Ian Moss

Ian Richard Moss (born 20 March 1955) is an Australian rock musician from Alice Springs. He is the founding mainstay guitarist and occasional singer of Cold Chisel. In that group's initial eleven year phase from 1973 to 1984, Moss was recorded on all five studio albums, three of which reached number one on the national Kent Music Report Albums Chart. In August 1989 he released his debut solo album, Matchbook, which peaked at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart. It was preceded by his debut single, "Tucker's Daughter", which reached number two on the related ARIA Singles Chart in March. The track was co-written by Moss with Don Walker, also from Cold Chisel. Moss had another top ten hit with "Telephone Booth" in June 1989.

At the ARIA Music Awards of 1990 Moss won five categories: Album of the Year, Best Male Artist, Breakthrough Artist – Album, Single of the Year and Breakthrough Artist – Single. Since then his solo music career has been more low-key, his other top 50 albums are Worlds Away (November 1991), Let's All Get Together (July 2007) and Soul on West 53rd (November 2009). In 1993 Cold Chisel, with Moss as a member, were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. Moss has participated with periodic Cold Chisel reunion tours or new studio albums in 1998, 2003 and from 2009 to 2012 (as from August 2013).

Career

Early life

Ian Richard Moss was born on 20 March 1955 in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, to Geoffery Moss (18 April 1911 – 1989) and Lorna (née Robinson) (born ca. 1922). During World War II Geoffery survived the 1942 bombing of Darwin, he enlisted in the army and later worked for the Allied Works Council in Alice Springs.<ref name="PlaceNames">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="WW2 Roll">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Lorna was a fellow employee at Allied Works Council when they married in September 1945.<ref name="PlaceNames"/><ref name="NLA1"/>

Moss has an older brother, Peter Geoffrey Moss (born 8 October 1948),<ref name="MossChisel"/><ref name="NLA2">Template:Cite news</ref> an older sister, Penny (born 30 July 1951), and a younger brother, Andrew (born July 13 1961).<ref name="MossChisel"/><ref name="NLA3">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Catterns">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} Note: Ian Moss interview starts at about half-an-hour.</ref> When Moss was four years old he performed for his family and friends and at nine, sang "The Battle of New Orleans" at a school concert.<ref name="MossBio"/><ref name="Hamey"/> He later recalled "I was always keen on music and singing. I used to do little vocal concerts for my parents".<ref name="Hamey"/> Moss initially took piano lessons but switched to guitar at age 11:<ref name="Kennedy">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "My older sister was learning classical piano and my older brother was a good rhythm strummer and right into Bob Dylan. I started off with classical piano aged about 7 or 8, but unfortunately wasn't into it enough".<ref name="MossBio"/>

In 1969 he joined a local band, Seen, which included drummer Rod Martin and two brothers, Robert and John Fortunaso.<ref name="Holmgren">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Moss played rhythm guitar by plugging an acoustic guitar into the bass player's amplifier. Seen played at local centres and organised their own dances. Moss sang a couple of songs with the group and a year later, he bought an electric guitar to replace his acoustic. Moss recalled, "I was with them for about a year and by that time I was starting to get my own band happening".<ref name="MossChisel">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The following year he formed Hot Ice with Roger Harris – guitar, David Michel – drums, Wayne Sanderson – Bass and Paul Wiles – keyboards.<ref name="Holmgren"/> The group debuted in front of the whole school at the Alice Springs High School regular Friday assembly which took place in the Alice Springs Youth Centre with cover versions of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary" and "Who'll Stop the Rain".<ref name="MossChisel"/> Thereafter they regularly played at the Youth Centre Saturday night dances. <ref name="MossChisel"/> In 1972, Moss relocated to Adelaide – where his older siblings had already moved. Moss had failed a year of high school and decided to repeat at Marion High School. In 1973 he started an Electronics course at Kilkenny Technical College but "lasted one term there ... totally daydreaming the whole time", he left and worked in various factory jobs.<ref name="Catterns"/>

1973–1984: Cold Chisel

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} In September 1973 Ian Moss, on guitar and lead vocals, formed a rock group, Orange, in Adelaide with Don Walker, a songwriter and organist, and Leszek Kaczmarek on bass guitar.<ref name="HolmgrenCC">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="McFarlaneCC">McFarlane, Template:Webarchive. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004. Retrieved 5 August 2013.</ref><ref name="Nimmervoll">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Within months the line-up included Steve Prestwich on drums and Jimmy Barnes on lead vocals, and they were renamed, Cold Chisel.<ref name="Hamey"/><ref name="HolmgrenCC"/><ref name="McFarlaneCC"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/> The group's early line-up was volatile with Barnes, Prestwich and Walker all leaving and returning at various times.<ref name="McFarlaneCC"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/> In 1975 Kaczmarek was replaced on bass guitar by Phil Small.<ref name="HolmgrenCC"/><ref name="McFarlaneCC"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/>

