Steve Prestwich Steve Prestwich, one of the most talented drummers in this country and indeed a driving force in Cold Chisel can still remember his first introduction to the band. He was already in a three piece band called "Ice" when he met Lez Kazmaric who was to later introduce him to Don Walker and Ian Moss. After "Ice" had folded Steve was thinking the unthinkable and considering returning home to England! Lez called him in to audition for a new band he was putting together - a drum solo, followed by a couple of songs and he was in! Steve recalls how impressed he was with Ian. "I can still remember the first time I heard him sing Georgia" at those early rehearsals. There was a maturity far beyond his years. He was something special". It was 1973. Steve Prestwich was also involved in the songwriting side of the band. It may not be widely known but Steve was responsible for both co-writing and writing some of Cold Chisel's greatest hits. Timeless classics such as Forever Now, When The War Is Over, Nothin But You, Monica, Best Kept Lies, and Flame Trees (co-written with Don Walker) are all the creation of Steve and still remain more popular than ever. Steve still is a extraordinarily gifted song writer who is, even as we speak, getting ready to record his debut solo album which we can look forward to early next year. To understand the man, you must first understand the mission..... Steve hails from the musician-breeding ground of Liverpool, England. The eldest of seven boys, Steve did his first gig at the tender age of eleven at the Everton Soccer Supporters Club. He was filling in for the "Three J's regular drummer who was ill. The gig was a great success and it was with some surprise when getting home from school the next afternoon, that he was met by a photographer and journalist from the local newspaper. The 2 pounds Steve was paid for the gig he gave to his Dad to help go towards a drum kit of his own. This was 1965. Steve's Dad was in a band himself and gave Steve his first rudimentary drum lessons at age nine, a fine start in light of what was about to happen in future!! His Dad played around Liverpool including gigs at the famous "Cavern". Whenever his Dad used to play at a local community hall, Steve would go along to watch and listen. "The atmosphere and the feeling one got was addictive. I knew then exactly what I wanted to do". Steve's interest in music started early with the radio being his first source. "I can always remember hearing the radio as a child, a lot of the songs melodies have stayed with me. I'm only now beginning to find out the names of some of those songs". Growing up amidst the the hype of 'Beatlemania' and the 'Mersey Sound' had an enriching effect on young Steve and he began to find his own musical identity. It wasn't unusual to hear the sound of a band rehearsing in some distant garage or warehouse. Steve with his mates, would always go and check them out. Emigrating to Australia in 1971, Steve found the local scene in Adelaide to be really happening. There was a wealth of bands playing in Elizabeth or in one of the many venues in and around Adelaide (Captain Thunder, Rashamra, Stoned Pony Blues Band, Hard Time, Killin Floor to name but a few!). The fact that Elizabeth was a 'migrant' town meant that it had more than its fair share of young British musicians. Steve recalls meeting local musician John Swan (Jim Barnes' older brother) at an Xmas party.... "which seemed to go on for weeks!" who was a drummer himself and seeing Jim Barnes 'around' prior to the formation of Cold Chisel. When Chisel called it a day in 1983/4, Steve joined Little River Band and toured world-wide. He then left LRB and continued writing and playing music - his songs being recorded by some of Australia's finest musicians. And on the side he has played in the solo bands of his old Chisel mates Ian Moss and Don Walker. Steve was ready to record his first solo album in the mid 1990's, but the project took a back seat when Cold Chisel re-formed in 1997 for a new studio album, The Last Wave of Summer, and subsequent sell-out National tour. Steve's debut album, Since You've Been Gone was finally released in August of 2000 to critical acclaim and enthusiastic fans. He formed a live band and played a number of shows in Sydney in 2001, culminating in a Live DVD release recorded in Sydney's legendary blues nightclub, The Basement. Roll with the Rhythm... was recorded over three nights in Winter of 2001, and brings together 20 of Steve's best songs, spanning from the Chisel days right up to his solo album. In 2003 - just as Steve was preparing for his second album - Cold Chisel got together again and toured nationally with their Ringside concert, forcing the album onto the backburner. Steve returned to the Sydney live circuit in 2004 with a brand new line-up in his band, road testing new songs at a Thursday night residency at the Bridge Hotel, Rozelle, from late February until the end of March. The Steve Prestwich Band have played selected shows in  2005 and 2006, and Steve is currently writing and planning a new album. The rest, as they say, is history and no doubt we can expect to hear more of Steve's song writing skills being recognised by many more superb artists, just like John Farnham,The Reels, the Deltones, Little River Band, Kate Ceberano, Anne Kirkpatrick, Ian Moss, Jimmy Barnes and Wendy Matthew's, to name a few who have recorded their own versions of Steve's songs in the past.  Back to Band Members