Background
Twentieth Century was the first recording to vary the core members of Cold Chisel, with Steve Prestwich having been sacked during the previous year's tour of Germany. For all but three songs, he was replaced by Ray Arnott. The band had announced its intention to separate in August 1983, and by December had played its final shows (before reunion), months before the release of the album.
Tensions within the band were particularly high. Although Arnott was the drummer on most of the album, Prestwich was playing on the band's farewell tour. There were problems with the incompatibility of equipment when recording was done at different studios. Barnes was to later say that he felt intimidated when his more personal songs were competing against Walker's for album space, with songs such as "No Second Prize", later a solo hit, being rejected by the band. He also felt he wanted the band to be more "rocking", while Moss wanted to experiment with his guitar playing and Prestwich was unwilling to play straightforward rock and roll. [2] Barnes had said he was only willing to do the album if everyone received even royalties, "No matter who wrote the fucking things." [3] He had three songs on the album, the only person besides Walker to have an unshared credit.
Singer Barnes said of the album, "While there are some great songs on it, I don't think it was one of our great records - it was fragmented and sounds like a dying band, but it marked the end of an era." [4] In his autobiography, Barnes claimed the songs were underdone, and the band would have continued writing for another year if it wasn't for their break-up. [5]
Don Walker's feelings were stronger, saying, "The album was a nightmare. It was one of the two or three nightmares of my life. At that time relations within the band were barely above speaking terms. The business and money side of it were incredibly bitter between several people." [6] Mark Opitz said, "With Cold Chisel I was there for the breakthrough and the break-up. And let me tell you, the breakthrough album was a lot more fun." [7]
The original choice of producer, Tony Cohen, had to leave the project due to health problems, exacerbated by tensions during the recording. He was still listed as the sound engineer. [8] He said that Walker wanted a rawer recording, whereas "Barnesy wanted to be like The Eagles, like some LA production thing. [9] Opitz, who had worked with the band on the previous three albums, was asked to assist with the recording. "Essentially they wanted me to do the same thing I'd always done, but pay me less," Opitz said. [7]
The art work for the album was done by Chilean artist Eduardo Guelfenbein, who was also responsible for directing the videos for the songs "Hold Me Tight" and "No Sense".
Reception
Despite the feeling of the band members, the album was mostly well received and sold well. "Flame Trees" and "Saturday Night" receive strong airplay on classic rock stations in Australia decades after release. [10]
Reviewed at the time of release, Juke Magazine said the standout track was "Saturday Night" ("an appealing track with many of Chisel's best qualities filtered through a clever mix. The melody relies heavily on Phil Small's excellent bass line"), but surmised, "as a showcase of Cold Chisel's techniques and abilities Twentieth Century is a mixed bag". [11]
The Sun noted, "It's cruel that a band should make its last album its best. Don Walker dominate's the song-writing, as usual. He now combines what could be sentimental lyrics with an awesome power and pace. He is reflective, introspective and succinct." [12] Rip It Up said, "The big plus is Don Walker, Chisel's best songwriter, contributes the most songs. Walker's incisive musical arrangements coupled with his looking glass lyrics give Barnes the scope to exercise his awesome set of tonsils in a constructive way. Barnes' own compositions tend to reduce him to a shouter."" [13]
Cold Chisel are an Australian pub rock band, which formed in Adelaide in 1973 by mainstay members Ian Moss on guitar and vocals, Steve Prestwich on drums and Don Walker on piano and keyboards. They were soon joined by Jimmy Barnes on lead vocals and, in 1975, Phil Small became their bass guitarist. The group disbanded in late 1983 but subsequently reformed several times. Musicologist Ian McFarlane wrote that they became "one of Australia's best-loved groups" as well as "one of the best live bands", fusing "a combination of rockabilly, hard rock and rough-house soul'n'blues that was defiantly Australian in outlook."
"Flame Trees" is a song by Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel from their 1984 album Twentieth Century. One of their best known songs, it was written by drummer Steve Prestwich and keyboardist Don Walker. On its release it reached No. 26 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart. It resurfaced in August 2011 due to download sales, peaking at No. 54 on the ARIA chart.
The Last Wave of Summer is the sixth studio album by Australian pub rock band, Cold Chisel. It was released in October 1998 and reached number-one on The Australian ARIA Charts. It was the band's first studio album in 14 years.
Breakfast at Sweethearts is the second studio album by Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel, released in February 1979. It spent 32 weeks in the national charts, reaching a peak of number 4.
Cold Chisel is the self-titled debut album of Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel. Released in April 1978, it spent 23 weeks in the Australian charts, peaking at number 38.
Chisel is a compilation album by Australian pub rocker band Cold Chisel, released in September 1991. It features a selection of their best songs from previous albums, including live versions of the tracks "Merry-Go-Round", "Star Hotel" and "Goodbye ". The track "Misfits" was previously a B-side and was removed from later re-issues of this album. A limited edition release of this album included the long-deleted 1978 live EP "You're Thirteen, You're Beautiful, and You're Mine".
