EXCLUSIVE: We Owe It To Steve Prestwich To Finish Cold Chisel Record, Says Jimmy Barnes. Post by: Dave-O 6 June, 2011 - 9:51 AM

(Photo: Getty Images)

Cold Chisel frontman Jimmy Barnes says the band owe it to drummer Steve Prestwich, who passed away earlier this year, to finish the new Cold Chisel record, which they've started recording this week in Sydney.

"We're half way through the record, [but] we're trying to work out how we can finish [the album] because knowing Steve as well as we did I'm sure he would've wanted us to finish the project and I think we owe it to him and to honour his memory to finish the record," said Jimmy.

Talking to Triple music reporter Dave Gleeson from The Screaming Jets, Barnesy acknowledged Steve was not only a fantastic drummer, he was a great songwriter who had contributed half the songs on the new record.

"He's got a bunch of great songs that he's written for it [and] he played on half the record. So that will be an interesting and emotional rollercoaster ride to get through," he said.

Barnesy said that when the 56-year-old drummer and original member of Cold Chisel died from a brain tumour in January this year, it was a big blow to the band.

"Man, I tell ya. Steve's been my mate for 40 years… we're brothers [and you think] you're gonna live forever," he said.

"Steve had a tumour many years ago, which we thought was completely fixed. And a week and a half before he died he started coming down with some symptoms. He [had] some tests and rang us and said 'look, the tumor's back'. We naturally expected him to get better.

"It was just a horrible shock. It was bad enough for us, never mind for his family who loved him him dearly."

Cold Chisel have recruited drummer Charley Drayton to play on their new album. Drayton is a muso with serious music cred having played with the likes of Keith Richards and Johnny Cash.

The next Cold Chisel record will be their first since 1998's Last Wave Of Summer.

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• Tony F says

  great to see Steve's work will make it out to us the fans. Please Chisel, get on the road again.

  Posted Sunday 19 June, 2011 5:18 PM