Moss's main role was as lead guitarist, although he would frequently take over lead vocals when Barnes was out of the band.<ref name="McFarlaneCC"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/><ref name="Creswell">Template:Cite book</ref> After periods spent in Adelaide, Armidale and Melbourne, Cold Chisel eventually settled in Sydney in mid-1977 and signed a recording contract with WEA late that year.<ref name="McFarlaneCC"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/> Early the following year they recorded their self-titled debut album, which appeared in April.<ref name="HolmgrenCC"/><ref name="McFarlaneCC"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/> Moss supplied lead vocals for two tracks, "One Long Day" and "Rosaline".<ref name="Cold">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

File:Ian Moss at the Cold Chisel last stand tour, 1983.jpg

Moss on the Cold Chisel Last Stand Tour, 1983

Moss's vocals feature on some of the band's best known songs, including the singles "My Baby" (August 1980), "When the War Is Over" (1982), and "Saturday Night" (March 1984) and on Circus Animals (March 1982) album track, "Bow River".<ref name="McFarlane">McFarlane, Template:Webarchive. Archived from the original on 28 June 2004. Retrieved 5 August 2013.</ref> Moss wrote "Bow River"<ref name="APRA Bow">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> about a cattle station in the Kimberley region of Western Australia where his brother, Peter, had once worked; it has since become Moss's signature tune.<ref name="Lynch">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was also the B-side of "Forever Now", which was released in the same month as the album.

Moss sang lead on the group's version of "Georgia On My Mind" which became a staple of their live shows, although their only recording is on the 1984 live album, Barking Spiders Live: 1983. Their fifth studio album, Twentieth Century, was issued in April 1984 with two tracks, "Saturday Night" and "Janelle", featuring Moss on lead vocals.<ref name="McFarlaneCC"/> However the group had disbanded as Barnes was keen to begin his solo career.<ref name="McFarlaneCC"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/>

During Cold Chisel's first phase, Moss gained status as a songwriter, contributing "Never Before"<ref name="APRA Never">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> for East (June 1980), the track was the first one aired by national radio station Triple J when it switched from AM to FM in 1980. Another Moss-written track is "No Good for You" on Circus Animals.<ref name="APRA No Good">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also worked as a session musician for other artists,<ref name="Holmgren"/> including playing a guitar solo on the track "Skin" from the album Icehouse (October 1980) by Sydney new wave band Flowers and an appearance on Richard Clapton's The Great Escape (March 1982),<ref name="Holmgren"/> which also featured Barnes.

1985–1997: Solo career success

After Cold Chisel disbanded, Ian Moss took a break from the music industry before launching his solo career in October 1986.<ref name="McFarlane"/> His first backing band consisted of Andy Cowan on keyboards (ex-Madder Lake, Ayers Rock, Kevin Borich Express), Joe Imbroll on bass guitar (ex-Goanna) and John Watson on drums (ex-Kevin Borich Express, Australian Crawl).<ref name="McFarlane"/> By April the following year the line-up was Watson, Joe Creighton on bass guitar (ex-Melissa, Billy T) and Peter Walker on guitar and synthesiser (ex-Bakery)<ref name="McFarlane"/> – Walker had also produced Cold Chisel's debut album in 1978.<ref name="HolmgrenPW">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During 1988 Moss worked in Los Angeles for nine months preparing material for his debut album, Matchbook.<ref name="McFarlane"/> In November 1988, Moss released his debut single, "Tucker's Daughter" which peaked at number two on the ARIA Singles Chart and number six on the New Zealand Singles Chart.<ref name="NZCharts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Moss's second single, "Telephone Booth", was issued in June-1989 and reached number seven on the ARIA Singles Chart,<ref name="AusCharts">Australian (ARIA) chart peaks:

• Top 50 peaks: {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> and top 30 in New Zealand.<ref name="NZCharts"/> Matchbook, followed in August, which reached number one on the ARIA Albums Chart, it remained at the peak spot for three weeks<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="AusCharts"/> and sold more than 200,000 copies.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In New Zealand it reached the top 20 on the albums chart.<ref name="NZCharts"/> Matchbook was produced by Moss and Lord-Alge; it was dedicated "in loving memory of Geoff Moss 1911–1989".<ref name="Matchbook">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, found the album displayed Moss's "exemplary, controlled guitar technique, but also highlighted his soulful voice ... [he] handled all lead vocals with considerable style and authority".<ref name="McFarlane"/>

