Show Notes
Growing up in the eighties, commercial AM and FM rock radio in Australia was very supportive of local bands (well...... to a point). The biggest of them all was Cold Chisel which had hit after hit. They broke up in 1983, but their songs never left Australia's consciousness. Their original era and reformation albums are the soundtrack to Baby Boomer and Gen X music fans.....and their offspring.
….but this episode isn't about Cold Chisel.
Welcome to episode 166 of Love That Album.
A case can be made that Don Walker is Australia's greatest living songwriter. Be it for Cold Chisel, Catfish, Tex Don and Charlie or his current band The Suave Fucks, he has always had a gift with writing about the gritty side of life – murder, death, the road, Kings Cross, society's hypocrisies, Australian history, and cleaning filthy souls are all part of his subject matter. He mixes great melodies and a brilliant way with words to come up with songs that are as much a part of this nation's soul as the songs of Vanda and Young (whom Walker strongly admires).
He's just released the first album in his own name in 10 years, Lightning In a Clear Blue Sky (there have been Cold Chisel releases as well as a Tex Don and Charlie album, so he's kept busy). I was rapt to have Don join me for a chat about creativity, the state of the world, and how people from his past have been written into his songs. We barely touch on Chisel, because he's been crafting great songs outside of his most well known venture. I want to shine a light on some of those songs. Wish I'd had 5 hours available to ask questions, but I'm grateful for the time I had.
Huge thanks go to Rina Ferris who made the connection.
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More from Love That Album
The early years of rock and roll are remembered (among many other artists) for the hip thrusts of Elvis, the guitar styles and lyricism of Chuck Berry, the song craft of Buddy Holly, the vocal blend of The Platters and the extroversion of Little Richard. Doo wop, rockabilly, rhythm and blues were getting kids excited (and their parents despondent) about popular music. One pair of brothers had joined the rock and roll fray, but saw themselves more as country artists....and despite their youth were already music industry veterans.
3 years ago, I was rapt to welcome one of the greatest working songwriters in Australia to the podcast, Don Walker. Mostly known for his songwriting and piano playing for Cold Chisel, he's also done two albums under the Catfish moniker, been a member of supergroup Tex, Don & Charlie, and made great albums in his own name supported by his live band The Suave Fucks. What could be better?
I try to plan my podcasts in such a way that it looks like I know what I'm doing. This is one such episode that may give you pause for thought....
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