Hard-Ons
Encyclopedia
The Hard-Ons are a punk rock
band from Sydney
, Australia
that originally formed in 1981. They have been called Australia's most commercially successful independent band, with over 250,000 total record sales.
's Punchbowl
Boys High School, where all band members were students. The first version of the band featured Keish de Silva on guitar
and vocals, Peter Black on guitar and Brendan Creighton on drums
. In 1982 Creighton left and was replaced by Ray Ahn on bass guitar
with de Silva taking over the drumming. Being too young to play in pubs, the band featured at birthday parties and school dances. On 20 June 1984, the Hard Ons played their first official show at the Vulcan Hotel in Ultimo
. Quickly gaining a considerable following, the band released its debut EP
Surfin' On My Face the following year. This was the beginning of a series of releases for the band that netted them remarkable run of 17 consecutive #1 listings on the Australian independent music charts.
Subsequent recordings like Smell My Finger, Dickcheese, Love Is A Battlefield Of Wounded Hearts and Yummy! set the blueprint for the 'Hard-Ons sound': messy pop
-punk with metal and psychedelia
elements. The band also showed their independent punk spirit, with the members deliberately controlling their own careers: recording, booking and promoting themselves, creating their own artwork (mostly done by Ahn), choosing support bands and even managing the merchandise desk whilst on tour.
While maintaining a solid if underground following in Australia, the Hard Ons were particularly popular in Europe
, scoring a Top 10 hit in Spain
and a Top 5 slot in Greece
with their 1989 album Love is a Battlefield of Wounded Hearts. That album also made the Top 5 in the NME
chart. At the time, this made the Hard Ons only the third Australian band after Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
and the Go Betweens to have achieved this. In 1989 the group also recorded a split EP with British band The Stupids
. Two years later they teamed up with Henry Rollins
and released a version of "Let There Be Rock
" that was released in a limited edition on 10" vinyl.
, the band members announced that they were breaking up, with an interest in pursuing projects outside the Hard-Ons' style of music. This break was interrupted by a 'reunion' gig in October 1997, which was followed by the release of a new EP ("Yesterday And Today") and a "best of" Compilation album
in 1998. Following This Terrible Place... in 2000, the band's first line-up change occurred, with Keish de Silva deciding to leave the band. To accommodate this, Peter Black took up full-time vocals with the group and Front End Loader
/Regurgitator
drummer Pete Kostic was brought into the line-up. This new trio released Very Exciting! in 2003, their first album for Chatterbox Records
.
2003 Split-hard-ons & boom boom kid.
In 2005, the 21st anniversary of the band's first pub gig was celebrated by Australian and European tours as a four-piece, with Kostic drumming and de Silva on vocals. Although technically still a three-piece band, it is clear that Keish De Silva still shares a close relationship with his old band. Recordings were made in 2006 with contributions from all four band members (though primarily Black, Ahn and Kostic) with the intention of releasing a double album of material. This project was eventually released as two separate albums: the 'poppier' Most People Are a Waste of Time (2006) and the 'heavier' Most People Are Nicer Than Us (2007), with subsequent tours around Australia. The band reportedly recorded U.S. comedian Neil Hamburger
on guest lead vocals in January, 2008.
In April 2011, the band announced via their website that Pete was leaving the band with the following statement:
'Pete is leaving us... shitty news indeed... hes been bashing his drums and his head against the wall with us for ten odd years.. and now with two gorgeous and demanding kids its ... sniff sniff ... time to say "see ya".. he ain't going without a bang so as well as the next European tour we have just recorded a five track tour "souvenir".. this is a scorching session and i hope ya guys dig it!! more on that soon.
me and ray spent a good 28 seconds before deciding that we will keep the hard ons going.. we have too much more music in the wings to pull the plug yet. it ain't gonna be easy as we demand a lot from a drummer but rest assured that it,ll happen and we,ll be back in no time at all!
of course we wish Pete all the best and cant thank him enough for being with us for the last ten years... many people bemoan the fact that keish left.. but me personally .. hell i never look back! A its boring and B why would we when we are kicking it like fuck with this dynamo behind the kit!! some of the best gigs i,ve ever played were with Pete and i loved this line up!!!
raise ya glass and say "good on ya mate'
They have yet to announce a replacement drummer. (June 2011)
, The Buzzcocks, The Damned, Ramones
and The Saints
, the band also blended pop, psychedelia and metal elements; "death-pop" as once described by Ray Ahn. The band were also noteworthy not only within punk but also within rock music for having their lead vocals handled by de Silva, the group's drummer. The physical challenge of drumming to the band's fast punk rock songs as well as singing (as opposed to shouting) made for charismatic live performances. Guitarist Black provided another original touch to the band with his distinctive guitar sound that is both melodic and messy, often making use of feedback
.
