention of more recording this year”, said the group’s keyboardist and principle songwriter, Don Walker. “Hopefully Charley can help us complete the work we began together. Steve was totally into everything we’d been planning for 2011 so while the last few months have been very difficult to deal with, we all feel that he would want us to complete the plans we made together.”

Cold Chisel has always been defined by its five members (Prestwich, Walker, frontman Jimmy Barnes, guitarist Ian Moss and bass player Phil Small) and the band is keen for this spirit to continue. Any future Cold Chisel earnings will continue to be split five ways, with Steve’s share being directed to his children.

“As well as working on this new music, we’re excited to make our catalogue available digitally for the first time”, says Barnes. “And as part of that we will also include some great things from back in the day that haven’t been released before. And if these new tunes come together in the way that we’re hoping we will make a plan for their release sometime later.”

The digital release and reissues will be undertaken in conjunction with the band’s long-time record label, Warner Music. Specific details about the content and the timing will follow in due course.

The band will not be fielding media enquiries now but will be available closer to release.

For media enquiries please contact John O’Donnell email: jodmusic@gmail.com