Australian icon and all-round legend, JIMMY BARNES, returns with an all-new album this month. Titled Soul Searchin’ it’s the fourth and definitive installment in his tribute to the music that made him want to be a singer in the first place and the people, places and forgotten songs that helped shape him as an artist. The result is a damn fine set of great classic soul songs from the ’50s and ’60s, that most of us have never heard before, and more. Here, Barnesy takes us through his latest offering track-by-track
“SHE’S LOOKING GOOD”: This is the first song on this album and the last song I recorded for it. I wanted something of this tempo because a lot of the record has a deep groove on it, so I wanted something that was up and stomped. This was originally by Rodger Collins but the version I knew was by Wilson Pickett, who is my favourite singer in the world. He could scream the phone book and I’d buy it — he’s unbelievable. I found this song about six months back and it was a song of Wilson’s that I’d never heard before. I thought I knew everything he’d ever done. It’s a stomper, it’s a great way to open a record and I can’t wait to do it live.
“HARD WORKING WOMAN”: A song by Otis Clay, a singer I think is very underestimated. I actually sang another Otis Clay song on The Rhythm & The Blues called “That’s How It Is When You’re In Love”. This guy reminds me a lot of Otis Redding. He’s sort of a hybrid of a few of the different great soul singers. I love the grooves, I love the guitar on it. It’s relentless — it drives at you.
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