Airbourne is a straightforward rock band in the Aussie pub rock tradition of
AC/DC,
the Angels, and
Rose Tattoo: four guys with beers in hand who would rather die than be caught wearing a pink shirt.
The brothers
Joel and
Ryan O’Keeffe grew up in the country town of Warrnambool, with a collection of classic Australian rock albums stolen from their uncle. When everyone around them was listening to current music, they were firmly entrenched in the music of the ’70s and ’80s they longed to re-create.
Joel took on vocals and lead guitar and
Ryan the drums while still in school, earning them the enmity of their neighbors, who sent the police around with noise complaints multiple times.
Second guitarist
David Roads was sourced from the local pub, where
Joel O’Keeffe worked. Bass player
Justin Street was encountered in the town’s sand dunes by
Ryan O’Keeffe while drunkenly rolling down them, and with his addition Airbourne was complete. The four soon moved to the city of Melbourne to find venues willing to accept them.
Steadily playing, they put out a self-financed EP called
Ready to Rock in 2004. Hard work paid off with support slots for acts including
the Rolling Stones and
Mtley Crüe and a billing at the Big Day Out festival in 2006. That year they were invited to the U.S.A. by Capitol Records to record their debut album,
, with producer
Bob Marlette.
