Released in April 1978, this first album is Cold Chisel at their most raw and elemental. Cold Chisel self-titled debut was incubated over five years playing pubs and dives all over the country. Formed in Adelaide in 1973, Cold Chisel enjoyed their status as outsiders and prided themselves on having the toughest sound in the country – Jimmy Barnes’ raw vocals, Ian Moss’ liquid guitar and the blend of their voices fitted perfectly with Don Walker’s completely original style of writing unadorned real stories. The rhythm section of Phil Small and Steve Prestwich held the band together over any terrain: Flat chat rock & roll with “Home and Broken Hearted”, slow burning blues with “One Long Day”.
But the centerpiece of the album is “Khe Sanh”, a song about a disillusioned Vietnam vet that connected with almost every single Australian. Banned by the censors, the single nonetheless reached #41 on the charts on release and then reentered the charts 33 years later at #40. “Khe Sanh” was the anthem of the Australian cricket team and is one of the most popular Australian songs of all time.
