In no particular order heres my Top Ten highlights of 2025

Hard-Ons
There’s just no stopping the Hard-Ons.   I was fortunate enough to play three gigs in three days with them recently and they just don’t stop. A band who’s been around this long could be excused for dialing it in from time to time but they never do. They’re still putting out music of a consistently high standard (their collab with Jerry A recently being up with their best) and their live shows never disappoint.  And they still manage to be top blokes.

Back by unpopular demand (Bbud)
This is a young Sydney band - and by young i mean i have older shirts than these kids. None of them are over 18. In the last 12 months I’ve watched them go from a bunch of good kids playing music to a genuinely great live band. They’ve even survived a line-up change which is something that kills many bands. They supported the Painters and Dockers recently and have got some great supports already lined up for next year, along with a recording set to be released as well.  Keep an ear of for these young reprobates.

The Schizophonics
Best show I’ve seen this year:  Schizophonics in at the Link and Pin at Woy Woy in January.  It was the perfect storm. Hot night. Hot venue. Hot band. Pat cavorted around the room like a whirling dervish, singing and playing shit hot leads.  He makes you exhausted just watching.   And they had the crowd eating out of their hands, finishing with epic MC5 and AC/DC covers.  I’ve seen them every time they've come to Australia.  Never been disappointed.  If they come back. Go see ‘em

Zeke
Saw them in Port Kembla of all places. Brilliant set.

Fast, furious, frenetic. 

If you know, you know.

12341234!

The Sugar Beats
I could go on and on about the pedigree of the members of this rockin’ theee-piece but why dwell on the past when the now is so good? 

I’ve seen these guys a bunch of times this year and they’re great live and recently I finally got around to listening to their new album. It’s a cracker. Style wise it goes across genres - from fuzzed out power pop to heavy alt rock - but it never sounds disjointed.  It’s held together by two common threads. The first being an absolutely killer rhythm section. and the second being Morgana’s vocals which are at times sweet and at other times full of grit and raw emotion.   

One of the things I love about them is that they do’t spend any time talking up their previous achievements in music. There's another band doing the rounds at the moment whose front person tells you every show and in every press release and conversation that they were so and so from some band. The Sugar Beats don’t need that jibber jabber because what they do now stands on its own two feet. If you get the chance see them live. And listen to the album.

Dead Pioneers
Dead Pioneers released their second album “PO$T AMERICAN” in April. It actually took me a month or two before listening.  I was scared. It can't possibly live up to the first one. Could it? 

Newsflash.  It could.  And it did.

Hardcore meets spoken word, fronted by Indigenous American Gregg Deal who channels Keith Morris at his best. The lyrics are on point, the vocals perfect and the band is tight as a fishes bottom.  You need this album.

Drugs In Sport
DIS released a brilliant album “IF ONLY WE USED OUR POWERS FOR GOOD” in March this year. If Errol isn’t one of the best lyricists in the country ill eat my hat.  Want proof? Go listen to the closest thing they do to a ballad  "A Touch Too Rough."  The band knocks this  record out of the park. It’s indie rock with (mostly) a punk rock edge played by a band old enough to know better but good enough to do it anyway.  Also a must see live act. Go see them and heckle Geoff for his lack of footwear. He loves that!

Munted Chunts
Munted Chunts from Melbourne released their first album “HARD RUBBISH” a couple of months back and most people missed it. Its their loss. This ain't some hipster bullshit - this is a fantastic Aussie punk rock record.  Imagine if the chats played harder,faster, and thrashier. They call themselves shed rock but they should just call themselves awesome.  The lyrics are quintessentially Aussie with song titles like "Uncle Micks Got a Bullbar" "Bazza’s Big Bash Brawl" and "Stop Taking My lLghter". These boys are modern day story tellers.

The lead playing on some of these songs is bloody great and the whole album is top drawer..even the song where I drop some guest vocals.  For fans of The Chats, Cosmic Psychos, skate/thrash punk bands

Venues and labels.
Shout out to all the small venues and labels that support and make this rock and roll thing still possible. In NSW you’ve got labels like Evil Tone, Vi-Nil Records and Outtaspace who put out fantastic releases from Aussie bands. And Venues like the Link and Pin (WoyWoy) MoshPit (Sydney) and Diamond Dogs Music Lounge (Dapto) who give local bands a chance to play. Without these and many others around the country the music scene would be dead in the water.  Thank you. 

The Owen Guns 
The Owen Guns released a new album this year – “Songs About Fucking Idiots”. It’s great. Shut up – it’s my list. Fuck you.