It’s been a quiet few months for Aussie rock veteran Swanee, but the legendary musician has provided fans with an update as to why he’s been a bit silent lately, and offered up a new single in the process.
Taking to social media this week, Swanee shared a video to note he wanted to let fans know what’s been going on behind the scenes over the past six months.
“I had some serious health issues and I had to prioritise,” he explained, with those health issues including shingles, an artery blockage to the brain, three mini-strokes, pneumonia, and a hip replacement.
“But it's all good now. [I’m] recovering, ready to get back out on the road; can't wait.
“I'm just so glad that I'm over that last six months,” he added. “Sometimes life comes along and you get slapped down. It's how you get back up now quickly. I'm down the beach doing my walks, I'm doing weights, I'm dieting, and I'm feeling fantastic.
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As he explained, it upended the promotional side of things for his latest record, Believe, which was released on August 1st and notably left off of streaming services so as to ensure more money goes toward Swanee himself.
Believe is an undeniable snapshot of the power of collaboration, featuring iconic names such as Jon Stevens, Colin Hay, Diesel, Joe Camilleri, Wendy Matthews, Russell Morris, Dave Gleeson, Rick Springfield, Jack Jones, Steve Kipner, Tommy Emmanuel, and Kevin Borich.
One of the collaborations that features on Believe is Lately, a rendition of the Stevie Wonder track which sees Swanee teaming up with none other than Ian Moss, and arrives today as a new single.
The pair have shared a friendship that can be traced back more than five decades, with Swanee’s younger brother – Jimmy Barnes – forming Cold Chisel with Moss in 1973.
“Lately has always been a song that means a lot to me,” Swanee explained. “It’s one of Stevie Wonder’s finest compositions and a song that demands honesty in every line.
“Having Ian join me on this recording made it even more special because we’ve shared so much history together over the years.”
“I’ve known Swanee for most of my life,” Moss said in a statement. “When he asked me to be part of Believe, it was an easy decision. The album reflects who he is as an artist and as a person, and I’m honoured to be involved.”
While Swanee also noted that he’ll be “stepping back on stage very shortly,” he also reminded fans that physical copies of Believe are still available, with the album itself having managed to hit the top five across five separate ARIA charts, and became the highest-charting Australian release of 2025 on the ARIA Blues & Roots Chart.
