About Ian Moss
Ian Richard Moss is an Australian rock musician from Alice Springs. He is the founding mainstay guitarist and occasional singer of Cold Chisel. In that group's initial eleven year phase from 1973 to 1984, Moss was recorded on all five studio albums, three of which reached number one on the national Kent Music Report Albums Chart. In August 1989 he released his debut solo album, Matchbook, which peaked at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart. It was preceded by his debut single, "Tucker's Daughter", which reached number two on the related ARIA Singles Chart in March. The track was co-written by Moss with Don Walker, also from Cold Chisel. Moss had another top ten hit with "Telephone Booth" in June 1989.
At the ARIA Music Awards of 1990 Moss won five categories: Album of the Year, Best Male Artist, Breakthrough Artist – Album, Single of the Year and Breakthrough Artist – Single. Since then his solo music career has been more low-key, his other top 50 albums are Worlds Away , Let's All Get Together and Soul on West 53rd . In 1993 Cold Chisel, with Moss as a member, were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. Moss has participated with periodic Cold Chisel reunion tours or new studio albums in 1998, 2003 and from 2009 to 2012 .
Ian Richard Moss was born on 20 March 1955 in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, to Geoffery Moss and Lorna . During World War II Geoffery survived the 1942 bombing of Darwin, he enlisted in the army and later worked for the Allied Works Council in Alice Springs. Lorna was a fellow employee at Allied Works Council when they married in September 1945.
Moss has an older brother, Peter Geoffrey Moss , an older sister, Penny , and a younger brother, Andrew . When Moss was four years-old he performed for his family and friends and at nine, sang "The Battle of New Orleans" at a school concert. He later recalled "I was always keen on music and singing. I used to do little vocal concerts for my parents". Moss initially took piano lessons but switched to guitar at age 11: "My older sister was learning classical piano and my older brother was a good rhythm strummer and right into Bob Dylan. I started off with classical piano aged about 7 or 8, but unfortunately wasn't into it enough".
In 1969 he joined a local band, Seen, which included drummer Rod Martin and two brothers, Robert and John Fortunaso. Moss played rhythm guitar by plugging an acoustic guitar into the bass player's amplifier. Seen played at local centres and organised their own dances. Moss sang a couple of songs with the group and a year later, he bought an electric guitar to replace his acoustic. Moss recalled, "I was with them for about a year and by that time I was starting to get my own band happening".
The following year he formed Hot Ice with Roger Harris – guitar, David Michel – drums, Wayne Sanderson – Bass and Paul Wiles – keyboards. The group debuted in front of the whole school at the Alice Springs High School regular Friday assembly which took place in the Alice Springs Youth Centre with cover versions of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary" and "Who'll Stop the Rain". Thereafter they regularly played at the Youth Centre Saturday night dances. In 1972, Moss relocated to Adelaide – where his older siblings had already moved. Moss had failed a year of high school and decided to repeat at Marion High School. In 1973 he started an Electronics course at Kilkenny Technical College but "lasted one term there ... totally daydreaming the whole time", he left and worked in various factory jobs.
Map & Directions To Venue
