Death Takes Cold Chislel, Sherbet Member

The Australian music industry was in mourning over the deaths of members of two of its most iconic bands, Sherbet and Cold Chisel.

Sherbet guitarist Harvey James lost a six-month battle against inoperable lung cancer Jan 15. He was 58. UK-born James migrated to Melbourne as a child. In the ’70s he was recruited by soft-pop act Mississippi, whose core members Graeme Goble and Beeb Birtles later formed Little River Band. After a stint in progressive band Ariel, James joined Sherbet, the biggest Australian pop band of the ’70s, just as it exploded with the hit “Howzat.”

The track reached No. 2 in the UK but failed to fire in the United States. James quit in 1982 and later became sidemen to hit singer-songwriters Richard Clapton, Swanee and Marc Hunter.

Sherbet reunited for a star-studded benefit in Melbourne late last year, and will reunite for a Feb. 17 benefit in Sydney. Ian Moss, Renee Geyer, Dragon, Swanee and Richard Clapton are on the bill. It is expected to go ahead as a tribute night, also featuring James’ guitarist sons Gabriel, 27, and Joshua, 20.

Steve Prestwich, drummer and songwriter with Cold Chisel, died Jan. 16. He was diagnosed with brain tumor two weeks before, as the band started work on a reunion album. He never regained consciousness from an operation Jan. 14.

Born in Liverpool, UK, he learned drums from his father at 9 years old and played in folk-pop band Sandy in his mid-teens.
At 17, the family moved to Adelaide, where in 1973 he was a founder member of Cold Chisel.

The band became a massive record seller, with Prestwich penning their hits “When The War Is Over,” “Forever Now” and “Flame Trees” (the latter with the band’s main songwriter Don Walker). After the band first split up, in 1983 at its peak, Prestwich played with Little River Band and then formed his own band.