It was the death of one of their own that inspired Cold Chisel to "seize the moment", put their differences aside and make music while they still could.
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Front-man Jimmy Barnes will be joined by Ian Moss, Phil Small and Don Walker on stage in Orange next month as a part of A Day on the Green.
The band have told fans it very well might be the last tour of its kind, which kicks off on Tuesday at Albury.
Barnes said the death of songwriter and drummer Steve Prestwich in 2011 reminded the band what was important and strengthened their bond.
"Our lives were changed so many times, I think probably the biggest and most defining one is when the day that Steve Prestwich died. I remember getting that call... we always thought we were invincible, we always thought we'd always be there," Barnes said.
"I think it made us tougher, I think it drew us closer to each other but I think it also made us realise that you know, man, you've got to harden up.
"You've got to be tough and you've got to have courage to sort of let go of your ego a bit and not sort of let the petty things sort of hold us back.
"Because you'll have a fight with Don or a fight with Mossy and then suddenly you go, 'Oh, that's it we're not doing this anymore.'
Barnes said Prestwich's death caused the group to reassess a lot of things.
"When you've spent your life working and sharing the road together, we've been like brothers, we've lived out of each other's pockets, we've helped each other up in the up times and the down times," he said.
"It can all be taken away that quickly, you realise it takes real courage to say, 'Hey, let's get rid of all that rubbish and just get on with music'."
The name of Cold Chisel's tour and new album, Blood Moon, refers to a rare astronomical phenomenon. The album debuted at number one on the ARIA charts.
"All the planets have got to align at the very right time, it happens every five to six years, it's a bit like Cold Chisel," Barnes said.
"These days because of our own careers and we all have lives and we've grown apart over so many years.
"Everything has to be right for us to get in the room and say, 'we're ready to do this project', and to do that, that means we've 'gotta have songs, we've 'gotta have drive, we've 'gotta have a plan."
Birds of Tokyo will support Cold Chisel when they headline A Day on the Green.
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Digital journalists with The Border Mail.
Digital journalists with The Border Mail.
