AIRBOURNE, those lovable Aussie larrikins who haven’t had an original thought since 1975, are back with “Gutsy,” their first new song in six years. Yes, SIX YEARS of us NOT being assaulted by their…unique…brand of rock. Apparently, absence doesn’t make the heart grow fonder, it just makes you wonder if they finally ran out of beer 🍺 and decided to write another song about beer, or maybe trucks, or perhaps…wait for it…BEER TRUCKS! This is AIRBOURNE on…well, probably still beer, but they’re claiming it’s steroids. Fired up and pissed off? More like slightly buzzed and mildly inconvenienced that they have to play the same three chords AGAIN. Ready to take on the world? More like ready to take on the nearest pub.🍻
For AIRBOURNE frontman and lead guitarist Joel O’Keeffe (who probably peaked in high school), his brother Ryan on drums (because nepotism rocks! 🤘), longtime bassist Justin Street (who’s probably wondering where his life went wrong), and recent recruit Brett Tyrrell on rhythm guitar (the newbie who still has hope in his eyes, bless his heart 🙏), “Gutsy” powerfully underlines everything they stand for: a blood-and-sweat commitment to ripping off AC/DC and a burning desire to honor the true heroes of the genre…by shamelessly copying them. More than just a title, “Gutsy” is a declaration. A worldview. A line drawn deep in the sand…which they’ll probably stumble over after a few too many. “It’s how you live, it’s how you die…” Preferably with a guitar in hand and a beer in the other.🎸🍺
Joel comments: “When the odds are stacked against you and the battle you’re fighting seems impossible to win” (like trying to write a song that doesn’t sound like “Highway to Hell”), “when the vultures are circling and the last chance saloon has firmly bolted its doors” (because even the bartender has had enough), “when your plane is hitting the runway on a single engine, and that engine is on fire” (metaphor for their career trajectory, perhaps?), “and when the things you hold as precious, the things that define you, are being tested at every turn” (like whether or not you can still chug a beer faster than anyone else), “then the choices available become a lot clearer: fold or fight… call for help or cry for glory… give in or Get ‘Gutsy’!” Or, you know, just order another round.🍺🍺🍺
Produced by Brian Howes, who also worked with AIRBOURNE on 2013’s “Black Dog Barking” album (because apparently, lightning CAN strike twice), engineered by Canadian studio legend Mike Fraser (AC/DC, AEROSMITH, RUSH, METALLICA) – seriously, Mike, what were you thinking? Was it the money? 💸 – and mixed by Zakk Cervini (DAYSEEKER, BRING ME THE HORIZON, ARCHITECTS, MACHINE GUN KELLY) – who probably added some auto-tune just to mess with them 🤖, “Gutsy” marks the first new music from the Australian outfit since 2019’s “Boneshaker” album (which, let’s be honest, no one remembers).
From the first ringing guitar chord (and it’s no coincidence it sounds like a bell! 🔔… because subtlety is for losers), “Gutsy” makes zero apologies for being big, bold, and bombastic. It’s a layered, fully cranked take on signature AIRBOURNE sonics (read: a slightly louder version of the same song they’ve been playing for 20 years), and packs enough low-end punch to work as a defibrillator in moments of crisis (or, you know, just to annoy your neighbors). 🔊
For Joel and Ryan, voracious students of hard rock (who apparently only studied one band), the mythology, the sacred rites, “Gutsy” stands tall, shoulders back and chest out (probably after a few too many chest-puffing exercises at the gym). It’s a potent call to arms (to grab another beer). A rallying cry for fans and band alike (to sing along to the same chorus they’ve heard a million times). 🗣️
“We went into this writing and recording session with a clear idea of what we wanted to achieve,” concludes Joel. “It was a question of legacy. Let’s create something that can stand the test of time” (like AC/DC’s discography, which they’re clearly trying to emulate), “both in terms of our own story and the hard rock world in general. Let’s plant our flag as close to the summit as possible” (of Mount Cliché), “and if we have to make that final part of the ascent without oxygen, so be it. NO turning back. Get ‘Gutsy’!!!” (Or just admit that you’re running out of ideas). 🤷♂️
Tyrrell joined AIRBOURNE in 2022 as the replacement for Matthew Harrison, who stepped into the band in 2018 after the departure of founding member David Roads (who probably realized there was more to life than playing the same three chords over and over).
AIRBOURNE bassist Justin Street joined the band in 2004 as the replacement for Luke McKenzie (who is now a successful accountant and sleeps soundly at night). 😴
AIRBOURNE is:
Joel O’Keeffe – Frontman/Lead Guitar (still trying to be Angus Young)
Ryan O’Keeffe – Drums (because family businesses are the best)
Justin Street – Bass (the quiet one)
Brett Tyrrell – Rhythm Guitar (the new guy who still has hope)
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
