So, 2017 is already off to a great start with all the bands announcing they will be coming off their hiatuses and splits to reform and start making and playing music together. Grinspoon obviously being the most recent act to spark up nostalgia overload with their forthcoming Guide to Better Living 20 Year Anniversary Tour, but lets not let them have all the fun! Butterfingers are back and touring which is awesome. Behind Crimson Eyes wrapped up a tour with Alexisonfire and are rumoured to be making new music too. And lets not forget the absolute bullshit line-up on the Sing It Loud Tour with Alien Ant Farm coming back from the dead.
But what about the state specific bands who have been on a break longer than necessary? Isn't it time they gave each other a call and started the conversation about reforming for old times sake? Where possible of course! Here's our picks of The Top 7 Queensland Bands That Need A Comeback...
#7 - City in Panic [2005-2007]
The Gold Coast wasn't always known for it's bleached blonde bimbos and wannabe gangster rappers... Back in the day, it was a thriving scene for hardcore/metal bands to get their big break in the industry and accumulate followers who would seek out shitty venues to see these bands on the rise. City in Panic left the building (and our lives) with former members moving onto bands such as The Red Shore, AversionsCrown and Widow the Sea to name a few. The band released the EP Burn Bright White which you may remember buying at Sanity, however they disbanded in 2007.
Get nostalgic with the band's EP via MySpace... yes, it still exists!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcDqPw_LreA&w=853&h=480]
#6 - Flicks [2007-2010]
The Brisbane pop punkers who penned a song about New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert's girlfriend (yes Hayley Williams of Paramore) were destined for big things after the 2009 song in question received Airplay across Commercial Radio Stations such as the Gold Coast's 90.9 Sea Fm (and it's regional networks), Nova and B105 [now Hit105] in Brisbane as well as Triple J and consequently scored them opening slots for Short Stack and (the now defunct) Amy Meredith alongside a small NSW band by the name of Tonight Alive. Unfortunately the boys parted ways in October 2010 but from the ashes of 52 Flicks the bands Satellites, The Monster Goes Rawrr, Time Crisis and Stone Hearts were spawned. Former bassist Michael Thomas revealed to us his standout moments from the band's glory days:
"Opening for Short Stack was an amazing experience. We owe a lot to those guys because we'd been doing everything ourselves for ages and they gave us a shot playing to huge crowds. They're a really good group of dudes who really helped us out."
"[As for] Tonight Alive, we were both supports on an Amy Meredith tour at one point and the other time they opened for us! As far as I'm aware we gave Tonight Alive their first shows outside of NSW. They're great people that have worked hard to get where they are and deserve every success they have. It's surreal to see a band you get to know really early in their career go on to have the immense success Tonight Alive has had."
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7MwMhveG4Q&w=853&h=480]
#5 - The Daylight Curse [2002-2009, 2011-2013]
At a time when The Amity Affliction were a relatively unknown band playing shows to 20 people or so, their Sunny Coast local mates The Daylight Curse were also doing the rounds performing with the likes of a baby faced Parkway Drive, I Killed The Prom Queen and international legends Bleeding Through, Unearth, Atreyu and Norma Jean. The band released the albums Black and White Memories and While I Breathe I Hope before calling it a day. Members joined bands such as Year of the Rat and Pave Paradise.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxTXPH_gMlc&w=853&h=480]
#4 - Third Strike [2006-2012]
You can't have a Queensland list without the Gold Coast's Third Strike. Fit nicely amongst the likes of Wish for Wings, The Red Shore, Thy Art is Murder and Shinto Katana these guys played all the local venues you probably grew up attending too, all the way until they called it quits in 2012. It's members moved onto bands like 50 Lions, The War, Deadlift and Survival but not before leaving behind a legacy of fans who were left desperately wanting more. What better reason to come back now!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZuIUuJQ3-U&w=853&h=480]
#3 - Free For All [2006-2007]
Hanging around on the Gold Coast for these young idiots with rockstar mindframes, Free For All were a hardcore band of misfits who's intense sound surpassed the expectations of any newcomer around at the time. Performing gigs with the likes of Mourning Tide, Wish for Wings and Powerslam they put out their Oh, How the Mighty Fall EP in 2007 before front man Zed Boyle unexpectedly left the group in tatters amidst conflict over the band's direction and the dream was over before it even sprouted wings. Remaining members formed short lived bands such as Fall to the Earth and Like Starscream, however most recently they've appeared in upcoming metal act Floyd Banner and BRNDNW (if you're inclined to sway towards the hip-hop scene).