Major recurring lyrical themes range from girls, love and relationships (e.g.: "I Do I Do I Do", "Just Being With You", "Girl in the Sweater") to toilet humour ("I Farted", "Oozin' for Pleasure") as well as other variations, particularly in the post-Keish line-up of the band.
and Greece
. At one time there was a Hard Ons cover band in the UK known as Suck n Swallow.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band from Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
that originally formed in 1981. They have been called Australia's most commercially successful independent band, with over 250,000 total record sales.
1980s: Early days
The Hard-Ons' origins can be traced to Western SydneyWestern Sydney
Western Sydney is a major region of Sydney, Australia. It has a number of different definitions but one consistently used is the region composed of the 11 councils which until recently were all members of the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils:* Auburn Council* Bankstown City Council*...
's Punchbowl
Punchbowl, New South Wales
Punchbowl, a suburb of local government areas City of Bankstown and the City of Canterbury is located 17 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and is a part of the South-western Sydney region.- History :Punchbowl is named for a...
Boys High School, where all band members were students. The first version of the band featured Keish de Silva on guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
and vocals, Peter Black on guitar and Brendan Creighton on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
. In 1982 Creighton left and was replaced by Ray Ahn on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
with de Silva taking over the drumming. Being too young to play in pubs, the band featured at birthday parties and school dances. On 20 June 1984, the Hard Ons played their first official show at the Vulcan Hotel in Ultimo
Ultimo, New South Wales
Ultimo is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Ultimo is located 2 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Sydney....
. Quickly gaining a considerable following, the band released its debut EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Surfin' On My Face the following year. This was the beginning of a series of releases for the band that netted them remarkable run of 17 consecutive #1 listings on the Australian independent music charts.
Subsequent recordings like Smell My Finger, Dickcheese, Love Is A Battlefield Of Wounded Hearts and Yummy! set the blueprint for the 'Hard-Ons sound': messy pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
-punk with metal and psychedelia
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
elements. The band also showed their independent punk spirit, with the members deliberately controlling their own careers: recording, booking and promoting themselves, creating their own artwork (mostly done by Ahn), choosing support bands and even managing the merchandise desk whilst on tour.
While maintaining a solid if underground following in Australia, the Hard Ons were particularly popular in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, scoring a Top 10 hit in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and a Top 5 slot in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
with their 1989 album Love is a Battlefield of Wounded Hearts. That album also made the Top 5 in the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
chart. At the time, this made the Hard Ons only the third Australian band after Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
and the Go Betweens to have achieved this. In 1989 the group also recorded a split EP with British band The Stupids
The Stupids (band)
The Stupids are a skate punk thrash band created by Tom Withers.-Career:Formed in Ipswich, England in the 1980s, The Stupids recorded three sessions for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show in the 1980s, and toured the United States and Australia as well as Europe the United Kingdom and most recently Japan...
. Two years later they teamed up with Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....
and released a version of "Let There Be Rock
Let There Be Rock (song)
"Let There Be Rock" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the third and title track of their album Let There Be Rock, released in March 1977, and was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott....
" that was released in a limited edition on 10" vinyl.
1990s: Split and reformation
Following the release of 1993's Too Far Gone and after recording a live-album for Your Choice RecordsYour Choice Records
Your Choice Records was a German independent record label founded in 1988 by producer Tobby Holzinger. The label specialized in independent punk music, including live releases of German and other international acts...
, the band members announced that they were breaking up, with an interest in pursuing projects outside the Hard-Ons' style of music. This break was interrupted by a 'reunion' gig in October 1997, which was followed by the release of a new EP ("Yesterday And Today") and a "best of" Compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
in 1998. Following This Terrible Place... in 2000, the band's first line-up change occurred, with Keish de Silva deciding to leave the band. To accommodate this, Peter Black took up full-time vocals with the group and Front End Loader
Front End Loader
Front End Loader is an Australian rock band consisting of Davis Claymore , Bowden Campbell , Richard Corey , and Peter Kostic . Peter also drums for Regurgitator and The Hard-Ons.-History:...
