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The Hard-Ons are a punk rock
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 the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock....
 band from Sydney
Sydney

Sydney is the List of cities in Australia by population in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million . It is the List of Australian capital cities of New South Wales, and was the site of the first British Empire colony in Australia....
, Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
 that originally formed in 1981. They have been called Australia's most commercially successful independent band, with over 250,000 total record sales.

Hard-Ons' origins can be traced to Western Sydney's Punchbowl
Punchbowl, New South Wales

Punchbowl is a suburb, in South-western Sydney Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Punchbowl is located 17 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the Local Government Areas in Australia of the City of Bankstown and the City of Canterbury, New South Wales....
 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 type of guitar that uses pickup to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into an electrical current, which is made louder with an instrument amplifier and a speaker....
 and vocals, Peter Black on guitar and Brendan Creighton on drums
Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbell s, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single drummer....
.






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The Hard-Ons are a punk rock
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 the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock....
 band from Sydney
Sydney

Sydney is the List of cities in Australia by population in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million . It is the List of Australian capital cities of New South Wales, and was the site of the first British Empire colony in Australia....
, Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
 that originally formed in 1981. They have been called Australia's most commercially successful independent band, with over 250,000 total record sales.

Biography


1980s: Early days

The Hard-Ons' origins can be traced to Western Sydney's Punchbowl
Punchbowl, New South Wales

Punchbowl is a suburb, in South-western Sydney Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Punchbowl is located 17 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the Local Government Areas in Australia of the City of Bankstown and the City of Canterbury, New South Wales....
 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 type of guitar that uses pickup to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into an electrical current, which is made louder with an instrument amplifier and a speaker....
 and vocals, Peter Black on guitar and Brendan Creighton on drums
Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbell s, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single drummer....
. In 1982 Creighton left and was replaced by Ray Ahn on bass guitar
Bass guitar

The electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum.The bass guitar is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer neck and Scale length, and usually four strings tuned to the same pitches as those of the double bass, whic...
 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 Areas in Australia of the City of Sydney....
. Quickly gaining a considerable following, the band released its debut EP
Extended play

An extended play is a vinyl record, Compact disc, or music download which contains more music than a Single , but is too short to qualify as an LP album....
 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 a music genre that features a noticeable rhythmic element, melodies and hook , a mainstream style and a conventional structure.The term "pop music" was first used in 1926 in the sense of "having popular appeal" , but since the 1950s it has been used in the sense of a musical genre, originally characterized as a lighter alternat...
-punk with metal and psychedelia
Psychedelic music

Psychedelic music is a term that refers to a broad set of popular music styles, genres and scenes, that may include psychedelic rock, psych folk, psychedelic pop, psychedelic soul, Psybient, psychedelic trance, and others....
 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, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
, scoring a Top 10 hit in Spain
Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
 and a Top 5 slot in Greece
Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkans. It has borders with Albania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the north, and Turkey to the east....
 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 magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, which first appeared in the 14 November 1952 edition....
 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 Rock music band with multinational personnel, fronted by Nick Cave....
 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 skatepunk thrash musical group created by Klute . Hailing from Ipswich in the United Kingdom in the 1980s, they are one of the leading groups of this style in the world....
. Two years later they teamed up with Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins

Henry Rollins is an United Statesn singer-songwriter, spoken word, stand-up comedian, author, actor, activist and publisher.After joining the short-lived Washington, D.C....
 and released a version of "Let There Be Rock
Let There Be Rock (song)

"Let There Be Rock" is a song by Australia hard rock band AC/DC. It is the third and title track of their Australian album Let There Be Rock , released in March 1977 in music, 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, 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 multiple recording artists, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, 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....
/Regurgitator
Regurgitator

Regurgitator is an Australian rock band from Brisbane, currently consisting of lead singer/guitarist Quan Yeomans, bassist Ben Ely, drummer Peter Kostic and keyboardist Seja Vogel....
 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 is an independent record label based in Sydney, Australia, founded in 1997 in music by musician Nik Tropiano and Sebastian Chase of Phantom Records....
.

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 stand-up comedy character played by Gregg Turkington....
 on guest lead vocals in January, 2008.

