Still Rockin' It - Cheryl Lee
Join Cheryl Lee That Radio Chick on Still Rockin' It for news, reviews and interviews with some of our favourite Australian musicians.
What are they up to at the moment? Let's find out .......
Still Rockin' It - Cheryl Lee
What has Ian Moss been up to lately? OR Who is teaching the old dog some new tricks?
Join Cheryl Lee - That Radio Chick on STILL ROCKIN' IT for news, reviews, music and interviews with some of our favourite Australian musicians.
When Australian guitar virtuoso Ian Moss strums into the conversation, you know you're in for more than a few chords of wisdom. This episode's rhythmic narrative takes us on a tour with Ian as he recounts the adventures of his latest 'Rivers Run Dry' tour and the tales behind the album's creation. It's a journey through the melodies and musings of a man whose name is synonymous with the legendary band Cold Chisel, giving listeners an exclusive seat at a table usually reserved for rock royalty.
Here's a musical feast for your ears: imagine the process of laying down a studio album in just ten days, then self-producing it when challenges strike. Ian Moss shares the studio's high notes and the harmonious decision-making that led to the outstanding final product. He didn't just stop there; we tuned into the possibility of reuniting with old bandmate Don Walker, the dynamics of their past collaborations, and the respect that fuels their enduring friendship.
So, whether you're a die-hard Cold Chisel fan or a newcomer to Ian's solo riffs, you'll be captivated by the candidness and creativity of a true music craftsman.
What has Ian Moss been up to lately ... lets's find out!
Get out when you can, support local music and I'll see you down the front!!
Visit: ThatRadioChick.com.au
That Radio Cheek, Cheryl Lee here. Welcome to the Still Rockin' It P odcast where we'll have music news, reviews and interviews with some of our favourite Australian musicians and artists. Legendary Australian guitarist from Cold Chisel, Ian Moss, announces new dates for his Rivers Run Dry tour after the release of his Rivers Run Dry album last year on CD, vinyl and digital. Recently I was on a six-week overseas holiday but couldn't resist the opportunity to speak to one of my favourite artists. I was on the Rhine River in the middle of a European cruise, 3am in the morning, so please excuse our connection as we chat to the guitar legend that is Ian Moss. To catch up on podcasts from other favourite artists, simply go to thatradiochickcomau. You're with Cheryl Lee, that radio chick. I'd like to welcome to the studio today Australian guitar legend Ian Moss. Thank you for chatting to us today, Ian.
Ian Moss:Hi Cheryl, how are you?
Cheryl Lee:You have been on the road for a long, long time celebrating your recent album Rivers Run Dry from about last October. Do you ever have a rest, Ian?
Ian Moss:Look, yeah, most of my work is actually on the weekends, but, yeah, to manage to get a little bit of rest early in the week. I probably don't help my own cause by the fact I like to drive everywhere, but I'm happy working.
Cheryl Lee:Not that we're complaining at all, because of course we love to hear all those fabulous favourite songs Bow River, Tucker's Daughter, Telephone Booth, My Baby, etc. Along with the songs from the recent studio album. You recorded that in just 10 days at Rankin Street Studios in Sydney. That's pretty quick. You don't waste time either, do you?
Ian Moss:Yeah, look, to be honest, I mean that was really the rhythm tracks. So I mean how recording works. You try and record as much as you can, but sometimes it's impossible, particularly if you're working in a small studio. You do have to add things later on, for example there's backing vocals. It's just impossible to get all that done while you're recording the main song. So that kind of stuff has to be added later, and various bits and pieces, strings, some guitar solos, because during the recording I'm just singing and strumming chords and things like that. But just getting the band tracks down was really smooth and a lot of fun, after a bit of a rocky start where a couple of days beforehand we had a guy who didn't really have a track record but we thought we'd give him a shot as producer and then he kind of chickened out at the last minute and we thought we were going to do?
Cheryl Lee:Did you scare him off?
