hard rock

Ronnie Simmons and The Redback Spiders are a new punk influenced hard rock band from Sydney Australia, fronted by Ronnie Simmons (Rose Tattoo, Richie Ramone, ex-Faster Pussycat).

The band is about to release their debut EP, written and produced by Ronnie himself, recorded with Clay Davies at One More Time Recording in Los Angeles. Influenced by classic punk, Australian pub rock and with a tinge of ska, the album features Richie Ramone (The Ramones) and the late Chris Moye on drums, with Johnny Martin of LA Guns on bass, backing vocals by Danny Nordahl of Faster Pussycat and Scott Churilla of Reverend Horton Heat, lead vocals, all guitars – and saxophone! – by Ronnie Simmons.

In discussing the collaborative effort behind the EP, Ronnie emphasized the invaluable support from friends he worked with at various stages of his time in Los Angeles. “It was really cool to have my friends come together to help bring this record to life. Everyone’s support and involvement definitely brought a spirit of fun and energy to the recording process,” he elaborates. “Having drums played by Richie Ramone on songs I’d written is something I’ll eternally be proud of, and also being able to capture on record just how good of a drummer Chris Moye was really means a lot to me.”

The songs are an accumulation of Ronnie’s experiences leaving Sydney Australia, moving to Hollywood before returning to become a permanent member of Rose Tattoo. Stylistically and lyrically paying homage to elements of his journey and life in Los Angeles, they also are a return to his roots and where he started. Their debut single ‘Alone With You’ is due for worldwide release September 13 2024.

“You wanna know what it looks like to be in a relationship with a touring musician? Take out your phone and type ‘I miss you too’ because that’s basically it,” Ronnie says about the band’s debut single. “Being a touring musician is everything I dreamed of doing as a teenager, but there’s another side to it,” he adds. “Whether it’d be after a show or after a tour, physically and mentally exhausted, I’d be confronted with the solitude that I’d ultimately chosen. ‘Alone With You’ is about recognizing how lucky I am to get what I wanted, but realizing I’m allowed to want something else too and expressing that.”

When playing live, Ronnie is joined by his Redback Spiders: Hayden McGoogan and Sean Anderson on guitar, Tommy Hills on bass and Chip Scanu on drums. After just two live performances in Sydney, The Redback Spiders have signed with Suburban Records in the Netherlands and are fast picking up momentum.

Crocodylus are rapidly emerging trio out of Sydney quickly gaining a reputation for intense live shows that match the ferocity of their good-time garage/surf rock. High school pals Stephen Sacco, Josh Williams and Mikel Salvador have only been doing the Crocodylus thing for a hot minute, but have already supported a host of great Aussie rock acts, and their latest single, Christian Syrups, is a belter.

Beloved Sydney electronic dance band Art vs Science release their long-awaited new album ‘Big Overdrive’. The vibe-packed record, written and recorded over the past decade includes their recent dancefloor ready single ‘I Saw You’, ARIA club hit ‘SWEAT’ produced by Kim Moyes (The Presets) and their new single ‘Check The Boombox’, which was produced by Dan McNamee and Dan Williams. Rich in melodies, synth stabs and classic Art vs Science experimentation, ‘Big Overdrive’ is a collection of songs that captures the heights of the trio as a groundbreaking alternative dance band, pushing musical boundaries with crafted multi-layered bangers.

Sonically ‘Big Overdrive’ lives and breathes in a way that can be played live to an intimate club audience or to a festival crowd. It’s also a celebration of the band’s longevity performing together for fifteen years. The music was recorded in studios all around Sydney, with a heavy emphasis on DIY. The bulk of the album was tracked at Dan Mac’s parents’ old place in Dural, in a sweaty hotbox near the attic, using a handful of microphones and a bucketload of vibe!

“In the course of selecting the music for this long awaited album, some of these rare sessions were uncovered, and the joy and fun embedded within were plain to hear. Of course, lots of love and expertise came from actual outside experts such as Kim Moyes (The Presets), Alex Gooden (Mix Engineer, SAFIA), Sam Ford (Tone City Records), Joe La Porta (Mastering, Sterling Sound), and Guy Davies (Mastering, Electric Mastering).”
Art vs Science.

Festival ready single “I Saw You” explores a quiet-verse loud-chorus dynamic, with soaring synths and thumping drums. New single “Check The Boombox” was recorded at a friend’s house in Wilsons Creek in the Blue Mountains near Sydney. A full arsenal of old stereo equalisers, a terrible mixing desk, and dusty guitar amplifiers went into this track. “The cost of producing this track was keeping a black and white cat fed and entertained, and lugging the gear from Bondi in a hired Goget van.”

“How 2 Stay High” was recorded in one session at Dan Mac’s house in Thirroul, whilst “Sweat” saw the band recruit Kim Moyes from The Presets to beef up and bangify. “Joe La Porta was enlisted to give SWEAT its beautiful sheen and thump, while Guy Davies was chosen to make DANCE the most thumping it could be” Art vs Science

Dan Mac produced many of the tracks on ‘Big Overdrive’; finding weird locations and setting up mics in bedrooms and kitchens to capture Dan W’s epic drum performances. Jim as always provided the solid synth bass lines and creative counterpoint that makes the band more than the sum of its parts.

“Big Overdrive is a celebration of jamming and making music which is fun, different and experimental. It’s a collection of tracks written over most of the band’s lifespan, with an emphasis on songs which we think are beautiful in their weirdness. The themes of the songs span love, loss, exuberance, life, death and passion. And dancing.” Art vs Science

Since 2008 Art vs Science has been widely acclaimed for their dynamic live performances and energy on stage. With their insistence on playing everything 100% “live” weaving intricate dance arpeggios – played by human hands – with real drums, real presence, and a bass sound that is uniquely their own. Dan Mac, Dan W and Jim Finn’s clear musicality is empowered by a collection of random keyboards plugged into huge guitar amplifiers and pedals which inspired one critic to call them “AC/DC with keyboards”.

They’ve performed at nearly every major Australian music festival including: Falls Festival, Splendour in the Grass, Bass in the Grass, Parklife, Good Vibrations, Big Day Out, and a range of boutique festivals such as Festival of The Sun, St Kilda Festival, Caloundra Music Festival, Wine Machine, Red Deer Fest, NYE On The Hill, The Great Australian Beer Fest, The Bacardi Express and Mountain Sounds. Art vs Science also performed at the Keep Sydney Open rally in 2016 and has supported Groove Armada and The Chemical Brothers.

Peaking at #2 on the ARIA charts, their album “The Experiment” won an ARIA for Best Independent Album in 2011. They currently have over 136K Spotify monthly listeners including 4.9million streams for their ubiquitous hit ‘Parlez Vous Francais’, 2.3million plays on Apple and over 7millon views on Youtube.

Art vs Science will be returning to the festival stage playing at the Caloundra Music Festival on Friday, 30 September, and Wine Machine, along with Flight Facilities, Lime Cordiale, Masked Wolf, San Cisco and many others in December!

ART VS SCIENCE TOUR DATES
Friday 30 September, Caloundra Music Festival, Queensland Tickets
Saturday, 17 December, Wine Machine, McLaren Vale, South Australia Tickets

“Stoked to be playing at the Caloundra Music Festival again this year. Had a ball at the 2017 one. Also keen as beans for another round of Wine Machine, this time in South Australia. Psyched!”
Art vs Science

PRAISE FOR ART VS SCIENCE

Art vs Science – The Experiment album – 200 Greatest Australian Albums Of All Time – Honorable Mentions List
ROLLING STONE AUSTRALIA

“It’s easy to tell why crowds love these boys. Their music is laced with happiness: it’s addictive, plus their live shows involve inflatable penguins!”
MUSIC FEEDS

“Unlike most hyped-up artists, this claim wasn’t far from the truth, with singles like ‘Magic Fountain’ and their debut album, The Experiment, going on to cement the band as household names in no time.”
TONE DEAF

“The Sydney trio’s new tune is definitely larger than their previous stuff, with their signature, fast-paced synth blending super nicely with rolling piano chords, bouncy vocals and hectic drum work.”
PILERATS

“Art vs Science have always been capable of producing – an album that is sharp, full of confidence and great musical execution.”
AU REVIEW

ART VS SCIENCE are:
Jim Finn (vocals, keyboard)
Dan McNamee (vocals, guitars, keyboard)
Dan Williams (vocals, drums)

Big Red Fire Truck are a hard rock band from Sydney’s Manly Beach. They play heavy and melodic music guaranteed to get you moving whether you sing dance or bang your head.

They were a core part of the Frankie's Pizza furniture in Sydney until its closure and have played shows all around Australia and the UK.

With one EP already in the bag the lads are setting their sights on 2023 to be their biggest year yet with their brand new single "Trouble In Paradise" set to drop March 24 with the full EP coming mid 2023.

Members
Digby Robinson - Lead Vocals
Guitar Pete Grant - Drums
Nick Frazer - Bass
Ben Frank - Guitar