You're Thirteen, You're Beautiful, and You're Mine is a live EP by Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel, recorded at the Regent Theatre in Sydney in October 1978, and released in November. After a long period of unavailability, the EP was re-released as a bonus disc with the second pressing of the compilation album Chisel (1991). The EP was later made available digitally, as well as reissued on disc in 2011.
East is the third studio album by Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel, released in June 1980. The album peaked at No. 2 and spent 63 weeks on the national chart. It was the biggest-selling Australian album release of the year. It was the only Cold Chisel album to chart in America, reaching 171 on the Billboard 200. It also reached number 32 on the New Zealand charts.
Bodyswerve is the debut solo album by former Cold Chisel vocalist Jimmy Barnes. The album was released in on 10 September 1984 and went to No. 1 on the Kent Music Report Albums Chart. It contains covers of tracks by Sam Cooke and Janis Joplin. "No Second Prize" was the album's first single.
Circus Animals is the fourth studio album by Australian band Cold Chisel, released on 8 March 1982. It was recorded and mixed at Paradise Studios and EMI Studios 301, Sydney. It reached number one on the Australian charts, remaining in the charts for 40 weeks, and also topped the New Zealand charts. The working title for the album was "Tunnel Cunts".
Swingshift is a live album released by Australian band Cold Chisel in 1981. It was their first album to reach No. 1 on the Australian chart, debuting there in its first week. It peaked at number 9 in New Zealand. A press release said the title referred to, "the midnight to dawn shift that the staff in asylums dread: the hours when the crazies go crazy."
Last Stand is a documentary film of the final concert appearances by Australian rock band, Cold Chisel, prior to their first disbandment. It was filmed on 13 and 15 December 1983 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre and released to cinemas in July 1984. It featured the group performing two of the four final concerts of their national Last Stand Tour, from 12 to 15 December 1983. It is interspersed with short interviews from members of the band, their managers, audience members and Midnight Oil front man, Peter Garrett.
The Barking Spiders Live: 1983 is a live album by Australian rock band Cold Chisel. It was recorded during the final performances of their Last Stand tour in 1983, at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. The name of the album derives from a name the band used occasionally when playing warm-up shows before tours. Don Walker states a "barking spider" is "Scottish slang for a fart."
"Saturday Night" is a 1984 single from Australian rock band Cold Chisel, the second released from the album Twentieth Century and the first to be issued after the band's official break-up. The vocals are shared between Ian Moss and Jimmy Barnes. It just missed out on becoming the band's third Top 10 single, stalling at number 11 on the Australian chart for two weeks, but it remains one of Cold Chisel's highest charting songs.
"My Baby" is a 1980 single from Australian rock band Cold Chisel, the third released from the album East and the first of the band's singles not to be written by pianist Don Walker. This was the only track credited solely to bass player Phil Small on any of the band's albums apart from "Notion For You" on the 1994 rarities album Teenage Love.
"You Got Nothing I Want" is a 1981 single from Australian rock band Cold Chisel, the first released from the album Circus Animals. One of the band's heaviest and most aggressive songs, it was written by singer Jimmy Barnes in response to the treatment they received at the hands of a record company executive during a U.S. tour earlier in the year. Don Walker said, "After we came back, Jim wrote 'You Got Nothing I Want' more or less as a personal tribute to Marty Schwartz." "You Got Nothing I Want" was also the first song on the album and representative of the different sound Cold Chisel was attempting on Circus Animals in a conscious effort to move away from the slick commercial pop rock of East. It spent 19 weeks in the national charts, peaking at number 12.
"Choirgirl" is a 1979 single by Australian rock band Cold Chisel. A ballad with an R&B influenced melody, the single was released months before the album East that it featured on. It was the first time the band had recorded with producer Mark Opitz. It peaked at number 14 in Australia
"Forever Now" is a 1982 single from Australian rock band Cold Chisel. The second single from the album Circus Animals, it was the first Cold Chisel single to be penned by Steve Prestwich. The song reached number 2 in the New Zealand charts, and number 4 in Australia, the band's highest chart placement. It stayed in the charts for 18 weeks. The single was released in more countries than any other by Cold Chisel. In America it was titled "Forever Now ".
No Plans is the seventh studio album by Australian rock band Cold Chisel. It was released on 6 April 2012 and was the band's first studio album in 14 years. It features the final recorded performances by drummer Steve Prestwich, who died of a brain tumour in January 2011. The album peaked at number 2 on the Australian charts.
"Cheap Wine" is a 1980 single from Australian rock band Cold Chisel. The second single from the album East, the single was released in May, a month before the album. It reached number 8 on the Australian charts, the band's first top-ten single, and would eventually remain the band's second highest chart performance. It has been described as, "one of Don's finest commercial songs."
