OMEN
03-09-2008, 02:46 PM
Working Class Man Jimmy Barnes says kicking the booze and drugs saved his life and now the Aussie rocker has his second wind following open heart surgery.
Barnes, who turns 52 next month, had the invasive surgery to fix a defective valve he was born with.
"I wasn't recovering as quickly. I had shortness of breath I thought it was my lungs," Barnes told Sunday News.
"I had tests and they said I was fine but I knew something was wrong."
After an angiogram, where cardiac surgeons pump dye through your heart to see where the blockages are, Barnes was told he would have to have a major operation.
"They said `your valve's gone. You have to have open heart surgery'."
Barnes gave up alcohol and drugs seven years ago a decision he's certain saved his life.
"If I had been drinking or partying, I probably wouldn't have noticed I was unwell. I probably would have kept going until I collapsed," he said.
But the heart surgery had a positive outcome it got Barnes writing songs again.
He had struggled with songwriting since becoming sober.
"Since then I haven't written that much. I was half thinking I had writers' block because I've never written much sober or straight.
"One of the things I was doing was working really hard and trying to avoid writing in case I couldn't do it.
"Then the heart op happened and songs stated flowing again."
He wrote his new album Out In The Blue from his hospital bed.
"I spent quite a bit of time recovering in bed. I got bored and wrote most of the new album sitting around in bed with an acoustic guitar.
"From horrible situations like that, good things come. I hadn't had six months off since I joined Cold Chisel and I got to spend six months at home with my family."
The health scare gave Barnes a wake-up call, which became the basis of his album.
"I looked at my life, at the past and future, what I was doing with my life and how I was approaching life. As a songwriter that was great.
"It's about when I look back at some of the things I've done wrong and right, about my mortality, all sorts of things.
"Before, I would work four or five nights a week doing pubs and smoky clubs.
"Rather than work myself into the grave, since the op, I work less and do a lot more quality shows than quantity and spend more time with my family."
One of the songs on his album, Blue Hotel, was written by Neil Finn an old friend.
"I've known him since the early days of Split Enz. We are very good friends now.
"I said jokingly, `you have written so many bloody great songs, how about writing one for your mate?' I was staying at Neil's house in England having dinner with him and his wife and he said `I've got a song for you', ran upstairs and came down with a demo.
"I figured I was very lucky to get Neil to write for me. And it was such a great song, he did a great job."
Luckily for Barnes' Kiwi fans, his new work ethic doesn't prevent him from performing across the Tasman.
He played at the Mission concert with Tom Jones last week and has two New Zealand shows later this month.
"I can't wait. I love New Zealand. I come over at least once a year. I like the place, I like the people. I have a connection with the people."
Jimmy Barnes plays at The Civic in Christchurch on March 18 and the Mangawhai Tavern on March 22.
Sunday News
Barnes, who turns 52 next month, had the invasive surgery to fix a defective valve he was born with.
"I wasn't recovering as quickly. I had shortness of breath I thought it was my lungs," Barnes told Sunday News.
"I had tests and they said I was fine but I knew something was wrong."
After an angiogram, where cardiac surgeons pump dye through your heart to see where the blockages are, Barnes was told he would have to have a major operation.
"They said `your valve's gone. You have to have open heart surgery'."
Barnes gave up alcohol and drugs seven years ago a decision he's certain saved his life.
"If I had been drinking or partying, I probably wouldn't have noticed I was unwell. I probably would have kept going until I collapsed," he said.
But the heart surgery had a positive outcome it got Barnes writing songs again.
He had struggled with songwriting since becoming sober.
"Since then I haven't written that much. I was half thinking I had writers' block because I've never written much sober or straight.
"One of the things I was doing was working really hard and trying to avoid writing in case I couldn't do it.
"Then the heart op happened and songs stated flowing again."
He wrote his new album Out In The Blue from his hospital bed.
"I spent quite a bit of time recovering in bed. I got bored and wrote most of the new album sitting around in bed with an acoustic guitar.
"From horrible situations like that, good things come. I hadn't had six months off since I joined Cold Chisel and I got to spend six months at home with my family."
The health scare gave Barnes a wake-up call, which became the basis of his album.
"I looked at my life, at the past and future, what I was doing with my life and how I was approaching life. As a songwriter that was great.
"It's about when I look back at some of the things I've done wrong and right, about my mortality, all sorts of things.
"Before, I would work four or five nights a week doing pubs and smoky clubs.
"Rather than work myself into the grave, since the op, I work less and do a lot more quality shows than quantity and spend more time with my family."
One of the songs on his album, Blue Hotel, was written by Neil Finn an old friend.
"I've known him since the early days of Split Enz. We are very good friends now.
"I said jokingly, `you have written so many bloody great songs, how about writing one for your mate?' I was staying at Neil's house in England having dinner with him and his wife and he said `I've got a song for you', ran upstairs and came down with a demo.
"I figured I was very lucky to get Neil to write for me. And it was such a great song, he did a great job."
Luckily for Barnes' Kiwi fans, his new work ethic doesn't prevent him from performing across the Tasman.
He played at the Mission concert with Tom Jones last week and has two New Zealand shows later this month.
"I can't wait. I love New Zealand. I come over at least once a year. I like the place, I like the people. I have a connection with the people."
Jimmy Barnes plays at The Civic in Christchurch on March 18 and the Mangawhai Tavern on March 22.
Sunday News