WHEN Australian rock legend Jimmy Barnes finished his book Working Class Boy, he thought he would just rip it up.
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But upon reflection, he knew that the issues he dealt with during his childhood – poverty, abuse and domestic violence – were issues other people had gone (or were currently) going through.
“When I read it back the first time, that's when I though I'd just rip it up and say ‘it's done its job’, I've got it (off my chest),” he said.
“But I thought there are other people that this can help start a conversation.
“Domestic violence is a bit of dirty secret that’s in the dark and people don't talk about it, but it is one of those things that needs to be brought into the light and start a conversation.
“It’s frightening how many people in the country have had all sorts of different abuse.”
Working Class Boy has Barnes telling his story from when he was born until he joined Cold Chisel at age 17.
It is currently one of the most popular books in Australia and has helped Barnes develop a new kind of show for his fans.
“Working Class Boy is out and has been the number one book in the country for weeks, people are responding to it,” he said.
“So we wanted to bring this show to regional areas. To people who have supported us for years.”
Working Class Boy: An Evening of Stories and Songs is less of a rock show and more about Barnes sharing stories from his troubled childhood and delinquent adolescence.
“Since writing this book, I've come up with different takes on the stories from what I can remember and how things happened,” he said.
“Through life there all these songs and markers in your life. I can remember my granny singing, remember my dad and mum singing.
“I used to run away from home because it was so violent and go to the end of the pier by myself with fisherman and listen to their radios.
“Basically, these songs signpost points in my life and relate to stories in the book.”
The unique format of the live show has resonated with audiences according to Barnes.
“I tell some funny stories and some dark stories and try to connect with audience a bit,” he said.
“There's a lot of people out there who have been through similar stuff. Who are going through same stuff. So I found it is connecting and resonating with people.
“To go out there and discuss it, start a conversation about the themes is something that is a really healthy for me and a lot of people out there.”
Writing Working Class Boy wasn’t and easy task for Barnes. It took him three attempts.
His first was in 1994 when he knew things were eating away at him. Barnes said he barely scraped the surface with his first 30,000 words.
Early in the 2000s he tried again but decided he was too drunk and making too much fun of the subjects. So he put it away again.
It wasn’t until two years ago when a film set in Adelaide bough back the sights, sounds and smells of his childhood home that Barnes felt determined and ready enough to tell his story.
“The first two times writing, it was instinct but I didn't quite get there. This time just had to come out,” he said.
“I started writing and over the next few months I hardly raised my head. I just kept writing and before knew it I had 100,000 words.
“The good thing was that every paragraph I was writing felt like another weight was lifted off my shoulders. There was a lot of stuff that had been locked away inside me and was killing me for 50 or 60 years.”
By the end, Barnes thought the book might be too personal for the rest of the world to read.
“As I read through it and had moment of will I or won't I release it, I realised people are going through same thing,” he said.
“In my case with violence at home, it was so difficult to talk about because I didn't want people to think ill of my parents.
“The truth be known, I love my parents, they're charming, funny and all of that but they were terrible parents. And no amount of me hiding the truth can make them any better.
“I had been running from shame and fear and poverty all my life. It got to a point that i joined a band to run away. That didn't work, so I drank every night until I couldn't feel anything. It got to a point that it was killing me.”
But despite the difficulty of looking at and talking about his past, Barnes said it has all been worthwhile.
“I want people to know that talking about this stuff can take a load off you,” he said.
“Sitting and talking about this for an hour (four shows a week) is really emotionally draining.
‘I’m basically reliving it and since doing that I've made more sense of other parts as well. So it’s draining but also rewarding. The more I do it, the better it is.”
Jimmy Barnes’ Working Class Boy: An Evening of Stories and Songs is on at Ulumbarra Theatre on November 18.
For more information or to book tickets go to www.thecapital.com.au/Whats_On
If you or someone you know is impacted by family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. In an emergency, dial 000.