A genuine brand of fist-pumping, beer-slinging rock ‘n' roll, Airbourne tears pages from the bible of anthemic rock of the 70's and 80's, taking us back to a time where music was loud, fiercely genuine and hook laden. Hailing all the way from Australia, their dynamic and energetic live performances offer a much-needed cure for the downtrodden vibe of popular music. Much like their forefathers, Airbourne offers nothing but a good time!
Formed by two brothers - Joel (vocals/lead guitar) and Ryan O'Keeffe (drums) - Airbourne was created from their mutual love of bands such as Rose Tattoo, Van Halen, Motörhead, AC/DC and The Angels. Born and raised in the rural town of Warrnambool – population: 32,000 – the local pastimes revolved around playing football and falling down drunk. For a young Joel, however, his only interest was devouring the albums he’d stolen from his uncle. “It’s hard to explain, but that’s always what I wanted to hear,” remarks Joel. “Straight-ahead Aussie pub rock.” Later joined by David Roads (guitar) and Justin Street (bass), the quartet set out to make straightforward rock ‘n' roll, complete with huge choruses, decadent themes and the driving rhythm to match.
Eventually relocating to share a house in Melbourne, the band currently age between 19-23, and have already shared stages with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Motley Crüe and The Living End. A live show is sure to include bursting energy, rowdy crowds singing their hearts out and free-flowing beer – not to mention Joel’s penchant for leaping onto the bar mid-song. "We always go on-stage and try to prove a point," Joel exclaims, "about how GOOD rock ‘n' roll is!"
When Airbourne came to the UK in February for a Tour they stopped off to give an interview. Rock3 has now secured those tapes (NO we didn't steal them!) and you can hear Joel and Ryan O'Keefe tells us in their own words what it has been like to be in a Rock 'n Roll band that has just exploded onto the scene after been snapped up by
Roadrunner Records.
Airbourne official site