Jimmy Barnes reveals he was visited by the ghost of his dead bandmate as he recovered from heart surgery: ‘It was so real, I touched him’

Jimmy Barnes has revealed that he has had experiences with the supernatural that he cannot explain.

The Australian rock legend believes he may have been visited by ghosts, including his stepfather Reg Barnes and the late Cold Chisel drummer Steve Prestwich.

Steve died in 2011 at the age of 56 after surgery to remove a brain tumor, and in recent months, while recovering from heart surgery, Jimmy believes Steve visited him via a dream after he agreed to leave Cold Chisel reunite for a tour.

“I had the dream after we all talked about doing the tour about eight months ago,” says Barnes Daily Telegraphin an extract from his new book Highways and Byways, due out on October 16.

‘I woke up, got out of bed and went downstairs… I didn’t want to go back to sleep because it was so real, I fucking touched him.

“I just wanted to enjoy being with my buddy because he felt so close.”

In recent weeks, Barnes shared an update on his health following recent surgery and confirmed his plans to return to the stage with Cold Chisel.

The 68-year-old singer, who struggled with both a hip replacement and open-heart surgery, shared his progress after enduring another health scare in August.

The Cold Chisel frontman revealed that a persistent staph infection, which previously targeted his heart, had returned, this time on his hip.

‘Staphylococcus infections like to hide in places like scar tissue or prosthetics’ Barnes told The Daily Telegraph.

“Last year I decided to throw a party on my back and heart, and now it’s on my hip.”

The rock icon had to postpone his solo Hell of a Time tour in August after being hospitalized in New Zealand and experiencing excruciating pain following a series of shows.

Despite the setback, the Cold Chisel 50th anniversary tour scheduled for October remains unaffected, and fans will soon see him back on stage with the iconic band.

Steve (pictured) died in 2011 at the age of 56 after surgery to remove a brain tumor, and in recent months, while recovering from heart surgery, Jimmy believes Steve visited him through a dream after he agreed Cold Chisel to reunite for a tour.

‘I woke up, got out of bed and went downstairs… I didn’t want to go back to sleep because it was so real, I fucking touched him. “I just wanted to enjoy being with my buddy because he felt so close,” he said. Shown with cold chisel

In a heartfelt post on Facebook at the time, Barnes explained the unexpected need for surgery and apologized to fans.

‘I had a stitch in my hip when I left Dunedin, and by evening the pain was unbearable. The doctors are acting quickly, but I am expected to make a full recovery within six weeks.”

The post was accompanied by a photo of Jimmy in a hospital bed, giving a thumbs up, with his wife Jane by his side.

Fans offered overwhelming support, with the rocker assuring them that his postponed shows, which include appearances in Wyong, Toowoomba, Thirroul and Sydney, would be rescheduled soon.

Despite the health problems, Barnes has been optimistic and credits his love of music as a motivator for his recovery.

In recent weeks, Barnes shared an update on his health following a recent surgery and confirmed his plans to return to the stage with Cold Chisel

“I do physio every day, run miles while lifting weights, and I’ve started singing while I do it,” he said.

“It’s just going to be a joy to get out there and play music again. That’s what helped me recover so quickly.’

Staph infections are bacterial infections and can become fatal if the bacteria penetrate deeper into the body or enter the bloodstream.

Earlier this year, Barnes posted a playful photo from his holiday in Thailand, showing him in a boxing ring.

‘This is the first hotel gym I have found with a Thai boxing ring. I see another hip replacement… Maybe not,” he joked, showing his trademark humor and resilience.

Despite the recent challenges, Barnes remains focused on returning to his passion.

“It’s a pleasure to be making music again,” he said, eager to return to the stage later this year.

The Cold Chisel 50th anniversary tour, called ‘The Big Five-0’, has already sold more than 150,000 tickets across 16 shows, making it one of the most highly anticipated tours of the year.