Ian Moss:Yeah, I guess. So, yeah, he got scared off and he bit off more than he could chew. Then we thought, well, what are we going to do? We decided we had such a strong musicianship in the band that some of the guys said, look, I think we can handle this ourselves. So we went for it and I'm very happy with the result for the Rivers Run Dry album.
Cheryl Lee:So self-produced, well done. The media says it packs a punch of a mallee bull and your voice floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee. That's a cool reference to a boxer.
Ian Moss:Yeah. That one was Muhammad Ali. Look, yeah, we gave it a good shot. There's still plenty of energy left in the old dog. Yeah.
Cheryl Lee:I bet you're very proud of it, and your old mate, Don Walker, has described you as the most gifted musician he's ever seen, which is, you know, pretty high praise, apart from yourself, one of the, you know, greatest songwriters Australia's ever seen, and you should be very proud.
Ian Moss:Yeah, Don doesn't hand out compliments readily, so that means a lot to me.
Cheryl Lee:Is this just a rumour that I've heard? Are you and Don planning on doing something together?
Ian Moss:Not really no, but we keep tripping away. Don's quite busy out there touring and I know he keeps writing. I keep writing. Generally. Yeah, we just keep collecting our song ideas and we'll get together at some stage and he might listen to some of the stuff I got and say, yeah, I like that. I reckon I could do something with that and add lyrics.
Cheryl Lee:That might just be wishful thinking, do you think from us diehard Cold Chisel fans?
Ian Moss:to see you two working together again. Never say never.
Cheryl Lee:Never say never. I like that. How did you go doing your duet with Kasey Chambers on your album? Did you manage to get in the studio together or was that done the new way, remotely and digitally across the universe?
Ian Moss:Yeah, a little bit, remotely and digitally yeah, unfortunately, but you know, whatever it takes, it's still Kasey Chambers' voice there and really happy that she agreed to sing on that song. The song called Bury Me. Of course it was actually written in Nashville with an Australian couple from Queensland that were living there. Right from the get-go. Obviously it was meant to be a duet of a song.
Cheryl Lee:Yeah.
Ian Moss:And tossing around trying to think who to suit, and somebody suggested Kasey and I thought spot on, and we're so happy that she agreed to join me on the song Great choice, great check. You are listening to Still Rockin' It, the podcast with Cheryl Lee.
Cheryl Lee:I think it's time we should hear that song now. The wonderful duet from the Rivers Run Dry album, Bury Me, Ian Moss and Kasey Chambers. Back to speak some more to legendary guitarist from iconic Australian band Cold Chisel straight after this.
Cheryl Lee:Changing track a little bit. I'll give out the dates of when and where everybody can catch you in this epic tour. You must be really proud too. I can't believe. Last time we were talking discussing our boys and their video games and now your son, Julian, has now all brought up and has released his own album Only Way this year. I guess you're a very proud dad.
Ian Moss:Well, it's a single, but he does have a stack of songs that he's gradually releasing. Lonely Throne was the first one. Yeah, no, really proud. I think he got a little bit frightened off when he was a kid. It's funny. I couldn't get him into guitar for a while. I think he was too scared of the comparison and other kids at school they were learning guitar and he decided to pick up the trumpet and they go, what they'd be going? What are you playing trumpet for? Why don't you play guitar? Look who you got as your teacher right and you live with them. But he finally went for it and, yeah, he's the last four or five years now he's been going really hard with the guitar and he's got his own thing happening. He's doing things where I have to sort of Mate, can you show me what you did there? He's definitely got his own direction and I'm just stoked that I have to ask him how to teach me what he's playing, which is really cool.
Cheryl Lee:So like the master's apprentice and the apprentice teaching the master.
Ian Moss:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Cheryl Lee:And just while we're talking about family things, so it's my 60th in March next year. It's going to be huge. It's your 70th in March next year.
Ian Moss:What day is your birthday?