/Regurgitator
Regurgitator
Regurgitator are an Australian rock band from Brisbane, currently consisting of Quan Yeomans , Ben Ely and Peter Kostic . The band formed in 1994, its original line-up consisting of Yeomans, Ely and drummer Martin Lee...
drummer Pete Kostic was brought into the line-up. This new trio released Very Exciting! in 2003, their first album for Chatterbox Records
Chatterbox Records
Chatterbox Records was an independent record label based in Sydney, Australia, founded in 1997 by musician Nik Tropiano and Sebastian Chase of Phantom Records. The label boasts an eclectic mixture of artists across various genres. Its first release was a vinyl EP from Sydney electro-goth band Cult 45...
.
2003 Split-hard-ons & boom boom kid.
In 2005, the 21st anniversary of the band's first pub gig was celebrated by Australian and European tours as a four-piece, with Kostic drumming and de Silva on vocals. Although technically still a three-piece band, it is clear that Keish De Silva still shares a close relationship with his old band. Recordings were made in 2006 with contributions from all four band members (though primarily Black, Ahn and Kostic) with the intention of releasing a double album of material. This project was eventually released as two separate albums: the 'poppier' Most People Are a Waste of Time (2006) and the 'heavier' Most People Are Nicer Than Us (2007), with subsequent tours around Australia. The band reportedly recorded U.S. comedian Neil Hamburger
Neil Hamburger
Neil Hamburger is a standup comedian character played by comedian and musician Gregg Turkington.-Style:Hamburger's live act, which is quite different from his many albums, features a barrage of question/answer jokes aimed often at celebrity targets, including Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, The Red...
on guest lead vocals in January, 2008.
In April 2011, the band announced via their website that Pete was leaving the band with the following statement:
'Pete is leaving us... shitty news indeed... hes been bashing his drums and his head against the wall with us for ten odd years.. and now with two gorgeous and demanding kids its ... sniff sniff ... time to say "see ya".. he ain't going without a bang so as well as the next European tour we have just recorded a five track tour "souvenir".. this is a scorching session and i hope ya guys dig it!! more on that soon.
me and ray spent a good 28 seconds before deciding that we will keep the hard ons going.. we have too much more music in the wings to pull the plug yet. it ain't gonna be easy as we demand a lot from a drummer but rest assured that it,ll happen and we,ll be back in no time at all!
of course we wish Pete all the best and cant thank him enough for being with us for the last ten years... many people bemoan the fact that keish left.. but me personally .. hell i never look back! A its boring and B why would we when we are kicking it like fuck with this dynamo behind the kit!! some of the best gigs i,ve ever played were with Pete and i loved this line up!!!
raise ya glass and say "good on ya mate'
They have yet to announce a replacement drummer. (June 2011)
Musical style
A 1987 BEAT Magazine article described the Hard-Ons' sound as "Motörhead meets the Beach Boys" ; a quote that goes some way towards describing the band's take on the punk rock genre. Though originally inspired by punk bands such as Sex PistolsSex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
, The Buzzcocks, The Damned, Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
and The Saints
The Saints (band)
The Saints are an Australian rock band, which formed in Brisbane in 1974 as punk rockers. Founders were Chris Bailey , Ivor Hay , and Ed Kuepper . Alongside mainstay Bailey, the group has had numerous line-ups...
, the band also blended pop, psychedelia and metal elements; "death-pop" as once described by Ray Ahn. The band were also noteworthy not only within punk but also within rock music for having their lead vocals handled by de Silva, the group's drummer. The physical challenge of drumming to the band's fast punk rock songs as well as singing (as opposed to shouting) made for charismatic live performances. Guitarist Black provided another original touch to the band with his distinctive guitar sound that is both melodic and messy, often making use of feedback
Audio feedback
Audio feedback is a special kind of positive feedback which occurs when a sound loop exists between an audio input and an audio output...
.
Major recurring lyrical themes range from girls, love and relationships (e.g.: "I Do I Do I Do", "Just Being With You", "Girl in the Sweater") to toilet humour ("I Farted", "Oozin' for Pleasure") as well as other variations, particularly in the post-Keish line-up of the band.