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q8BkF8R3c8&w=853&h=480]
#2 - Mourning Tide [2000-2011]
Adios, Fucking ViperTown! Never has three words remained in your vocabulary from a band who just seemed to vanish not long after their 10 Year Anniversary shows. Mourning Tide's iconic 2006 album Trash N' Burn was a thrash masterpiece featuring fan favourite songs like 'Sugar Sugar', 'Heatseeker' and of course 'Vipertown'. Although they haven't officially announced a break up, the band haven't performed together since 2011 however front-man Tyrone Ross did pop up on Chasing Ghosts' 'Dead Man's Bones' song back in 2011. The band performed at the Big Day Out Festival on the Gold Coast and shared a stage with Every Time I Die, I Killed The Prom Queen, The Devil Wears Prada, Soilwork, Parkway, House vs Hurricane and many more. Discover Kiss the Fist featuring guitarist Vin Steel and bassist Alan Birch if you want to remain loyal to the band.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz8NExs6beQ&w=853&h=480]
and the winner is....
#1 - Skyway [2008-2013]
Gold Coast Pop Punk heroes Skyway were big. They were on the rise scoring gigs left right and centre. Heaps of plays on Triple J's Short.Fast.Loud. Opening for huge acts like All Time Low, No Fun At All and Frenzal Rhomb as well as supporting their mates in Parkway Drive, The Amity Affliction, Deez Nuts, Heroes for Hire, Monuments and so on. Their 2011 debut album Finders Keepers was an incredible piece of work that shined the spotlight on them and the great potential they had. Things were peachy for the amazing five piece until in 2012 they announced a hiatus which they briefly called off in 2013 for the All Time Low shows and again in 2014 for a one off in Brisbane, but after this everything went quiet even though they promised fans new music on their social media accounts. I caught up with guitarist Ron Chant to find out what's been happening behind the scenes with the band:
Hey man, long time no speak or hear from Skyway. Where is everyone at now?
"Ben (drummer) just recently launched his tutoring app 'Vygo' which he's been working on for a while now and it's going to be very successful in my opinion. Dan (singer) is running a plastering company on a huge commercial site and making the big bucks. Mike (bass) has a chain of laser tattoo removal parlours all over Australia and is also killing it. Daniel (guitarist, angel pipes) is a human enigma who I wish I saw more but he's been writing some awesome shit with Troy Brady [formerly of The Amity Affliction] and turns out he has a huge voice to match it, but I'm not sure if the world is ready for his pipes yet. I have been working as a Carpenter and also set building for a few big budget movies, none of which are out in cinemas yet."
You guys briefly came off hiatus in 2013 to open for All Time Low in Brisbane. What was that like?
"Playing All Time Low was so awesome as we got asked out of the blue and it was at the Tivoli which is one of my favourite venues ever. It definitely made us keen for a show again but at the same time we were like 'well the next show isn't going to top the fucking Tivoli so maybe end it on a good thing?'. There was also a 'minor incident' that made 'Soundwave Touring' say 'you'll never play one of our tours ever again' and at the time they had the monopoly on a million bands we loved, so we were like 'jokes on you, we're not even a band anyway!' and now they don't even exist anymore so jokes on them I guess?"
There is still more to say from Ron including an elaboration on 'that incident' plus we find out about the new band he's been working on with some members of Skyway and also the state of the band's last EP they promised fans. Keep your eyes out for that soon at Wall of Sound...
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0eMsUdE2qM&w=853&h=480]
So there you go, some of the best bands that aren't with us anymore. Goes to show that you need to support your favourite locals, see their shows, buy their merch and music because you never know when their time is up and you'll miss your chance!
Any other Queensland bands missed that deserved a spot on this list, let us know! And for all the legends who have been part of the Hardcore Live Music Scene in QLD since the early days, this one's for you!
Browny (@brownypaul)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XXiy7_ysU4&w=853&h=480]
Ok, one more which JUST missed out on a spot. Love Cats, the electronic synth side project of Ahren Stringer [The Amity Affliction] and Trad Nathan [Crowbar Owner, former The Amity Affliction] that never saw a live audience and lived on MySpace. While we never got to see this idea spring to life, it's legacy will live on through various songs popping up on YouTube!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEStpfJQSd0&w=853&h=480]