Musical Style

A 1987 BEAT Magazine article described the Hard-Ons' sound as "Motörhead
Motörhead

Mot?rhead are a British hard rock band formed in 1975 by bassist, singer and songwriter Lemmy, who has remained the sole constant member. Usually a power trio, Mot?rhead had particular success in the early 1980s with several successful singles in the UK Singles Chart....
 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 Pistols
Sex Pistols

The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. The band are widely credited with initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and creating the first generation gap within rock and roll....
, The Buzzcocks, The Damned
The Damned

The Damned are an English Rock music band formed in London in 1976. They are notable for being the first punk rock band from England to release a single , an album , and to tour the United States....
, Ramones
Ramones

The Ramones were an American Rock music band often regarded as the first punk rock group. Formed in Forest Hills, Queens, Queens, New York, in 1974, all of the band members adopted stage names ending with "Ramone", though none of them were actually related....
 and The Saints
The Saints (band)

The Saints are an Australian rock band, formed in Brisbane in 1974. They are considered to be one of the first and most influential punk rock groups....
 , 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 feedback which occurs when a sound loop exists between an audio input and an audio output . In this example, a signal received by the microphone is Amplifier and passed out of the loudspeaker....
.

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
Toilet humour

Toilet humour, or scatological humour, is a type of off-color humor dealing with defecation, urination, flatulence, vomiting and other bodily functions....
 ("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 Spain
Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
 and Greece
Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkans. It has borders with Albania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the north, and Turkey to the east....
. At one time there was a Hard Ons cover band in the UK known as Suck n Swallow. Some of the band's most prominent fans include Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra

Eric Reed Boucher , more widely known by the stage name Jell-O Biafra, is an United Statesn musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party ....
, Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins

Henry Rollins is an United Statesn singer-songwriter, spoken word, stand-up comedian, author, actor, activist and publisher.After joining the short-lived Washington, D.C....
 and Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl

David Eric Grohl is an American Rock musician, singer and songwriter. Grohl began his music career in the 1980s as the drummer for several Washington, D.C., area bands, including the hardcore punk band Scream ....
.

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 - present)


Discography


Albums

  • 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
    Your Choice Records

    Your Choice Records is a German independent record label which was founded 1988 by producer Tobby Holzinger. The label specialized in independent Punk rock music live releases of german and international music acts....
     (1995)
  • This Terrible Place... (2000)
  • Very Exciting! (2003)
  • Most People Are A Waste Of Time (2006)
  • Most People Are Nicer Than Us (2007)
  • (untitled album) (2009)


EPs

  • Surfin' On My Face (1985)
  • Surfin' On My Face (1988) (reissue)
  • No Cheese (1988) (Split 10" with The Stupids
    The Stupids

    *For the skatepunk band see The Stupids *For the 1996 in film film, see The Stupids The Stupids are a fictional family created by Harry Allard and James Marshall who appear in series of books by them....
    )
  • Dull (1991)
  • Where The Wild Things Are (1992) (split with Celibate Rifles)
  • Test (1994)
  • Yesterday & Today (1999)
  • Hard-Ons/Boom Boom Kid Split! (2002)


Singles

  • Girl In The Sweater (1986)
  • By My Side"/"I'll Come Again (Livin' End Flexidisc)
  • All Set To Go (1987)
  • Busted" b/w "Suck 'n' Swallow (1987)
  • Just Being With You (1988)
  • Sick Of Being Sick (1989) (free giveaway)
  • Been Had Before (Demo) (Vinyl Solution Giveaway)
  • Where Did She Come From? (1990)
  • Dull (1991)
  • Let There Be Rock (1991) (with Henry Rollins
    Henry Rollins

    Henry Rollins is an United Statesn singer-songwriter, spoken word, stand-up comedian, author, actor, activist and publisher.After joining the short-lived Washington, D.C....
    )
  • Love Hurts (Munster Magazine Giveaway)
  • She's A Dish (1992)
  • Crazy Crazy Eyes (1993)
  • You Disappointed Me (1999) (Germany
    Germany

    Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
    )
  • Shark's Head (1999) (Spain
    Spain

    Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
    )
  • Sunny"/"Scared Of It All (Europe Promo)
  • There Goes One Of The Creeps That Hassled My Girlfriend (2005)


Compilations

  • 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)
  • Rarities (1994)
  • The Best of (1999)
  • Suck 'n' Swallow : 25 Years, 25 Songs (2009)

External links