Australian rock band Cold Chisel have launched their own record label.

The rockers reclaimed the rights to their back catalogue when their original contract with Warner Music expired after more than 35 years, and the band has wasted no time in seeking new ventures by creating Cold Chisel Music and switching its distribution set-up to Universal Music Group.

The move means the musicians can take control of their own recordings free from major label influence.

Keyboardist Don Walker says, "Having our own imprint will give us complete control over how our recordings are presented to people over the coming years... (We) always liked to do things our own way so this feels like the right next step for Cold Chisel."

Frontman Jimmy Barnes adds, "We're proud of all the albums we've made and the impact the band has had and we're keen for people to keep discovering Cold Chisel's music. We think that having our own label will give us the best shot at doing that."

The Cheap Wine hitmakers have sold six million albums since they signed to Warner Music in 1976.