STACK #253 November 2025

MUSIC FEATURE

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There’s nothing quite like taking home some fresh vinyl and putting it on the turntable for the first time. It’s a total experience. Each month we highlight a reissue, JB-exclusive, or just straight-up classic long-player to add to any burgeoning collection. Words: Paul Jones V I N Y L V I T A L JIMMY BARNES FOR THE WORKING CLASS MAN 40 TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION - FLAME VINYL

I t’s been 40 years since For the Working Class Man crashed onto the scene, and Jimmy Barnes’ voice is still ripping up venues like it was 1985. Four decades on, this isn’t just an anniversary, it’s a celebration of working-class rock ‘n’ roll that earned its place in the pantheon of Aussie legends. Released in December 1985, For the Working Class Man marked Barnes’ ascendancy as a solo artist. Coming off his debut Bodyswerve , a year earlier, this record was bold, polished, ambitious, and unapologetically loud. From rockers to ballads, this collection showed Barnes could rage just as hard alone as he could with Chisel behind him. And he pulled in some heavy hitters along the way. The songs were carved out of

In Australia’s musical DNA, For the Working Class Man looms large. With seven weeks at number one and over 500,000 copies sold, it was a commercial triumph that shaped what solo artist Jimmy Barnes would become. Long past rock bravado, it’s about belonging, class, and identity, and it’s the reason why, even now, people still belt out its tracks at barbecues and pubs all over the country. So, why does it still sound so good? Because it still does what outstanding rock records are supposed to do: connect. It doesn’t sound nostalgic so much as timeless. The urgencies might shift, the production sheen may age in places, but Barnes’ voice? His heart and soul? Those are untouched. It stands as a testament - not just to the bell-ringer hits or the soaring choruses - but to the promise in really understanding your audience, in being honest, in turning working class into something majestic. At 40, it’s still raw, still filled with pride, and still belongs to the people. If you thought you knew every chord, every lyric, then maybe it’s time to listen again, loud. Trust us, it still roars.

sweat and conviction, but also collaboration – external writers and session aces helped shape what would become his signature sound. You can’t talk Working Class Man without talking about the song of the same name that came to define Jimmy Barnes,

FROM ROCKERS TO BALLADS, THIS COLLECTION SHOWED

BARNES COULD RAGE JUST AS HARD ALONE AS HE COULD WITH CHISEL BEHIND HIM

and for many, came to define an era of Australian history. Written by Journey’s Jonathan Cain, the track is more tribute than autobiography: a salute to the people grinding every day. Barnes always said it was about his audience – the honest, tough, straight-shooting folks. Its impact was immediate: chart hits, radio sing-alongs, public resonance. It became less a song and more a ritual.

To mark 40 years, Barnes is back with a ripper package. Pressed on stunning flame-coloured 40 TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

gatefold vinyl, this edition revives the 1985 classic in all its anthemic glory. The release includes a faithful reprint of the original tour poster and restores the album to its original two-LP format for the first time in decades. Expertly remastered under the supervision of legendary mastering engineer Bob Ludwig, it sounds more powerful and dynamic than ever.

54 NOVEMBER 2025

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