Two further singles, "Out of the Fire" and "Mr. Rain" were released from the album and both charted on the Australian top 100.<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="AusCharts"/><ref name="AusCharts1989">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At the ARIA Music Awards of 1990 Moss won five categories Album of the Year, Best Male Artist and Breakthrough Artist – Album for Matchbook; and Single of the Year and Breakthrough Artist – Single for "Tucker's Daughter".<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="ARIA1990">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="TallP1990">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His touring band in support of Matchbook consisted of Ian Belton on bass guitar (ex-QED), Guy Le Claire on rhythm guitar(Mar-Sept 1989)(ex-Eurogliders), Randy Bulpin on rhythm guitar (ex-Mondo Rock), Danny D'Costa on keyboards, Steve Fearnley on drums and Mark Williams and Mary Azzopardi on backing vocals.<ref name="McFarlane"/>

File:Ian Moss.jpg

CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In October 1991 Moss released his second album, Worlds Away, which featured "songs largely co-written with Don Walker in the soul/R&B vein".<ref name="McFarlane"/> It reached the top 50 on both the ARIA and New Zealand charts.<ref name="AusCharts"/><ref name="NZCharts"/> The album provided three singles, "Slip Away" (May), "She's a Star" (September) and "Never Give Up" (November);<ref name="McFarlane"/> both "Slip Away" and "She's a Star" reached the ARIA Top 100.<ref name="AusCharts1991">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Also that year Moss played in Don Walker's band Catfish, contributing guitar to their album, Ruby. Subsequently, he made guest appearances on albums by The Black Sorrows' Better Times (1992) on a track called "Ain't Love the Strangest Thing", Richard Clapton's Distant Thunder (1993), on Barnes' solo album, Heat (1993),<ref name="Holmgren"/> the first time he had worked with Barnes in ten years. In June 1994 he provided lead guitar on the title track of Don Walker's solo album, We're All Gunna Die (1995).<ref name="Holmgren"/><ref name="We're All">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> In 1993 Cold Chisel, with Moss as a member, were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.<ref name="HoF2008"/><ref name="HoF2012"/>

Moss's third solo album, Petrolhead, was released in August 1996, which was produced by Don Walker for TWA Records.<ref name="Holmgren"/><ref name="McFarlane"/> For this album Moss used Walker on keyboards with Paul DeMarco on drums (ex-Rose Tattoo), the late Ian Rilen on bass guitar (from Rose Tattoo & X), and Trent Williamson on harmonica.<ref name="McFarlane"/> McFarlane declared it was "his best-ever album ... [by] a down'n'dirty blues-rock outfit ... with gritty, hard-edged tracks ... [and] finely honed guitar work".<ref name="McFarlane"/> Two singles were issued, "All Alone on a Rock" and "Poor Boy", but neither charted.<ref name="McFarlane"/> It was re-released the following year as Ian Moss Box Set with an additional live CD, Ian Moss Live, the live disc was issued separately in 1998.<ref name="Holmgren"/><ref name="McFarlane"/> Those live tracks had been recorded during 1996 to 1997 on his national tour supporting Petrolhead, with Rilen replaced by Paul Wheeler on bass guitar mid-tour.<ref name="Holmgren"/><ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="NLA Live">Template:Citation</ref>

1997–2004: Cold Chisel reunion

From October 1997 to June 1998 Cold Chisel reunited to record a new studio album, The Last Wave of Summer (October 1998), and subsequently toured.<ref name="McFarlaneCC"/> In May 2003, another Cold Chisel tour, Ringside, resulted in a 2× CD live album of the same name in November.

2005–present: Solo career continued

In 2005 Moss released his fourth studio album, Six Strings on Liberation Music.<ref name="Holmgren"/><ref name="NLA Six">Template:Citation</ref> it was an acoustic album and included material from his time with Cold Chisel, his solo releases and cover versions of Jimi Hendrix and Creedence Clearwater Revival tracks.<ref name="Cox">Template:Cite news</ref> To support the release Moss undertook an extensive joint tour of Australia co-headlining with Jon Stevens (ex-Noiseworks, INXS).

