He may have one of the most recognizable voices in Australian music history, but rocker Jimmy Barnes has admitted he’s also got a foot forward.
In an excerpt from the Cold Chisel frontman’s upcoming memoir Highways and Byways, Jimmy revealed that a quick brush with the law saw him lose his driver’s license after being pulled over by the same police officer three times in one day.
“That is a true story that the same police officer told me three times,” he revealed in a chapter, obtained by the Daily Telegraph.
‘He was just flabbergasted. I didn’t learn that day.’
Jimmy recalled the fateful trip when he drove a Mercedes 450 from Bowral to Sydney to rehearse with Cold Chisel.
As he cruised down the highway with music blaring from the speakers, he was finally stopped by the highway patrol.
Even though the officer recognized him, Jimmy received a ticket for driving 210 kilometers per hour.
The violation would be enough for most people to obey the rules of the road, but Jimmy once again put the pedal to the metal after the officer was out of sight.
He may have one of the most recognizable voices in Australian music history, but rocker Jimmy Barnes has revealed he’s also got one foot ahead.
Before long, the officer was behind Jimmy again and this time, he recorded an even higher speed, resulting in the loss of his license.
However, Jimmy was able to use his charm to convince the officer to allow him to continue his journey, insisting that he was off the road once back in Sydney.
The second time wasn’t the charm as the Working Class Man hitmaker was stopped for the third time just three miles down the road.
The ordeal led to Jimmy losing his license for three months and having to attend a driving course for his problems.
In an extract from the Cold Chisel frontman’s upcoming book, Highways and Byways, Jimmy revealed that a quick brush with the law saw him get pulled over by the same police officer three times in one day.
The rocker, who added that he has since changed his ways since he hasn’t received a ticket in years, said it was the music blaring from the speakers that was the real culprit.
“My problem is that I have the attention span of a small soap dish, so my speed goes with the music,” he said.
“And that car was built for the highway, it was ridiculously big, 6.9 liters, I was listening to music, looking down and going 150 mph. And there were no cars around.
Jimmy, who kicked off Cold Chisel’s 50th anniversary national tour on Saturday, was shocked when the band’s album 50 Years – The Best Of reached number one on the ARIA charts.
“That’s a true story: the same police officer did me three times,” he revealed. ‘He was just dumbfounded. I didn’t learn that day’
The singer, who had been dealing with a hip replacement and open heart surgery, recently shared his progress after enduring another health scare in August.
The Cold Chisel frontman revealed that a persistent staph infection, which previously attacked his heart, had returned, this time attacking his hip.
“Staph infections love to hide in places like scar tissue or dentures,” Jimmy said. The daily telegraph.
“Last year he decided to give me a party on the back and in the heart, and now he hit me on the hip.”
The rock icon was forced to postpone his Hell of a Time solo tour in August after being hospitalized in New Zealand and experiencing excruciating pain following a series of shows.
Despite the setback, Cold Chisel’s 50th anniversary tour remains unaffected.
Jimmy’s book, Highway’s and Byways, will be published on October 16.
The ordeal caused Jimmy to lose his license for three months and have to attend a driving course for his problems.