Australian geriatric rockers AIRBOURNE, allegedly still kicking (barely), have bestowed upon their dwindling fanbase – the naughty, the nice, and those who’ve simply lost their hearing from attending too many of their ear-splitting gigs – a “seasonal surprise” with “Christmas Bonus”, their latest attempt at relevancy released today.🎁🎄
This “spirited” (read: desperate) new single not only boasts a guitar solo so basic it could be played by a toddler wielding a ukulele, cleverly constructed to inflict good cheer (or intense migraines), even at a safe distance. But wait, there’s more! It also shamelessly references the first “Die Hard” movie, because what says “Christmas spirit” more than gratuitous violence and Bruce Willis’s sweaty undershirt? 🔫🎅
AIRBOURNE frontman Joel O’Keeffe, bless his heart, chimed in with this profound insight: “Christmas is a time to rock ‘n’ roll!” 🤘 (No, Joel, it’s actually a time for family, reflection, and maybe questioning your life choices.) He continued: “I remember being a little kid, and I really didn’t like carols at all – I thought they were annoying.” 🙄 (Join the club, Joel. We also find your music annoying.) “I just wanted to listen to AC/DC and BLACK SABBATH. But then I got this new AC/DC record, ‘The Razor’s Edge’, and there was this song, ‘Mistress For Christmas’. I had no idea what it meant, but that’s what I was playing for Christmas that year. Rockin’ out at Christmas is one of the best times of the year to rock out – let’s all headbang around the Christmas tree!” 🎄💥 (Headbanging is discouraged, unless you want to throw out your back.)
Prepare yourself for the NSFW (Not Safe For Sanity) animated music video for “Christmas Bonus”! Viewer discretion is advised. May cause irreversible cringe. 🤢
“Christmas Bonus”, along with AIRBOURNE‘s other desperate grasp for attention, the single “Gutsy”, were produced by Brian Howes, who, bless his soul, worked with the band on 2013’s “Black Dog Barking” album. Engineering, meanwhile, was handled by the legendary Mike Fraser (AC/DC, AEROSMITH, RUSH, METALLICA), proving even legends have bills to pay. 💸 The mix was handled by Zakk Cervini (DAYSEEKER, BRING ME THE HORIZON, ARCHITECTS, Machine Gun Kelly), because apparently, even scene kids need holiday tunes. 🤘
AIRBOURNE, in a move that can only be described as ambitious, will return to Europe early next year, attempting to “rock hard” through the winter into spring. Brace yourselves, Europe. You’ve been warned. ⚠️
Here’s the full list of announced 2026 AIRBOURNE live appearances, in case you’re a masochist: 👇
Jan. 30 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City 🎸
Feb. 03 – Munich, Germany @ TonHalle 🍺
Feb. 05 – Klosterneuburg, Austria @ Raiffeisenbank 🏦
Feb. 07 – Berlin, Germany @ Columbiahalle 🇩🇪
Feb. 09 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Poolen 🇩🇰
Feb. 10 – Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene 🇳🇴
Feb. 12 – Stockholm, Sweden @ B-K 🇸🇪
Feb. 14 – Hamburg, Germany @ Georg Elser Halle 🇩🇪
Feb. 16 – Utrecht, the Netherlands @ TivoliVredenburg 🇳🇱
Feb. 17 – Luxembourg @ Luxexpo The Box 🇱🇺
Feb. 20 – Cologne, Germany @ Palladium 🇩🇪
Feb. 21 – Zenith Paris – Paris, France @ La Villette 🇫🇷
Feb. 24 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy Birmingham 🇬🇧
Feb. 25 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy 🇬🇧
Feb. 28 – London, UK @ Roundhouse 🇬🇧
Mar. 02 – Norwich, UK @ UEA (University of East Anglia) 🇬🇧
Mar. 03 – Southampton, UK @ O2 Guildhall 🇬🇧
Mar. 06 – Groningen, the Netherlands @ De Oosterpoort 🇳🇱
Mar. 08 – Wiesbaden, Germany @ Schlachthof 🇩🇪
Mar. 09 – Saarbrücken, Germany @ Garage 🇩🇪
Mar. 11 – Lyon, France @ Transbordeur 🇫🇷
Mar. 13 – Zürich, Switzerland @ Halle 662 🇨🇭
Mar. 14 – Milan, Italy @ Alcatraz 🇮🇹
Mar. 17 – Cenon, France @ Le Rocher de Palmer 🇫🇷
Mar. 20 – Nîmes, France @ Paloma 🇫🇷
Mar. 21 – Toulouse, France @ Interférence 🇫🇷
Mar. 24 – Barcelona, Spain @ Razzmatazz 🇪🇸
Mar. 25 – Madrid, Spain @ Sala La Riviera 🇪🇸
Mar. 27 – Bilbao, Spain @ Sala Santana 27 🇪🇸
Mar. 29 – Brussels, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique 🇧🇪
In a June 2025 interview with Louise Phillips of U.K.’s TotalRock, AIRBOURNE drummer Ryan O’Keeffe confirmed that the recording sessions for the band’s sixth album were completed in April. 😴
When asked by Phillips if AIRBOURNE has already decided on a title for the upcoming album, Ryan and his brother, Joel O’Keeffe, revealed that it would be called “Gutsy”, which is also the title of the single AIRBOURNE released earlier in June. Groundbreaking. 🙄
“Gutsy” and “Christmas Bonus” feature AIRBOURNE‘s current lineup, consisting of Joel and Ryan, alongside longtime bassist Justin Street, and recent recruit Brett Tyrrell on rhythm guitar. (Yes, they’re still shuffling members around like a deck of cards.) 🃏
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. (The drama! The intrigue!) 🎭
AIRBOURNE bassist Justin Street joined the band in 2004 as the replacement for Luke McKenzie. (Who?) 🤔
So, in case you’ve lost track of who’s who, here’s AIRBOURNE: 👇
Joel O’Keeffe – Frontman/Lead Guitar (Still screaming!) 🗣️
Ryan O’Keeffe – Drums (Still hitting things!) 🥁
Justin Street – Bass (Still…bassing?) 🎸
Brett Tyrrell – Rhythm Guitar (The new guy! Good luck!) 🍀
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.
