When Jimmy Barnes announced he was about to undergo open heart surgery in December 2023, I thought he’d take some time off to recover afterwards. And like the rest of us mortals who take such conditions pretty seriously, I assumed we wouldn’t be hearing much about or from the Aussie muso for a while.
But that’s soooo unlike Jimmy.
So yes, he did spend a minute resting up. But right after that, he wrote a new album, fittingly called Defiant, that he’s taking on tour pretty soon. And judging by the singles already released from it, it’ll be a feast for any rock’n’roll fan.
PART 227 OF “AM I EVER GONNA SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN?” A RANDOM COLLECTION OF UNKNOWINGLY OBVIOUS FACTS ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSIC SCENE
James Dixon Swan was actually born in Glasgow, but his origins are in Adelaide, South Australia. To the music industry, he’s also better known as Jimmy Barnes or just Barnsey.
His raspy voice perfectly lends itself to all the genres Jimmy feels comfortable in, including rock, blues, country, soul and R&B. Throughout his awesome career, spanning over half a century (!), he’s always been one of the most beloved singers in the Land Down Under. Apart from the solo gig, he’s also a member of the legendary pub rock outfit Cold Chisel.
The list of Barnsey’s achievements is too long to list here, so you’ll be better off studying the entire Wikipedia article about him. But I’ll just throw in a handful of facts:
20+ solo albums, most of which triumphed on the ARIA charts, an additional nine with Cold Chisel, several ARIA Awards, induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame, numerous local and international tours, and countless collabs with other prominent musos, like John Farnham, Josh Teskey, Shihad, Kasey Chambres or his daughter Mahalia.
(On that note, one of the most interesting projects Barnsey has recently been a part of is his collab with Y.O.G.A., who’s none other than Reuben Styles from the electronic duo Peking Duk. Blast out “Comin’ Up” when you get a chance. It’s a party bop – no kidding!)
But the best part is that Jimmy turned 69 this year. While Mick Jagger will consider it pretty young, there’s no way my 74-year-old mother, who rocks in different ways, could command the stage the way the Aussie artist does at this age. And if you consider that not so long ago, Barnsey went under the knife for a life-threatening procedure, you really start wondering where he gets all that energy from.
I still remember reading about his hospitalisation. It seemed like a pretty big deal, and the whole country was cheering for the muso to get well soon. In an interview with 60 Minutes, Barnsey himself admitted he didn’t think he was going to make it.
Naturally, after that complex surgery, the singer was told by the doctors to take it easy. But it turns out he was already writing songs for his next album in the hospital bed, so he was pretty itchy to start recording them. Hence, a mere 18 months after his heart was mended, we’re about to get a brand new record.
Given all those circumstances, I’m pretty sure the album’s title is symbolic. After all, and aside from that medical intervention, Jimmy’s had a pretty full-on rock’n’roll life, so Defiant could easily be his middle name.
Still, it was such a treat when the first double single from the album dropped at the end of February this year.
Barnsey chose to make quite an entrance with “New Day/Beyond The River Bend”. That first track, for example, is a loud, feisty rock banger. Not that I ever doubted the infectious energy and melodic hooks in Barnsey’s music, but this particular song is such a powerful statement: “I’m back, and I’m not going anywhere. So buckle up, everyone, because I’m about to deliver my best work yet.”
I freakin’ love the message in that tune. I even included the lyrics in my weekly #lyricsoftheweek segment on IG. (And the vid stars another Aussie legend – Troy Cassar-Daley!)
After that first double-single drop, three more songs from the new album have followed so far. And the most recent one is the reason you’re reading this post.
I had a particularly shitty Friday last week, so hearing “That’s What You Do For Love” was exactly what I needed that day. WHAT. A. CLASSIC. ROCK BANGER. This song has gone straight to my Forever Favourites playlist.
It literally has it all: a relatable story, a sick guitar-piano crossover, an anthemic structure, that unique lifting-up vibe and Barnsey’s signature belting. So, can I please just say it one more time? Rock music is so NOT DEAD in Australia – definitely not in its purest form.
Defiant is out this Friday, June 6. There are 10 tracks on the album, which means we’re likely to get five more headbanging treats. The tour starts right after that, and tickets to most shows are already sold out, I’ll have you know.
So sorry, not sorry, but the Aussie music veteran has proved yet again he is a national treasure. Long live Jimmy Barnes! And here’s to good ol’ rock in the Land Down Under!
Need another proof rock is not dead in Oz? Look no further.
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