When it came time to find an Australian support to share the stage with them on their final tour, The Damned sent a list of potential bands. That “list” only had one name on it: The Hard Ons.
No substitutes would be considered.
As one of Australia’s most legendary punk purveyors The Hard Ons need little introduction. Their first single, 1985’s Surfin’ On My Face was the first of an unprecedented 17 consecutive No. 1’s on the Australian alternative music charts. They were the third Aussie band ever, after Nick Cave and the Go Betweens, to crack the NME Top 5 in the UK and their blistering version of Let There Be Rock with Henry Rollins is one of the greatest covers of all time! It lead to the band and Hank playing 4 songs together on the inaugural Big Day Out in 1992. Legends.
In 2021, the Hard-Ons drafted long-time friend Tim Rogers, the driving force behind the chart-busting, platinum-selling and award winning power-pop act You Am I, as their lead vocalist and now boast a brilliantly expressive and charismatic front-man to augment their rampaging, supercharged punk – metal – power-pop hybrid.
Their first album together, released in the same year; I’m Sorry Sir, That Riff’s Been Taken scored the band their highest ever chart position. Crashing into the charts at #4 some 39 years after their formation. This was followed up by last years Ripper 23 which is bursting at the seams with a series of blistering pop and punk nuggets as only this genre-busting band can produce.
For Blackie, Ray, Murray and Tim to be four decades in and on top of their game is testament to the bands endurance, creativity and a fan-base that is beyond loyal.
The Hard Ons & The Damned – quite possibly the best pairing since tea and crumpets.
TOUR DATES
Wed, March 20: The Tivoli, Brisbane
Thurs, March 21: Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Fri, March 22: Northcote Theatre, Melbourne
Sun, March 24: Hindley St Music Hall, Adelaide
Tues, March 26: Astor Theatre, Perth
The Hard Ons are unable to play Perth due to previous commitments. Perth support TBA
Tickets on sale now
metropolistouring.com/the-damned-2024
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The Damned are the undisputed, unmatched and unassailable living gods of Punk Rock; and for the very first and final time in 35 years they have reassembled the absolute classic line up of the band, recreating the period in their storied career when they were at their peak creativity and the summit of their influence and swagger.
The Damned have always been brilliant in every iteration, but even then, the combination of Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies and Paul Gray represents the best of the best of this fabled and trailblazing band and it is this quartet who will shortly grace Australia with their presence to perform the highlights from their seminal albums, Machine Gun Etiquette, The Black Album and Strawberries, as well as fan favourites like ‘Neat Neat Neat’, ‘New Rose’ and more.
“It seemed like the right time. We wanted to do this while we are all still upright, breathing and capable of doing it at a high level and challenge ourselves and each other for the fans. We will play the best of Machine Gun Etiquette ,The Black Album and Strawberries album and chuck in all the other classics. Paul’s playing great (just did the Professor and the Madmen album thing with him), as is Captain and Dave’s singing great too so it’s going to be amazing to be back” – Rat Scabies
‘New Rose’ is recognised as the very first single by a punk band, coming out 5 weeks before the Sex Pistols ‘Anarchy In the UK’. They were also the first British punk band to tour the United States, inspiring the first wave of west coast hardcore and punk. Their impact on the global punk scene is immeasurable. It’s not often a band gets credit for starting a new genre, let alone three; The Damned were pioneers not only of punk, they also paved the way Goth Rock.
“The Damned continue to redefine punk and more, reminding us all that their legacy is not just history – it’s a living, breathing force.”
AUSTRALIA, HERE IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE TRUE GREATNESS