Moss's next album, Let's All Get Together, was released in July 2007 on his own label, Mosstrooper (distributed by Liberation).<ref name="NLA Lets">Template:Citation</ref> It contained acoustic cover versions of Cold Chisel tracks and material written by Moss and/or his former band mates Walker, Prestwich and Small.<ref name="Winterford">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ABC 2007">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album reached the top 50 on the ARIA Albums Chart in October.<ref name="AusCharts"/> From February to April 2008 Moss appeared on the third series of Australian TV celebrity singing contest, It Takes Two, where he was partnered by actress, Virginia Gay – they finished in the top three.<ref name="Butler">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Neil">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Moss travelled to New York in August 2008 to record his next album, Soul on West 53rd,<ref name="NLA Soul">Template:Citation</ref> which is a collection of mainly soul songs from the 1960s and 1970s. It was produced by Danny Korthmar,<ref name="Amazon 2009"/> and featured Steve Jordan, Neil Jason, Leon Pendarvis and Hugh McCracken.<ref name="Cowle">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Marnie">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was released in October 2009 and peaked in the top 40 in Australia.<ref name="AusCharts"/> Amazon.com editorial reviewer declared that Moss provides an "unforgettable sound – not only as a telling soloist on guitar but especially with his silken voice, ringing with clarity and resonating with pure soul".<ref name="Amazon 2009">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Antonios Sarhanis at Anagrammatically Correct felt it was a "good collection of covers, but why bother when the better originals are so freely available?".<ref name="Sarhanis">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In December 2009 Cold Chisel reconvened for a gig at Stadium Australia.<ref name="McCabe">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In October 2010 Cold Chisel appeared at the Deni ute muster.<ref name="Weekly 2010">Template:Cite news</ref> Alongside their old work they premiered new material and announced they were working on another studio album.<ref name="Border 2010">Template:Cite news</ref> Recording of Cold Chisel's album, No Plans, was disrupted when Steven Prestwich was diagnosed with a brain tumour and died on 16 January 2011, aged 56.<ref name="Purdie"/><ref name="Levy">Template:Cite news</ref> In October the group replaced Prestwich with former Divinyls drummer, Charley Drayton,<ref name="Scatena">Template:Cite news</ref> and the album was issued in April 2012.<ref name="Purdie">Template:Cite news</ref> Aside from lead guitar and backing vocals, Moss provided lead vocals on two tracks, "Too Late" and "Summer Moon".<ref name="Hodgson">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Cold Chisel supported the release with a national tour and then, in June, with performances in London.<ref name="Hamey"/><ref name="AAP 2013">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2012 he made a guest appearance on the TV soap opera, Neighbours, playing a gig at Charlie's Bar. The episode was broadcast in the United Kingdom in October. In May that year Australian Guitar magazine listed Moss at number-three on their Definitive Top Ten Australian Guitarists of All Time.<ref name="Quinn">Template:Cite news</ref> In January 2013 Moss, as a solo artist, joined the Red Hot Summer Tour, headlining that tour was Barnes.<ref name="Hamey">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During June Cold Chisel announced they were in a recording studio.<ref name="AAP 2013"/> Moss followed with his own Australian tour starting in July.<ref name="Starr">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In March 2018, Moss released Ian Moss, his first solo album of all original material in 22 years.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album peaked at number 11 on the ARIA Charts.<ref name="AusCharts"/>

He performed at the 2021 NRL Grand Final, singing "Flame Trees" alongside Kate Miller-Heidke, before performing his solo hit "Tucker's Daughter".

In July 2023, Moss released his eighth studio album Rivers Run Dry. The album will be supported by a national tour commencing in August 2023.<ref name="RRD">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal life

Ian Moss was in a de facto relationship with Australian actress Megan Williams<ref name="Curley">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}. John Prior.</ref> for eleven years until they split up in the 1990s.<ref name="Soap"/> Williams supplied backing vocals on Cold Chisel's "Flame Trees" (August 1984).<ref name="Wallen">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Williams died on 17 April 2000 of breast cancer, aged 43.<ref name="Soap">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Moss and his partner, Margeaux Rolleston, have a son, Julian Moss – Six Strings has an instrumental track, "Song for Julian".

Discography

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

Albums

• Matchbook (1989)
• Worlds Away (1991)
• Petrolhead (1996)
• Six Strings (2005)
• Let's All Get Together (2007)
• Soul on West 53rd (2009)
• Ian Moss (2018)
• Rivers Run Dry (2023)

See also

• Cold Chisel discography

Awards and nominations

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales, and airplay performance by its members annually.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Template:Awards table ! Template:Abbr |- ! scope="row"| 2024 | "Nullarbor Plain" (Moss and Troy Cassar-Daley) | Most Performed Rock Work | Template:Nom | <ref name="APRA Music Awards 2024 noms">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> |- |}

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987. Ian Moss has won five awards. Template:Awards table ! Template:Abbr |- | rowspan="6"| 1990 | rowspan="3"| Matchbook | Album of the Year | Template:Won | rowspan="6"| <ref name="ARIA1990A">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> |- | Best Male Artist | Template:Won |- | Breakthrough Artist - Album | Template:Won |- | rowspan="3"| "Tucker's Daughter" | Breakthrough Artist - Single | Template:Won |- | Single of the Year | Template:Nom |- | Song of the Year | Template:Won |- | 1993 | himself (as part of Cold Chisel) | ARIA Hall of Fame | Template:Yes2 | |-

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CMA Awards

The Country Music Awards of Australia is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. Template:Awards table (wins only) |- | 2022<ref name="CMAA2022">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> || "South" (with Troy Cassar-Daley) || Vocal Collaboration of the Year. || Template:Won |-

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References

General

• Template:Cite encyclopedia Note: Archived [on-line] copy has limited functionality.

Specific

External links

• Template:Official website