Cold Chisel have broken a record for an Australian based band selling more tickets than anyone before, 150,000 in fact, in one morning.
They beat their own record for the ‘Last Stand’ tour and Powderfinger’s farewell Sunsets tour of last year and the Powderfinger/Silverchair double header Across The Great Divide in 2007.
Shows for Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Newcastle, Gold Coast, Canberra and Wollongong had sold out by 10am this morning.
Extra shows were immediately added for Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide. A second Melbourne date is expected to be added tomorrow.
It comes off the back of a big week for Cold Chisel following the first-time digital release of their back catalogue on iTunes last week which saw the iconic song ‘Khe Sahn’ make the Australian top 40 for the first time ever. ‘Khe Sahn’ peaked at 41 when it was first released in 1978 but the song was banned soon after release and sales stalled.
This morning Don Walker told The Noise Network about the ban. “To tell you the truth I can’t remember noticing that much at the time either,” he said. “I can remember the record company going “oh shit its banned” and then immediately thinking “oh great, its banned. We don’t have to think what we have to write in the press release this afternoon”.
He was told about the Top 40 placement on the weekend. “I did see it along with the other guys and congratulated them more than anybody,” Don said. I think the people who take least notice of the charts are the people who make the music. The people who take the most notice are the people who are doing all the hard work to nail those numbers who are management and record companies”.
The Cold Chisel tour starts October 13 in Newcastle. Don Walker will start his solo tour on Thursday, August 18 at the East Brunswick Club in Melbourne.
VIDEO: Don Walker talks to The Noise Network’s Paul Cashmere:
