Jimmy Barnes has just surpassed U2 and Madonna with more number one albums in Australia than either of them, after his latest effort debuted at the top spot.
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My Criminal Record was written from the heart during a time of "therapy" when Barnes was writing his memoirs, then touring the country with his stories.
"There's a lot of variables to making a record that works for people but ultimately you've got to write what means the most to you," he told the Mercury.
"After a couple of years writing books and self analysis and looking at my life and clearing blockages I just felt like was more in control of myself, and more in contact with my feelings and my emotions and my drive, and I think it came out in the record."
Far from his party days as a young idol rock star, the 63-year-old prefers gardening and eating right to blinding nights out, and spending time with family at their getaway in the Southern Highlands.
Known to many as one of Australia's greatest musicians, Barnesy is about to head back on the road to play good, hard rock'n'roll.
He'll visit WIN Entertainment Centre on October 3 and will probably have a road-trip play list in the car, his family in tow and a favourite leather jacket.
"I've spent 45 years on the road and there have been good and bad nights in the middle of nowhere and your car's broken down and the leather jacket's the only thing that's saved you," he said.
"It's kept you warm, you've used it as a pillow, you've shaded your eyes from the sun, that's an essential."
Despite Barnes' famed status you won't find him in an extravagant tour bus heading around the nation - he still flies between cities and drives when he can.
Though he admits it is a lot safer than the days of burning around the outback with Cold Chisel in the 1970s, like the time he went to sleep on top of a suitcase in the back of a station wagon.
They were heading across the Nullabor in the dead of night and bassist Phil Small was behind the wheel.
"I woke up and something felt strange and I looked out the window and the car was doing about 140 km/h sideways," Barnes said.
"He'd fallen asleep and slid off the road. The fact we were in the middle of the Nullabor and there wasn't a tree for 100 miles was the only reason we're still alive - we didn't hit anything, we just slid and slid and slid.
"We got out of the car and shook our heads and said 'are you okay Phil, do you want me to takeover'?"
Meantime, if you are buying tickets to one of Barnes' shows make sure you don't buy from scalpers or resale websites like Viagogo and instead go through the designated ticket agency (ie. Ticketmaster).
"If someone goes to looks for tickets that's normally one of the first things that comes up on the internet," he said
Barnes has counted many times people have bought tickets at exorbitant prices to celebrate something special like a birthday, only to get to his show and realise the ticket was a fake and they couldn't get in.
"It's happened in the past and we've tried to help but sometimes the shows are so full you can't get anybody [else] in," he said.
"I really feel bad for people who get taken."
Jimmy Barnes with special guest Jet, WIN Entertainment Centre, October 3, tickets through www.ticketmaster.com.au