MERYL NAIDOO

July 09, 2009 10:43am

AUSSIE rock legend Jimmy Barnes is coming back to Hobart to play tracks from his forthcoming album The Rhythm and The Blues
The former Cold Chisel frontman, a multi-platinum, multi-ARIA Award winning artist, is regarded as the elder statesman of Aussie rock. He is one of highest-selling Australian music artists of all time.
Showing no sign of slowing down at the age of 53, Barnes continued to tour Australia and internationally while he wrote songs for his new album, which he recorded in the US. It will be released in August.

``It is sort of a prequel to Soul Deep (his solo fifth album released in 1991),'' the gravel-voiced singer says.
``Those songs come from a period from the late '40s to the early '60s ... soul music was more mid-'60s. This new album is that sort of era, Little Richard and that sort of stuff _ rock `n' roll with soul.

``It's very different to lots of stuff I have done in the past.''
In Hobart he will play tracks off the new album among his hits.
``We've gotta play the favourites,'' he says. ``I'll pick a bunch that I feel like playing and that I think the audience will like and make it a good rock `n' roll show.''

Barnes says he listens to rhythm and blues at home.

``I like soul, jazz and gospel,'' he says.

Heavily influenced by Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Little Richard and the likes, Barnes is proud of his old vinyl collection.
``I have been digging out my vinyl and have started playing it again,'' he says.
``It's all sorts of '70s and '60s [music]. All the vinyl I have had for years I have recently rediscovered which has started me collecting it again too.''

The second series of his pay-TV show My First Gig is scheduled to be filmed in the next month. It profiles musical artists and is often described as unpretentious.

``It's been very interesting for me,'' he says.

``Being a musician and singer myself I can get inside people's heads a bit more and they tend to relax.

``It's not that I pry any secrets out of them but they present themselves in a different way to me and it works really well.''
Jimmy Barnes plays the only Tasmanian show of his latest tour at the Wrest Point Entertainment Centre from 8pm on July 18.
The support act is his daughter Mahalia Barnes.

Tickets are $60.50 plus booking fee, phone 1300795257 for bookings.