By Joe Matera
Ian Moss
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As one of Australia’s most iconic musicians and guitarists, Ian Moss has enjoyed a stellar career both as a solo artist and with Cold Chisel. This Friday, Moss releases his eighth studio album, Rivers Run Dry, and next month kicks off a national tour in support of the new album.
“I started by gradually collecting ideas over time,” explains Moss about the new album’s writing process.
“Like most writers, it’s not easy to force inspiration, so I generally wait for them to come to me.
“I’ll arm myself with some means of recording the ideas, like a phone, mini tape recorder or whatever, because it’s essential to get these ideas down as soon as you hear them.
“Many a great song has been lost in a scenario of, say, waking in the night with a strong idea and promising yourself you won’t forget the idea.
“Without fail, you wake the next morn, and it’s gone, or you’ve changed it.
“You generally don’t think about or concern yourself if it’s in the right style or not.
“You concern yourself with finishing the song, and you can have your work cut out just getting enough songs under your belt.
“You comfort yourself with the suggestion that a good song will always be good, no matter what style you do it in.
“The adage one per cent inspiration and 99 per cent perspiration is very much true most of the time.
“There are lots of good co-writing efforts, but I’m very fond of the efforts of I’m Going Back and Nullarbor Plain with Troy Cassar-Daley.”
Moss’s son Julian makes a special appearance duetting with his father on the Stevie Wonder classic Blame it on the Sun, and country star Kasey Chambers also guests on the track Bury Me.
The title track, Rivers Run Dry, tells the poignant story of one of Moss’s life-long friends who suffered a severe stroke in February 2020 and at the commencement of the album’s writing.
“It wasn’t clear whether he’d even survive, but thankfully, he has,” says Moss.
“Somewhat the worse for wear, but alive.”
With the upcoming tour, what can fans expect to hear?
“A good mixture of songs covering the new and the old,” he says.
“My fans are so supportive of the new material, so there will be some songs from Rivers Run Dry, but so will the familiar songs, regardless of whether I am playing with my band or in solo acoustic mode.”
For tour dates check out: www.ianmoss.com.au
Music news
Last week superstar Taylor Swift dominated the streaming world where 23 of the top 50 slots on the Spotify US Top 50 were her songs. And in Spotify’s Global Top 50 chart, she also held down a third of that chart’s 50 spots, with 17.
And Swift continues to achieve more record-breaking moments. This week she becomes the first woman to achieve a historic four albums at the same time in the Top 10 of the US Billboard album chart. Prince is the only other artist to have had more than Swift’s tally, when he achieved five albums simultaneously in the Top 10 posthumously in 2016.
Swift has also become the first female artist to achieve 12 number one albums on the US Billboard chart.
Rumours abound that brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher from ’90s Brit-Pop legends Oasis are about to reconcile their feuding, which caused the band to split in 2009, and will reunite for a comeback.
German electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk have announced an Australian tour for December 2023. The group, who were the forerunners of placing synthesisers at the heart of pop music, were last in the country in 2013.
Guitar shredding-meister Steve Vai will be returning to our shores in November for a national tour in support of his recently released instrumental album, Inviolate.
Joe’s industry editorial
I recently read an interview with actor Bryan Cranston, best known for playing the role of Walter White in the television series Breaking Bad, where he stated that to have a successful acting career depended on four main factors: talent, persistence, patience and luck. Those same principles can be applied to music and, in fact, any career of one’s choosing. But since this is a music column, let’s stick to music.
Being successful isn’t something that occurs in five minutes. Overnight sensations don’t exist in the real world. It’s years of dedication and hard work that will reward you with success and those hard-earned lucky breaks. Nothing that is made to last was ever built in a short, quick time frame. As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
The internet provides a fine example. Something will go viral in an instant, then once the wave of interest subsides, it’s gone and never heard of again, and the next new viral sensation takes hold, and once again the cycle repeats itself. Is that lasting the distance? Of course not.
To follow a career path in music, those four core values are essential in holding you in good stead as you navigate your musical journey. Nothing is ever easy. It’s a rollercoaster ride at times, but so is life. You’ll probably experience more failures than successes too, but eventually those successes will become the dominating factor. So, pursue your musical endeavours by putting those four factors to work. Those words of wisdom offered by Cranston will never let you down.
Fun fact
Yothu Yindi was the first Indigenous Australian band to achieve a Top 40 hit with its 1991 song Treaty, which peaked at #11 on the Australian chart.
Readers can send feedback, suggestions, music-related stories, music news items and more to MusicalMusings@mmg.com.au
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