Jimmy Barnes is the heart and the soul of Australian rock & roll. After 40 years on stages of all kinds, Jimmy is an icon – his nickname ‘Barnesy’ conjures up thoughts of rock music at an ear-splitting volume, and of soul standards given a unique reading. Jimmy has been through it all, and lived to tell the tale and that has earned him a place in Australia’s heart and heartland. Along the way he has sold more records in Australia than any other domestic rock & roll artist. Jimmy’s live shows are legendary for their intensity. Jimmy Barnes is the heart and the soul of Australian rock & roll. After 40 years on stages of all kinds, Jimmy is an icon – his nickname ‘Barnesy’ conjures up thoughts of rock music at an ear-splitting volume, and of soul standards given a unique reading. Jimmy has been through it all, and lived to tell the tale and that has earned him a place in Australia’s heart and heartland. Along the way he has sold more records in Australia than any other domestic rock & roll artist. Jimmy’s live shows are legendary for their intensity.
'... riveting storytelling.' -- The Sydney Morning Herald 'Rare is the man who has lived this hard, this fast and this dangerously - only to survive and chronicle it all so superbly.' -- Lisa Wilkinson, author of It Wasn't Meant to Be Like 'Working Class Man is a gripping account of a rock'n'roll life that could have ended in disaster. The fact it didn't is proof of Jimmy's extraordinary strength of will and physical endurance. You think you know a man and then you read this. All the mind-boggling excesses and the emotional extremes are revealed here, with brutal honesty and sparkling wit. Jimmy has found his real voice; it's great writing, imbued with a spirit of generosity that knows no bounds - just like the man himself.' -- Neil Finn 'What a brave writer. Jimmy is no saint. His two-volume autobiography openly explores the anger, fear and addictions that have beset him. The legend who strides the stage with so much power and charisma reveals the boy who hid in a cupboard then found salvation in song, the rock star who had it all and spent it all, and the man who loves his family and his music.' -- Lindy Morrison 'Jimmy has always been a force of nature, living on the edge, giving high-octane performances that make you look and listen in awe. Yet, as this book shows, his wrestle with his hidden demons was taking a huge toll. Something had to give, and this compelling, must-read account lays it out in spades.' -- Peter Garrett