Fan reaction
Although not as widely known as some classic punk and independent bands, the Hard-Ons have carved a niche in the world of punk rock and have assembled a cult following of fans worldwide. They are Australia's most successful independent band, with over 250,000 records sold worldwide and 17 consecutive #1 hits on the Australian alternative charts. Their popularity far outreaches Australia, with large cult followings in SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. At one time there was a Hard Ons cover band in the UK known as Suck n Swallow.
Band members
- Keish De Silva - vocals, drums (1982-1993 / 1998-2001)
- Peter "Blackie" Black - guitar, vocals (1982-1993 / 1998–Present)
- Ray Ahn - bass guitar (1982-1993 / 1998–Present)
- Pete Kostic - drums (2002–2011)
- Murry Ruse - drums (2011-Present)
Albums
| Title | Date |
|---|---|
| Smell My Finger | 1986 |
| Hard-Ons | 1987 |
| Hot For Your Love Baby | 1987 |
| Worst Of... | 1987 |
| Dickcheese | 1988 |
| Love Is A Battlefield Of Wounded Hearts | 1989 |
| Yummy! | 1991 |
| Dateless Dudes Club | 1992 |
| Too Far Gone | 1993 |
| Your Choice Live Series | 1995 |
| This Terrible Place... | 2000 |
| Very Exciting! | 2003 |
| Most People Are A Waste Of Time | 2006 |
| Most People Are Nicer Than Us | 2007 |
| Alfalfa Males Once Summer Is Done Conform Or Die | 2010 |
EPs
| Title | Date |
|---|---|
| Surfin' On My Face | 1985 |
| Surfin' On My Face - (reissue) | 1988 |
| No Cheese (Split 10" with The Stupids The Stupids * For the skatepunk band see The Stupids * For the 1996 film, see The Stupids The Stupids are a fictional family which appear in a series of books written by Harry Allard and James Marshall... ) |
1988 |
| Dull | 1991 |
| Where The Wild Things Are (split with Celibate Rifles) | 1992 |
| Love Is A Battlefield Of Wounded Hearts | 1989 |
| Test | 1994 |
| Yesterday & Today | 1999 |
| Hard-Ons/Boom Boom Kid Split! | 2002 |
| American Exports (with Neil Hamburger Neil Hamburger Neil Hamburger is a standup comedian character played by comedian and musician Gregg Turkington.-Style:Hamburger's live act, which is quite different from his many albums, features a barrage of question/answer jokes aimed often at celebrity targets, including Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, The Red... ) |
2009 |
Singles
| Title | Date |
|---|---|
| Girl In The Sweater | 1986 |
| By My Side"/"I'll Come Again - (Livin' End Flexidisc) | 1986 |
| All Set To Go | 1984 |
| Busted" b/w "Suck 'n' Swallow | 1987 |
| Just Being With You | 1988 |
| Sick Of Being Sick (free giveaway) | 1989 |
| Been Had Before (Demo) (Vinyl Solution Giveaway) | 1989 |
| Where Did She Come From? | 1990 |
| Dull | 1991 |
| Let There be Rock (with Henry Rollins Henry Rollins Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ.... ) |
1991 |
| Love Hurts (Munster Magazing Giveaway) | 1992 |
| She's A Dish | 1992 |
| Crazy Crazy Eyes | 1993 |
| you Disappointed Me (Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... ) |
1999 |
| Shark's Head (Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... ) |
1999 |
| Sunny"/"Scared Of It All (Europe Promo) | 2003 |
| There Goes One Of The Creeps That Hassled My Girlfriend | 2005 |
Compilations
| Title | Date |
|---|---|
| Why March When You Can Riot?! | 1985 |
| On The Waterfront - Volume Three | 1986 |
| Vicious Vinyl | 1987 |
| Fuck Or Fuck Off | 1987 |
| The Not So Lucky Country | 1988 |
| I Could'a Been A Contender | 1988 |
| Hard To Beat: 21 Stooges Killers | 1989 |
| Hard to Believe: Kiss Covers Compilation | 1990 |
| Let's Make The Wiener Kid Sing His Song | 1993 |
| A Decade of Rock | 1994 |
| Singles | 1994 |
| She's A Dish | 1994 |
| Rarities | 1994 |
| The Best of | 1999 |
| Suck 'n' Swallow: 25 Years, 25 Songs | 2009 |
DVDs
| Title | Date |
|---|---|
| The Hard-Ons vs. Europe 2007 | 2008 |