Cheryl Lee:Mine's on the 25th, five days after yours. Okay, right. So are you planning anything special for the big 7-0?
Ian Moss:I've decided I'm not going to turn 70. I don't want to be that old for the big seven. Oh, I'm just not going to turn 70. I don't want to be that old. So 69 is such a romantic number. I'm going to stay here for as long as I can.
Cheryl Lee:Actually, that sounds like a good idea. Back to the tour. Not only have you got a whole heap of regional dates, but you're off to the Big Red Bash in July. That's always fabulous. And then you've got some dates also in the UK in July in Glasgow and London. That sounds great.
Ian Moss:Yeah, a couple there. So I'll be hightailing it from Birdssville back to Sydney as you pretty much jump straight on, go straight to the airport. I think, yeah and yeah, just a couple of gigs there, then I'll be back for Mundi Mundi.
Cheryl Lee:Mundi ,Mundi that's right in August. That's what I mean. Do you ever, ever get a rest?
Ian Moss:You know I'll rest when I'm dead Sleep when you're dead.
Cheryl Lee:You've also just recently come off Bluesfest and you appeared with your old mate Barnsey.
Ian Moss:Yeah, Bluesfest was fantastic. I had a great show with my band there. And then, yeah, Jim got a few guests. He was on the next night doing a softer kind of show, partly acoustic, and it was his first show. I think it was just wonderful. A great reaction from the crowd. Wonderful to get up and do when the War Is Over a nd Choir Girl and Khe Sanh yeah, lovely moment.
Cheryl Lee:I bet it was. We normally go to Blues Fest, my husband and I. We've done the round trip twice now on the back of the Harley. Well, he rides, I hold on. Unfortunately we missed it this year because we were overseas, but hopefully we'll see you there again next year. Still Rockin' It, the podcast with that radio chick, cheryl Lee let's hear it now a great cold chisel version of Bow River. And of course, when you see the Rivers Run Dry tour you can enjoy Mossy's amazing solo version Back to finish up with Ian Moss straight after this
Cheryl Lee:We're running out of time. You've got us probably lined up back to back today to chat about all things Rivers Run Dry. But you've also released your first live album on vinyl, live at the Enmore. It's double blue.
Ian Moss:Yeah, got to get the colours going up. Yeah, all recorded at the Enmore Theatre in August last year.
Cheryl Lee:Well congratulations on that. Do love a little bit of vinyl, especially if it's colourful. Do love a little bit of vinyl, especially if it's colourful. Yeah, right, right. And there's something about a recording on vinyl. It's got something special, I reckon.
Ian Moss:Absolutely. Well, you know there's also. I mean, I love vinyl for the fact that you've still got that nice big cover and you can read and pore over and check out all the liner notes and check out all the photos. Exactly, that's still a charming part of vinyl, I think.
Cheryl Lee:That's right. You can touch it and feel it and, like you say, read it. You have it forever. It doesn't disappear into the Twitterverse off your computer, Exactly yeah, it's real music and I love the little scratchy bit at the beginning, just to show the scratch and you know, here comes some great sound. The only other thing I did have down to ask you was what you're listening to on your playlist at the moment. What does Ian Moss like to listen to?
Ian Moss:I don't know. It just tends to be all over the shop. You just hear yeah, it's all eclectic. I like jazz and blues and you know kind of fusion music, good musicians going for it, kind of thing.
Cheryl Lee:Yeah, I look forward to chatting to you next time we have the opportunity.
Ian Moss:Fantastic, Cheryl.
Cheryl Lee:Let's hear now the title track from the Rivers Run Dry album Rivers Run Dry. Do get onto the Google-o-meter ianmoss. com. au. Some of the May dates have already sold out, so get on and get your tickets in your area ASAP.
Cheryl Lee:You're with Cheryl Lee that radio chick. Thank you so much for joining me on the Still Rocking it podcast. Hope to catch you again next time. Get out when you can support Aussie music and I'll see you down the front.